Deny

A deny is the last hit on an eligible allied unit or structure, used to reduce or remove the gold and experience that the enemy would otherwise receive.

What is Deny in Dota 2?

Denying is a lane-control and resource-denial mechanic. Instead of attacking an enemy, a player finishes an allied unit once that unit becomes eligible to be denied. A denied lane creep gives the enemy reduced experience and no last-hit gold, while other denyable units and structures follow their own reward rules. Allied heroes can only be denied in special circumstances.

The exact health thresholds and reward values are game rules that can change, so the useful concept is the trade-off: the player spends an attack to reduce the opponent's income. Denying can also influence the timing and position of a creep wave because allied creeps die sooner than they would if left to the enemy.

How Deny is used in a match

In lane, players contest each low-health allied creep at the same time the opponent is trying to last-hit it. A successful deny reduces the opponent's resource gain and can gradually create a level or gold difference across many waves. Denies are especially valuable when the player can secure them without sacrificing their own last hits.

Denying also interacts with lane equilibrium. Removing allied creeps faster can make the opposing wave survive longer and move toward the player's side of the lane. Players use this together with pulling and creep aggro to keep farming in a safer position.

Do not confuse Deny with...

A deny kills an allied eligible unit. A last hit usually refers to finishing an enemy unit for gold, while pulling and blocking change the movement or position of a wave rather than directly securing a deny.