How Necrophos and Phantom Lancer perform as teammates in Dota 2 7.41e, from ranked matches.
In Dota 2 7.41e, Necrophos and Phantom Lancer win 50.35% of ranked matches when playing on the same team, over 2,431 matches.
Controlling the map becomes much easier because this duo excels in long, drawn-out fights that win objectives. Phantom Lancer needs time to build an illusion army with Juxtapose, and Necrophos provides it by keeping his core heroes healthy with Death Pulse. As the fight extends, Heartstopper Aura consistently wears down the entire enemy team, softening them up for PL's onslaught. This sustained pressure makes it hard for enemies to disengage and creates the perfect window for a Reaper's Scythe to remove a key defender, which opens the door for a safe tower push or Roshan attempt.
Facing this pair in a teamfight is often a lose-lose situation. Committing on the Phantom Lancer means wading through illusions while a durable Necrophos heals his team and looks for a Scythe target. Trying to burst Necrophos first gives the real PL free rein to attack from the chaos and build up his forces. The enemy's best bet is to try and get an instant kill before the fight can get established. If they can't, they will likely be ground down by the combined pressure, unable to focus down either hero effectively.
How this pairing performs across skill brackets — the duo's team win rate 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 | Team win rate | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Herald & Guardian | 53.13% | 1,101 |
| Crusader & Archon | 51.52% | 2,537 |
| Legend & Ancient | 49.73% | 1,685 |
| Divine & Immortal | 46.64% | 566 |
This duo's team win rate in each recent balance patch — whether the pairing is trending up or down. Patches without enough matches are omitted.
| Patch | Team win rate | Change | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.41e | 50.35% | ▼ -4.2pp | 2,431 |
| 7.41d | 54.55% | ▼ -0.4pp | 202,194 |
| 7.41c | 54.96% | ▲ +0.4pp | 99,688 |
| 7.41b | 54.57% | — | 90,700 |
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Data updated Aug 11, 2026.