Team Liquid, the defending champions of The International (TI), have given fans a rare peek at their expectations on the draft meta for the upcoming Dota 2 TI14.
In a candid discussion, team captain and hard support Aydin “Insania” Sarkohi, carry Michael “miCKe” Vu, and soft support Samuel “Boxi” Svahn broke down which heroes they expect to dominate the drafting phase, and which ones are unlikely to appear at all in this year’s Dota 2 world championship event. Their insights revealed not just power picks, but also how subtle map changes and shifting playstyles can leave once-iconic heroes completely irrelevant.
When asked about the least viable heroes heading into TI14, Boxi immediately brought up Treant Protector, with Insania explaining exactly why the hero is struggling. “The map is not kind to him. There’s too much water and not enough trees,” Insania said, pointing out how the current map undermines Treant’s invisibility and escape mechanics.
Despite his strong spells like Overgrowth and Living Armor, Treant’s core identity is heavily tied to tree density, making him much harder to use effectively at the professional level.
The team then turned its attention to Spectre, a hero once known for her late-game dominance. miCKe was brutally honest in his assessment, declaring, “Spectre is a dead hero.” Insania offered a bit of nuance, countering with, “I think Spectre has a higher chance of being played than Tree.”
The difference highlights the complexity of competitive drafting, where even among pros, opinions can differ based on playstyle preferences and interpretations of the current meta.
The conversation became even more striking when the trio discussed Outworld Destroyer (OD). miCKe suggested OD as another least-likely pick, but Boxi quickly pushed back, saying, “I saw Topson cook with it on stream.” miCKe reminded him, though, that OD “hasn’t been picked for two tournaments.”
That’s when Insania reminded everyone about how long the hero has been out of the meta, saying, “You mean it’s been picked before that? I think OD hasn’t been picked for seven years.”
Shifting gears, the players also predicted which heroes are most likely to be banned at The International 2025. miCKe didn’t hesitate, stating, “Most banned hero is going to be Nature’s Prophet.” With his global teleportation, lane pressure, and split-push potential, NP remains one of the most disruptive heroes in Dota 2, forcing opponents to respect-ban him in nearly every draft.
Insania agreed, adding, “Prophet or Pugna,” which sheds light on another rising star in the meta. Pugna’s blend of tower damage through Nether Blast and game-changing utility from Decrepify and Life Drain makes him one of the most versatile supports in competitive play.
Boxi, however, offered a wildcard prediction: “Probably Pudge. With all the pubs (that) are coming.” He explained that although Pudge isn’t a top competitive staple, his overwhelming popularity in matchmaking might tempt certain pros into comfort picks.
Insania immediately backed the point, acknowledging the influence of pub culture on pro drafts. “The thing is, Pudge is the most played hero, and the higher rank you go, the less you see it. So, that’s why I don’t see it all the time,” Boxi explained.
For fans of fantasy leagues, betting, or simply predicting outcomes, these insights from Team Liquid are more than just fun speculation. Drafting in Dota 2 is as much about psychology and prediction as it is about raw hero mechanics, and the players’ comments make it clear how closely pros analyze the meta, public trends, and map changes that shape competitive viability.
As TI14 approaches, these predictions will be tested against the reality of the draft strategies from the 16 competing teams, revealing whether Liquid’s analytical framework accurately captures the tournament’s meta.
Published: Sep 2, 2025 11:10 pm