Legion Commander
A veteran of countless battles, Tresdin leads her legion with unwavering determination. Her ability to duel enemies one-on-one and steal their damage makes her a terrifying presence on the battlefield, growing stronger with each victory.
At a Glance
Core Principles
“Victory through honor, strength through combat, and power through every duel won - this is the path of the true commander.”
Master the Duel
Your success hinges on winning Duels and accumulating permanent damage. Always assess the situation before engaging - is the target isolated? Do you have backup? Is their team nearby? Remember that Duel can be interrupted by numerous spells, so time your initiation carefully.
Position with Purpose
As a hero who needs to get in close to be effective, positioning is crucial. Use Blink Dagger to catch isolated targets, but never jump into situations where you'll be outnumbered. In teamfights, wait for enemies to use their key disables before engaging.
Time Your Abilities
The timing of your abilities is crucial for success. Use Press the Attack before Dueling for the attack speed bonus and dispel. Remember that you can always cast Overwhelming Odds mid-Duel, even while disabled - this is one of your strongest tools.
Manage Resources Wisely
Tread switching is essential on Legion Commander due to her mana-intensive spells. Switch to INT treads when casting abilities, then to STR treads for the healing from Press the Attack. Don't stay on INT treads for too long as you'll lose health and damage.
Target Selection
Not all heroes are equal targets for your Duel. Prioritize isolated supports or carries without escape mechanisms. Avoid heroes with strong dispels or abilities that can interrupt Duel. Remember that you don't earn Duel damage from Aegis deaths, Arc Warden's Tempest Double, or illusions.
Scale Through Victory
Your power grows exponentially with each successful Duel. Focus on farming and accumulating Duel damage in the mid-game to transition into a terrifying late-game carry. Build items that complement your Duel damage and make you harder to kill.
Hero Overview
Legion Commander is a versatile carry hero known for her powerful single-target lockdown and scaling potential through Duel. Her Overwhelming Odds provides excellent wave clear and teamfight presence, while Press the Attack offers both offensive and defensive utility. As she accumulates Duel damage, she transitions from an initiator to a terrifying late-game carry.
The hero's strength lies in her ability to isolate and eliminate key targets through Duel, permanently stealing their damage. Her Moment of Courage passive provides strong sustain and dueling potential, making her effective in both jungle farming and direct confrontations. However, she requires careful positioning and timing to maximize her impact.
Pros
- Scales infinitely with Duel damage
- Strong single-target lockdown with Duel
- Excellent wave clear with Overwhelming Odds
- Strong sustain with Moment of Courage
- Press the Attack provides dispel and attack speed
- Effective in jungle and lane
Cons
- Vulnerable to kiting and disables
- Duel can be interrupted by many spells
- Mana intensive early game
- Requires good positioning
- Weak against multiple targets
- Dependent on successful Duels for scaling
Ability Analysis
Moment of Courage
PassivePassive ability that grants a chance to attack multiple times and lifesteal when attacked. Provides strong sustain and dueling potential throughout the game.
Notes: Strategically draw aggro from creeps by clicking enemy heroes to potentially proc Moment of Courage when going for last hits or denies. You can keep neutral creeps alive with minimal HP to get more proc chances. You can milk a lot of lifesteal from a single creep wave by standing still while drawing aggro and using the Moment of Courage attacks for lifesteal.
Overwhelming Odds
ActiveLaunches a flag that strikes enemies in a line, dealing damage based on the number of units hit and granting bonus attack speed. Excellent for wave clear and teamfights.
Notes: You don't need to hit any units to get the bonus attack speed from Overwhelming Odds. You can always cast Overwhelming Odds while mid-Duel, even if you're banished, stunned, silenced, hexed, or Doomed. The only exception is if you're Feared. Legion Commander excels against teams with many summons due to the damage scaling with units hit.
Press the Attack
ActiveGrants an ally bonus attack speed and heals them over time. Also provides a strong dispel, removing most disables and debuffs.
Notes: Press the Attack is a strong dispel that can remove most disables and debuffs, including stuns. You can cast it on allies to save them from dangerous situations. When jungling, use it to sustain through creep damage. Remember to stay off STR treads until the healing is complete, but don't stay on INT treads for too long either.
Duel
ActiveForces an enemy hero to attack Legion Commander for the duration. Both units are unable to use items or abilities and cannot move more than a short distance from each other. If the target dies, Legion Commander permanently steals bonus damage.
Notes: Duel is a taunt that also applies a silence, preventing abilities like Ursa's Enrage and Abaddon's Borrowed Time. You don't earn Duel damage from Aegis deaths, Arc Warden's Tempest Double, or illusions. You can earn damage from Wraith King Reincarnation deaths. The standard max-greed combo is Press the Attack → activate items → Duel.
Stonehall Plate (Facet)
ActiveGrants Legion Commander a barrier that blocks damage when she casts Duel. The barrier can be dispelled by enemy abilities.
Notes: The barrier from Stonehall Plate facet can be dispelled by enemy abilities. This makes you vulnerable to heroes with dispel abilities when you try to initiate with Duel. Plan your engagements carefully and consider saving Duel until after dispels have been used.
Underlord's Horn (Aghs)
ActiveSummons two Underlords that attack alongside Legion Commander. The Underlords inherit her attack modifiers and can move independently. They also gain damage from Duel victories.
Notes: The Underlords from Aghanim's Scepter inherit your attack modifiers, including lifesteal and crit. They can move independently to attack different targets, making you much more effective in teamfights. They also gain bonus damage from your Duel victories, scaling alongside you throughout the game.
Developer's Notes
Developer Insights
Legion Commander is a unique carry hero who scales infinitely through her Duel ability. The key to mastery lies in target selection and understanding that each successful duel permanently increases your damage output.
Key Insights:
- Press the Attack is a powerful dispel that can save allies from dangerous situations
- Overwhelming Odds provides bonus attack speed even when it doesn't hit any units
- Moment of Courage procs more frequently when drawing creep aggro strategically
Legion Commander rewards calculated aggression and smart positioning. Every duel won is an investment in your late-game dominance!
Game Strategy
Early Game
Timeframe: 0-15 minutes Objective: Establish presence and accumulate resources Key: Choose between laning or jungling based on team composition; Max Moment of Courage first for sustain and jungle efficiency; Use Press the Attack strategically for healing and dispels; Look for gank opportunities at level 6 with Duel; Practice tread switching for mana management Items: Blink Dagger (Primary initiation tool); Power Treads for stat manipulation; Magic Wand for burst sustain Tips: Draw creep aggro to proc Moment of Courage when farming; Keep neutral creeps alive with minimal HP for more passive procs; Use Overwhelming Odds for wave clear even without hitting units; In lane, play aggressively with Moment of Courage procs; Always assess duel targets before engaging
Mid Game
Timeframe: 15-30 minutes Objective: Accumulate Duel damage and control teamfights Key: Prioritize isolated targets for Duels; Use Press the Attack before Dueling for maximum effectiveness; Cast Overwhelming Odds even while disabled during Duel; Build tanky items like Blade Mail to survive during Duels; Coordinate with team for successful Duel initiations Items: Blink Dagger (Essential for target selection); Blade Mail (Damage reflection during Duel); Black King Bar (Magic immunity during crucial Duels) Tips: Standard max-greed combo: Press the Attack → activate items → Duel; Avoid heroes with strong dispels or escape mechanisms; Use Silver Edge for invisibility initiation when needed; Remember Duel counters: Shallow Grave, False Promise, Cold Embrace; Target supports and carries without reliable escape spells
Late Game
Timeframe: 30+ minutes Objective: Become unstoppable carry through accumulated damage Key: Wait for enemies to use key disables before engaging; Focus vision control to isolate targets; Build items that complement your Duel damage; Use Aghanim's Scepter Underlords for teamfight effectiveness; Maintain tread switching for resource management Items: Daedalus (Critical strike synergy); Aghanim's Scepter (Underlords for teamfights); Heart of Tarrasque (Late-game survivability); Assault Cuirass (Armor and attack speed) Tips: With substantial Duel damage, you become a primary carry threat; Underlords from Aghanim's inherit attack modifiers and Duel damage; Positioning becomes crucial as your threat level increases; Consider Abyssal Blade for additional lockdown; Remember that Fear is the only disable that prevents casting Overwhelming Odds mid-Duel
Tips & Strategies
Ability Mechanics
- You don't need to hit any units to get bonus attack speed from Overwhelming Odds
- You can always cast Overwhelming Odds mid-Duel, even while disabled
- Press the Attack is a strong dispel that removes most disables and debuffs
- Draw aggro from creeps by clicking enemies to proc Moment of Courage
- Keep neutral creeps alive with minimal HP for more Moment of Courage procs
- Milk lifesteal from creep waves by standing still and drawing aggro
- Tread switching is crucial for mana management and healing optimization
Duel Execution
- Standard max-greed combo: Press the Attack → activate items → Duel
- With Shadow Blade/Silver Edge, right-click before Dueling for backstab damage
- Duel applies both taunt and silence, preventing many abilities
- No Duel damage from Aegis deaths, Arc Warden's Tempest Double, or illusions
- Earn Duel damage from Wraith King Reincarnation deaths
- Stonehall Plate barrier can be dispelled by enemies
- Wait for enemies to use disables before initiating with Duel
Advanced Techniques
- LC excels against teams with many summons due to Overwhelming Odds damage
- Duel counters: Shallow Grave, False Promise, Cold Embrace, Nightmare
- Also countered by banishes, Hitch A Ride, Depth Shroud, Gobble Up
- Disarms (Heaven's Halberd) and Ethereal states (Ghost Scepter) also counter Duel
- Agh's Scepter Underlords inherit attack modifiers and Duel damage
- Underlords can move independently, making you stronger in teamfights
- Fear is the only disable that prevents casting Overwhelming Odds mid-Duel
Item Guide
Starting Items
Standard jungle starting items. Iron Talon for faster clear, Quelling Blade for better pathing. Faerie Fire for early sustain and burst healing. Iron Branch for stats. If laning, consider Stout Shield and more regen instead of Iron Talon.
Tango, Iron Talon, Quelling Blade, Faerie Fire, Iron Branch
Core Items
Desolator reduces armor and synergizes with your high attack speed. Assault Cuirass provides armor, attack speed, and reduces enemy armor. Black King Bar prevents disables during Duel. Silver Edge provides invisibility initiation and breaks through passive evasion. Replace Blade Mail with one of these as needed.
Desolator, Assault Cuirass, Black King Bar, Silver Edge
Situational
Counter Guide
Good With
Legion Commander excels when paired with heroes who can set up successful Duels or provide follow-up control. Magnus creates devastating combos with Reverse Polarity, forcing multiple enemies into perfect Duel range. Enigma benefits from LC's ability to isolate targets, setting up devastating Black Holes on remaining enemies. Crystal Maiden provides mana sustain and Freezing Field damage behind LC's tanky presence. Shadow Shaman and Lion offer additional lockdown to ensure Duel targets can't escape or use defensive abilities. Winter Wyvern can cast Cold Embrace on LC during Duel for additional protection, while Dazzle can heal and provide armor reduction for burst damage. The key is heroes who can either disable enemies outside of Duel range or amplify LC's dueling potential through buffs and follow-up control.
Bad Against
Legion Commander struggles against heroes who can neutralize her Duel or exploit her positioning requirements. Oracle and Dazzle provide powerful defensive spells like False Promise and Shallow Grave that can save allies from Duel kills. Outworld Destroyer and Shadow Demon can banish LC, making her unable to Duel or use abilities. Bane applies Fear, the only disable that prevents casting Overwhelming Odds during Duel. Viper and Drow Ranger excel at kiting LC with slows and high mobility, making it difficult to get in Duel range. Heaven's Halberd users can disarm LC, rendering her useless during Duel. Puck and Void Spirit can evade Duel with phase shift and astral imprisonment. Anti-Mage can blink away and burn LC's limited mana. The pattern is clear: heroes with defensive saves, banishes, strong kiting abilities, or mana drain all pose serious threats to LC's core strategy.
Good Against
Legion Commander dominates heroes who rely on positioning, lack escape mechanisms, or are vulnerable to single-target lockdown. Summon heroes like Broodmother, Nature's Prophet, and Lycan suffer from Overwhelming Odds damage scaling with unit count. Squishy supports such as Crystal Maiden, Sniper, and Witch Doctor are prime Duel targets with no reliable escape. Illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Chaos Knight are countered by LC's ability to isolate and eliminate the real hero through Duel. Channeling heroes including Enigma, Crystal Maiden, and Witch Doctor become helpless when forced into melee combat. Melee carries like Ursa and Sven trigger Moment of Courage frequently while being unable to use abilities during Duel. Position-dependent heroes like Invoker and Tinker lose their effectiveness when suddenly engaged in melee. LC's combination of mobility through Blink, persistent lockdown through Duel, and scaling damage makes her a nightmare for these hero types who rely on distance, positioning, or multiple units for effectiveness.