Dota 2 · Hero lesson · Great Cleave
Sven Great Cleave: line up the attack, not just the target
On this page
Great Cleave carries an attack into nearby units in front of Sven. Storm Hammer controls a small area around its target; Warcry gives allied heroes armour and movement speed.
Follow the practice steps ↓Mechanics checked October 17, 2026 against Valve’s hero data · Editorial practice advice · Not match-tested
Practise the decision step by step
- Look beyond the unit you are about to attack and check where other enemies stand.
- Adjust your position so an attack’s cleave can intersect useful additional targets.
- Use control to create an attack opportunity instead of assuming bonus damage makes you able to reach anyone.
- When the fight moves, reconsider the angle rather than hitting the same front unit from a poor line.
The mistake to look for
More damage cannot compensate for an attack that never reaches a useful target. Do not interpret a cleave diagram as an exact map-scale area.
A controlled demo exercise
Arrange several demo units in different formations. Attack the front unit from two angles and inspect the units affected. Keep the target formation fixed when comparing positions.
Keep the setup consistent between attempts: same hero state, same target arrangement and the same abilities available. Change one decision, observe the outcome, then repeat. If an item, upgrade or new patch changes the ability, read that effect before comparing the attempts.
Use this in a real match
Before acting, name the immediate objective: control a target, protect an ally, maintain position or create a damage opportunity. After the fight, review whether your chosen action produced that objective. The outcome of the match alone does not tell you which part of the sequence worked.
This page is a focused mechanics lesson. It does not supply a universal item build, talent order, exact timing script or ranked win-rate claim. Team composition, items and current balance changes can alter the best choice.
Sources and version limits
Valve’s official hero page · Official hero ability data, retrieved October 17, 2026. Ability behaviour described above comes from that dated source. The positioning, learning exercise and review questions are our editorial recommendations, not Valve’s guaranteed strategy. Check your client tooltip for exact values and upgrade conditions.