Divert Top Push Strat

Would a strategy that involved depressurization of mid with a focus on top pushing, so that a hard carry and support could succeed bottom, be viable?

I have a more in depth strat with possible picks, counterpicks and bans.

All written out, it sounds pretty solid. You have a hard pusher like SS top, with a utility jungle like Axe skulking around. Axe keeps ahead in level (also on par with solo SS) by jungling, and can pop out to taunt or protect if the lane gets aggressive on SS.

about 8 minutes in, after two rounds by axe, and SS pushing up, mid ganks and pushes the tower.

All the while, the keystone carry has been farming bot hard, because the pressure of the game has been based on top.

By playing a game like this, it simplifies and makes it easier to predict the enemies reactions, while also...

Keeping 2 heroes with solo lane XP (Axe, SS)
Having one solid carry for late game + Support (Bot lane)
Making it possible to run an initiator/ganker mid, because his role isnt as much to lane as it is to push top and protect both lanes**

**note: in the strategy, due to pressure on top, you actually WANT the other team to push mid, as it will open up one of the areas of the game your team PLANS to destroy/control.

Any thoughts? Sorry, I could only summarize it, the whole thing I have written out on paper (with all of the picks, counters, and potential game ajustments) is too long. If theres any questions Ill answer them accordingly however!

Y'know what I might try this with a sofisticated bromade

Well at first sight it does look viable, more details would be helpful for some analysis. However I can see 2 sources of concern if I was to apply this kind of pressure.

1) How does SS survives and farms?
-> SS is relatively bad at farming and soloing on Top/Bot. So many heroes can shut you down unless you have a decent support/tank with you. Yes Axe is around and is supposed to come for help if needed, but this is quite difficult as Jungling Axe has no mobility early on. With some 2v1 with a good harass (Huskar/Silencer/Drow/Dazzle, and so many others), or high gank potential (Sven/Skeleton King/Sand King/Lina/leshrac and so many others). To me sololaning on top/bot *requires* a good escape mechanism or very good harass paired with long range (Silencer f.i.). SS has nothing to survive there...

2) How to make sure Axe is not perma ganked?
-> Axe has a good jungling, however he is relatively bad at 1v1 early on. SS can help but with his pitiful MS and low range (I mean it's not low but at least not enough to help an axe in jungle), he will not really help. Axe may be ganked and ruined early on.

To sum things up. It's a good strategy against some passive team, but with ganks in the equation, I'm afraid it would suffer...

My suggestions :

- Put a pusher with either a good escape mechanism or long range or... both. Puck would be perfect for instance even though his pushing abilities are not that good. Windrunner/Exort invoker/QoP as well. Even pugna coold be good as his MS is good and pushing/farming abilities are high enough.

- Put a jungler with more mobility or 1v1 potential or escape mechanism. Lycan/Broodmother/Nature's prophet are better choices imho.

Hope this will help =)

y axe? who is top with pushing skills (don't forget puck) you can still have a better jungler, like dark seer, engima, chen, lycan in the jungle who can quickly push any lane of choice..

i actually love this idea, and have done it alot with my friends, but a little bit different.

1. Axe is actually on the hard lane (Top on Radiant, and Bottom on Dire) with a support, such as Dazzle or Witch Doctor, or even Omniknight (even though they are both melee.) and Axe stays in the area in between the 1st and second tier towers, and intercepts the oncoming creep waves from the enemy's (leveling spin and shout) so that your creep waves have full access to their 1st tower (it should fall around 3 minutes) the support makes sure Axe stays relatively healed, and also keeps the other heroes away from Axe. so the enemy's at bot have 2 choices, try to stop Axe, and not gain any levels, or level and protect their tower, which will eventually leave them low and easy picking.

*Note* this could go horribly wrong, in the sense that bot becomes perma-ganked leaving Axe shut down, and under-leveled, you really just need to play smart to avoid this.

2. The hero mid should be a ganking star, such as Storm Spirit, Mirana, or Pudge. To help out bottom when needed.

3. Top should be someone like Windrunner, or Broodmother (If you dont have a carry all ready jungling) and afk-farm.

4. The best jungle option would be Natures Prophet, because he can just TP bottom and help out if things get messy.

:)