Hey everybody! Thank you for taking the time to read my guide and learn more about Pugna -- my favorite hero. As of 7/28, I have around 385 matches on Pugna with a 70%+ winrate. I'm certainly not a pro at DOTA 2, but I like to think that I have a great understanding of Pugna.

While it's certainly possible to play Pugna as a support, Pugna is heavily reliant on levels and somewhat on items to truly shine, which is why I find Pugna to be much more impactful as a mid hero. His spells have a lot of utility, but a level 1 Decrepify is a lot different than a level 4 Decrepify (especially with its recent cast range nerf). This holds true for the rest of his spells. Pugna can dominate the early and midgame if he is successful mid, ending the game before the enemy carries come online or creating all the space needed for his own carry.

A quick look at Pugna will reveal that he has the highest Int gain in the game at 5.2. This affords him a massive mana pool and decent attack damage. He is tied with several other heroes for the highest base movement speed which allows him to roam the map with ease. Therefore, after taking the enemy tower mid and/or reaching level 6, make sure to gank lanes provided that the laners can assist you in locking down your target.

Good positioning is the key to succeeding with Pugna. It's important to know when to push, when to aid your team, and where to stand in fights. Mastering this will provide Pugna with a much easier time.

Typically, it's best to avoid picking Pugna against heroes like Nyx, Silencer, Anti-Mage, Lifestealer, and any other heroes with really high health pools or high magic resist. Heroes with low cooldown silences or stuns can also hinder Pugna if he is not able to quickly remove them from the fight.