With over 100 Dota heroes to choose from, knowing who dominates the meta is key.
It's draft time during your next ranked Dota 2 game. You're on a bit of a loss streak, you're bleeding MMR, and you need to get a win as soon as possible. Instead of picking Pudge for the 200th time in a row, why not consider a better hero?
Here is the esports.gg Dota 2 tier list featuring the best heroes to play as of Patch 7.38b.
The best heroes in Dota 2, ranked: Tier list
Below is our tier list for the best Dota 2 heroes right now. Not every hero makes the cut, but just because you don't see your favorite hero here doesn't mean they're bad! The beauty of Dota is that every hero can work, but some shine a little brighter in each patch — we've highlighted them in the list below.
We've sorted the top heroes into three main tiers:
- S-Tier: The most dominant heroes in the meta right now, picked or banned in almost every ranked match, extremely powerful.
- A-Tier: Consistent, versatile heroes; can be played in multiple positions, constantly see match time, and are effective in their main roles.
- B-Tier: Pocket picks; above average in a specific role, at least one solid Facet choice, and slip under the radar to make a draft often enough.
S-Tier heroes
Hero | Description |
|---|---|
 | Wraith King Carry. |
 | Abaddon Offlane, support. Incredibly tanky and versatile; designed to carry plenty of aura items like Pipe of Insight and Crimson Guard to aid in team fights without attacking. Was hit by the nerfhammer in 7.38b, but you probably barely noticed. |
 | Ancient Apparition Support. A slew of buffs in 7.38 saw AA rise to S-tier, and while we're back in the world of Agility hypercarries instead of Strength-boosting tanks, his kit is well-rounded to deal with most opponents. |
 | Medusa Carry. Medusa needed a buff after all those nerfs in late-7.37 — the movement speed lock has made her quite potent at escaping enemy lineups built with slowing targets in mind. A slight nerf in 7.38b hasn't stopped her rise. |
 | Dazzle Hybrid. Huge changes to Dazzle in 7.38 has seen him become the new hybrid pick. Carry, midlane, support — he can just about do it all with his new ultimate ability Nothl Projection. |
 | Lifestealer Carry. Lifestealer is back to his best with Rage enabling the melee carry to take on an entire team himself. He's still a mid-game focused hero with items like Sange & Yasha and Armlet giving him a power spike at around the 20-to-30-minute mark — look to end games here. |
 | Juggernaut Carry. Sure, Agh's Upgrade Swiftslash copped some nerfs, but Juggernaut's kit and the return of Agi heroes in general has made him quite the force. |
Related articles
A-Tier heroes
Role | Heroes |
|---|---|
| Carry | Meepo |
| Mid | Outworld Destroyer, Meepo, Night Stalker |
| Offlane | Tidehunter, Clockwerk, Night Stalker, Vengeful Spirit |
| Support | Vengeful Spirit, Warlock, Witch Doctor, Oracle, Shadow Shaman |
Outworld Devourer is back in the mid-lane (so long as you build a Hex as early as possible), while a few carries that just missed the S-tier like Meepo land here. Vengeful Spirit has seen play across several roles.
Witch Doctor just can't be kept down for long, while Tidehunter is a surprise addition to the list given he copped some of the worst of the nerfs in 7.38b.
B-Tier heroes
Role | Heroes |
|---|---|
| Carry | Troll Warlord, Necrophos, Anti-Mage |
| Mid | Tinker |
| Offlane | Legion Commander, Dark Seer, Undying, Necrophos |
| Support | Mirana, Silencer, Undying, Elder Titan |
Oh no, is that a Tinker mid? Don't worry, folks — Tinker did storm up the list but was halted in 7.38b. He still lurks around the top of the meta and you can't ever count out a good Tinker player!
Undying is a mainstay here, preferably as a support, while changes to Necrophos' Ghost Shroud has made him a potent hybrid pick for multiple rolls. Legion Commander and Dark Seer round out the best of the off-laners.
Check back after each major Dota 2 update for a refreshed tier list!
