[Top 15] Dota 2 Best Mid Heroes (7.33b)



The middle lane in Dota is undoubtedly the most demanding lane in the game. The mid-lane is essentially where the trajectory of your game is decided. Mid-heroes are highly lethal right off the bat, their abilities make it easy for them to deal immense damage and sustain themselves all so easily. It may be hard for new players to win or even break even in the mid-lane, but with the right heroes, you can even dominate the lane if you play your cards right. It is evident in most games that the mid-lane makes or breaks the game. The right and relevant hero can make the game easy for you. The mid-hero’s significance cannot be neglected, and picking a relevant hero can make the game easier.

With so many mid-heroes in the game, it is quite hard to pick the most relevant hero in the current meta. Pick the wrong hero and watch your MMR go down the drain! We rank the best 15 Mid Heroes in the current patch. 

15. Dragon Knight

Davion, the Dragon Knight is a classic mid hero, his high strength and high HP nature fit the glove. He does not fall despite enemies trying to gank him, his armor shall never betray him. Dragon Knight is a tough nut to crack, he has natural high armor which is amplified by his Dragon’s Blood passive, which makes him unkillable unless all five enemy heroes rotate and hunt him down, which is of course impractical in most games.

It is quite obvious that his foes will try to counter him in the late game by building items that can cause immense harm to his armor, but Dragon Knight is a highly dominant and resilient hero in the late game. His armor isn’t easily threatened, he can also build items to increase his already gigantic and tough armor. He also transforms into a devastating killing machine as the late game approaches, absorbing all the damage from the frontlines and demolishing his foes within no time.

Why is Dragon Knight a great mid-hero? 

  • Dragon’s Blood provides immense tank potential, he has increased armor as well as HP regeneration.
  • Dragon Knight also relies more on levels as opposed to farm, allowing him to gank lanes as soon as he acquires his ultimate.
  • Dragon’s Breath reduces the physical damage dealt by the enemies by a huge margin, making it easy for Dragon Knight to tank his way into the teamfights.

Top 5 End Game items on Dragon Knight 

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Dragon Knight 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following it up with his stun.
  • Black King Bar - It provides DK with spell immunity from all magic damage spells and effects, making him invulnerable in the fight. It is a staple against high lockdown and disabler heroes.
  • Assault Cuirass - Increases armor and attack speed while reducing the same for enemies in an AoE, making him tanky in the fights while reducing the enemy's potential to deal damage.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Grants him the Black Dragon form, which provides him with unobstructed pathing, increased damage as well as movement speed.
  • Heaven’s Halberd - It can be useful to disarm enemy carry, making them unable to do physical damage while DK and his teammates can freely attack them. The evasion from Heaven’s Halberd also provides decent survivability.

Dragon Knight is strong against

  • Clinkz - Clinkz has too low health to survive a gank. Getting stunned keeps him down long enough for a reaction.
  • Templar Assassin - Templar Assassin's Refraction charges also get quickly removed by the damage over time from Dragon Knight's ultimate.
  • Witch Doctor - Death Ward does minor damage against Dragon Knight's armor, and Dragon Knight's high health regeneration minimizes damage from Maledict.

Dragon Knight is weak against

  • Ancient Apparition - Ice Blast ignores Dragon Knight's armor, disables his health regeneration, and kills him prematurely.
  • Lich - Lich's constant slows with Frost Blast and Chain Frost will slow Dragon Knight to a crawl, especially in a crowded teamfight.
  • Razor - Static Link saps Dragon Knight of his already low base damage, making him even more useless in a fight if he gets kited.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Dragon_Knight

14. Invoker

Invoker is a quintessential mid-counter to squishy and low magic resistance heroes, and there are various reasons for it. Low magic resistance is a weakness that Voker takes great advantage of. Invoker often breaks even in the laning phase but is known to dominate the late game. Invoker fares well in the laning phase, sometimes even breaking against some annoying and aggressive heroes like Zeus and Viper. An experienced Invoker player will always try to harass the enemy midlaner out of the lane and demote him to the jungle.

Invoker’s skill set allows him to act both offensive and defensive, depending upon the scenario. Unlike most mid-laners, Voker can gank and push lanes fairly early on in the game. This gives him that edge in both experience and farm. Invoker is seen as a squishy mid-hero against the magic damage-dealing lot of heroes, but his abilities allow him to defend himself from the terrorizing lethal enemy heroes. He provides decent crowd control with his spell combos, which can help him turn the tides in teamfights.

Why is Invoker a great Mid hero? 

  • Invoker’s spells offer a variety of different effects, including stuns, slows, and damage over time, allowing him to control and disrupt teamfights in various ways.
  • Invoker’s ability to instantly invoke spells makes him difficult to predict and counter, as he can quickly switch between spells to adapt to changing situations.
  • He has the potential to deal massive amounts of damage throughout the game, especially when paired with certain item builds and heroes that can further amplify his spell power.
  • Decent aggression with the Quas Exort build.
  • Snowballs quickly if not contained in the early game.

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Invoker 

  • Scythe of Vyse - Disables enemies and removes them from the fight by hexing them.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity against any magic damage spells.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Reduces the cooldown on spells
  • Blink Dagger - Great for gap-closing or initiating     
  • Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete Alch from the fight

Invoker is strong against

  • Wraith King - EMP allows Invoker to burn Wraith King's mana to prevent Reincarnation from triggering (only until Wraith King gets his Aghanim's Shard).
  • Huskar - Sun Strike deals pure damage and pierces spell immunity, and Huskar tends to drain his HP, making him a susceptible target.
  • Necrophos - Tornado allows Invoker to purge Necrophos's Ghost Shroud, nullifying any benefits he could get out of it.

Invoker is weak against

  • Faceless Void - If Invoker is caught in Chronosphere, he will most likely be the primary target due to the large teamfight contribution he can provide.
  • Broodmother - Broodmother is both an Orchid Malevolence and a Nullifier carrier. As she can farm it early, she can kill Invoker easily.
  • Pugna - Nether Ward on its own can greatly hinder Invoker from casting many of his abilities, at least until he gets a significant amount of HP or is under the protection of spell immunity from Black King Bar.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Invoker

13. Pangolier

Pangolier is one of the most flamboyant heroes in the game, he has spells that make him extremely powerful against squishy heroes in the lane. In 7.33, he is also an extremely powerful laner as he deals high physical damage which may decimate most carry heroes due to their low armor. Most heroes also fall off fast in the late game while Pangolier only gets stronger by then, due to his high physical damage and lightning-fast farming speed. There is no way most enemies can stop Pango’s onslaught once he gets all his core items. Most heroes simply have no tools to contain his onslaught!

Pangolier’s Rolling Thunder ultimate completely negates all the magical damage being dished out by some heroes, while his Shield Crash negates the physical damage he takes, essentially reducing enemy impact and making sure they can’t escape the fights so easily. Pangolier is a great hero to play if you want to have a fun time crushing your opponents. Your average carry hero also is not that mobile enough to catch Pangolier, who has Shield Crash, Swashbuckle, and Rolling Thunder at his disposal to escape.

Why is Pangolier a powerful mid-hero?

  • Swashbuckle is an auto attack and therefore it can obliterate an enemy's squishy HP.
  • Rolling Thunder makes Pangolier immune to magic damage, making him able to roll in and out of fights and not worry about getting locked down.
  • Most heroes fall off in the late game as Pangolier’s physical damage becomes too hard for them to negate, making them get destroyed in fights.

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Pangolier 

  • Skull Basher - Provides a chance to Mini Stun on physical attacks. It can further be upgraded into Abyssal Blade later on in the game.
  • Glepnir - Can root multiple enemies and deal damage to them over time upon usage. It is useful as it can be used in tandem with your ultimate, to lock heroes down whilst you hit them.
  • Aghanim’s Shard - Allows Pangolier to stop during his Rolling Thunder ultimate and also change directions, all while being spell immune, it is essential in teamfights so you don’t get stuck awkwardly with the ultimate.
  • Monkey King Bar - Increases physical damage and provides a true strike on physical attacks, making it an ideal item against squishy heroes or heroes that build evasion.
  • Diffusal Blade - Slows down enemies by 100% upon usage and physical attacks. It also burns their mana, making them useless as they cannot cast any spells, essentially turning them into creeps. 

Pangolier is strong against

  • Arc Warden - Rolling Thunder hits Arc Warden, his Tempest Double, and any allies through Magnetic Field.
  • Broodmother - Swashbuckle and Shield Crash quickly destroy Broodmother's spiderlings and spiderites.
  • Meepo - Shield Crash gains its damage reduction bonus from all Meepo clones and can be used even when rooted, allowing Pangolier to gain a massive amount of damage reduction (even more than 100%).

Pangolier is weak against

  • Bloodseeker - Thirst provides constant sight and speed to Bloodseeker, allowing him to catch up with a fleeing Pangolier through all of his mobility.
  • Centaur Warrunner - When Swashbuckle hits Centaur Warrunner,  Retaliate will deal significant damage, as it procs off every strike made.
  • Faceless Void - Chronosphere's significant obstacle denies Pangolier the room to roll around during teamfights, as well as wasting his ultimate's duration.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Pangolier

12. Arc Warden

Zet, the Arc Warden knows no bounds, his foes know no way of countering him, as there are often two of him. He is known to deal massive damage right off the bat, Arc secures the laning phase versus his opponent. He is also a quick farmer, as he can just duplicate and make his clone push out the lane while he farms the jungle. Late game Arc Warden can disable and obliterate enemies within a few hits and clicks of spells.

With the help of his Tempest Double, Arc Warden can split push and control multiple areas of the map, forcing enemies to spread out and defend against his relentless pressure. And in team fights, he can deal massive damage with his spells and disable key targets, making him a force to be reckoned with. Arc loves items such as Manta Style, Orchid of Malovalence, and Silver Edge which provide him with the right balance of disable, escape, and stats which allow him to be a formidable force in the teamfight and stand his ground.

Why is Arc Warden a great mid-hero? 

  • Arc’s abilities allow him to deal high amounts of damage to enemies, especially with the help of his magnetic field which provides a massive attack speed buff to himself and his illusions.
  • Arc’s unique abilities also allow him to control the battlefield through his ability to trap enemies with Flux, slow them down with Spark Wraiths, and even create a temporary bubble of immunity to spells with his magnetic field. 
  • He has strong defensive capabilities as well, with his Magnetic Field being able to create a shield that protects his allies from ranged attacks. 
  • Arc Warden can scale well into the late game with proper itemization, especially with the right balance between farming and participating in team fights. 

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Arc Warden

  • Monkey King Bar - Gives increased physical damage and also provides a chance to true-strike on physical attacks.
  • Eye of Skadi - It reduces HP regen and healing upon physical attacks from the Arc Warden. It helps reduce enemy regen. Eye of Skadi also provides increased stats and HP to AW. 
  • Butterfly - Provides Arc with 35% evasion and increased agility and attack speed. The evasion is highly useful in the later stages of the game to stand your ground. It is an essential item if Arc is facing multiple heroes with high attack damage.
  • Silver Edge -  Upon usage, it turns Arc Warden invisible while increasing his movement speed. Attacking enemies will end the invisibility and will deal bonus physical damage while also disabling their passive spells. This item is good against heroes with OP passives like Bristleback, or Phantom Assassin.
  • Hurricane Pike - Pushes Arc and targeted enemy 450 units away from each other, and for 6 seconds, allows him to make 5 attacks against the target without range restrictions and with +100 attack speed. It is an essential team-fighting item on Arc Warden.

Arc Warden is strong against

  • Sniper - Magnetic Field's evasion completely negates Sniper's attacks unless he has True Strike.
  • Legion Commander - Magnetic Field prevents Legion Commander from getting wins with Duel.
  • Terrorblade - Arc Warden’s Magnetic Field allows him to defend against Terrorblade if he used  Metamorphosis.

Arc Warden is weak against

  • Broodmother - A good Broodmother looks to end the match early while Arc Warden, a very item-reliant hero, thrives in longer matches.
  • Anti-Mage - Arc Warden's high reliance on casting abilities leads him to be dependent on mana, which Anti-Mage can quickly burn with Mana Break.
  • Axe - The threat of a Blink and Berserker's Call may make the real Arc Warden stay further back, thus effectively halving the team's damage output for a while.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Arc_Warden

 

11. Puck

Puck, the mystical faerie dragon, can obliterate heroes with his extensive and lethal toolkit. Although relatively a weak laner and squishy, Puck can turn the tides around against enemies if he manages to secure his early game by farming sufficiently and ganking other lanes. Most enemies may prove to have the higher ground in the early game but in the late game, Puck can triumph with his Aghanim’s Scepter which helps him stop enemies in their tracks even if they have Blac King Bar, with the help of Dream Coil. The dazzling faerie dragon is a creature better contained in the early game or else all hell will break loose in the late game.

There are various reasons why Puck is ranked so high on this list. The right items at the right time allow him to sustain himself and deal lethal magical damage without worrying about the damage dished out by both magical and physical damage heroes. Puck is equally nimble and annoying, making it hard for enemies to catch him so easily. His items allow him to catch foes off-guard and deal high amounts of damage to them. Puck does more with levels as opposed to farming, and fighting is always the priority for him.

Why is Puck a great mid-hero? 

  • Illusory Orb and Waning Rift provide great mobility, allowing Puck to initiate on enemy heroes or to escape.
  • Puck is known to deal an immense amount of magical damage right from the get-go, annoying his foes in the laning phase.
  • Dream Coil's immense control is devastating during teamfights, and can also be used to control heroes or synergize with allied heroes.
  • Dream Coil's very long duration combined with follow-up from allies will ensure excellent damage done to the foes

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Puck 

  • Blink Dagger - Upon cast, Blink transports Puck 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used for closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following up with Dream Coil, or it can also be used to escape away from a bad teamfight.
  • Aghanim’s Shard and Scepter - Can lock in spell-immune heroes even if they are under Black King Bar immunity and silence them for a longer duration with the Shard. 
  • Aeon Disk - Saves him from getting burst quickly from enemy spells or damage if his health falls below 70%, causing him to also gain 75% status resistance. It also applies a basic dispel, although it has an extremely high cooldown which increases every time it breaks. Since Puck is a squishy core hero, he is saved by Aeon Disk which reduces his chances of getting burst down,
  • Witch Blade - Deals increased magical damage over time upon physical attacks. This item is highly sought after on Puck as it offers him decent physical damage as well.
  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Puck or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down and follow up with Dream Coil or Waning Rift or temporarily shut them off from the fights.

Puck is strong against

  • Sniper - Sniper has no spells to disable Puck. He lacks silence to prevent spell casting and stun to disable, allowing Puck to act instantly against Sniper.
  • Terrorblade - All of Puck's damaging spells deal AoE magic damage, focusing on Terrorblade's low-health pool and ignoring his armor.
  • Void Spirit - Wanning Rift and Dream Coil prevent him from using two of his important mobility abilities: Dissimilate and Astral Step.

Puck is weak against

  • Faceless Void - Hard lockdowns such as Chronosphere can end a Puck's life quickly. A Puck stunned for longer than 3 seconds usually ends up dead.
  • Nightstalker - Crippling Fear silence can prevent Puck from casting spells, leaving it vulnerable.
  • Wraith King - Waning Rift's silence is almost completely worthless against Wraith King, due to him having only 1 active ability.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Puck

10. Batrider

Batrider is quite the favorite of most initiators and harasses in the current meta, as he is picked to provide great early-game domination and control potential. His laning phase is quite impeccable due to the sheer amount of magical damage output that he provides, shoving the enemies out of the lane. If you aren’t careful enough, then you may be susceptible to heavy damage courtesy of the napalm stacks. Along with dominating the laning phase, Batrider is successful in dominating the late game if not contained.

To be a formidable mid-hero, Batrider often picks up the Black King Bar, allowing him to become immune to most enemy spells and crowd control effects, thus allowing him to dish out damage and control the battlefield without fear of being interrupted. Along with that, he often rushes a Blink Dagger to compliment his initiation capabilities, allowing him to Lasso enemy heroes with ease. These items, along with his natural magical damage-dealing capabilities, make Batrider a highly sought-after hero for mid-lane domination.

Why is Batrider a great mid-hero?

  • Batrider's early-game domination potential is impressive due to his high magical damage output that can force enemies out of the lane. 
  • His harassment abilities with Sticky Napalm make it easy for him to take down enemy heroes. 
  • He is one of the best initiators in the game, with his ultimate, Flaming Lasso, which can single out and pull enemy heroes toward his allies. 
  • Batrider's mobility is top-notch with his Blink Dagger, which allows him to quickly escape dangerous situations or initiate fights with ease.

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Batrider

  • Blink Dagger - Blink transports Batrider 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following it up with his Lasso.
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Batrider invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
  • Boots of Travel - Allows him to be mobile, granting him a global presence
  • Force Staff - Another great tool to close gaps or escape from his foes
  • Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete Gyro from the fight

Batrider is strong against

  • Naga Siren - Many stacks of Sticky Napalm, combined with Flamebreak and Firefly, allows Batrider to destroy illusions from Mirror Image.
  • Techies - As long as Batrider is under the effect of Firefly, he can safely fly over  Proximity Mines.
  • Treant Protector - Firefly will cut trees with ease, cleaning up an area that's been enchanted with Eyes In The Forest, and potentially revealing a Treant under the effects of  Nature's Guise.

Batrider is weak against

  • Oracle - Fate's Edict when used on a Lassoed target will leave them immune to magical damage, making it difficult to burst them quickly before the Lasso ends.
  • Nyx Assassin - Nyx can walk into Firefly with Spiked Carapace and stun Batrider if he has no Spell Immunity, even if Batrider is focusing on another enemy hero.
  • Weaver - Time Lapse with Aghanim's Scepter dispels Flaming Lasso when used on an allied hero.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Batrider

9. Leshrac

Leshrac has been a staple mid-hero in the current meta due to his reliability and readily available ungodly magical damage. Leshrac is relevant right from the laning phase, his damage shoves out enemies from the lane and forces them to purchase magical resistance items early on, slowing their progression on other more necessary items Leshrac can push lanes with his Edict, deal immense damage to heroes, and lock them down with his Split Earth. He is a consistent mid-hero and does not fall off in the late game. 

It’s quite advantageous to pick Leshrac in the current meta as his toolkit is highly dangerous to play against. Leshrac is known for his high magical damage, AoE, and lockdown potential, all of these elements are lethal against squishy low magic resistance heroes. The best part is that Leshrac is often picked as a flex hero, meaning he can be played in quite any lane! Apart from countering low magic resistance heroes, Lesh can also mow down buildings with Edict providing equal counter push and ratting in the late game if required. 

Why is Leshrac a great mid-hero? 

  • Leshrac is a versatile mid-hero who can be played as both a magical nuker and a pusher. 
  • He has a strong laning presence due to his high damage output, long attack range, and AoE spells.
  • He also has great mobility and can easily get around fights with his Diabolic Edict and Pulse Nova.

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Leshrac 

  • Scythe of Vyse - Scythe of Vyse - Upon usage it hexes the targetted unit, essentially making them unable to use spells or items, along with reducing their movement speed for 3.5 seconds. 
  • Eul’s Scepter - It can be used to sweep the Leshrac or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock them down and set up with Earth Splitter.
  • Aghanim's Scepter - Grants Nihilism ability, which allows Leshrac to essentially decrepify nearby enemies, slowing them and boosting the damage of his abilities.
  • Kaya and Sange - Provides increased stats along with increased status resistance, spell amplification, health, and mana regeneration. This is an exceptional item on Leshrac as it allows him to deal immense damage to foes without worrying too much about his mana. 
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Leshrac invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance. It also applies a basic dispel upon usage.

Leshrac is strong against

  • Io - Lightning Storm will usually hit both Io and his Tethered target since both will be close enough for the lightning to jump. It can then be followed up by Split Earth.
  • Meepo - Pulse Nova deals an insane amount of damage in an area around him, which can quickly wear down Meepo clones.
  • Visage - Diabolic Edict and Pulse Nova hit all units around Leshrac, making it very easy for him to kill the Summon Familiars.

Leshrac is weak against

  • Pugna - Nether Ward punishes Leshrac's constant mana usage from spamming spells.
  • Clockwerk - Clockwerk naturally builds Blade Mail, reflecting Leshrac's high magic damage output at him.
  • Nyx Assassin - Nyx Assassin's Spiked Carapace will stun Leshrac when hit by any of his AOE abilities. While Mana Burn deals high damage due to Leshrac's high intelligence gain and burns a large amount of Leshrac's essential mana pool.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Leshrac

8. Templar Assassin

Templar Assassin, the guardian of the temple’s secrets is a lethal force to be reckoned with. She deals some heavy damage while taking barely any in return if she has the Refraction shield on. Laning versus most DoT is quite the task for Templar as she has a very short attack range, making it easy for them to spam spells and deny her the farm. Most experienced TA players occasionally disappear into the jungle to stack and farm as soon as they have the levels and farm. Various heroes can cripple under the pressure of Templar once she has the items.

There are various reasons why Templar is an exceptional pick in the current meta. She farms extremely well and fast with her Psi Blades, deals immense damage and armor reduction with Meld which also helps her escape, and she also has Refraction which soaks up a bit of damage dealt to her, allowing her to stand her ground in teamfights without falling off. Her early-game damage may force her mid counterparts out of the lane, which only helps her get stronger to mow them down in the late game.

Why is Templar Assassin a great Mid hero? 

  • Refraction is a valuable form of defense against enemy spells and damage.
  • Psi Blades deals pure damage and spills over instantly. 
  • Immense slow from Trap which can be used to neutralize enemy targets by crippling their movement speed.
  • She does not fall off in the late game due to her immense damage.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Templar Assassin

  • Desolator - Provides increased damage along with armor corruption on physical attacks. It can also gain stacks and increased the mentioned perks with the increase in stacks. Desolator is ideal to mow down squishy enemies.
  • Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports you 1200 units in the distance you are facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if you take any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and to get on top of enemies, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
  • Daedalus - Provides a chance to do immense critical damage upon physical attacks.
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Templar invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as she has low magical resistance. It also applies a basic dispel upon usage.
  • Monkey King Bar - Provides a chance to truly strike upon physical attacks while also providing increased damage to Templar Assassin.

Templar Assassin is strong against

  • Shadow Fiend - Shadow Fiend's fragility and lack of a natural escape mechanism make him a great target for Templar Assassin's Meld.
  • Zeus - Zeus is a rather squishy hero, falling easily to Templar Assassin's high burst damage.
  • Puck - Puck high magical burst is almost completely useless against Refraction. Templar Assassin often buys Orchid Malevolence to render Puck useless in teamfights.

Templar Assassin is weak against

  • Windranger - Windranger's Focus Fire tears apart Templar Assassin's refraction very quickly and easily burst her down due to her low health pool against Windranger's immense attack speed.
  • Leshrac - Pulse Nova can easily burn Templar Assassin's Refraction charges quickly, and can also hit her with her  Meld.
  • Dragon Knight - The damage over time from Dragon Knight's Elder Dragon Form rapidly burns down Refraction, allowing him to attack her.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Templar_Assassin

7. Death Prophet

The chilling Death Prophet looms over her prey, foreshadowing their existence and planning her every move toward chaos! Seeing Death Prophet in pub games is quite a common sight in the recent meta, as she is a textbook counterpick to massive spell-casting heroes or heroes with ways of slipping out of a teamfight. The latter is obliterated in the laning phase as is subjected to constant harassment and also has the attack range disadvantage. In 7.33, Death Prophet has proved to have a massive impact with her Exorcism, which explains her high pick rate.

DP can ward enemies off the lane with her Spirit Siphon, further solidifying her lead in the early game. Late-game Death Prophet is a whole different beast as her ultimate, Exorcism allows her to not only fight well but also take down towers. It also heals her at the end of the duration. The game can essentially be over for the enemy laner if Death Prophet manages to silence them and have all her Exorcism spirits target them.

Why is Death Prophet a great mid-hero?

  • Death Prophet can return the harassment to the enemy laner with her spamable spells.
  • She has a long-duration silence, which can help remove enemies from teamfights
  • She is relevant even in the late game due to Exorcism and the damage it can do to both buildings and heroes, which is exceptional.

Items to buy on Death Prophet

  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to lock enemies down and set them up for silence, since Death Prophet does not have any innate lockdowns, this item provides her with the much-needed interrupt to have an impact in a fight.  
  • Black King Bar - Magic Immunity from all enemy magic damage spells
  • Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - High damage which can be used to push towers or deal immense damage during teamfights
  • Kaya and Sange - Increases stats along with increasing mana gain and reducing mana cost, allowing DP to cast her spells freely against enemies.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE.

Death Prophet is strong against

  • Invoker - Silence also prevents Invoker from using Invoke or casting his main spells temporarily. 
  • Timbersaw - Because Timbersaw relies heavily on his spells to deal damage, Silence can easily disable him in a team fight.
  • Clockwerk - Spirit Siphon can deal some serious damage to Clockwerk while he is in  Power Cogs while healing Death Prophet in the process. 

Death Prophet is weak against

  • Ancient Apparition - Ice Blast prevents Death Prophet from gaining health from Spirit Siphon and Exorcism.
  • Anti-Mage - Death Prophet has a high mana pool and due to her heavy reliance on her spells, she will be a prime target for Mana Void.
  • Doom - Doom can stop Death Prophet from casting spells, which makes her useless during team fights if she didn't cast Exorcism before the fight.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Death_Prophet

6. Kunkka

Kunkka, the Admiral almighty himself, is known to be a great counter to squishy heroes due to his strength and physical damage disparity, both of which are naturally high from the early levels for the claddish general. He can effortlessly survive ganks as his high-status resistance and HP pool come to the rescue. His ultimate proves to be of great use as well as it makes sure he and his allies take the least damage in fights, allowing the fight to be in their favor. The tanky nature of Kunkka is only amplified further by high armor and high HP items. 

Kunkka is an exceptional laner if we theorize a purely 1v1 matchup, he ensures that his counterpart is shoved away from the lane, reducing their farm efficiency. Some heroes are highly effective in the late stages but Kunkka can match their farm due to his AoE physical damage which enemy heroes can’t negate easily. If Kunkka is let loose in the later stages of the game then there is no way the fiery swordsman recovers from this deficit. He is one of the few rare heroes capable of 1v5’ing the entire enemy team.

Why is Kunkka a great Mid hero? 

  • He is naturally known to build high HP and armor items
  • Ghostship makes him and his allies tanky from the enemy onslaught
  • High base armor and HP pool right off the bat
  • Immense damage in the late game which can’t be negated by enemies so easily, he also does not fall off quickly when the late game approaches.

Best 5 End-Game Items to buy on Kunkka 

  • Daedalus - Provides immense critical damage upon physical attacks. Most Kunkka players prefer purchasing multiple Daedaluses as the crits stack.
  • Assault Cuirass - Increases armor and attack speed while reducing the same for enemies in an AoE.
  • Armlet of Mordiggian - Provides increased HP and damage, and is toggleable. Kunkk benefits highly from this toggleable HP mechanic against Ember.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Provides a fleet of Ghosthips, allowing Kunkka to continue his onslaught while also controlling the crowd immensely.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity from all of Ember’s magic damage spells, making him invulnerable in the fight

Kunkka is strong against

  • Meepo - Tidebringer, Torrent, and Ghostship destroy Meepo's clones, ensuring he does not have a stable early game.
  • Queen of Pain - Ghostship helps your team soak up damage from Sonic Wave and Scream of Pain.
  • Warlock - Ghostship helps your team soak up damage from Chaotic Offering and hit summons hard.

Kunkka is weak against

  • Clinkz - Clinkz's high damage output and insane attack speed late-game can take Kunkka out of the fight before it begins.
  • Ursa - Enrage can be activated before being hit by Ghostship to prevent most of the damage.
  • Juggernaut - Blade Fury negates Kunkka's X Marks the Spot.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Kunkka

5. Storm Spirit

This charming and electrifying hero is a top pick in this meta. This is due to his highly active play style and fast farming speed against the likes of Ember Spirit and Queen of Pain. He is widely regarded as one of the best mid-laners in the game. Storm is mostly played as a fast-tempo mid-hero, meaning he usually rotates to gank other lanes and quickly goes back to farming or taking towers. His high mana pool enables him to jump onto Ember and catch him off-guard. Late-game Storm is a disaster for the enemy team.

Storm Spirit fares well due to his ability to escape enemies and or initiate on them. His mobility is the key factor behind his getting picked. Storm also has various ways of disabling enemies, either with his Electric Vortex or with the items he builds. Most heroes find it hard to withstand the immense magical damage of Storm in the early game, though he can be countered when they get magic immunity and disables. But by the time they acquire these items, Storm already is six-slotted and ready to wreak electrifying havoc!

Why is Storm Spirit a great Mid hero? 

  • More dependent on levels as opposed to items.
  • Can control the crowd with Electric Vortex Aghs upgrade.
  • Insane magic damage output with the long-range ultimate.
  • Immense mobility with the Lighting Ball ultimate.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Storm Spirit

  • Orchid of Malevolence - Silences the target for 5 seconds, also dealing them an extra 30% damage at the end of its duration. It can be useful to silence the targetted enemy and entirely shut him off from the team fight.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter - Makes Electric Vortex AoE, meaning you can control multiple heroes at once.
  • Scythe of Vyse - Disables enemies and removes them from the fight, as they can’t use their spells or items. Scythe also slows their movement speed.
  • Kaya and Sange - Increases stats along with increasing mana gain and reducing mana cost, allowing Storm to cast his spells freely.
  • Black King Bar - Provides Storm spell immunity from all enemy magic damage spells, making him invulnerable in the fight. 

Storm Spirit is strong against

  • Razor - Ball Lightning breaks Static Link.
  • Sniper - Sniper is very squishy and cannot deal with heroes that jump onto him and lock him down. Storm Spirit closes the gap in a fight against Sniper, and Sniper has no way to escape except for some items.
  • Terrorblade - Terrorblade has low mobility, which makes it easy for Storm Spirit to kite him.

Storm Spirit is weak against

  • Storm Spirit  - Mana Break can quickly burn Storm Spirit's mana, preventing him from escaping.
  • Doom - Doom prevents Storm Spirit from using all of his abilities and items, rendering Storm Spirit useless in a fight.
  • Riki - Smoke Screen prevents Storm Spirit from using his abilities once inside the radius. Riki can utilize this ability to allow his team to fight around Smoke Screen so that Storm Spirit cannot spam his spells to proc Overload.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Storm_Spirit 

4. Queen of Pain

The seductive Queen of Pain knows how to hunt and haunt her prey. It is obvious that she is quite well-versed when it comes to handling damage, and for sure knows how to deal twice back to the caster. Queen of Pain is quite dominant against most mid-heroes, putting them at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to net worth. Her naturally high magic damage is quite hard for low magic-resistant heroes to tolerate. It also takes them ages to farm magic resistance to negate any sort of damage dished out by the mighty Queen. 

items. You’re at the wrong end of the leash if you face off against the Queen of Pain. There is constant spam and harassment, which is irritating to lane against as if it is overlooked then it can result in your death. She has the perfect skill set to both harass and kill the enemies, her mobility makes her even harder to catch as she can just Blink away if enemies try to initiate on her. Unlike most mid-lane heroes, the Queen of Pain is active as soon as she gets her level 6, allowing her to gank other lanes. 

Why is QoP a great mid-hero?

  • She is extremely good at wave clear and farming.
  • Active hero and a decent early-game ganker.
  • Immensely high magical damage on spells that supplement her ability to kill.
  • Mobile due to her Blink, which helps her initiate or escape from a teamfight.

Best 5 End-Game Items to buy on Queen of Pain

  • Scythe of Vyse - Upon usage it hexes the targetted unit, essentially making them unable to use spells or items, along with reducing their movement speed for 3.5 seconds. Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete enemies from the fight
  • Bloodthorn -  Silences the target for 5 seconds, also dealing them an extra 30% damage at the end of its duration. It can be useful to silence spellcasting heroes and entirely shut them off from the team fight.
  • Black King Bar - Upon usage, it provides spell immunity. This entirely negates the damage from all magic spells.
  • Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep QoP or targeted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. 

QoP is strong against

  • Drow Ranger - You can burst Drow Ranger down before she has a chance to try and Gust you away. Try to have a teammate bait her Gust out before you Blink and get the drop on her.
  • Huskar - Queen can simply blink away after he jumps on her with Life Break.
  • Slark -Both Scream of Pain and Sonic Wave hits him during his Shadow Dance.

Qop is weak against 

  • Anti-Mage - Because Queen of Pain's spells cost a decent amount of mana, Anti-Mage can easily use Mana Void if she spams her spells recklessly.
  • Death Prophet - Silence will prevent the Queen of Pain from using Blink to escape or chase.
  • Faceless Void - Chronosphere prevents Queen of Pain from escaping with Blink, and her low survivability makes her an easy kill.

https://liquipedia.net/dota2/Queen_of_Pain

3. Ember Spirit

Behold the wise Xin! The humble Ember Spirit is widely regarded as one of the best mid-heroes in the game. He is known to build into many different routes, making him a flexible pick against pretty much all the heroes. He is also known to farm comparatively faster due to his wide range of AoE abilities, which combined with his ultimate ensures his menacing global presence, scaring his allies off and making them vulnerable. Ember is not a common sight in the current patch, but in certain matchups he makes it feel like a cakewalk!

The fiery spirit of this Ember is unparalleled and it is not a surprise that he is back into the meta! Ember is an exceptional counter to most enemies, due to his immense physical damage as well as his mobility which allows him to chase and further lock the enemy down. Being in a pure 1v1 matchup, especially against ranged heroes can be a hard task, especially in the late stages of the game, but Ember defies all odds and is considered to be a great counter to enemies simply due to his AoE damage output along with the ability to soak up some serious damage. His flexibility allows him to obliterate even the creme de la creme of mid-heroes quite effortlessly.

Why is Ember Spirit a great Mid hero? 

  • Multiple builds can be utilized as per the game i.e. Physical, Magical, or Hybrid.
  • Ember Spirit can close the distance between his foes easily with his Activate Fire Remnant and further keep them in place with Searing Chains.
  • With the help of Aghanim's Scepter, his enemies cannot outrun Ember Spirit or chase him

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Ember Spirit

  • Mjolnir - Exceptional for pushing lanes and farming quickly.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Can effortlessly push lanes and provides increased armor.
  • Blademail - Reflects enemy damage upon activation.
  • Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - Provides increased charges to Remnant, along with increased range and speed.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, negating all the slowness and magical damage being dealt by enemies while making him invulnerable in teamfights

Ember Spirit is strong against

  • Bloodseeker - Fire Remnant allows Ember Spirit to escape Bloodseeker while Ruptured.
  • Templar Assassin - Templar Assassin has no inherent way to prevent Ember Spirit from escaping, a good Ember player also will be able to dodge her meld attack.
  • Zeus - Zeus laning against Ember is going to be punished with Sleight of Fist due to his low health pool.

Ember Spirit is weak against

  • Shadow Fiend - Shadowraze can easily remove the protection from Flame Guard and kill Ember Spirit due to his low health.
  • Faceless Void - Chronosphere is also a reliable lockdown for Ember Spirit, although it can be evaded sometimes by Activate Fire Remnant. Additionally, Void can easily negate Sleight of Fist damage with Time Walk.
  • Outworld Destroyer - Astral Imprisonment fully negates all magic damage of Flame Guard and Searing Chains and will temporarily save himself from Sleight of Fist's physical damage, and Ember Spirit is not a hero that can counter these skills.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Ember_Spirit

 

2. Alchemist

Alchemy and greed go hand in hand for our fellow Alchemist. He controls the game with his powerful Orc who guides him around the battlefield. With his Greevil’s Greed talent, it’s expected that he has at least 2 items before the 20-minute mark in-game. With armor reduction from Acid Spray and Unstable Concoction, he can lock enemies down and give them a run for their money with his ultimate. His enemies find it quite impossible to out farm him, his pace is quite unparalleled if he is having a good time. With Greevil’s Greed now being an innate ability, Alchemist enjoys the surge of gold right from level 1.

  Alchemist's potential is not only limited to his abilities but his items as well. With the help of Manta Style, he can dispel any debuffs or silence and create illusions to further confuse his enemies, Shiva's Guard gives him a powerful AoE slow armor, making it difficult for enemies to approach him. Overwhelming Blink is another great item for Alchemist, as it provides him with a long-range initiation tool, allowing him to catch enemies off-guard, deal damage to them, and take control of the fight. These items complement his abilities and make him an even more dangerous hero to deal with.

Why is Alchemist a powerful mid-hero? 

  • Alchemist farms quickly due to innate ability, Greevil's Greed, which provides him with extra gold for every last hit. 
  • He can scale well into the late game with his ability to gain bonus stats from his ultimate, Chemical Rage, making him an incredibly tanky and hard-hitting carry. 
  • Alchemist's Acid Spray is a powerful AoE ability that reduces enemy armor and allows him to take down towers and objectives quickly if combined with Assault Cuirass or Shiva’s Guard. 
  • He can provide utility to his team with powerful items such as Aghanim's Scepter, and Moon Shard.

Best 5 End-Game Items to Buy on Alchemist

  • Radiance - Deals 60 damage per second in an AoE, while also causing them to miss 15% of their attacks. It also makes enemies miss 15% of their attacks. Radiance is an exceptional item on Alchemist as it allows him to deal high damage in fights and also farms fast with the help of his items.
  • Assault Cuirass - Assault Cuirass grants increased armor and attack speed which makes Alchemist extremely tanky. It also reduces enemy armor in an AoE, increasing its threat potential.
  • Shiva’s Guard - Upon usage, it emits a freezing wave that deals 200 damage and slows the enemy for 40% of their movement speed. This slow is impressive and lasts for 4 seconds. The increased armor and survivability ensure Alchemist stays durable in fights while reducing enemy healing in an AoE.
  • Manta Style -  Creates two illusions of Alchemist on usage, also allowing him to dispel certain spells or dodge if he times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently. It also provides him with increased stats, agility, and attack damage.
  • Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Alchemist invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance. It also applies a basic dispel upon usage.

Alchemist is strong against:

  • Doom - The health regeneration and bonus movespeed from Chemical Rage allow Alchemist to survive through Doom very easily.
  • Broodmother - Alchemist's Chemical Rage nullifies Broodmother's, Insatiable Hunger.
  • Nature’s Prophet - Acid Spray and Greevil's Greed will quickly destroy pushes with treants.

Alchemist is weak against:

  • Axe - Axe can force Alchemist to attack him with Berserker's Call. High attack speed from Chemical Rage will cause Counter Helix to proc multiple times.
  • Ancient Apparition - Ice Blast cancels out Chemical Rage's rapid health regeneration.  
  • Necrophps - Ghost Shroud can prevent Alchemist from attacking Necrophos, as well as make him immune to Acid Spray and Unstable Concoction damage.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Alchemist

 

1. Void Spirit

His actions have transcended dimensions, Void Spirit has cemented his name as one of the most spammed new mid-heroes in the game. His swift and lethal moves have made him a threat. Void Spirit is known to be a complex hero as his skill set may be confusing but once mastered, he can turn the tide to his advantage! Void can block most damage coming his way. His incredible AoE spells make it easy for him to farm and clear creep waves. His highly elusive spells make him harder to catch and kill.

Void Spirit is extremely hard to catch as all of his spells help him escape within no time. As long as Void Spirit isn’t silenced, he can devastate the entire enemy team with the same set of spells. He may have a tough laning phase, but he quickly recovers from it if he participates in teamfights. Most heroes find it hard to catch him down in the later stages of the game where he is highly dominant. He is the right pick in the current meta if you’re looking to climb up the MMR ladder and have some fun while doing it!

Why is Void Spirit a great Mid hero? 

  • Void Spirit has excellent mobility with his abilities that allow him to quickly escape from danger or catch enemies off guard.
  • His power spike is in the early game, where he excels at dealing immense damage to his foes.
  • Void Spirit is capable of dealing both physical and magical damage, which makes him difficult to itemize against and adapt to in the mid to late game.
  • He is a highly versatile hero, capable of fulfilling different roles depending on the situation, making him a valuable asset to any team.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Void Spirit

  • Eul's Scepter - Provides a basic dispel, can be used to dodge enemy spells or to set up on them with his remnant 
  • Octraine Core - Provides spell lifesteal and stats along with a 25% cooldown reduction on items and spells
  • Kaya and Sange - Increases stats along with increasing mana gain and reducing mana cost, allowing him to cast spells freely.
  • Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, making Void Spirit invulnerable in the fight
  • Orchid of Malevolence - Silences the targetted enemy and makes them take a percentage of the total damage dealt after the duration. 

Void Spirit is strong against

  • Morphling - Void Spirit can greatly pressure Morphling's farm, which is very bad for a hero who needs a large amount of space.
  • Monkey King - Keeping Void Spirit inside Wukong's Command is a very tricky task, especially in the early and mid-game. In addition, if Monkey King is in a bad position, a well-placed Aether Remnant can easily pull him out of the ring.
  • Gyrocopter - Gyrocopter has no escape abilities, which benefits Void Spirit's high mobility.

Void Spirit is weak against

  • Bane - Fiend's Grip and Nightmare are very useful to lock down Void Spirit.
  • Dream Coil - Dream Coil prevents the usage of Void Spirit's escape abilities and limits his damage output in fights almost entirely.
  • Slardar -  Corrosive Haze provides vision of Void Spirit while he is running away and Guardian Sprint allows Slardar to quickly close the gap.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Void_Spirit

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After spending 11,352 hours, slaying Eldwurms and winning the mid lane, Sid is still awfully bad at Dota 2
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