Head-to-head Dota 2 7.41e win rate from ranked matches.
In Dota 2 7.41e, Lifestealer wins the Lifestealer vs Witch Doctor matchup: Lifestealer beats Witch Doctor in 50.10% of 22,219 ranked matches.
Using Rage lets Lifestealer ignore Paralyzing Cask and Maledict completely, allowing him to close the distance on a fragile Witch Doctor without fear of being controlled or cursed. This advantage is completely reversed by Death Ward, which deals physical damage that punches straight through magic immunity. A Raging Lifestealer caught in the open is a prime target for the ward, as he has no way to mitigate its damage besides killing the Witch Doctor first or having a way to break line of sight. This creates a tense dynamic where both heroes have a trump card against the other.
The result is that fights often hinge on execution and positioning. Lifestealer's goal is to find and burst Witch Doctor before a major teamfight breaks out. If he can use Rage to get on top of him, the fight is usually over for the support. Witch Doctor, on the other hand, must play cautiously from the back lines, waiting for Lifestealer to be distracted or locked down by an ally. If he can find a window to channel Death Ward while Lifestealer is committed, he can easily turn the fight around.
How the matchup shifts across skill brackets — Lifestealer's win rate against Witch Doctor in recent ranked matches, split by average match rank. Ranks with too few recent matches are omitted. These rows use the last 30 days of quality-filtered ranked matches, all patches in that span combined — a wider window than the patch-scoped count above, so the per-rank match totals can exceed it.
| Rank | Lifestealer win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Herald & Guardian | 47.54% | 1,199 |
| Crusader & Archon | 47.67% | 3,625 |
| Legend & Ancient | 50.55% | 3,025 |
| Divine & Immortal | 48.58% | 739 |
Lifestealer's win rate against Witch Doctor in each recent balance patch — whether this matchup is trending up or down. Patches without enough matches are omitted.
| Patch | Lifestealer win rate | Change | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.41e | 50.10% | ▲ +0.3pp | 22,219 |
| 7.41d | 49.81% | ▲ +0.2pp | 219,139 |
| 7.41c | 49.59% | ▼ -0.8pp | 112,317 |
| 7.41b | 50.42% | — | 132,540 |
Move this data into a draft
Lifestealer starts on Radiant and Witch Doctor on Dire. Add the other eight picks to see whether this head-to-head edge survives the full draft.
Data updated Aug 17, 2026.