Dota 2’s roster continues to grow each year, with numerous additions to the list added every year. With well over 100 heroes there’s plenty to choose from and something for every playstyle, and if you play long enough, you’ll be sure to encounter every single one during your Dota career.
But there are some that are a cut above the rest. Whether it be a specific skill or playstyle, a particular strength in the meta, or if the hero just looks plain cool, there are a select few heroes that you’ll see more often than not.
Here are the top 10 most picked Dota 2 heroes and why we think they’re topping the charts.
Most picked Dota 2 heroes this month
Pudge
The number one most popular Dota 2 hero and it isn’t even close. The Butcher has been seen in over 4.2 million Dota matches last month—almost a million ahead of the next-most picked—which accounts for a 28 percent pick rate according to Dotabuff.
While Pudge isn’t a go-to in pro matches, his skill shot Meat Hook is one of the best abilities in the game and requires a bit of skill to land, hence why many try their luck with the tanky Strength hero.
Windranger
Windranger isn’t near the top 10 in the all-time charts, but her upgrades to her kit over the years, plus her inherent popularity over the years have seen her become the number two most-picked hero in the last month according to Dotabuff.
Like Pudge, Windranger has a few skillshot abilities in Powershot and Shackleshot, and combined with some survivability and speed with Windrun, she’s a pesky hero that many players can settle into well, while masters can almost single-handedly carry a game with her.
Legion Commander
Legion sits right behind Windranger for matches played and only continues to build in popularity since her release in 2013. She is pretty tanky when she gets up close to enemies, with Moment of Courage and Press the Attack keeping her in battles far longer than she perhaps should be able to.
But ask every Legion player what their favorite part of a game is and they’ll all say the same thing: winning a Duel and gaining bonus attack damage. Win enough Duels, and a stacked Legion will dominate a game.
Spirit Breaker
Spirit Breaker received some pretty significant buffs since 7.33’s New Frontiers launch, and his pick rate certainly reflects this with a huge 3 million picks last month alone.
SB is a fun one to play and pretty newbie-friendly; he’s incredibly tanky in the early game, charges across the map at supersonic speeds, and bulldozes over enemies with Greater Bash. Don’t be on the wrong side of an SB charge, that’s for sure.
Juggernaut
Juggernaut is one of the oldest heroes in Dota 2, and his popularity remains just as high as it was when he was released back in 2011. Who doesn’t like to slice and dice through enemy heroes with a sword?
His Q, Blade Fury, lets you “spin-to-win” and is amazing in the early game, while his ultimate Omnislash does incredible damage with the right item build in the late game, especially when using it against a single target. Get ahead far enough and a well-timed Omnislash can one-versus-five an enemy team—the ultimate power fantasy of a Dota 2 carry player.
Slark
This fishy fiend is the bane of the existence of all Agility-based carries the world over in Dota, with Slark’s kit making him very strong from a solo standpoint. Essence Shift allows Slark to steal Agility from an opponent, hitting the enemy carry where it hurts, and if you manage to lock Slark down, a well-timed Death Pact and Pounce will see him scurry away without trouble.
Throw on his ultimate, Shadow Dance, and he becomes an untargetable killing machine—carving a path through the backline and taking over a game on his own.
Sniper
Like many on our list so far, Sniper is almost always a guarantee in a top 10 most played list. He’s incredibly friendly to newer players, who with Take Aim and Headshot can deal heaps of damage from ridiculous ranges. His Q, Shrapnel, has plenty of charges and through the vision it gives and damage it deals, bugs enemy carries and supports to no end.
And just when you think you’re safe and out alive, he’ll fire off his sniper rifle with an Assassination shot, sending you back to the fountain the long way.
2016’s version of Sniper lives on in the heads of Dota veterans worldwide and while he is a shadow of his former self now, he remains an ever-popular mainstay of All Pick and Ranked.
Witch Doctor
Our first support in the list comes in at number eight and is one of my personal favorites. Witch Doctor’s kit is incredibly versatile and perfect for those looking to support their team in a variety of ways.
Paralyzing Cask acts as a stun and when used correctly, can keep multiple enemies locked down in an area. Throw on a Maledict, which deals bonus damage to heroes depending on how much short-term damage they receive, and WD can snipe away a few kills from time to time.
Voodoo Restoration gives allies a healing and recovery boost, but many will pick Witch Doctor for his ultimate Death Ward. It leaves you open and exposed to enemies as it’s a channeled ability, but the damage potential is ridiculous and can turn a teamfight around if it’s kept up for too long.
My personal favorite combo is a repeatedly stunning Cask, a Maledict setup for bonus damage, and a Death Ward with Aghanims Scepter while they’re immobilized. Landing the odd Rampage or two with a support hero is the best feeling, and there are very few heroes in the game that possess this ability.
Axe
Axe, like Juggernaut, is one of the founding heroes of Dota 2 and has existed in the game for well over a decade. His popularity and relevance in both ranked and pro Dota remain strong to this day, with the hero picked over 2.6 million times in the past month.
While many carries would call this offlaner annoying, many will attest to the power Axe can hold in the right hands.
Pro Dota fans will remember OG’s infamous turnaround teamfight, with Ceb’s Bezerker’s Call turning the tides to see his squad lift the Aegis—and many casual players aim to repeat his efforts in their pub matches.
A very tanky hero, Axe’s passive Counter Helix will see you want to get up close and personal, dealing pure damage around you whenever you are attacked. Purchase a Blink Dagger and throw yourself into the enemy team, activate your Call, and spin your way to a quadruple dunk with Culling Blade for the ultimate one-versus-all power fantasy.
Lion
Our second support on this list—though sometimes you won’t hear some Lion mains calling him a support. Lion remains as popular as ever thanks to an easy-to-understand kit and one of the coolest ultimates in the game.
Between Earth Spike and Hex, Lion’s disables are incredibly easy to use and land on enemy heroes, while Mana Drain keeps him topped up to account for the massive mana costs of his abilities. Hex an enemy to turn them into a harmless beast, then Earth Spike them for the stun while your lane partner lays into them.
Once they’re low enough, hit them with the Finger of Death to secure the kill. Each Finger kill makes the ability stronger, and throwing on an Aghanims Scepter lets you hit multiple units at once with an incredible burst of damage.
