Character Picks for Dota 2 Beginners

In 2023, the game of Dota 2 offers players access to 124 heroes, with newcomers often finding it challenging to make a selection. Each hero features unique characteristics and effects, with developers providing a difficulty scale for character control.

The characters in Dota 2 call for different development strategies and ability upgrades. Each hero plays an individual role in the game and produces maximum effective results only when equipped with certain artifacts.

Experienced players have picked out the best Dota 2 heroes for beginners. These characters are easy to control and make for an ideal initiation into the world of Dota.

Dota 2 characters are classified into 4 categories based on their basic abilities:

• "Strength" - characters with enhanced physical damage;
• "Agility" - mobile characters they possess increased move speed and attack speed;
• "Intelligence" - mage characters, they harness magical abilities;
• "Universal" - heroes with balanced abilities that can take on different roles depending on the artifacts and activated talents.

In Dota 2, roles are designated for the chosen hero. The player selects a role based on the character's basic abilities and improved talents.

The main roles of Dota 2 heroes are: "Carry", "Support", "Control", "Tank", "Escape", "Initiator", "Nuker", "Pusher".

An additional role in the game is the "Jungler". "Junglers" clear the jungle, kill monsters, and provide the team with gold. The distinctive feature of this role is that any hero can become a "Jungler" by agreement with the team.

Simple Dota 2 heroes for beginners are support, tanks, and initiators. The most accessible Dota 2 beginner heroes offer simple control and a clear strategy.

Carry

The Carry is a key character in the game; the goal is to lead the team to victory. Units are weak and vulnerable in the early stages; allies defend the carry from enemies, allowing for monster points and gold accumulation. A developed carry is a guarantee of victory.

Support

The Support character enhances the carry and other allies. Support characters have healing abilities, increase mana points, immobilize opponents, or enhance ally characteristics.

The support aims to foster the development of carrying and backing the lead character in duels.

Control

Controllers are meant for duels, possess potent effects and inflict severe damage, yet avoid group fights. Hero's goal is to blitz and "push" the line.

Tank

Characters with high health reserves and enhanced protection against physical or magical influences distract opponents and take hits to let the team advance lines or level up heroes.

Tanks are placed against enemy carry with the aim of binding.

Escape

Escape - highly mobile hero, has talents for fast movement and sudden attacks. Often takes on the scout role and "provoker" - distracting enemy carry from the heat of battle.

Escapes often sacrifice themselves for the team.

Initiator

The Initiator is similar to support characters but focuses on team fights. Initiators can inflict area-wide damage and boost characteristics for several allies at once.

Main character responsibility - pushing mid in alliance with carry and support.

Nuker

A Nuker is a character that possesses effects for inflicting significant damage in a short time but is vulnerable to penetrating damage of any kind.

Nuker's task is to kill an enemy distracted by the tank or escape quickly.

Pusher

Pusher is focused on rapid base destruction. The task of a pusher - destroy enemy towers as fast as possible before the enemy carry becomes powerful.

Sniper, a vagabond hero of the 'agility' category, usually serves in a support role, but Sniper can also step up as a playmaker.

This unit is easy to manage, almost independent in collecting artifacts, and possesses solid base talents.

Sniper delivers area damage, stuns, and slows down opponents. In group matches, the vagabond is most effective.

Bristleback, the stalwart bruiser- a reliable tank that one can level up swiftly and dispatch onto practically any Dota2 character's line.

Rookies often opt for Bristle for rapid forest-clearing and reentering the line of play. This character can take on attacks from significant adversaries and engage carries in prolonged duels.

Bristleback possesses a unique slowing capacity – the character spews toxic slime at its enemy, debilitating the adversary, activating "BRISTLEBACK" enhances protective characteristics.

Axe, also known as "Dezi," is a distinguished 'Controller' class hero with the potential to obliterate virtually any adversary.

Axe delivers a sweeping amount of piercing damage in close-quarters combat and, with proper levelling up, has an increased hit point pool. Although a slow-moving character, Axe compensates in group fights through a casting debuff- restricting the enemy’s use of spell casts.

Armed and dangerous, "Dezi" possesses six powerful effects which assist in gaining the advantage over adversaries during showdowns - the hero can coax enemies into attacking, render them defenseless for a short duration, execute area of effect might, inflict critical hits, nullify abilities, and augment terrain matrix movement speed.

Wraith King, often dubbed "skeleton," is one of the most versatile characters, deservedly among the top heroes for beginners in Dota 2.

This hero can fill multiple roles; he can shoulder the mantle of a hard carry, function as a supportive wingman, serve as a formidable tank, or operate as a controller. Possessing profound strength, the "skeleton" can hold his ground even when outnumbered by multiple adversaries. His unique ability to resurrect allows for a margin of error - the chance to rise from the ashes and exact vengeance is always at his disposal.

Ogre Magi, the two-headed ogre, is a specialized unit, serving as either support or control contingent on your development strategy.

For Dota 2 beginners, the Ogre is an accessible hero. It swiftly eliminates creeps, boosts damage, and efficiently collects gold. Adept at inflicting harm and wielding magic, this dual-headed ogre's straightforward control scheme is fairly appealing.

Capable of hurling flaming spheres at opponents, the Ogre stupefies, ignites, slows down, augments allies, and shields team members with a formidable wall. In most instances, the Ogre takes on the crucial role of supporting the carry or providing assistance to the controllers.

Spirit Breaker, a beast, a bullock - an adept crowd control hero capable of swiftly exterminating any target except for farmed-up tanks and carries.

This beast is mobile, aggressive, and packs a punch. Teamed up with support, he can hold his own on the lines against outnumbered adversaries.

The hero isn't overly demanding in terms of artifacts.

Spirit Breaker showcases his ability to assault adversaries head-on, tremendously enhancing his movement speed for a brief period. His “Bulldozer” effect allows him to traverse through several enemies towards a specified target while "Nether Strike" enables him to disappear below ground and reappear on the map adjacent to an enemy.

Lich, the Lich is a popular and easy Dota 2 character for beginners.

This magic character is supportive, boosting allies and defending the team from enemy attacks.

Lich slows down the enemies with 'FROZE BLAST', throws an icy shield on allies that deflects damage, hypnotizes enemies and drains mana points, harms multiple opponents at once and can paralyze up to 5 opponents at one time for a short period.

Lich effectively teams up with an escape or a controller.

The Shadow Shaman, often referred to as "the fire mage," is an adaptable character that can serve a supportive role or function as a controller.

Despite possessing considerable skills, this character often flew under the radar. However, following updates in early December 2022, he has risen to prominence, becoming one of the top heroes recommended for beginners in Dota 2 in 2023. The game developers have significantly bolstered the Shaman, allowing for a more balanced gameplay.

Seasoned players often deploy the Shaman as a midder- a crucial character entrusted with holding the central line alongside the tank, awaiting the carry. The Shaman boasts an impressive HEX skill - a silencing spell that incapacitates foes, prohibiting magic activation and rendering them harmless for up to 3 seconds. The Shaman can bind an opponent thanks to his SHACKLES ability, disallowing any attempts to flee or fight back.

Venomancer, a.k.a. "venny" or "goo-ball", is a support hero, serving as a key back-up to carries or crowd control characters. Venny boasts abilities like poisoning and slowing, stunning, and paralyzing his prey from afar. However, his damage output is low, often rendering him incapable of defeating an adversary single-handedly. Venomancer reduces enemies' resistance to spell penetration damage, commonly paired up with magic-carry heroes. 

Zeus, known as the magical long-range hero, can assume the role of an escape artist or initiator. This character has the capacity to conjure lightning for enemy territory reconnaissance and is adept at dealing damage to multiple opponents, making him optimal for large-scale battles. Zeus's development is straightforward as he easily and rapidly annihilates monsters, however, he is prone to mana shortage.

Zeus wields lightning to deal damage, stun, and slow. This deity has the ability to create thunderclouds that chase opponents. In group fights, Zeus releases a bolt of lightning that strikes each adversary with magic. The hero can strike all opponents, regardless of their locations.

When playing as Zeus, it is critical to focus on artifact collection to enhance damage output.

Crystal Maiden, Rylai is a versatile hero, capable of assuming the role of controller and support, a true force multiplier in any matchup.

As per the December 2022 update, she's spotlighted as one of Dota 2's standout heroes for newcomers entering the ring in 2023. Crystal's skillset is tailored to sustain spell-casters, replenishing mana points and simultaneously stunning and slowing adversaries to halt their stride.

Rylai's specialty lies in her ability to ice-lock her enemies, teeing them up for a barrage of blows from your team's carry, controller, or escaper. Her "ARCANE AURA" spell proves instrumental in restoring mana for all allies, irrespective of their proximity to Rylai or their location on the map. While "FREEZING FIELD" engulfs the vicinity, inflicting area damage and considerably decelerating all caught in its radius.

Jakiro, the two-headed dragon, fuses the magic of ice and fire. This dragon is a solid support and doubles as a devastating adversary.

Jakiro is capable of slaying a multitude of monsters in a short span of time, gaining significant experience boost. The character displays impressive mobility, able to exponentially improve his map movement speed. Jakiro is frequently seen with the carry in midfield breaks.

Thanks to his unique synergy of magic, Jakiro boasts slowing effects. The dragon constructs flame barriers and icy blockades to prevent enemies from leaving scorched grounds and launches area-wide attacks.

Witch Doctor, Rafik – one of the top heroes in Dota 2's beginner mode. Rafik is versatile, easy to handle, and levels up quickly through farming. This magic physician is proficient in healing his allies. With amplified effects, the Witch Doctor asserts dominance either as a controller or a carry. 

Druid flings a 'PARALYZING CASK' at enemies paralyzing them and wreaking havoc. The character establishes totems inflicting damage on multiple opponents simultaneously, he is capable of taking on the totem's form becoming temporarily invulnerable to piercing damage.

The Skywrath Mage, or Rooster, is a dynamic controller proficient at delivering devastating fast attacks and skillfully navigating the map, launching surprise assaults and evading combat when necessary.

The Skywrath Mage is susceptible to attacks due to its low armour and health reserve. His performance excels when paired with a support that possesses healing magic.

This light mage has vampiric abilities, sapping life forces from adversaries and converting inflicted damage into health regeneration. The "ANCIENT SEAL" effect forbids enemies from activating magic, leaving them defenseless for a brief period. The "MYSTIC FLARE" ability inflicts amplified damage and can instantly eliminate an opponent.

Riki, the Demon – an elusive escaper, he possesses the mystical ability to disappear into the fog of war, through the art of stealth and invisibility. The Demon can stealthily approach any adversary and eliminate them with swift strikes and superior physical damage. He requires extensive farming, but given proper progress and the right artefacts, he can emerge victorious in duels against two or more opponents.

Riki bristles with smoke bombs that slow and dampen his foes' speed and attack efficiency. Thanks to his "BLINK" ability, the Demon can instantly teleport behind opponents, striking at their most vulnerable spots. His "TRICKS OF THE TRADE" inflicts area damage. The Demon activates these abilities and then retains his invisibility – enemies are confounded, unable to discern where the attack originated.

Lion, the Lion - a multifaceted hero often employed by novices in roles such as support, controller, escaper, and jungle.

This hero packs a punch, boasting impressive damage and demonstrating significant survivability in team fights. Lion is often used to breach enemy defenses on lanes above mid. The hero is straightforward to handle, quickly developing its magical abilities.

Lion excels at draining energy from multiple opponents at once, transferring mana to allied units and delivering lethal strikes. He can withstand a strong opponent and has the uncanny ability to transform foes into harmless frogs.

Lina, the Fiery Red, is the most versatile Dota2 hero, perfect for newcomers.

This wizardess boasts an elevated health pool, deals significant magical damage to enemies, and boosts allies in team fights. In a team with a well-leveled tanker and a support hero, she breaches defenses in minimum time.

"FIERY SOUL" allows Lina to boost her attack speed with every landed hit, making her particularly dangerous in the thick of battle. This ability permits quick farming and collection of key artifacts from the early stages of the game. Lina holds two ultimate strikes, ready to activate alternately.

The Phantom Assassin, also known as "Sosik," is a mobile escaper with the ability to quickly and stealthily close in on and defeat an enemy in a one-on-one duel. This hero delivers powerful strikes, which, when empowered by artifacts, deal devastating damage. The character appeals to beginners with its quick farming and dynamic gameplay strategy.

"Stifling Dagger" is the slowing sorcery with which the Assassin initiates combat and immobilizes the enemy. Thanks to lifesteal, each strike against the enemy restores the hero's vitality, and the "Coup De Grace" effect allows for powerful critical hits against the adversary. If necessary, the Phantom can abandon the duel and escape at any point.