How to Bait Enemies Under Your Tower as Pudge

A Pudge tower bait is when you stay under your own tower at low health and let an enemy think you are an easy kill. They dive in, the tower starts hitting them, and you turn the fight around. It is one of the oldest tricks in Dota. It only works if you know how tower aggro really works and when the risk is worth it.

How does tower aggro actually work?

Many players get this wrong, so start here. A tower does not hit an enemy just because they cast a spell near it. Spells do not draw tower aggro. An enemy can stun you, nuke you or slow you under your tower, and the tower may keep hitting creeps.

What does pull aggro is an attack. A tower attacks an enemy hero who attacks an allied hero near it. So the bait works against heroes who need right-clicks to finish you. It works poorly against heroes who can kill you with spells alone.

This also means your own Meat Hook does not make the tower hit the target. You pull them in, but the tower only switches when they attack you or an ally. Keep that in mind before you hook someone under your tower and expect free damage.

Who should you try to bait?

Pick the target before you pick the trick. The bait works best on:

• Heroes who rely on right-clicks to finish a kill.
• Players who have shown they chase low-health targets.
• Enemies without a quick way out once they are deep.

It works worst on heroes with strong burst spells, long-range nukes or a fast escape. They can take the kill and leave before the tower matters. Watch how each player has acted so far. The guide to reading opponents helps you sort the divers from the careful ones.

How do you set up the bait?

The bait is mostly about looking weak while being ready.

Stand close to your tower, not at the edge of its range. Keep your mana for a real fight. Make sure your key spells are off cooldown. A bait with no hook and no Dismember is just a low-health hero under a tower.

Do not run back to base too fast. A Pudge who lingers at low health looks greedy or careless. That is the picture you want the enemy to see.

When the enemy commits, let them come to you. Step back under the tower so they must go deeper. Once they start attacking you, the tower joins in. Then you strike. Turn on Rot to slow them, use Meat Shield to soak damage and lock them down with Dismember. If they try to leave, a hook can drag them back under the tower.

When is the tower bait worth it?

The bait has real risk. You are low on health. If you misjudge the damage, you die and give gold to the enemy. Ask a few questions first:

• Can the enemy kill you before the tower and your spells matter?
• Is more than one enemy nearby? Two divers can finish you fast.
• Do you have help? A teammate in range or able to teleport in makes it much safer.
• Is your tower healthy? A tower that is about to fall is a poor partner.

If most answers are bad, go back to base. A clean retreat is better than a feed. The Pudge mind games overview explains why baits only work when the danger is real for both sides.

What goes wrong with tower baits?

The most common mistake is trusting the tower too much. Players think the tower will kill the diver for them. It will not if the diver uses spells. It may not if the diver is tanky.

Another mistake is standing too far out. If you are at the edge of the tower's range, the enemy can hit you and step out of range again.

A third mistake is baiting when the enemy has no reason to dive. If they are not looking for a kill, you just waste time at low health. Time matters, especially in the mid lane.

Last, watch for unseen enemies. A dive can be the start of a gank. If one enemy commits and others appear from the fog, retreat early. The Pudge laning guide has more on staying safe when the lane gets crowded.

FAQ

Does Pudge's hook make the tower attack the enemy?

No. Spells do not draw tower aggro. The tower only switches to an enemy hero who attacks you or another allied hero near it.

Is tower baiting a good idea in every lane?

No. It depends on the enemy heroes and their habits. Bait right-click heroes who chase, and play safe against burst casters.

What if two enemies dive me?

The bait often fails against two heroes unless you have help close by. If you see a second enemy coming, leave or ask a teammate to rotate.

Checklist

• Remember that spells do not pull tower aggro, but attacks on heroes do.
• Pick a right-click target who likes to chase.
• Keep your hook, mana and ultimate ready before you bait.
• Stand deep under the tower, not at its edge.
• Retreat if a second enemy shows up or your tower is weak.