General DiscussionWhy no counter to Warlock?

I guess most people don't know it kills the golem. My friends didn't know till I told them in game.

Golems are too easy to kill with magic damage.

It's not a viable option to destroying Golems. Good if you have a natural diffusal carrier but an expensive thing to buy if you are simply doing it to get rid of the golem(s).

Plus they're decently easy to kill and are better on the drop then the continued use as they usually die to a carry quickly and aren't really fast enough to chase people for longer periods much like the necros.

http://en.dotabuff.com/matches/660109213 example of no diff carrier

in high level games, don't engage in a teamfight where you can't nuke down at least 1 person before warlock drops his golem – or even better, kill warlock. his support early game is meh and he doesn't do enough as a carry to warrant the farm, so rotate your hopefully better supports like nyx and rubick and win the lanes

in low level games, buy diffusal, or pick a fast pusher that doesn't have small units to feed to flaming fists e.g. shadow shaman, death prophet

in all types of games, abuse his long cd on his ult and force a fight as quickly as possible after he has used his ult.

alternatively, pick necrophos and win every game

Thanks guys. So, diffusal blade is too expensive to make for those who don't have it as their core. There are better ways of taking golem down. Got it.

@!yiran, I feel that Warlock's main strength isn't his golem but his fatal bonds and upheaval. The ultimate is simply icing on the cake.

I disagree, having a golem present is like having a radiance carrier, and the auras stack so with aghs it's like double radiance, it's a lot of damage over time. And the stun is quite a big deal, gives your disablers an easy time to follow up, especially if you have another wombo combo ult that takes a bit of positioning like black hole or jakiro's ice wall thing. Warlock is all about the golems imo.

Some people really hate the golems though http://dotabuff.com/matches/455210005

The neat thing about them is that their flaming fists deal Universal damage in an AoE, also people tend to really understimate Upheaval and Fatal Bonds when his ulti is not up. Just make sure to not be seen channeling (much easier with the recent buffs) and to have a much stronger support for the laning phase, because his early game is really weak for a support.

The golem's bounty is not high enough to justify the cost of making a diffusal blade on hero who doesn't need it, especially after Warlock gets a Agha Sceptor -> 50% less bounty.

Besides buying diffusal blade doesn't solve the problem with Warlock. The problem with Warlock is not about fighting the golems, but letting Warlock drop the golems on you during a teamfight (the impact from golems dropping down goes through bkb) which would severely disrupt the fight. Same issue as not letting enigma blackhole or magnus RP your team, don't let the enemy team use their teamfight abilities.

Silence or jump on the Warlock and kill him before he drops his golems on you during a teamfight.

@Havoc
Techically Razor could get Diffisual and it wouldn't be terribly bad.

Warlock used to be as picked as shadow shaman. But shaman has better disables and push potential. I remember many games I've lost with refresher, sceptor and dagon 5, lul.

Not to mention Aghs/Refresher, you definitely don't want to be blowing four Diffusal charges every teamfight :p