Overview
Bane is very weak in the early game and is often outperformed by most EXP lane heroes available. A magic-build EXP lane Bane in the early to mid game should focus on wave clearing and split-pushing with torrents, prioritizing tower hugging and counter-engaging whenever there are objectives to contest nearby.
Strengths
Magic EXP lane Bane's true strength lies in his powerful poking abilities. By using his first skill on nearby creeps, heroes, or minions, the attack bounces and inflicts additional physical damage, though it becomes much more potent when using a physical build rather than a magic build. Bane's second skill is also great for poking, and if you are using a magic build, it heals Bane for a much higher amount. In the late game, because of the magic items you are using, its cooldown can be reduced to 1.5 seconds or even lower with cooldown reduction. Lastly, Bane's third skill/ultimate (Shark Wave) deals massive damage and applies a knockback effect to enemies. You can catch high-mobility heroes with it if timed perfectly. It is also great for counter-engages, ganks, or initiating fights if you are using Purify and Flicker against heroes such as Tigreal, Minotaur, or Hylos.
Weaknesses
Whether using a physical or magic build, Bane has the same weaknesses. He is very dependent on items, teammates, positioning, and scaling into the late game. Bane can be easily taken down by heroes with strong crowd control and high burst damage. That is why battle spells, map awareness, and positioning are very important when playing Bane.
MAGIC EXP LANE BANE: Megic Penetration & High Burst Potential
Arcane Boots provide extra magic power and early magic penetration. Holy Crystal gives strong early scaling for Bane's 2nd & 3rd skills while also providing massive magic power. Lightning Truncheon adds extra damage and improves your early burst potential. Blood Wings grants both a defensive shield and additional magic power. Lastly, Genius Wand and Divine Glaive provide strong magic penetration, especially against enemies building magic defense. Note that you can always change your build depending on your playstyle or situation and enemy lineup.
MAGIC EXP LANE BANE: Penetration, Scaling, & CD Reduction
Use the Magic Emblem for extra magic power and cd reduction with Rupture for extra magic penetration, especially if you are building Arcane Boots early since it also provide additional magic penetration. Use Weapons Master for extra damage and better early scaling. Lastly, use Temporal Reign for the additional cooldown reduction of your 1st & 2nd skills after casting your ultimate. Bane is a flexible hero, so you can always adjust your emblem setup depending on your playstyle, the situation, or the enemy lineup.
Battle Spell
Use Flicker if there are high-mobility heroes or if you want to surprise squishy enemies with the Ultimate + Flicker combo. It is strongly advised to use Flicker if your team has no initiator. Purify is good against enemies with heavy crowd control, especially for counter-engaging, disrupting ganks, and stopping initiations. You can also use it as bait to start a teamfight. Sprint is also a good option if the enemy team has little to no crowd control and if you want to focus on 1v1 micro plays.
MAGIC EXP LANE BANE: Late game Kraken
The trick to playing Bane is utilizing your surroundings, including bushes, and positioning yourself properly to initiate or counter enemies. Always poke using your skills and long-range basic attacks. Bane becomes very dominant in the late game, so make sure to utilize your skills effectively and position yourself in a way that maximizes your impact in team fights.
Best With Carmilla
Carmilla is always a great match for Bane because her ultimate allows Bane to deal massive burst damage to enemies caught within it. Bane also works very well with setter tanks like Tigreal and Khufra, as their crowd control abilities create perfect opportunities for Bane to land his skills effectively.
Watch Out For Diggie
Bane struggles against roamers who heavily utilize healing, especially those using the Flask of the Oasis, as it can disrupt Bane's burst potential. He is also weak against sustain-focused supports like Faramis and Estes because their healing and revival abilities make it harder for Bane to quickly eliminate enemies during team fights.