The Dota 2 Berlin Major is over, but since it was the first major tournament after the New Frontiers patch, the data it provided on hero picks and win rates could reveal a lot about what works in the new meta. Ten heroes had exceptionally high pick rates and win rates in the tournament, and while that might not translate directly into pubs, it does mean they’re capable of having a big impact in the right hands. Some of those heroes made waves right out of the gate, while others took a bit of time to work their way into the tournament’s meta.
One even had a huge win rate of 75 percent after 24 games!
Let’s take a look at what the ten best Dota heroes were based on information sourced from data collected by Liquidpedia, why they were so impactful in the Berlin event, and what that could mean for the New Frontiers meta.
Pugna
Pugna was picked 31 times. 17 of them were wins, while the other 14 were losses, bringing his total win rate to 55 percent. Team Aster, BetBoom, and Talon Esports picked him the most, but plenty of others hopped on board too.
He worked particularly well against meta support picks like Keeper of the Light, Crystal Maiden, and Enchantress—most likely because his Nether Ward can cause them a lot of grief, and his ultimate, Life Drain, is a soft counter to some of their moves.
Void Spirit
Void Spirit was picked 40 times, 22 of which were wins and 18 of which were losses, rounding off his win rate at 55 percent. The maneuverable midlaner was changed to a Universal Hero in the latest patch, and it seems to have turned him into a powerhouse. Team Liquid and OG used him the most, winning more than 80 percent of their games with him on the roster. The reason is likely he can move around the larger map with ease and has minimal downtime, which seems to be very important in the current meta.
Ember Spirit
Ember Spirit was picked 37 times. 21 of those picks resulted in wins, while the remaining 17 resulted in losses, bringing his total win rate in the tournament to an impressive 57 percent. Like Void Spirit, he is capable of being everywhere and anywhere on a whim. Team Liquid and Gaimin Gladiators picked him the most. Both of them made the final, and Gaimin Gladiators won the tournament, suggesting he is a particularly strong pick.
Underlord
Underlord was one of the standout heroes in the group stage. That trend continued throughout the tournament. In the end, he was picked a whopping 74 times. 44 of those were wins and the remaining 30 were losses, bringing his win rate to 59 percent. His ultimate, Fiend’s Gate, is perhaps the biggest reason. Who needs to use one of the two Warp Gates when you can use Fiend’s Gate to surprise the enemy? Gaimin Gladiators took full advantage of that in the eight games they picked him, all of which resulted in wins.
Keeper of the Light
Keeper of the Light was the second most-picked hero in the tournament with 81 picks, 48 of which resulted in wins, bringing the old-timer’s win rate up to an impressive 59 percent. Tundra Esports and Gaimin Gladiators used him the most. He worked well as a support duo with Crystal Maiden, who was the most-picked hero in the tournament. What makes Keeper of the Light so good, however, is the constant uptime, the mana he can provide to allies, and the possibility of learning Recall with an Aghanim’s Shard and Will-O-Wisp with an Aghanim’s Sceptre—both of which are excellent for team fights.
Terrorblade
Despite being a late carry who needs a lot of farm, Terrorblade fared well throughout the tournament. He was picked 39 times. 24 of those resulted in wins, while the remaining 15 resulted in losses, bringing his total win rate to 62 percent. He worked exceptionally well with Keeper of the Light, who can alleviate his mana issues. His ability to farm the map safely with illusions is particularly handy now the map has been expanded, too.
Pangolier
Pangolier was picked 37 times, 24 of which were wins. The reason for his impressive 65 percent win rate isn’t too dissimilar from other heroes with high pick rates and win rates in the tournament. It’s because he has plenty of uptime and maneuverability, which is all the rage at the moment. Gaimin Gladiators picked him a lot, as did Team Liquid and PSG.LGD. Expect to see him a lot more in pubs, too.
Alchemist
Lo and behold, Alchemist—one of the surprise forces to be reckoned with at the Berlin Major. The hard carry was picked 63 times, and 41 of those resulted in wins. His win rate was an impressive 65 percent, which is impressive considering how often he was picked. Team Liquid, 9 Pandas, and Tundra Esports picked him the most, although it panned out better for the latter two. His ability to farm quickly due to Greevil’s Greed and wreak havoc earlier than other carries can has seen him become a solid pick.
Beastmaster
Beastmaster was the second most-successful pick at the Berlin Major. The troublesome offlaner was picked 41 times, 28 of which were wins and 13 of which were losses. His impressive 68 percent win rate comes down to a lot of things, but perhaps the biggest one is his ability to provide extra vision with his units, which is even more effective now the jungle has been expanded. Drums of Slom has also made him even better at pushing and team fighting thanks to the damage and healing it provides.
Medusa
Last but not least, we have Medusa—one of the hardest carries in Dota 2. It was only picked 24 times, which is far less than some of the other heroes in the top ten, but it has the biggest win rate of 75 percent. Tundra Esports, Gaimin Gladiators, and Team Liquid were all undefeated with it. Initially, the New Frontiers patch made her incredibly susceptible to damage. The minor patch that followed, however, buffed Split Shot and Mana Shield—perhaps too much—turning her into the beast she has become.
