Strategy Discussion: The 4-Protect-1

A strategy employed heavily in the Chinese Pro Scene before the advent of the Deathball, the "4-Protect-1" strat is exactly what it sounds like, 4 heroes devoted around ensuring the game lasts long enough to ensure that the fifth hero, the carry, can come online and win the game. In layman's terms, 4-protect-1 lineups are able to 4v5 for 35-40 minutes before the 1 position takes over the game.

This strat was feasible during the 6.83 meta when passive, "turtling" heroes like Sniper were prevalent, in addition to the meta relying on farm-independent support duos like Lion+ Vengeful Spirit, the meta seemed tailor made for such a strategy.

But we're now in 6.86 and the meta has shifted drastically from the turtle rice meta of 6.83. So, here's the thing to discuss: Is the 4-Protect-1 still feasible (even if it's only situationally feasible) in 6.86 or is it simply an anachronism? Make your case!

Ahh, 4-p-1. Back in the dark ages, before the Dota2s, it probably was the best way to play, back before BKBs lost duration, before Abyssal Blade was introduced, before ults could go through BKB, before MKB could pierce evasion. Even farther back, the days of 20 seconds of magic immunity Lifestealer.

But now in the age of mass force staves, ghost scepters, glimmer capes, solar crests, and more and more support items, seems like 4p1 has become a very niche strategy, since relying on one carry to save you later is putting all your eggs in one basket. It's pretty much an automatic defeat if the enemy has key anti-core heroes like Necrophos, Doom, or Beastmaster.

However, it can be a very viable way to win if getting that carry farmed is an actual win condition, mainly, if the carry has no key counters on the enemy team, like getting a Medusa farmed when the enemy carry is like Sven and there are no real counters. Similarly, a Chaos Knight/ Phantom Lancer/or Terrorblade can all shine if there are not much AOE spells on the enemy team and there is enough space to farm. Like, one time, I got owned by a 4p1 with a battlefury CK, since our primary cores were Necrophos and Puck.

Like getting owned by BF CK is something you should be ashamed of. This stuff works wonders(well, at least in HS unranked xD) http://www.dotabuff.com/matches/2071186294

I'm not particularly ashamed of losing to Bfury CK.

It is a totally legitimate way to play him, mainly if the draft favors your late game (if enemies got late game AOE, CK has to try hard to snowball), and is probably the only way to play him in 4P1 unless you got a Magnus to follow him around and give him cleave. The hero scales better with items than any other hero, except maybe Spectre.

I think even Spectre cannot withstand against CK since there are like what 4 CK hitting you when he ults? I don't think Spectre can handle that amount of damage, assuming they are both 6 slotted. I guess Medusa can put up a figth if she has like 2 or 3 Skadis I don't know, CK is really powerful late game since his illusions hit like a train.

Don't think CK vs Spectre, think CK vs Spectre + Team or Spectre vs CK + Team. Spectre is not a 1v1 hero in the first place, but he does scale better with items than any other hero.

Medusa is a Counter to CK, because her Ult is a counter to all illusion heroes(PL the only exception). She just needs to use her Ult against CK illusions.