Dota 2’s origins can be traced back to a humble custom map powered by the Warcraft III engine, but it has since evolved into a competitive eSport as it progresses between 123 full heroes and a diverse roster of countless heroes Touted for its incredible balance.

But that doesn’t matter for a beginner who’s never played a game of Dota 2. It’s a daunting task for even players who have poured in hundreds of hours to know every hero, skill, and item, let alone for people looking to play their first game.

If you’re just starting out on your journey, here are the five best Dota 2 heroes for beginners.

The five best in Dota 2 heroes for beginners

Crystal Maiden

[tabs type=”horizontal”]
[tabs_head]
[tab_title] Crystal Maiden [/tab_title]
[/tabs_head]
[tab] Crystal Maiden |  [/tab]
[/tabs]

How many heroes can contribute to the game from the fountain?

Beginners may have a hard time seeing their impact on the game. Kills, deaths, and assists are good stats to count, but few beginners can count them. It’s better to find other ways to make her mark on the game, and Crystal Maiden can do just that by simply being there.

Her most iconic ability is Arcane Aura, a global aura that restores mana to the entire team. Many heroes are limited by their mana, whether it’s increasing their farming speed or keeping them high in skirmishes. It’s even been buffed in the most recent patch, giving nearby allies more mana whenever she casts a spell.

While she’s known for her slow movement speed, she’s actually quite a capable hero, especially in laning. Few characters in Dota 2 can disable Crystal Nova and Frostbite with two secondary clicks, a valuable customization tool for any bloodthirsty lane buddy. Afterwards, enemies can ignore her Frozen Realm ultimate at their own risk, as she can deal massive damage if left unchecked.

Ogre Magi

[tabs type=”horizontal”]
[tabs_head]
[tab_title] ogre magi [/tab_title]
[/tabs_head]
[tab] ogre magi [/tab]
[/tabs]

Despite being an intelligence hero, Ogre Magi is one of the bulkiest heroes in the game. In lane, you can be fearless, tossing out your spells and trading whenever.

Bloodlust is one of the best buffs in the game. No matter how you feel, you can saturate your core by increasing its movement and attack speed, which is especially useful for carriers with limited mobility.

Unlike many other supports, Ogre Mage has a simple ultimate called Multicast. This is a simple spell usage buff that allows him to use his abilities and items multiple times with a single click. This allows heroes to scale up late in the game, and there’s nothing more intoxicating than hitting an hapless foe with four blasts of fire.

With such a simple yet powerful spell in your arsenal, the Ogre Mage is a solid choice for any beginner.

Dragon Knight

[tabs type=”horizontal”]
[tabs_head]
[tab_title] Dragon Knight [/tab_title]
[/tabs_head]
[tab] Dragon Knight [/tab]
[/tabs]

When not part-time as the protagonist of DOTA: Dragon’s Blood, Dragon Knight Davion is one of the most reliable and straightforward heroes in the game.

With nukes, stuns and natural survivability, you get a complete package for the initiator hero who loves fighting and fighting around his ultimate Elder Dragon form. It turns him into a dragon, turns him into a ranged hero, and has some perks, including a larger stun radius and the ability to destroy towers.

Fire Breath is a high damage spell that’s equally useful for killing minions and heroes, while Dragon Tail is a long-range, short-range stun that gets stronger when he transforms into Elder Dragon form. Dragon’s Blood provides him with a lot of armor and regeneration, both important attributes for his resilience throughout the game.

Wraith King

[tabs type=”horizontal”]
[tabs_head]
[tab_title] Wraith King [/tab_title]
[/tabs_head]
[tab] Wraith King  [/tab]
[/tabs]

If you want to play a position that focuses more on accumulating gold and items, Wraith King can be a good introduction to the hard carry role.

There aren’t many second chances in Dota 2, but his built-in reincarnation brings Wraith King back to life after a single death. The rest of his kit is just as simple, but hits when he picks up destructive items.

His first ability, Wraithfire Blast, is a click-through stun that leaves you mourning your enemies. Vampiric Spirit can provide lifesteal and also summon small skeletons that run free and hit items on their own instead of being micromanaged. Critical Strike guarantees a critical strike on cooldown rather than being based on a random number generator, allowing you to time your strongest attack however you want.

As a Wraith King, your job will mainly be to use Wraithfire Blast to disable someone before right-clicking them to death. Simple enough.

Sniper

[tabs type=”horizontal”]
[tabs_head]
[tab_title] Sniper [/tab_title]
[/tabs_head]
[tab] Sniper [/tab]
[/tabs]

If a ranged hero is more your speed, Sniper is a carry hero that outranges practically everybody in the game.

Snipers have the longest range in Dota 2 thanks to Take Aim. This passively increases his attack range, and also has an initiative that allows him to activate a headshot on every hit, which briefly slows and knocks enemies away from him.

Shrapnel is a spell that allows you to see enemies in an area and slow and damage them. Use Assassination across multiple screens to end fleeing targets, even if the enemy is too far away from you.

Aghanim Shard

Be warned, however, that the hero can be easily jumped on. Once your enemy finds their way to you, it can be difficult to reposition yourself in a way that lets you safely plink away once more. That’s when a bevy of repositioning items and skills, like the hero’s Aghanim Shard and Hurricane Pike, will be useful practice with them in your own time.

This isn’t a definitive list of starting heroes in Dota 2. Some people may feel like they’re more suited to a certain playstyle, or they may be confused by a simple hero when they can press buttons at the speed of light. This is just a starting point, everyone will take some time to figure out which characters they like best.

Most importantly, have fun! If these heroes don’t do that for you, there are more options available in the pool, even if you play well. Don’t be intimidated by seemingly complex heroes who can work with you in ways you never thought possible.