As Dota 2’s The International 2023 heads into its finals weekend, just nine heroes sit unused across 100 matches played, though some may still have a chance to appear.
In Dot Esports’ original The International meta report, published after Road to TI wrapped up, a dozen heroes were not picked or banned in any game.
Initially, the list included Abaddon, Dragon Knight, Leshrac, Lion, Magnus, Meepo, Phantom Lancer, Shadow Shaman, Slardar, Timbersaw, Tinker, and Winter Wyvern. However, after the first leg of the main event concluded last week, only three heroes escaped obscurity—Phantom Lancer, Magnus, and Leshrac.
While some heroes that haven’t been contested so far at TI 2023 struggle to find a suitable place in the meta, there are names on the list that can rise to stardom in a cheesy lineup.
Considering the rise of tanky heroes that come with large health bars, Shadow Shaman and Slardar could counter this trend on paper. However, the core items these heroes need negatively impact their timing of purchasing key items, like Heart of Tarrasque and Harpoon for Slardar. These two items have been the go-to build in the offlane for the last months, causing heroes that can’t farm them fast to fall off from the meta.
At TI 2023, there are week-long breaks between phases, allowing teams to study each other. To remain unpredictable, some teams may decide to bust out new strategies that can also include one of the uncontested heroes during the finals week.
Though skills matter to an extended degree at the highest level of Dota 2 gameplay, the element of surprise can also give an unexpected edge to teams, allowing them to seal clutch victories.
TI 2023 will return with its top eight action at 12pm CT on Oct. 27.
