Supports that Work Mid

I've experimented with a few of the greedier supports, and if you can put them mid, they scale extremely well.  They aren't the usual mids, or even really known as semi-carries but they can work.

Here's the list of supports I've tried that should go mid when possible, and why:

• Warlock
• Needs levels (extremely good teamfight skills)
• Scales well with farm due to Ultimate and Agh's
• Leshrac
• Highly dependent on multiple items to reach full potential (Bloodstone, BKB)
• Needs levels badly, especially before BKBs come out
• Spammable nuke (Lightning) against enemy mid
• Can push tower hard if enemy mid leaves lane
• Lina
• Ultimate is better at higher levels (compared to Lion, for example)
• BKB-piercing ult with Agh's (one-shot those supports!)
• Can become a powerful right-click semi-carry with her passive
• Should leave mid at L6, refill mana, and gank at least once (repeat when ult available)
• Phoenix
• Now in Captain's Mode (6.85!)
• Needs hp, health regen and levels desperately to have impact
• Level 2 Ultimate (SuperNova) is much better than L1, due to survivability of egg.
• Great early-Mek carrier (heavily benefits from Mek).

The following supports are viable mid, and scale reasonably well into midgame (gank & snowball).  However, they MUST be active around the map or in other lanes after Level 6, or their "time to shine" will pass them by:

• Abaddon
• Benefits from levels
• Can get VERY tanky with the right items
• Best with aggressive mid-game carries (DK, CK, Luna, Slark, etc)
• Ancient Apparition
• Needs L6 ASAP for Ult
• Needs levels
• Powerful Agh's upgrade
• Can gank other lanes without leaving mid (after L6)
• Can zone out melee opponents with Cold Feet and 600 range auto-attacks 
• Bane
• The early Fiend's Grip is an auto-kill on the enemy mid.
• Tends to get focused lategame, and can really use an Hp item, or BKB
• Really annoying for enemy mid to lane against
• All Bane's abilities are more effective earlier in the game - the faster he can level them, the greater his impact.
• Ogre Magi
• Needs levels
• Falls off hard lategame, but can have massive impact early-midgame with levels
• Transitions surprisingly well into a right-click semi-carry with appropriate gear (Crystalis + Shiva's/Scythe)
• Can alternately use his farm to get teamfight item (Veil, Pipe, Mek, Crimson, etc)
• Should leave mid at L7 to roam and gank
• Nyx
• Needs levels
• Needs to have early game impact and snowball (Dagon / E-blade, etc)
• Leaves mid at L6 to gank
• Earthshaker
• Needs levels 
• Needs Blink Dagger
• Can easily solo-kill enemy mid at L6 (see Slashstrike's video)
• Dendi did it, so it must be viable (lolz)
• Enigma
• He's a better jungler, but if someone insists on the jungle and there's a solar and lunar eclipse at the same time and no one wants mid...
• Eidolons allow zoning of enemy mid, and pulling lane back
• Malefice stun is good defensively
• Can push tower if enemy mid leaves lane
• Needs levels - all his abilities are good.
• Needs early Blink, benefits heavily from BKB.
• Jakiro
• Needs levels
• Strong 1v1 laner (tough, great harass)
• Get early Mek for ridiculous push
• Benefits heavily from utility items (Force Staff, Veil, Eul's, etc.)
• Mirana
• Early L6 very useful
• Scales decently well with items
• Strong 1v1 laner
• Shadow Shaman
• Needs levels
• Needs hp, mana regen & mobility items badly
• Can take mid tower at L6 with Serpent Wards
• Downside:  vulnerable in mid, not very strong 1v1 laner (tends to push lane when harassing)
• Windrunner
• Scales well with items (Focus Fire ult) and levels (all abilities good)
• Needs team synergy to be effective (on team with Drow, for example)

These supports are sometimes sent mid for an early level-6 ultimate. Usually happens when you have a jungling carry, the mid lane is available, and solo offlane is too dangerous:

• Io (usually sent mid as part of dual mid - with CK, Tiny, Sven, or PA)
• Lich (Sacrifice also annoying to enemy mid)
• Treant (early levels in Living Armor to help other lanes, especially an aggro-tri)

The following supports should probably NOT go mid, ever, even though they scale well with levels, because they don't need items that badly, fall off too hard after midgame and can't snowball very well).  I've seen it done, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea:

• Dazzle
• Disruptor
• Earth Spirit
• Lion
• Rubick
• Shadow Demon
• Treant
• Visage
• Witch Doctor

If you ever see these mid, go cut your eyes out and throw your computer out a window.  They scale extremely badly, and are wasted mid:

• Chen
• Crystal Maiden
• Enchantress
• Keeper of the Light

Strong 1v1 Lane Heroes

The following heroes are strong solo-lane against another hero 1v1.

See also:  List of Solo Offlaners (also called Suicide Laners)

Strong Solo Laners:

a) are unlikely to die 1v1
b) may be able to get kills 1v1 with no level advantage
c) have strong harass and/or strong escape

• Batrider
• Beastmaster
• Bloodseeker
• Brewmaster
• Clinkz
• Clockwerk
• Dragon Knight
• Ember Spirit
• Invoker
• Mirana
• Nature's Prophet
• Nightstalker
• Obsidian Destroyer
• Phoenix
• Puck
• Queen of Pain
• Razor
• Slark
• Templar Assassin
• Timbersaw
• Viper
• Weaver

The following heroes are SOMEWHAT good against other heroes 1v1, and could be put against another such hero 1v1.

These heroes have some of the traits above, or some of the following:

1. Health Regen (passive or active)
2. Speed boost abilities that aren't outright escapes (e.g. Slardar Sprint)
3. Spammable abilities (with which to get CS, harass, or potentially get a kill)
4. One or more dangerous nukes
5. Ability to control the lane (superior right-click, long attack range, etc)
6. Ability to zone out an opponent (Plague Wards, for example)

• Ancient Apparition
• Bane
• Beastmaster
• Bounty Hunter
• Broodmother
• Centaur
• Dazzle
• Death Prophet
• Doom
• Enigma
• Huskar
• Jakiro
• Juggernaut
• Kunkka
• Lich
• Lina
• Lion
• Lone Druid
• Luna
• Lyncan
• Magnus
• Naga Siren
• Necrophos
• Nyx
• Ogre Magi
• Phantom Assassin
• Pudge
• Rubick
• Shadow Demon
• Skywrath Mage
• Slardar
• Sniper
• Storm Spirit
• Tinker
• Venomancer
• Warlock
• Windranger
• Zeus

Note that some of the "typical" mids have fallen out of favor in one patch or another, but are usually still considered "mid heroes".  In pubs and in unusual drafts, they may still take on other roles.

Mid Heroes:

Typical Mids:

• Brewmaster
• Death Prophet
• Dragon Knight
• Drow Ranger
• Ember Spirit
• Invoker
• Magnus
• Night Stalker
• Outworld Destroyer
• Puck
• Pudge
• Queen of Pain (QoP)
• Razor
• Shadowfiend
• Storm Spirit
• Tinker
• Viper

Unusual Mids:

Carries:  Kunkka, Sven, Phantom Assassin, Faceless Void, Luna

Gankers/Semi-Carries:  Vengeful Spirit, Shadow Demon, Venomancer

Nukers: Skywrath Mage, Lion, Lina, Nyx, Zeus

Big L6 Ults:  Tidehunter, Lich, Beastmaster, Enigma, Magnus, Shadow Shaman, Io

Pushers:  Jakiro, Pugna, Venomancer, Leshrac

Solo (Off)Laners

A solo offlaner is typically a hero with some escape ability, healing, or is very tough, so they can get close enough to get XP even against a tri-lane.  Others have the ability to slow or delay the creeps (such as Enigma, Earthshaker or Lich), to enable them to gain XP as their tower kills the creeps.

Typical list of solo offlane heroes:
Bounty Hunter (from 6.84, used as a position 4 support instead).
Timbersaw
Centaur Warrunner (out of favour in 6.84 onward)
Beastmaster
Clockwerk
Dark Seer
Axe
Undying
Spiritbreaker
Tusk (also as position 4)
Phoenix
Broodmother
Doom (since the Scorched Earth buff)

Typical Solo Safelane Heroes:
Nature's Prophet
Weaver
Lone Druid
Doom
Razor
Puck
Queen of Pain (QoP)

Some less common solo offlaners are:
Puck
Magnus
Phoenix
Broodmother
Clinkz
Slark
Windranger
Batrider
Bristleback
Lone Druid (circa patch 6.81)
Earthshaker (with creep blocking trick)

Strange solo offlaners:

These offlaners generally rely on getting levels but not much else:

Sand King

Lich

Tidehunter

Treant
Jakiro
Mirana
Enigma
Venomancer
Ogre Magi (high hp regen, very tough, high armor)
Omniknight

Comment on Solo Laners as of 6.85:
It seems that suicide laners are often defined by their hp regen.  For example, Axe & Nightstalker both have superior HP regen, and make excellent offlaners.  Nyx has been used in this role for the same reason.  Doom is good because of his Scorched Earth, and Broodmother, for her webs.  Riki, given the change to his permanent-invis (with regen) may be something that's seen more often as a solo offlaner, largely because he can soak XP and never show his face, if he wants!

List of Semi-Carries

This is a list of heroes that can be effective mid-game or earlier, and don't require as much farm as a typical "hard carry" to be fully effective.  Still, they require "some" farm, and usually drop off in power as the game goes beyond 45 mins, either because the effectiveness of magic nukes decreases with increasing health pools, or that their right-click damage doesn't scale as well as harder carries.

Caveat:  This isn't a "complete" list, and what constitutes a semi-carry is up for debate.  Use this list as a guide, not a bible.

Semi-carries:

• Axe
• Tiny,
• Pudge,
• Nightstalker,
• Spiritbreaker,
• Centaur,
• Magnus,
• Timbersaw,
• Abaddon,
• Tusk,
• Elder Titan
• Bloodseeker,
• Mirana,
• Vengeful spirit,
• Puck,
• Storm Spirit
• Zeus,
• Tinker,
• Queen of Pain (QoP),
• Pugna,
• Skywrath,
• Silencer,
• Necrophos,
• Enchantress,
• Nature's Prophet
• Venomancer
• Beastmaster

Strong Tri-lanes

This is a list compiled from various sites on the net, discussing aggressive and defensive tri-lane combos that are strong.  Most of this can be considered "food for thought", and requires coordination between teammates to pull off the suggested combinations.  Note that all tri-lanes, even if they seem dangerous in theory, can be countered by various lineups or simply outplayed.

How to make a tri-lane:

The simple version:

High-Dmg-Carry + Tough Support w/Stun + Followup Stun/Slow

OR

Semi-Carry w/Nuke + Semi-Carry w/Stun + Ranged Support w/Followup Stun/Slow/Heal

The complex version:

Aggro Tri-Lane: 

• Heroes that are dangerous at level 1 (usually nukers / disablers)
• Heroes that can fight repeatedly (i.e. have mana for more than one cast)
• Aggressive laning heroes (long attack range, high armor, spammable nukes, etc)
• Supports that aren't dependent on farm
• A (semi) carry who can catch up on farm if the aggro tri-lane fails, usually by jungling or flash farming

... side mention:  heroes that can destroy the enemy Tier 1 tower very early are also beneficial (Leshrac, Pugna, Ursa).

Defensive Tri-Lane:

• Hard carry (position 1), who needs babysitting to get safe, reliable farm
• Examples:  Morphling, Terrorblade, Phantom Assassin, Spectre
• One greedy support (position 4), who will stack, pull and farm jungle
• Greedy:  Sand King, Leshrac, Shadow Shaman
• Jungler Supports: Enigma, Chen, Enchantress
• Semi-carry "supports":  Wraith King, Sven, Gyrocopter, Naga, Kunkka
• One hard support (position 5), who will harass offlaner, ward, keep carry safe
• Examples:  Crystal Maiden, Lion, Bane

Helpful Article:  This article on supporting explains how to choose supports for tri-lanes, and how your choice of supports impacts how your supports will play.

Examples (farmer + position 4 + position 5):

Alchemist + Sandking + Vengeful Spirit
Alch/Lifestealer/Sven/WK/Tiny + Naga + Bane
AntiMage + Sven/WK + Disruptor
Axe + Abaddon + Disruptor (Cage match w/shielded axe!)
Axe + Earthshaker + Keeper (Block with Fissure, Taunt, and eat Illuminate!)
Axe + Phoenix + Dark Seer (aggro tri:  Creep skip and laugh when they come attack)
Axe + Silencer + Jakiro
Bounty Hunter + WindRanger + Bane
Bounty Hunter / Clinkz + Omni + Venge (bring sentries and deward!)
Chaos Knight + Venge + Ancient Apparition (Magic Dmg Amp + Stuns into Cold Feet + Wave of Terror right-clicking)
Dragon Knight + Venge + Lina
Gyro + Magnus + Bane (Banish into Skewer into Barrage)
Jugg + Nyx + Veno (Impale into Gale into Spin)
Kunkka + Centaur + Disruptor (X/Glimpse into Kinetic + Stomp/Torrent/DbleEdge)
Kunkka + Tide + Jakiro (Gush + Ice Path + Torrent, etc)
LegionC + Abaddon + Disruptor (Kinetic field cage match with healing support)
Lifestealer + Earthshaker + Leshrac/Lina
Luna + Ogre + Crystal Maiden (CM)
Morphling + Nyx + Skywrath
Ogre + SD/CM + AA
Outworld Devourer/Destroyer + Bane + Shadow Demon
Pugna + Ogre + Skywrath (Dmg Amp into Nukes)
SFiend + Tide + Venge
Slardar + SK + Dazzle
Slardar + WraithKing + Disruptor (Hellfire into Crush into Kinetic Field Cage Match)
Sven + Tide + Lion/Venge
Timbersaw + Omni + Phoenix
Tusk + Centaur + Leshrac
Undying + Venomancer + Disruptor (“Cage match w/Tombstone!”)

Jugg, Venge, Veno (Missile, Slow+Wave, Spin)

PL, Keeper, Chen (harass, then tower push).

Visage, Rubick, Naga/Jugg/Lifestealer

CM, ES, hard carry needing mana (Alch, CK, Sven, SK, Luna, etc)

Tide, Veno, hard carry w/teamfight (AM, OD, Sven, etc)

Veno, Leshrac, Naga (push tower)

Early-Damage Tri-lanes:

Luna/Razor/Lifestealer/Gyro + Mirana + Bane/CrystalMaiden/ShadowDemon

Defensive Tri-lane Heroes:

Hard Carry: Faceless Void, Lifestealer, Spectre, Alchemist, Morphling, Lycan, Terrorblade, Phantom Assassin, etc.

Supports for Defensive Tri-lanes: Bane, AA, Crystal Maiden, Lina/Lion, Naga, Rubick, SD, SS, Tide, Wisp, Treant, Earthshaker, Jakiro, Nyx, Sand King, Windrunner (WR), Witch Doctor (WD)

Aggressive Tri-Lane Heroes:

List:  Chaos Knight, Mirana, Shadow Shaman (SS), Keeper (KotL), Jakiro, Naga, Veno, Shadow Demon (SD), Tiny, Slardar, Razor, Lifestealer (Naix), Treant, Juggernaut, Undying

• Slardar, Shadow Shaman, Lion
• Chaos Knight (CK) + Lion + Jakiro/Veno/Undying
• Lyncan + Veno + Chen
• Tiny + SD + SS
• Naga + Treant + Bane
• CK + Beastmaster + Venge
• Razor (Link) + Bane (Enfeeble) + CM (mana + frostbite w/Link)
• Silencer + Bane + KotL (Last Word + Brain Sap, with unlimited mana)
• Silencer + KotL + Nyx (mana headache)
• Pugna + Lina + Nyx/Ogre (Nukers with push)
• Sven + Leshrac/Lina + Naga/Visage

Heroes with High Early Damage in Tri-lanes (unusual combos)

• Clockwerk + Phoenix + Warlock
• Razor + Timbersaw + Skywrath Mage
• Naga + Tide + Shadow Shaman
• Morphling + Lina + Crystal Maiden

Strong Tri-Lanes:

• Gryocopter/Kunkka + Shadow Demon + Lesh/Lina
• Gyro + Crystal Maiden + Leshrac/Lina/Ancient Apparition/Mirana (Frostbite into Missile+Stun)
• Sven/SK/Alch + Skywrath + Lina (heavy nuke lane)
• PA + Shadow Demon + Crystal Maiden (CM)
• Gyro + Earthshaker + Leshrac (Fissure to block, Split Earth/Homing Missile, Edict + Rocket Barrage)
• Slardar + Venge + Crystal Maiden
• Juggernaut + Rubick + CM/Veno
• Dragon Knight + Undying + Leshrac
• Dragon Knight/Alchemist/Doom/Tiny/Morph/Naga + Chen + Veno/Enigma (lots of push)
• Jugg + Jakiro + AA (vortex + icepath + spin)
• Jugg + CM + AA
• Carry w/stun (SK/Sven/Alch/Slardar/OD/DK/CK) + CM + Skywrath
• CK/DK + Lich + KotL (endless harass)
• CK + Disruptor + Dazzle/Leshrac (“get back here!”)
• Faceless Void + Venge + Leshrac

Trilane Ideas:

• Jugg, Venge, Veno (Missile, Slow+Wave, Spin)
• CK, Jugg, Skywrath/Pugna (Rift, Seal/Decrep, Spin)
• Phantom Lancer, Keeper, Chen (harass, then tower push). 
• Naga/Jugg/Lifestealer, Visage, Rubick
• CM, ES, + hard carry needing mana (Alch, CK, Sven, SK, Luna, etc)
• Tide, Veno, hard carry w/teamfight (AM, OD, Sven, etc) 
• Naga/Pugna (push), Veno, Leshrac
• Gyro/Kunkka + Shadow Demon + Lesh/Lina
• Gyro + Crystal Maiden + Leshrac/Lina/AA/Mirana (Frostbite into Missile/Stun)
• Sven/WraithKing/Alch + Skywrath + Lina (heavy nuke lane)
• Phantom Assassin (PA) + Shadow Demon (SD) + Crystal Maiden (CM)
• Gyro + Earthshaker + Leshrac (Fissure block, Split Earth/Missile, Edict + Rocket Barrage)
• Slardar + Venge + Crystal Maiden/Disruptor
• Juggernaut + Rubick + CM/Veno
• Dragon Knight + Undying + Leshrac
• Dragon Knight/Alchemist/Doom/Tiny/Morph/Naga + Chen + Veno/Enigma (lots of push)
• Jugg + Jakiro + AA (vortex + icepath + spin)
• Jugg + CM + AA
• Carry w/stun (WK/Sven/Alch/Slardar/OD/DK/CK) + CM + Skywrath
• CK/DK + Lich + KotL (endless harass)
• CK + Disruptor + Dazzle/Leshrac (“get back here!”)

More Aggro Tri-lane Combos:

CK + AA + Lina/Leshrac (Rift into Chaos Bolt, Vortex, Split Earth/LSA)

CK + CM + AA (Rift into Freeze, Vortex; Chaos bolt to finish or just to stun partner)

Alch/Lifestealer/Slardar/SK/Sven + ShadowDemon/Skywrath/Pugna + Lina/Lesh/Lion/SS
Centaur + Ogre Magi + Skywrath Mage (heavy nuke, stuns, slows)

Generic Tri-lanes:

CM + AA + Drow/Clinkz/Huskar/OD/SFiend/Jugg

SD + Skywrath (Disruption + Amp + Bolt+Shot) + Sven/CK/DK/Morph/Jugg

SD + SS + Antimage/Naga

Dangerous Aggro Tri-Lanes

Note:  Someone needs tangos / QBlade to pull the lane back with a Neutrals pull (radiant side), or else tower-killing power

Unkillable trio:  Centaur + Abaddon/Omni + Dazzle

• Slardar + Venge + Omni (Missile into Crush into Purify)
• Centaur + Shadow Shaman + Dazzle
• Centaur + Pugna + Veno – (Veno initiates w/Gale, Centaur Stomp + Nether Vortex, Decrepify + Double Edge (Necrolyte solo safelane, and DK mid)
• Centaur + Shadow Demon + Leshrac (Banish into Stomp -> Dmg Amp + Split Earth + Double Edge)
• Tiny + KotL + Shadow Shaman (Shackle into Avalanche + Illuminate)
• Drow + AA + Lion (long attack ranges for easy harass, Stun + Sheep + Slow + Cold Feet)
• Lesh + Veno + Keeper (push, kill tower, repeat with Tier 2 tower).  Supplement with ganker & semi-carry (maybe Clinkz safelane, Beastmaster mid?)
• CK + Sand King + Dazzle
• Mirana + SS + Lion
• Mirana + Bane + SS/Lion
• Tiny + Keeper + SandKing (Toss into Burrowstrike into Avalanche)
• Centaur/Slardar + Leshrac + Dazzle (Poison slow into Split Earth into Stomp/Crush)
• Pugna + Centaur + SD (Disruption+SoulCatch into Stomp+Blast into Decrep+DoubleSlice)

Defensive Tri-lane Heroes:

Hard Carry: 
Brewmaster, Faceless, Lifestealer, Spectre, Alchemist, Morphling, Lycan


Supports for Defensive Tri-lanes: 
Bane, AA, Crystal Maiden, Lina/Lion, Naga, Rubick, SD, SS, Tide, Wisp, Treant, Earthshaker, Jakiro, Nyx, Sand King, Windrunner (WR), Witch Doctor (WD)

Aggressive Tri-Lane Heroes:

Chaos Knight, Disruptor, Shadow Shaman (SS), Keeper (KotL), Jakiro, Naga, Veno, Shadow Demon (SD), Tiny, Slardar, Razor, Lyncan, Lifestealer (Naix), Treant, Juggernaut, Undying

Aggressive Tri-lane Samples:

• CK + SS + Jakiro/Veno/Undying
• Lyncan + Veno + Disruptor
• Tiny + SS + SD
• Naga + Treant + Bane
• CK + SK + Venge
• Razor (Link) + Bane (Enfeeble) + CM (mana + frostbite w/Link)
• Silencer + Bane + KotL (Last Word + Nightmare, with unlimited mana)
• Silencer + KotL + Nyx (mana headache)
• Pugna + Lina + Nyx/Ogre 
• Ogre Magi, Lion/Lina, Venomancer
• Undying + Skywrath + KotL
• Undying + Bane + Silencer (you don't have hp OR mana!) + Medusa mid + Invoker safe?
• Undying + Visage + Silencer
• Undying + Visage + Phoenix
• Undying (Soul Rip) + Leshrac (Lightning) + Jakiro (Liquid Fire) = no hp for enemies

Strong Dual-Lane Combinations

From various sources around the web, I've gathered some reputedly strong laning combinations.  I haven't tried all of them myself.  I'll try to sort these over time.

See also:

• Burst Heroes
• Wombo Combo Team Ideas:  Part One, Part Two, Part Three
• Good Tri-Lanes
• List of Hero Synergies (for drafting)

Link:
http://www.reddit.com/r/DotA2/comments/14luts/strong_lane_combos/

Good Lane Pairs (Farming hero first):

Alchemist + Ancient Apparition (dual stuns, AA pick denies Ice Blast to opponents)

Axe + Abaddon (Call + Shield is quite good).

Axe + Bane (Enfeeble so can’t kill anything, then Hunger)
Axe + Dark Seer for vs-melee pwnage (Ion Shell), Vac into multi-target Call.  Also can creep-skip.

Axe + Disruptor (Battle Hunger + Thunder Strike, Taunt + Kinetic Field)

Axe + Drow (hell for melee carries - Battle Hunger + Frost arrows = hard to escape, too)

Axe + Huskar / Clinkz / Drow / OD / Silencer (anyone with an orb attack)
Axe + Invoker (cold snap + battle hunger)

Axe + Jakiro (Call + Macropyre is especially nasty)

Axe + Omni (Axe likes healing.  Omni likes keeping nasty melee allies alive)

Axe + Phoenix (Call allows for easy Spirit hits, and Call useful to protect Egg)

Axe + Silencer (Curse and Hunger are annoying)
Axe + Skywrath (Battle Hunger + Arcane Bolt spam is very annoying.  Add a CM to the team for more annoyance).

Axe + Tiny (throw Axe, Taunt+Spin, Avalanche)
Axe + Venomancer/Necrolyte/Warlock/Dazzle/KotL (early game Axe with a proper harass partner is a nightmare, especially vs melee)
Axe + Undying (this has become a "thing" in dual offlanes - Call + Tombstone is very good)

Axe + Vengeful Spirit
Axe + Witch Doctor (Axe benefits from healing in lane, and Maledict works well with Call).

Bane + KotL (unlimited Brain Saps)
Bane + Mirana (Nightmare into Arrow)
Bane + Undying (Brain Sap + Decay = very low enemy hp)

Brood + Dazzle (massive Shadow Wave damage)
Brood + KotL (taking KotL also denies this anti-pusher to your opponents, and allows Brood to create MANY spiders)

Centaur + Shadow Demon (Disruption + Curse to setup for Stomp + Double Edge).
Centaur + Bane (Nightmare setup for Stomp + Double Edge)
Centaur + Abaddon (Shield breaks on Double-Edge = ouch)
Centaur + Tiny (Toss, Stomp, Avalanche, Double-Edge = dead)

Chaos Knight + Ancient Apparition (Rift + Stun keeps foe in range of Cold Feet effect, Vortex buffs Chaos Bolt damage and slows target, or use Chilling Touch for more right-click damage).
Chaos Knight + Leshrac / Lina / Mirana / Windranger / Jakiro (Chaos Bolt sets up 2nd stun)
Chaos Knight + Vengeful Spirit
Chaos Knight + Dazzle
Chaos Knight + Shadow Shaman/Lion

CK/SK/Sven + Lina/SS/Lesh/Lion/Mirana

Clockwerk + Jakiro (cogs + AOEs)
Clockwerk + Lion (Hex into Cogs into assault into Spike)

Crystal Maiden (CM) + Ogre Magi (heavy nuke)

CM + Ursa (one of Ursa's big challenges is holding enemies still so he can Fury Swipe.  CM fixes that).
CM/Veno + Gyro 
Crystal Maiden + Dark seer
Crystal Maiden + Juggernaut

Dark Seer + Clockwerk (Surge the Clock who runs towards the enemy, uses cogs, then ion shell and battery assault to liquefy them. In teamfights put a wall of replica in the cogs and vacuum them in).
Dark Seer + Clinkz / Bounty / Riki (Fun with Stealth & Ion shell)

Dazzle + Undying (heal da zombiez for burst dmg)

Disruptor / Veno + Undying (Slow/Field into Tombstone - easily countered by escapes and heals)

Dragon Knight + Ancient Apparition/Leshrac (Looooong stun)

Doom + Dark Seer (add:  Dazzle, CM, Omni, Abaddon for strong tri-lane)

Drow + ES
Drow + Lich
Drow/Luna + Venge
Drow + Crystal Maiden (slow & kill from range.  Gust / Freeze for defense)

Earthshaker + Drow / Huskar / Ursa / Viper (block off lane, go to town with right-clicks)

Faceless Void + Lich (Carry w/escapes + spammy support - Ults synergize well together)
Faceless Void + Witch Doctor (Kill potential, and late game ult synergy)

Gyro + Venomancer (slow into Barrage)
Gyro + Disruptor (Glimpse back into Barrage)

Huskar + Abaddon (healer allows Huskar to dive and be even more reckless)

Huskar + Axe
Huskar + Bane <-- this is annoying as hell, 2 spears + brainsap = big chunk of your hp
Huskar + Dazzle (Huskar can be even more reckless!)
Huskar + Necrolyte

Huskar + Ogre Magi (Lust + Slow = very good for Huskar)

Huskar + Treant

Jakiro + Veno (push)

Juggernaut + Veno/Lich/Crystal Maiden/Dazzle/OmniKnight
Juggernaut + Ogre magi (be aggressive & go for early kills)
Juggernaut + Shadow Shaman
Juggernaut + Tusk (Snowball into Spin)

Keeper of the Light (KotL) + Zeus/Tinker/Gyro (spammable big nukes)
KotL + Silencer (lots of mana drain)
KotL + Skywrath (very spammy)
KotL + Undying (spam Decay)
KotL + Spammable Nuker (Axe, Sven, Tiny, Zeus)

Kunkka + Dazzle (just annoying to lane against)
Kunkka + Necrolyte (Tidebringer + Heartstopper very annoying to lane against)
Kunkka + Pugna (Decrep into Torrent + Nether Vortex) 
Kunkka + Shadow Demon (Disruption into Torrent)
Kunkka + Tide
Kunkka + Veno/Crystal/Lich
Kunkka + Warlock (Fatal Bonds + Tidebringer)

Leshrac + Crystal Maiden

Leshrac + SandKing (Burrow Strike into Split Earth + Lightning.  Also Caustic works well with Lightning to nuke enemies standing near creeps).

Leshrac + Shadow Demon (Disruption into Split Earth)
Leshrac + Lion

Lich + Phoenix offlane (works vs. trilane!)

Lifestealer + Crystal Maiden
Lifestealer + Shadow Shaman (add CM for a strong tri-lane)

Lina + Jakiro (Ice Path, Light Strike, Dual Breath, Dragon Slave = double kill) 
Lina + Ogre Magi
Lina + Pugna? (lots of burst, but… very slow and squishy) 
Lina + Sand King (unfortunately, both of these heroes need farm, so you need kills!)

Luna + Spiritbreaker <-- SB hits like a truck with charge+bash, plus Luna's passive
Luna + Venge (armor debuff + Luna aura = great harass)

Luna / Weaver + Nyx

Lyncan + Lesh, w/Chen Jungle
Morph + CM (early Basilius)
Naga Siren + Dazzle, abuse illusions
Naga Siren + Leshrac
Naga Siren + Venomancer
Necrolyte + Treant / Omni (very very hard to kill, dangerous for melee enemies)
Necrolyte + Veno (heartstopper + poison/wards is very annoying)

Nature's Prophet + Skywrath (sprout + ult/nukes - this is a weird / unusual lane, but works well)

Nyx + Lion (+ carry for trilane)

OD + Ogre / Lesh / Bane (Essence Aura provides mana to mana-starved Int supports)
OD + Necrolyte (OD feeds Necro mana for more heals)
OD + Silencer (use Astral Prison to reduce mana pool, then use Curse when they can't cast anything)
OD + SD (Spam poison) (Also works with Veno/spam wards)

Ogre + Bane dual offlane
Ogre + Drow/Viper (vs. Beefy melee)
Ogre + Lifestealer
Ogre + Lina/Leshrac/Mirana (any ranged that needs setup stun)
Ogre + Pugna (vs. melee / magic)
Ogre + Veno (vs. anyone)
Ogre + Witch Doctor (Maledict + Double Nuke)

Omni + CM
Omni + Dazzle
Omni + OD (infinite mana = infinite hp) 

Phantom Assassin + Ancient Apparition (Chilling Touch + Phantom Strike)
Phantom Assassin + Abaddon (PA can take lots of risks with shield/heals as backup)
Phantom Assassin + Wisp (as above)  

Phantom Lancer + Keeper of the Light (the classic annoying lane)

Phoenix + Lion / Shadow Shaman
Phoenix + Tusk

Pudge + Bane = easy hook
Pudge + Crystal Maiden (dual disable into Rot)
Pudge + Dark Seer (Surge/Hook + Ion Shell + Rot = No escape)
Pudge + Lion (dual disable into Rot)
Pudge + Shadow Shaman (dual disable into Rot)

Pugna + Silencer (force to Cast with Curse, Ward punishes)
Pugna + Crystal Maiden (Decrepify + Nova + Nether Blast + Frostbite + right clicks...)
Pugna + Keeper (Queue Illuminate, hit with Decrepify before Illuminate hits).

Razor + Bane (Nightmare + Static Link)
Razor + Beastmaster (lots of early right-click dmg + chase with Boar)
Razor + Shadow Demon (Link ticks during disrupt)
Razor + Earthshaker (Link after wall)

Sand King + Omni (Burrowstrike, then Purify)
Sand King + Shadow Demon
Silencer + Axe
Silencer + Keeper (Mana Leak and Curse work well together, can spam it with Chakkra)
Silencer + Nyx (Curse + Mana burn)
Silencer carry + Spiritbreaker support=early game ganks, mid game utility, and late game pwnage.

Sladar + Venge (armor reduction and physical damage + dual stuns)

Slardar + Dazzle
Slardar + Lina/Leshrac
Slardar + Shadow Demon
Slark + Ancient Apparition (long stun after pounce with Cold Feet, Slark Dark Pact with Vortex)
Slark + Undying (stat steal, Pounce + Tombstone is deadly)
Slark + AA (Pounce into Cold Feet)

Spirit Breaker + Ogre Magi (be aggressive, use Lust on Spiritbreaker)

Sven + Ancient Apparition (Cold Feet + Stun = really long stun)
Sven + Crystal Maiden
Sven + Jakiro (Hammer into Ice Path + Dual breath slowing for more right-clicks)
Sven + Keeper of the Light (more Storm bolts is annoying)
Sven + secondary stunner (Leshrac / Lina / Lion / Shadow Shaman)
Sven + Vengeful Spirit

Tinker (HS missile) + Necro (Heartstopper)
Tinker (HS missile) + Gyro (Flak)
Tinker + Clockwerk (Missiles + Flares = very annoying)

Tiny + Centaur; a Queen Bitch of a lane. Toss -> Stomp -> Double Edge -> Avalanche. That’s 450 magic damage at 1300 range, and 4 seconds of stun, all at level 2. And it only gets worse from there.

Tiny + KotL (ability spam)
Tiny + Wisp (classic lane, usually used in mid)

Tiny + Ogre Magi:  "played against this a while ago and they tower dove us right from the start. Toss in the Magi, Fireblast, Ignite, Tiny catches up and you're stunned again. And dead."
Tiny/Chaos Knight/Sven + Io (the typical Wisp pairings)

Tusk + Clockwerk ("cage match")
Tusk + Centaur / Tiny


Undying + Bounty Hunter
Undying + Disruptor (Tombstone + Kinetic Field = killing ground) 
Undying + Jakiro
Undying + Keeper of the Light
Undying + Leshrac
Undying + Veno

Ursa + Crystal Maiden
Ursa + Shadow Shaman
Ursa + Wisp, early Roshan (even L1 with Potion rotation)

Venge + Sven/CK/Wraith King
Vengeful Spirit (get Medallion) + Earthshaker

Venomancer + Luna (with Luna passive dmg boost)
Venomancer + Undying
Venomancer + Viper/Huskar/Jugg/Undying
Venomancer + Dark seer 
Venomancer + Juggernaut (Poison Nova gives you the early Spin opportunity)

Viper + Luna (a strange combo, but Viper very deadly with Luna's aura)
Viper + Nyx (slow/stun/manaburn)
Viper + Ogre (just go bash them in the face, then nuke them down)

Viper + Venomancer (tons of tick damage harass and slows)
Viper + Wraith King (vamp aura helps Viper tankiness, lots of carry)

Warlock + Kunkka (Bonds + Tidebringer)
Warlock + Lesh/Zeus (Fatal Bonds + multi-target lightning)

Weaver + Abaddon (squishy Weaver gets buff)

Windranger + Centaur (lots of nuke damage, if Shackle lands, Stomp followup)

Wisp (Io) + Chaos Knight/Ursa/Tiny/Sven/Phantom Assassin/Medusa (all of these work well with Io)

Wraith King + Vengeful Spirit
Wraith King + Lina/Leshrac/Sand King/Nyx (any secondary stunner)

Aggressive Dual Lanes (dual offlane):

see also Best L1 Burst Heroes

Spiritbreaker + Dazzle

Tusk + Spiritbreaker/Centaur/Slardar/Tiny/Axe/Lifestealer/Troll/Pudge/Abaddon/Jugg

Tusk + Clockwerk /Earthshaker

Tusk + Magnus (when they try to escape Ice Barrier after snowball, Skewer them back, or just to slow them)

Tusk + Veno (Use Wards to block exit to Ice Barrier)

Mirana/Razor/Lina + Bane (Nightmare sets up arrow/static link/LSA + Double Nuke)

Ogre + Lina 

Lifestealer + Crystal Maiden

Huskar + Dazzle

Slardar + Vengeful Spirit

Gyro + Disruptor (Glimpse back into Rocket Barrage)

Gyro + Rubick/Disruptor + SS (Tele/Glimpse into Kinetic into Barrage)

Broodmother + Disruptor (Glipse + Kinetic back into spider army)

Jugg + Disruptor/Veno/Dazzle/Viper (slow/glimpse + spin)

Zeus/Lion + Lina (bring Clarities, harass them out of lane)

Untested/Theoretical Dual Lane Ideas:
Sven/Wraithking/Tiny + Crystal Maiden (regen for low mana pool and bad Int, slows allow carry to catch & kill enemies)


Troll Warlord + Vengeful Spirit

Slark + Razor (suck away enemy damage!   Problem = compete for farm)

Razor (farming) + Bane (heavy nuke and dmg reduction, to screw over last-hitting)

Slark + OD (vs. enemy ag and str heroes – do not pick vs. lots of Int heroes – get Zeus instead).


Drow + Venge (medallion on Drow, Urn on Venge?)

Magnus + Keeper (Magnus is much more dangerous with mana – keeper can easily top him up, and they can push like crazy.  The harass would be unfunny).

OD + Shadow Demon (lots of banishing, very annoying)
--- don’t play vs. Nyx ---

Alchemist + Venge (Unstable Concoction is Physical dmg, stacks with armor reduction of Acid Spray & Venge’s Wave).  Two stuns in lane = kills.

Enigma + Lich (offlane pair):  very annoying; between Sacrifice and Conversion, this pair can keep the creep waves at their tower.  Combine this with a ganker mid, and you're bound to keep the enemy carry underfarmed.  Their ults also work well together, but be sure to ban Rubick!

More Lane pairs to Try (Need Feedback):
Spirit Breaker + Visage / Venge
Leshrac + Venge (2 stuns, aura + wave increases physical Edict dmg)
** get RoB on Venge and Medallion+Atos on Leshrac?
OD + Lion (Banish one enemy, stun+sheep other one and go to town on him).

Lifestealer + Venge
Bane + Lich (one gains mana back, one gains hp back from abilities)
Bane + Lion (lock one guy down with Hex & Nightmare, wail on the other guy with Stun + Brain Sap + Right Clicks.  At level 6, ults destroy someone)
Viper + Bounty Hunter
Lion + Nyx (mana drain / burn! – go offlane and gank the crap out of the enemy carry, & ward enemy pull camp/jungle)
Nyx + OD (Mana burn/Banish, hardly any mana, then stun + Orb)

Unusual Lane Pairs:

Tiny + Slardar/Centaur (throw + Stomp/Crush + avalanche)
Enigma + Lich (double deny, Eidolons/Frost Armor to tank wave under tower)
Anti-Mage + Lich (mid lane)

Lane Pair Favourites from the Web:

**Nyx + Silencer (mana burn + curse of silent = nasty).  Harass with Glaives, Nyx stun, get kills, snowball.
**Centaur + Pugna (Decrepify + Stomp + Double Edge).

Wraith King + Venge (two stuns plus high right-click)
Phantom Assassin + Venge (Slow + Stun + Dmg reduction and high right-click)
Pair of carries = Drow + Troll (Drow buffs Troll, Troll ult makes Drow OP).
Pugna + Leshrac (Decrepify + Split Earth) – need to build survivability items + regen, both squishy.


KotL + Undying (Spam Decay for Str steal)
Bane + Mirana (Nightmare, land perfect arrow, follow up with right-clicks/brain sap)
Bane + Undying (enfeeble + decay = very little hp and last-hitting power)
SS + Ursa (Sheep + Shackle = free kill w/Fury Swipes)

Magnus + CM (slow/freeze = perfect Magnus Skewer, aura = more Shockwave spam)
Centaur + Necro = able to heal Double Slice damage.  Orb of Venom on Centaur for chasing!
Centaur + Warlock = fatal bonds on creeps + hero, double slice to clear wave / damage enemies
Gyro + Ogre Magi = Fireblast + Homing Missile, Nuke
Gyro + Venge
Tiny + Ogre Magi = Toss Ogre, Nuke/Stun, Avalanche.  DIVE, DIVE, DIVE!
OD + Magnus (OD essence aura for mana).  CM elsewhere on map (regen) would get this combo rolling.

Axe + Silencer (Curse of Silent + Battle Hunger)
Pugna + Morph (L1 knockout punch)

More Good Lane Pairs (suggestions from the web):

- Shadow Shaman + Chaos Knight – while Rhasta is valid with any heavy dps early game, his slow move speed makes it easy for the opponent to avoid sticky situations. CK’s initiation solves that problem – blink > stun > shackle > lightning > gg.

- KotL + Io (offlane) :  Tether + Chakkra, both get mana. We spammed spirits and illuminate and pushed the hell out of the lane.