Next Dota 2 hero is…Bird Samurai?

Valve released the massive lore-centric event, Crownfall, almost a week ago, teasing even more surprises ahead. It is apparent that these surprises in store will arrive in the upcoming Act II to Act IV. One of the speculated surprises is a new hero and no, we are not talking about Ringmaster. Lets take the spotlight to Bird Samurai.

Bird Samurai may be the next Dota 2 hero after Ringmaster

The name Bird Samurai might be strange to some but it has been the talk of dataminers and even the Reddit sphere for a long while now. The name popped up even before the release of Muerta and Primal Beast as dataminers found information on a "Bird Samurai" including his abilities.

There is also an unreleased Dota 2 item called "Samurai Tabi" which is likely linked to the Bird Samurai. Much like how Muerta is linked to the item Revenant's Brooch.

(Image via <a href="https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Samurai_Tabi">Dota 2 Fandom</a>)
(Image via Dota 2 Fandom)

On top of that, there are numerous unreleased hero voicelines that directly hints towards the Bird Samurai's presence. Hoodwink has a voiceline that says: "What's the good word from the Crow's Nest?" Vengeful Spirit also has an unreleased voiceline that says: "Now the worms eat you."

In Dota 2's official graphics, they showed a hero list. In between Beastmaster and Bloodseeker, a [CENSORED] text is placed. While Ringmaster wouldn't fit in that sequence, Bird Samurai would.

What are Bird Samurai's abilities?

In early 2023, a dataminer called DM revealed on Telegram some leaks on upcoming heroes. The first three icons show the Bird Samurai's abilities: "Avian Assault", "Plumage Parry", and "Shadow Feather". Although most of these are likely placeholders, they give a slight glimpse into what the Bird Samurai will likely bring.

Bird Samurai's leaked abilities in Dota 2.
Bird Samurai's leaked abilities in Dota 2.

His abilities brings out the agility of a bird and this hero can likely dash, sprint, or have an advantage in movement. The Avian Assault ability might also be linked with the tier 4 item, Aviana's Feather. This item allows you to gain flying movement once you hit below 30% HP.

When to expect the next hero's release

With Crownfall's release, Valve has also teased more surprises ahead in the next Acts. If Bird Samurai is coming, it might arrive in one of the future Acts. According to dataminers, here are the possible timeline of the Crownfall saga.

  • Act 1: April 16 - May 14
  • Act 2: May 14 - June 11
  • Act 3: June 11 - July 9
  • Act 4: July 9 - August 6

We are currently in the middle of Act I. Keep your eyes peeled for future Acts to see if Bird Samurai has joined the fray! Stay tuned to esports.gg for more Dota 2 news and updates.