Update 12/29/2020 - Thank you for using my DOTA 2 Tier List. I realize it is long and cumbersome to use in its current state. I am working on updating the look and feel of the Tier Lists to make them easier to navigate and read. Please look for changes in the upcoming week.
Welcome to the DOTA 2 Hero Tier List for December 2020 - 7.28a Gameplay Update.
Here you will find rankings of each hero based on our own play and research into other tier lists across the web. Like all of our tier lists, we update these each month or when there is a content patch applied.
** Tier Lists are never perfect, but we strive for accuracy where possible. If you disagree with our rankings, please leave a comment below so we can discuss it. We want to provide the most accurate help to players possible across all levels of play.
December Update:
Updated for December Outlanders Update. You can find the patch notes HERE
The Outlanders Update brought quite a large number of changes to the game including two new heroes: Snapfire and Void Spirit. It also brought updates to the Courier system, a new neutral building type Outposts, map redesigns, and a host of other changes. You can find the Outlanders page HERE
Moved Abaddon from Tier 3 to Tier 1
Moved Vengeful Spirit from Tier 4 to Tier 2
Moved Underlord from Tier 4 to Tier 2
Moved Zeus from Tier 4 to Tier 2
The DOTA 2 Tier List is divided into four tiers:
Tier 1 - Strong
These heroes represent the current top tier picks in the meta. They sit above the current power state of the meta and should be considered first picks across all levels of play.
Tier 2 - Above Average
These heroes represent the current power state of the meta across most skill levels.
Tier 3 - Average
These heroes sit below the relative average power level of the current meta.
Tier 4 - Weak
These heroes represent the bottom of the current meta. Generally they should be avoided, but they could be chosen by someone who is exceptionally experienced at playing them.
Tier 1
Click an image to scroll to Tier 1 for more info
Tier 2
Click an image to scroll to Tier 2 for more info
Tier 3
Click an image to scroll to Tier 3 for more info
Tier 4
Click an image to scroll to Tier 4 for more info
Tier 1
Abaddon
Melee
Support - Carry - Durable
Alchemist
Melee
Carry - Support - Durable - Disabler - Initiator - Nuker
Centaur Warrunner
Melee
Durable - Initiator - Disabler - Nuker - Escape
Ember Spirit
Melee
Carry - Escape - Nuker - Disabler - Initiator
Faceless Void
Melee
Carry - Initiator - Disabler - Escape - Durable
Gyrocopter
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Disabler
Kunkka
Melee
Carry - Support - Disabler - Initiator - Durable - Nuker
Leshrac
Ranged
Carry - Support - Nuker - Pusher - Disabler
Lifestealer
Melee
Carry - Durable - Jungler - Escape - Disabler
Mirana
Ranged
Carry - Support - Escape - Nuker - Disabler
Night Stalker
Melee
Carry - Initiator - Durable - Disabler - Nuker
Ogre Magi
Melee
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Durable - Initiator
Outworld Devourer
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Disabler
Shadow Demon
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Initiator - Nuker
Tiny
Melee
Carry - Nuker - Pusher - Initiator - Durable - Disabler
Tier 2
Ancient Apparition
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker
Axe
Melee
Initiator - Durable - Disabler - Jungler
Earthshaker
Melee
Support - Initiator - Disabler - Nuker
Enchantress
Ranged
Support - Jungler - Pusher - Durable - Disabler
Grimstroke
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Escape
Grimstroke is an annoying pick that excels early to the late stages of the game.
Invoker
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Disabler - Escape - Pusher
Io
Ranged
Support - Escape - Nuker
Juggernaut
Melee
Carry - Pusher - Escape
Keeper of the Light
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Jungler
Lina
Ranged
Support - Carry - Nuker - Disabler
Magnus
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Nuker - Escape
Morphling
Ranged
Carry - Escape - Durable - Nuker - Disabler
Morphling is currently a meta favorite as he is now being picked in public games and the pro scene. Adaptive Strike with Earthshaker is excellent in public games due to the huge stun lock. He got a bit of a nerf in Patch 7.23 where his health is now shared in both forms. He used to be able to escape skirmishes by switching to another form in order to gain health, but now he cannot do that.
Naga Siren
Melee
Carry - Support - Pusher - Disabler - Initiator - Escape
Omniknight
Melee
Support - Durable - Nuker
Rubick
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker
Sand King
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Support - Nuker - Escape - Jungler
Slark
Melee
Carry - Escape - Disabler - Nuker
Treant Protector
Melee
Support - Initiator - Durable - Disabler - Escape
Underlord
Melee
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Durable - Escape
Undying
Melee
Support - Durable - Disabler - Nuker
Vengeful Spirit
Ranged
Support - Initiator - Disabler - Nuker - Escape
Winter Wyvern
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker
Wraith King
Melee
Carry - Support - Durable - Disabler - Initiator
Zeus
Ranged
Nuker
Tier 3
Anti-Mage
Melee
Carry - Escape - Nuker
Bane
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker - Durable
Batrider
Ranged
Initiator - Jungler - Disabler - Escape
Beastmaster
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Durable - Nuker
Bloodseeker
Melee
Carry - Disabler - Jungler - Nuker - Initiator
Bristleback
Melee
Carry - Durable - Initiator - Nuker
Great for beginning players due to his tankiness and forgiving playstyle. Use Quill Spray for pushing out lanes and Bristleback if you get in trouble and have to run.
Broodmother
Melee
Carry - Pusher - Escape - Nuker
Chen
Ranged
Support - Jungler - Pusher
Crystal Maiden
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker - Jungler
Dark Willow
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Escape
A very annoying support hero, her kit includes lots of high damage abilities and Cursed Crown is an effective stun that can prevent most ganks by opponents.
Dazzle
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler
Death Prophet
Ranged
Carry - Pusher - Nuker - Disabler
Disruptor
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker - Initiator
Dragon Knight
Melee
Carry - Pusher - Durable - Disabler - Initiator - Nuker
Elder Titan
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Nuker - Durable
Enigma
Ranged
Disabler - Jungler - Initiator - Pusher
Jakiro
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Pusher - Disabler
Legion Commander
Melee
Carry - Disabler - Initiator - Durable - Nuker
Lich
Ranged
Support - Nuker
Hard Support with nice team fight. Frost Shield is great for melee laners. Chain Frost can be incredibly powerful and can turn a game if used properly.
Lycan
Melee
Carry - Pusher - Jungler - Durable - Escape
Meepo
Melee
Carry - Escape - Nuker - Disabler - Initiator - Pusher
Monkey King
Melee
Carry - Escape - Disabler - Initiator
Necrophos
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Durable - Disabler
Oracle
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler - Escape
Pangolier
Melee
Carry - Nuker - Disabler - Durable - Escape - Initiator
Phantom Lancer
Melee
Carry - Escape - Pusher - Nuker
Phoenix
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Initiator - Escape - Disabler
Puck
Ranged
Initiator - Disabler - Escape - Nuker
Pugna
Ranged
Nuker - Pusher
Queen of Pain
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Escape
Razor
Ranged
Carry - Durable - Nuker - Pusher
Silencer
Ranged
Carry - Support - Disabler - Initiator - Nuker
Sniper
Ranged
Carry - Nuker
Spectre
Melee
Carry - Durable - Escape
Storm Spirit
Ranged
Carry - Escape - Nuker - Initiator - Disabler
Sven
Melee
Carry - Disabler - Initiator - Durable - Nuker
Templar Assassin
Ranged
Carry - Escape
Tidehunter
Melee >
Initiator - Durable - Disabler - Nuker
Timbersaw
Melee
Nuker - Durable - Escape
Timbersaw is hard to deal with in the starting phase if you fail to counterpick against him. Tanky off lane hero that will hard to deal with for a safe lane hero. With a level advantage, the saw nukes can kill any support hero in a single combo. Patch 7.23 gave him an agility gain increase.
Tinker
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Pusher
Troll Warlord
Ranged
Carry - Pusher - Disabler - Durable
Viper
Ranged
Carry - Durable - Initiator - Disabler
Witch Doctor
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler
Tier 4
Arc Warden
Ranged
Carry - Escape - Nuker
Bounty Hunter
Melee
Escape - Nuker
Brewmaster
Melee
Carry - Initiator - Durable - Disabler - Nuker
Chaos Knight
Melee
Carry - Disabler - Durable - Pusher - Initiator
Massive crit damage make Chaos Knight hated by many players. It is avery hard to escape this hero with his Phantasms and massive crit damage. If not stopped early, he can easily kill your supports. Patch 7.23 buffed his Phantasms so they are harder to kill using Magic damage.
Clinkz
Ranged
Carry - Escape - Pusher
Clockwerk
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Durable - Nuker
Dark Seer
Melee
Initiator - Jungler - Escape - Disabler
Doom
Melee
Carry - Disabler - Initiator - Durable - Nuker
Drow Ranger
Ranged
Carry - Disabler - Pusher
Earth Spirit
Melee
Nuker - Escape - Disabler - Initiator - Durable
One of the support heroes every player should learn and have in his or her kit. Rolling Boulder/Magnetize is a great combo for stunning/damaging enemy players and initiating team fights.
Huskar
Ranged
Carry - Durable - Initiator
Lion
Ranged
Support - Disabler - Nuker - Initiator
Lone Druid
Ranged
Carry - Pusher - Jungler - Durable
Luna
Ranged
Carry - Nuker - Pusher
Mars
Melee
Carry - Initiator - Disabler - Durable
Medusa
Ranged
Carry - Disabler - Durable
Nature's Prophet
Ranged
Carry - Jungler - Pusher - Escape - Nuker
Nyx Assassin
Melee
Disabler - Nuker - Initiator - Escape
Mana Burn is fantastic in certain matchups and can essentially nullify certain heroes. Pick him later in draft to counter heavy mana-based enemy picks.
Phantom Assassin
Melee
Carry - Escape
Pudge
Melee
Disabler - Initiator - Durable - Nuker
Riki
Melee
Carry - Escape - Disabler
Shadow Fiend
Ranged
Carry - Nuker
Shadow Shaman
Ranged
Support - Pusher - Disabler - Nuker - Initiator
Skywrath Mage
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Disabler
For a support, Skywrath Mage can deal a massive amount of spammable magic damage. He is squishy, but he can solo almost any hero with the right positioning and items. Can be used for Off Lane, Mid Lane, or as a Support.
Slardar
Melee
Carry - Durable - Initiator - Disabler - Escape
Spirit Breaker
Melee
Carry - Initiator - Disabler - Durable - Escape
Melee off-lane hero who excels at roaming. Spirit Breaker is all about the stun. Charge of Darkness is a reliable stun while Bulldoze grants immunity during the charge. Nether Strike can finish off opponents low on health.
Techies
Ranged
Nuker - Disabler
Terrorblade
Melee
Carry - Pusher - Nuker
Tusk
Melee
Initiator - Disabler - Nuker
Ursa
Melee
Carry - Jungler - Durable - Disabler
Venomancer
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Initiator - Pusher - Disabler
Venomancer can be used as support or off-lane. Very effective against heroes like Earth Spirit and Tidehunter. Plague Ward is very effective against supports because of its immunity to magic. It can also be used as an Observer ward. Venomancer’s Poison Sting was buffed in Patch 7.23.
Visage
Ranged
Support - Nuker - Durable - Disabler - Pusher
Warlock
Ranged
Support - Initiator - Disabler
Weaver
Ranged
Carry - Escape
Windranger
Ranged
Carry - Support - Disabler - Escape - Nuker
Windranger is an extremely flexible mid lane hero. She is very hard to kill with Windrun and once she gets Aghanim’s Scepter, Monkey King Bar and Maelstrom, she becomes extremely strong and very difficult for opposing players to handle.
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