There are 123 heroes in Dota 2, but only some of them get to be relevant in the meta. Balancing the scales is a difficult task considering the number of characters in the game, and each patch tries to give all heroes an even playing field.
The patch 7.32c is the current iteration of Dota 2 being played at The International 2022. After more than 200 games at the event, the professional players agree on the most powerful picks in the game. Given that only 10 heroes can be picked, and 14 heroes can be banned in every match, some of them were completely ignored until now.
Dota 2 heroes that haven’t been picked or banned at TI11
Bounty Hunter
Bounty Hunter was once on top of the meta as roaming supports thrived in the early game. A combination of invisibility and a slowing ability allowed BH to dominate the early game, but he fell off the meta as duo offlanes took over.
BH is far from being the ideal lane partner since only a few offlaners can afford to stay alone during the early stages of the laning phase.
Clinkz
Clinkz can be a nightmare to deal with for fragile supports. The quick kill potential of the hero allows it to get ahead of the curve, but it isn’t enough to keep him a relevant piece of the current meta.
Though Clinkz can still shine during the early game, his chances of winning a match significantly decrease as the game drags on. Since almost every core in the game can outscale Clinkz, the skeleton archer has been ignored at TI11.
Dragon Knight
Dota Dragon’s Blood introduced fans to the adventures of Dragon Knight. If you were looking to pick him in the current meta, you may find out that the hero doesn’t match his power level in the show.
With Lina, Puck, and Templar Assassin at the helm in the mid lane, Dragon Knight hasn’t been considered by any of the teams at TI11. Dragon Knight usually prefers slow matches and requires to become online on the map. The fast-paced early games caused Dragon Knight to fall off, but he’s also known to answer the call.
Keeper of the Light
Keeper of the Light is one of the lost heroes in the current meta, meaning Dota 2’s Gandalf hasn’t been able to find himself a suitable role. Before the easy camp near the mid lane was removed, KotL saw some usage in the mid lane.
Now that the easy camp near the mid-lane is gone, KotL’s also been struggling to find an identity in the game, and the teams at TI11 don’t have the answer either.
Meepo
Meepo has also been struggling to find a place in the meta. The hero’s weak laning stage prevents him from snowballing while facing duo offlanes. Considering Meepo also needs some alone time for an XP lead, teams at TI11 haven’t taken the risk to run a Meepo draft.
Techies
The Techies rework also failed to give the hero a purpose. Techies is too slow and they don’t lack the overall utility tools that other supports bring to the game like Enigma.
Treant Protector
Treant Protector used to be one of the most popular heroes in the game. From a global heal to an excellent teamfight ultimate, he was a go-to position five support for many teams. Treant also fell victim to Dota 2’s current meta as teams would rather have heroes like Undying in their lineups.
Windranger
Windranger had a tough year filled with nerfs. Who was once a top pick is now at the bottom of the barrel as she was weakened one too many times. Though she received some minor buffs in the last patches, it was nowhere enough to make up for the overall power she lost early in the year.
