Pudge Hooks at Neutral Camps

Enemies who farm or pull neutral camps are some of the easiest hook targets you will find. They stand in one area, they stop to attack, and their eyes are on the creeps rather than on the trees around them. The catch is that the neutral creeps themselves can block your hook. This guide covers where to stand, when to throw and how to keep the line clean.

Why are enemies at neutral camps easy to hook?

A hero farming a camp does not walk much. They stand near the creeps and attack until the camp is dead. Heroes stop briefly each time they attack, and many players barely move between hits. That makes them close to a still target.

Their attention is also split. They watch their health, the creeps' health and their last hits. Many players look at the minimap less while farming. A Pudge who arrives quietly from the trees has a good chance to throw before they notice.

Supports who pull or stack camps are similar. They walk to the camp, hit a creep, then walk away along a path they use often. If you know they are coming, you can wait for them.

Where should you approach a camp from?

Come from the side where the creeps are not between you and the target. Meat Hook stops on the first unit it meets. A non-ancient neutral caught this way dies, and the enemy keeps farming. You want a line that reaches the hero first.

Some ideas that help:

• Approach through trees, which hide you and do not block the hook.
• Pick a side where the hero stands closer to you than the creeps do.
• Avoid paths that cross the camp's spawn area if creeps are still alive.
• Watch for enemy wards near the camp before you settle in.

Melee heroes stand right next to the creeps, so a clean line is harder. Ranged heroes often stand back from the camp, which can open space for a hook from behind them.

When is the best moment to throw?

Timing your throw with the enemy's attacks is the simplest trick. As they swing at a creep, they stop moving for a short moment. A hook that arrives during that stop is hard to dodge.

Another good moment is when the camp is almost dead. The enemy is focused on the last hit, and there are fewer creeps left to block your line. After the last creep dies, many heroes walk off to the next camp in a straight line, which is also easy to read.

Avoid throwing when the enemy has just finished and is looking around. That is when they are most alert. If they turn toward your hiding spot, they may have seen you or a ward may have spotted you.

How do you hook supports pulling a camp?

Pulling means drawing neutral creeps into your lane's creep wave. A support usually hits a camp and then walks back toward the lane. Their path is often short and the same each time.

Watch the lane from fog. If the enemy support leaves lane at about the same moment over and over, they are likely pulling. Wait near the path between the camp and the lane, not at the camp itself. When they walk back with creeps following, they are focused on the pull and not on you.

Be careful with the neutrals that follow them. They can catch your hook. Throw before the creeps catch up, or pick an angle where the support leads the group. The jungle hook guide covers jungle paths in more detail.

What should you do after the hook lands?

You now have an enemy next to you, often alone and far from their team. Turn on Rot to slow them and finish with Dismember if you can win the fight. Look at the combos guide for the usual order.

Watch the neutral creeps too. If you pulled the enemy into the middle of a camp that is still alive, the creeps may join the fight. Neutrals that you or your target attacked can turn on you. Step away from the camp if it gets messy.

Then think about where the enemy team is. A farming core often has help nearby. If you see enemies coming, take the kill quickly or leave.

FAQ

Can I hook a hero standing behind neutral creeps?

Not through them. The hook stops on the first unit it meets, and a non-ancient neutral it catches dies. Move to a side where the line is clear.

When should I throw at a farming hero?

When they stop to attack a creep, or when the camp is almost dead. Both moments make them close to a still target.

Is it worth waiting for a support to pull?

It can be, if you see them pull at the same time and place more than once. Wait on the path back to the lane, not at the camp.

Checklist

• Approach camps through trees on the side away from the creeps.
• Make sure the hero is closer to you than any neutral.
• Throw while the enemy stops to attack a creep.
• Watch for the walk to the next camp after the last hit.
• Wait on the path between the camp and the lane for pulling supports.
• Step away from live camps after the pull lands.