Bane + Witch Doctor

Why this works

Facing a Fiend's Grip feels a lot more threatening when a Death Ward is ready to follow up. Bane provides the perfect, long-duration lockdown that allows Witch Doctor to fully channel his ultimate on a single target without it getting away. This creates a simple but effective way to pick off an important enemy hero. Earlier in the game, the laning phase can also be uncomfortable for an opponent, as Witch Doctor's Maledict increases the damage from all of Bane's spells, turning his sustain and harass into a more potent threat.

This duo's strength revolves around deleting one key hero before a teamfight properly begins. The main drawback is that both Fiend's Grip and Death Ward are channeled ultimates, making them very susceptible to interrupts. An aware enemy team will save their stuns and silences for the moment Bane or Witch Doctor commit. This means the combo is most effective when catching someone out of position, rather than in a head-on five-on-five engagement. The strategy is strong, but good positioning and reactive stuns from the other team can often defuse it.