Dota 2 Heroes Tier List

There are 126 characters in Dota 2, and this list keeps growing. Developers are constantly striving to balance power among these heroes, but with each patch, some heroes gain an edge due to changes in abilities and characteristics. Subsequent updates often bring nerfs to overpowered heroes, reducing their dominance on the map.
Therefore, if you want to maximize your chances of winning a match, it’s essential to keeping up with the Dota 2 tier list and its updates. By picking heroes with the highest win rate in the game, you can significantly increase your chances of climbing the rank.
What Is a Hero Tier List?
When you choose a hero for the upcoming match, you should consider your role in the team and your lane assignment. Of course, you may try to play IO on the Mid-Lane against Sniper, but in this case, the odds of success would be slim. Thus, it’s better to opt for the Dota tier list to identify the strongest heroes in the current patch and find out which role is suitable for them. This rating is based on several factors:
- Strength in current meta;
- Win rate;
- Popularity;
- Skills required to play a hero;
- Power spikes.
How the Tier List Is Structured?
Generally, it’s possible to divide a tier list of Dota 2 into four main categories. Here, you can find out more about each tier.
S-Tier
This category includes the heroes with the highest win rates in the current patch. As a rule, these characters can make a massive impact on your team performance while perfectly dealing with the tasks of their designated roles. It’s strongly recommended to pick these heroes whenever you have a chance.
A-Tier
While slightly less dominant than S-tier heroes, A-Tier heroes remain highly effective. In combination with skilled management and precise timing, they can hold their ground even against top-tier picks.
B-Tier
If S- and A-Tier heroes are blocked or already taken, these heroes serve as solid alternatives. However, they typically lack the game-changing impact needed to turn matches around single-handedly.
C-Tier
These heroes are the least favored in the current patch, often due to inefficiencies in the meta. Still, they can be valuable for counter-picking enemies or when other options are unavailable.
Current Meta Overview
Regular updates introduce buffs and nerfs that significantly shake up gameplay, altering the list of the best Dota 2 heroes for specific roles. The term META (Most Efficient Tactics Available) refers to choosing the most powerful heroes from this list to optimize success based on these changes.
After each patch, players invest time by spending days just right after the update release and analyze the changes to define the best heroes that can maximize success, considering the new gameplay environment. You should always check out this information on official sources after each patch release. For instance, patch 7.37e (the current game’s version at the time of writing) brought significant changes related to several characters:
- Earth Spirit: Boulder Smash scaling was reduced from 1.4x to 1.25x, and talent updates of the character sparked debates.
- Alchemist: Unstable Concoction cooldown increased to 35% (from 15 to 17 seconds), with Acid Spray's mana cost also raised.
- Clockwerk: The character got significant nerf as his Battery Assault damage against creeps was reduced from 2x to 1.5x.
The interesting fact is that you can find multiple tier lists of the best characters in Dota 2 after the release of patch 7.37e. As with the changes for Earth Spirit in this update, the community can’t accept the mutual agreement on whether these adjustments were beneficial or detrimental.
Role-Based Tier List
Before the match starts, you should make the right choice and pick the hero that fits your role and meets team requirements. Use this Dota 2 tier list by position to choose the appropriate character and deal with your in-game tasks without significant difficulties.
If you don’t see your favorite heroes on this tablet, don’t get upset! Although they aren’t considered the most powerful characters in the current META, they can still shine when you need to implement a specific strategy.
Tier | ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤRole | |||
Carry / Safelaner | Midlaner | Offlane | Support | |
S-Tier | Kez ![]() Morphling ![]() Spectre ![]() | Arc Warden ![]() Ember Spirit ![]() Primal Beast ![]() | Spirit Breaker ![]() Faceless Void ![]() Shadow Shaman ![]() | Witch Doctor ![]() Lich ![]() Dark Willow ![]() |
A-Tier | Anti-Mage ![]() Lycan ![]() Wraith King ![]() | Void Spirit ![]() Tinker ![]() Puck ![]() | Techies ![]() Legion Commander ![]() Pugna ![]() | Warlock ![]() Phoenix ![]() Grimstroke ![]() |
B-Tier | Lifestealer ![]() Terrorblade ![]() Troll Warlord ![]() | Dark Seer ![]() Earth Spirit ![]() Windranger ![]() | Dawnbreaker ![]() Disruptor ![]() Tusk ![]() | Undying ![]() Dazzle ![]() Bane ![]() |
C-Tier | Riki ![]() Bloodseeker ![]() Medusa ![]() | Batrider ![]() Outworld Destroyer ![]() Tiny ![]() | Abaddon ![]() Clockwerk ![]() Hoodwink ![]() | Venomancer ![]() Winter Wyvern ![]() Io ![]() |
Dota 2 Hero Tier List Breakdown
Below, we’ll explore the most effective heroes from the Dota 2 hero tier list. We’ll discuss each role from each tier so you can make the right choice during the Pick Phase.
S-Tier Heroes
Kez | |
![]() | Kez is the newest character in the Dota 2 carry tier list, so many players still may not know how his skills and talents work. The possibility of switching between weapons (Switch Disciplines) provides this hero with amazing adaptability to various in-game scenarios. |
Arc Warden | |
![]() | Many gamers can prove that playing Arc Warden feels like playing the piano. Nonetheless, as soon as you learn to deal with complex micromanagement, you’ll understand why he ranks among the best midlaners in the current META. Due to his powerful skills, he can handle formidable opponents such as Sniper or Shadow Fiend with ease. |
Shadow Shaman | |
![]() | It may come as a surprise, but Shadow Shaman is a fantastic candidate for the third position. Nonetheless, the current version provides this character with significant damage, making him a strong laner. He also stays extremely useful and strong throughout the whole game. |
Witch Doctor | |
![]() | With a 47% win rate as a hard support, Witch Doctor is an excellent choice for assisting the whole team. The character has all the features of an ideal support. Thanks to his powerful abilities, he requires minimal gold and can prioritize purchasing sentry wards and items that enhance his allies' efficiency. |
A-Tier Heroes
Wraith King | |
![]() | Wraith King is a unique character who is able to deal with tasks in both safe lane and mid roles. As soon as he reaches his power spike and acquires core items, he can deal significant damage to almost any enemy. |
Puck | |
![]() | Puck demands precise reactions and timing to play effectively. With elusive maneuvers and high burst damage, Puck excels at controlling the mid-lane and dictating the pace of the game. |
Techies | |
![]() | Despite hundreds of nerfs, Techies remains still one of the strongest and most versatile characters. In the right hands and with the right build, this hero offers impressive adaptivity to almost all possible in-game situations. |
Warlock | |
![]() | Warlock boasts a 52% win rate and significant pushing potential, making him a standout support hero in the Dota support tier list. His abilities are perfect for assisting team actions, initiating fights, and healing allies. |
B-Tier Heroes
Lifestealer | |
![]() | Though Lifestealer has lost some of his former glory, he remains a solid choice when heroes from higher tiers are unavailable. It’s an iconic carry with strong right-click damage and farm potential. |
Windranger | |
![]() | Awesome skills make Windranger a strong rival at the beginning of the match. Plus, she’s fast enough to execute efficient ganks. |
Dawnbreaker | |
![]() | Dawnbreaker's ability to stun multiple opponents, deal fire damage, and fast travel globally around the map make Dawnbreaker a great option for the 3d position. However, the effectiveness of this hero is heavily reliant on securing key items. |
Undying | |
![]() | Here, we have an unexpected hero in the Dota 2 support tier list. However, Undying’s ability to heal and save his allies, as well as initially strong skills, make this character a valuable asset for the Hard Support role. |
C-Tier Heroes
Riki | |
![]() | Riki can boast truly great damage and straightforward gameplay. But it’s recommended to pick him only when the enemy team lacks efficient supports. |
Outworld Destroyer | |
![]() | Once again, the choice of this character depends on your enemy’s lineup. Against a team with many weak heroes, OD can be a game-changer and secure victory. |
Abaddon | |
![]() | Abaddon’s survivability through Aphotic Shield and Borrowed Time makes him a reliable ally. At the same time, this character lacks impact without strong teammates to support. |
IO | |
![]() | If you’re ready to forget about adaptability and focus simply on support tasks, this character from the Dota 2 heroes tier list is your ideal choice. IO provides efficiency throughout all stages of the match, but you’ll need to spend some time learning how to master its complex skills properly for maximizing his potential. |
Conclusion
Never forget to keep up with the Dota hero tier list after every major update. Of course, it’s wise to hold off for two or three weeks. During this period, the community dives into analyzing changes, experimenting with heroes and working out the most efficient strategies to bring out their full potential. Once the META settles, you can lean on this collective knowledge to make informed choices. Armed with these insights, you’ll be well-prepared to craft your strategies, pick the strongest heroes, and kick off an unstoppable win streak.