Axe
As the sole survivor of the Red Mist army, Axe lives for battle and thrives in the chaos of war.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Axe is not asking. Axe is telling. Follow these laws, and victory is not prayed for—it is taken.”
Be the Initiator
You are the spearhead. A good Blink-Call is the start of a won fight. Don't hesitate. See the opportunity, take it.
Master the Wave
The creep wave is your tool. Cut it to create pressure, draw rotations, and farm your core items faster than anyone expects.
Axe is Law
Your abilities bend the rules. Call pierces immunity, Cull defies death-prevention. Understand your power and enforce it.
Embrace the Pain
Enemies attacking you is what you want. More attacks mean more Counter Helixes. With Blade Mail, their strength becomes your weapon.
The Decisive Cut
Culling Blade is more than a kill. It's a momentum swing. A reset, a team-wide buff. Know the threshold, feel the moment, and end them.
The One-Man Army
You don't need help to create chaos. Your presence alone distorts the map. Believe in your ability to be a one-man army, and your team will follow.
Hero Overview
Axe is the quintessential initiator and lane dominator, capable of turning the tide of battle by forcing enemies into unwinnable fights. His high base health regeneration and armor make him a formidable presence from the very start, allowing him to cut creep waves behind enemy towers and disrupt the enemy's laning phase single-handedly.
Axe's gameplay revolves around landing a perfect Berserker's Call with a Blink Dagger, locking down multiple heroes and letting Counter Helix tear them apart. A successful call often spells doom for the enemy team. To cap it off, Culling Blade isn't just a kill-secure; it's a statement, a team-wide buff, and one of the most satisfying finishers in the game.
Pros
- Excellent initiator with Blink Dagger
- Strong laner, can cut creep waves
- Berserker's Call pierces debuff immunity (BKB)
- High damage output against multiple units
- Culling Blade is a powerful execution ability
Cons
- Highly reliant on Blink Dagger
- Susceptible to kiting without Call
- Can have mana issues early on
- Vulnerable to 'break' effects and strong physical damage dealers
- Low mobility without items
Ability Analysis
Berserker's Call
ActiveAxe taunts nearby enemy units, forcing them to attack him, while he gains bonus armor.
Notes: Perfect initiation tool for team fights. Use it to force enemies to attack you while your team positions for follow-up. The bonus armor makes you nearly invulnerable during the taunt duration. Best used when you have backup nearby.
Battle Hunger
Target UnitEnrages an enemy unit, causing it to be slowed and take damage over time until it kills another unit or the duration ends.
Notes: Excellent harassment tool in lane. Forces enemies to either take significant damage or waste time killing creeps. Use it on supports who can't easily get last hits to maximize pressure.
Counter Helix
PassiveWhen attacked, Axe has a chance to perform a helix counter attack, dealing damage to all nearby enemies.
Notes: Your main damage source and farming tool. Position yourself in the middle of creep waves to maximize procs. Works great with Berserker's Call as enemies are forced to attack you, triggering more helixes.
Culling Blade
Target UnitAxe spots a weakness and strikes, instantly killing an enemy unit with low health.
Notes: Game-changing ultimate that resets cooldown on kill. Use it to secure kills on low-health enemies and immediately re-engage. The movement speed bonus after kills makes you incredibly dangerous in team fights.
Berserker's Call (Shard Upgrade)
ActiveBerserker's Call creates a ring around Axe that moves outward, taunting enemies in its path.
Notes: The Shard upgrade significantly increases range and area of effect. The expanding ring allows you to catch enemies trying to stay at the edge of the normal taunt range. Essential for late-game teamfights.
Culling Blade (Aghanim's Scepter)
Target UnitCulling Blade becomes a 300 radius area-of-effect ability that can kill multiple enemies below the threshold.
Notes: Transforms your ultimate into a devastating AoE execution. Can potentially kill multiple low-health enemies at once, drastically changing the outcome of a teamfight. The area of effect makes it much harder for enemies to play around the threshold.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Axe is one of the most iconic initiators in Dota 2. His Berserker's Call is not just a taunt - it's a game-changing ability that can turn the tide of any teamfight.
Key Insights:
- Always position yourself to catch multiple enemies
- Use Blink Dagger for surprise initiations
- Counter Helix makes you a threat even when disabled
Axe rewards aggressive, confident play. Don't be afraid to dive deep - that's where Axe shines!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Dominate the lane and secure core items Key: Use high HP regeneration to trade hits effectively; Cut creep waves between enemy T1 and T2 towers; Harass enemies with Battle Hunger; Secure last hits and deny enemy farm Items: Blink Dagger (Priority #1); Stout Shield for survivability; Tangos and healing items Tips: Position yourself to maximize Counter Helix procs; Use jungle camps when lane is pushed; Be aware of enemy gank attempts; Stack neutral camps for later farming
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Initiate teamfights and control map objectives Key: Use Blink + Berserker's Call for perfect initiation; Target out-of-position enemy heroes; Force enemies to play defensively; Coordinate with team for objective control Items: Blade Mail (Core defensive item); Vanguard for tankiness; Boots of choice (Arcane/Phase) Tips: Wait for the right moment to engage; Communicate with team before initiating; Use Call to protect your carries; Take towers and Roshan after successful fights
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Execute perfect teamfight initiation and provide utility Key: Initiate on the most critical enemy core; Survive initial burst damage; Use Culling Blade for fight-winning executions; Provide speed and armor buffs to team Items: Aghanim's Scepter (AoE Culling Blade); Heart of Tarrasque (Survivability); Shiva's Guard (Team utility) Tips: Positioning is absolutely critical; Wait for enemy cooldowns before engaging; Focus on utility over damage; Buy support items for team advantage
Tips & Strategies
Laning & Creep Cutting
- Use right-clicks on distant enemy heroes to draw creep aggro without using mana.
- Battle Hunger is great for annoying supports, forcing them to either take CS or fail denies.
- Your high base HP regen makes creep cutting very effective, but be mindful of ranged heroes who can harass you.
Teamfight Execution
- Berserker's Call pierces BKB, making it perfect for interrupting key spells like Black Hole or Requiem of Souls.
- Use Call's high bonus armor defensively even if you don't catch anyone; it can save your life.
- After a call, you can walk or Force Staff to reposition taunted enemies into your team.
Culling Blade Mastery
- Culling Blade kills through Shallow Grave, False Promise, and Borrowed Time by dispelling them first.
- You can Cull illusions for a reset, and they die from high HP due to bonus damage.
- A quick Cull on a creep can provide the speed buff needed to escape or chase.
Item Guide
Starting Items
Safe laning sustain and damage mitigation to enable early aggression.
Stout Shield, Tango, Ring of Health
Core Items
These are the absolute essentials. Blink for initiation, Blade Mail for damage reflection during Call, and Phase Boots for positioning and armor.
Blink Dagger, Blade Mail, Phase Boots
Situational Items
Adapt to the enemy. Vanguard against physical damage, Pipe for magic, Halberd for disarming key carries, and Force Staff for mobility.
Vanguard, Pipe of Insight, Heaven's Halberd, Force Staff
Counter Guide
Good With
Axe excels when paired with heroes who can capitalize on his initiation and provide follow-up damage or control. Magnus creates devastating combos with Reverse Polarity after Berserker's Call, while Invoker can land perfect Meteor + Deafening Blast combinations on taunted enemies. Enigma benefits from Axe's ability to force enemies together for Black Hole, and Crystal Maiden can safely channel Freezing Field behind Axe's tanky presence. Pudge works excellently as both heroes can isolate targets - Axe calls, Pudge hooks fleeing enemies. Warlock and Jakiro provide AoE damage that synergizes with grouped enemies from Call. The key is heroes who need enemies to be stationary or grouped - Axe delivers exactly that through his taunt and positioning control.
Bad Against
Axe struggles against heroes who can neutralize his core strengths or exploit his weaknesses. Viper and Silver Edge carriers apply break, completely disabling Counter Helix and making Axe a sitting duck. Ursa and Lifestealer deal massive single-target physical damage that overwhelms even Axe's armor bonus during Call. Razor and Venomancer excel at kiting - they can damage Axe from range while staying outside Blink + Call range. Oracle and Abaddon provide strong dispels that can save allies from Call or remove Axe's buffs. Anti-Mage burns Axe's limited mana pool, preventing crucial Blink initiations. Phantom Assassin with high physical damage and evasion makes trading hits unfavorable. The pattern is clear: heroes with break effects, high sustained physical damage, strong kiting abilities, or powerful dispels all pose serious threats to Axe's game plan.
Good Against
Axe dominates heroes who rely on positioning, channeling, or multiple units. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer, Naga Siren, and Chaos Knight suffer immensely - Counter Helix cleaves through illusions while Berserker's Call forces the real hero to reveal themselves through attack animations. Channeling heroes such as Enigma (Black Hole), Crystal Maiden (Freezing Field), and Witch Doctor (Death Ward) become sitting ducks when called mid-channel. Squishy supports without escape mechanisms like Sniper, Drow Ranger, and Shadow Shaman are easy prey for Blink + Call + Culling Blade combos. Melee carries who need to get close like Juggernaut and Troll Warlord trigger Counter Helix repeatedly while being forced to attack during Call. Heroes dependent on positioning such as Invoker and Tinker lose their safety when suddenly taunted into melee range. Axe's ability to force fights, disable channeling through BKB-piercing Call, and deal AoE damage makes him a nightmare for these hero types.