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How to Unlock Master Hunter Rank in Dota 2

Unlocking the Master Hunter Rank is a top priority in 2026 for Dota 2 teams. The New Year celebrations are in full swing as players compete online to gain experience. You can unlock a wide range of cosmetic upgrades for Dota 2 heroes including Sniper, Beastmaster, Techies, Anti-Mage, and Dragon Knight. These items can be claimed by taking part in the Dota x Monster Hunter crossover event that is being held till February 6, 2026.

Each match you play during the Dota x Monster Hunter event provides upto 300 XP for a loss and 800 XP for a win. Players can earn a Rookie, Low, High, and Master Hunter Rank by defeating their enemies in Dota 2. New sprays, emoticons, and crafting material are a few of the rewards you can receive for unlocking Hunter Ranks with your party members.  

Dragon sightings are scenic

Dragons from the Monster Hunter series of games can be seen flying around the map. These magnificent creatures grace your screens at the start of every match. You’ll be surprised at the number of dragons that have agreed to appear in Dota 2. Here’s a closer look at the dragon greeting Razor, the Lightning Revenant, in his base.

Razor goes on to get his first kill with his ally, Viper. Make the early moments count to increase your gold per minute (GPM) to buy items faster in your matches. If you missed any of the dragon sightings from the Dota x Monster Hunter event, you can collect Wisdom runes or beat Roshan to summon dragons while listening to Dota Dreams.

Choose easy Hunt Targets for a Master Hunter Rank

You can choose a Hunt Target from 3 enemy heroes before Dota matches begin. Once a Hunt Target is assigned to you, gamers can eliminate their enemies to earn bonus crafting materials. Monster Essence, Monster Claws, Zinogre Cortex, and Rathalos Tail are among the crafting materials available in the game.

Common crafting materials and Uncommon crafting materials can be obtained by reaching the Rookie and Low Hunter Ranks. You can combine these crafting materials to get the Garon Rifle for Sniper and the Imperium Heat Edge Sword for Dragon Knight.

The Prismatic Odogaron set for Sniper is one of the best skins you can unlock with a Master Hunter Rank. The glowing green ornaments for Sniper can turn the Agility hero into a sharpshooter for the mid lane. His red hat and rifle from the Prismatic Odogaron set are 2 of the hardest items to craft for beginners, giving seasoned professionals an advantage in team fights and esports tournaments.

Master Hunter Rank provides Super Rare crafting materials. A Palico Voucher, Poogie Voucher, and Prismatic Pigment are Super Rare items that can be used to get Sticker Capsules during the Dota x Monster Hunter event. It can also be used to craft new skins for the Palico courier and the super cute Poogie Effigy Pet.

Complete the Hero Atlas for a Master Hunter Rank

The Hero Atlas has over 100 claimable entries. You can access the Hero Atlas in the top right corner of the screen in the Monster Hunter tab within the game. Players can win as a Dota 2 hero to instantly unlock crafting materials and their Hero Atlas Sticker. Match statistics such as kills and wins are also displayed.   

The newly introduced Strength hero, Largo, has earned his place in the Hero Atlas. You can explore Largo and his Musical Pilgrimage in the updated 7.40b version of Dota 2. His entry in the Hero Atlas can be claimed for crafting materials like Ancient Bone and Wyvern Gem. You can play Dota 2 to complete the Hero Atlas and unlock a Master Hunter Rank within a couple of weeks for a fresh start to the New Year.   

Best Agility Heroes for Dota x Monster Hunter

Weaver helps his team fight Dragon Knight

Agility heroes can significantly increase your Hunter Rank for Dota x Monster Hunter. The newly released crossover event has provided loads of opportunities to play Dota and win epic battles. You can pick any of the Agility heroes from the roster to get easy kills and destroy towers for your team.

Take a look at these amazing Agility heroes to earn XP during Dota x Monster Hunter event.  

Ember Spirit – Enflamed Agility hero

Agility heroes attack Sven in the bottom lane

Ember Spirit has the potential to be the best Agility hero in a party. His glaring guard can protect Ember Spirit from magical spells cast in lanes. People playing the mid lane with Ember Spirit can count on Flame Guard to absorb damage. Flame Guard gives a 300 damage barrier that can be used to negate spells like Shadowraze from Shadow Fiend and Lightning Bolt from Zeus.  

Phase Boots fit Ember Spirit perfectly to hunt enemy heroes in Dota x Monster Hunter. Killing an enemy hero before they can kill you provides crafting materials that can be used to unlock new armor for heroes. You can cast Sleight of Fist frequently in lanes to get creep kills and deal bonus damage to enemies. The Double Impact facet can be detrimental to earn XP with Ember Spirit throughout the crossover event since it can hit enemy heroes twice per cast.

The Agility hero can root his opponents for a few seconds using Searing Chains. Enemy heroes affected by Searing Chains take 110 damage per second (DPS). Buying a Crystalys for Ember Spirit can help you deal critical damage to your enemies. You can also place Fire Remnants near your tower to escape from fights.

Items that increase your attack damage are worth purchasing for Ember Spirit. A Battle Fury adds Cleave to your physical attacks, making it easier for the Agility hero to eliminate waves of enemy creeps in lanes.  

Weaver – Agility for Annihilation

Weaver is fast with his hits, striking his enemies before they can retreat. He gains a massive 3.3 Agility attributes per level. Beginners playing Weaver in Dota 2 might want to max out Shukuchi to chase enemies in lanes. Weaver can move at top speed using Shukuchi, dealing damage to all enemy units that he passes through in his phased state.

Learning to time his abilities can be truly satisfying for players familiar with Dota Dreams. Weaver can flee from battles, grab bounties the minute they appear, and get last hits on enemy heroes on the run. He can evade certain death by using his ultimate ability, Time Lapse. You can regain health and mana with Time Lapse to counter enemies during battles. The right moment to cast Time Lapse can earn you a round of applause from esports fans in online matches and tournaments.  

You can launch The Swarm at your opponents to reduce their armor. Each hit by The Swarm decreases your enemy’s armor by 1. It can take up to 6 attacks to destroy these allied units, giving Weaver a chance to deal lethal damage to his enemies in Dota x Monster Hunter matches. Buy a Desolator for Weaver to annihilate your foes. A Desolator is among the best items for Weaver priced under 4000 gold.

Linken’s Sphere can be used to dodge incoming spells. It can prevent Weaver from being stunned by Vengeful Spirit, Dragon Knight, and Sven. Weaver can also cast Time Lapse on his allies by purchasing an Aghanim’s Scepter for the Agility hero.    

Broodmother – Spread Spiderlings in lanes

Broodmother has evolved drastically from her earlier forms. She can tear down enemy towers with her brood of Spiderlings. Casting her ulti on a neutral, creep, or enemy hero with low health can spawn up to 6 Spiderlings at once on the map. You can control these Spiderlings to farm gold in the forest. These Spiderlings can be effective against enemy towers and heroes to win matches for Dota x Monster Hunter. She can raise your Hunter Rank within a few days of playing Dota on Steam.

You can spin a few webs in lanes for Broodmother to retain her health. She can freely move around the web to get last hits on creeps and recover her health between battles. The increased movement speed provided by her webs can be used to attack enemy units without taking damage. Items like Sange and Yasha can be equipped for Broodmother to increase her attack speed and slow resistance.

Gamers running low on mana can level up Incapacitating Bite to gain passive skills. Her attacks can deal bonus damage and blind her enemies, leading to enemy heroes missing their hits against Broodmother. You can buy a Harpoon for the Agility hero to close the distance between her enemies. Harpoon provides Strength and Agility attributes to Broodmother, making her bites fatal to her foes.

Broodmother can activate Insatiable Hunger to gain Lifesteal in battles. She can attack her enemies to restore health with each attack. You can buy a Heaven’s Halberd to disarm your opponents, preventing them from attacking Broodmother for a few seconds. It’ll give Broodmother adequate time to heal using her Lifesteal to survive the team fight.

Morphling – Win with Waveforms

Morphling attacks Necrophos with Adaptive Strike

Morphling is an astounding hero in Dota 2. Seasoned players can shift their attributes from Agility to Strength while escaping and increase their attack speed during hunts. His Waveform can hit multiple enemy units in a row, dealing 300 damage to his enemies. You can unlock his Talent Tree bonus to extend the range of his Waveform at level 15.

Enchanted Mangoes can restore mana to Morphling throughout the game. His ultimate ability, Morph, lets the Agility hero transform into enemy heroes and allows Morphling to use their spells. You can upgrade Boots of Speed to Arcane Boots to increase your mana regeneration rate for Morphling. He can cast loads of spells to drain the health of his enemies in Dota x Monster Hunter.

Adaptive Strike is one of the best skills for getting kills in the game. It deals damage based on the Agility attributes acquired by Morphling. You can amplify the damage it does to his enemies by purchasing an Ethereal Blade for fast kills.

Agility heroes are good at attacking enemy heroes

You’ll have to be vigilant to attack enemy heroes while playing Agility heroes. These characters are defined by their ability to enter battles and eliminate the enemy team. Physical attacks deal more damage compared to spells, giving Agility heroes an advantage in the crossover event that is being held till February 2026. Hunt your enemies to gain bonus XP by completing quests in each game to craft items for Dota heroes.

Dota x Monster Hunter – What’s New?

Dota x Monster Hunter is a crossover event for online gamers. It features hot skins and cosmetics for Dota 2 heroes including Dragon Knight, Sniper, Anti-Mage, Windranger, Techies, and Beastmaster. You can unlock these sets by playing Dota 2 with your party members on Steam.

Gamers can earn Materials to craft Monster Hunter-themed items by winning matches. Each game of Dota 2 provides 800 XP per win and 300 XP per loss. Dragons are a key concept of the crossover event and has plenty of surprises in store for its players. Guilds and Dota 2 teams can progress through the Hunter Ranks to achieve their Rookie, Low Rank, High Rank, and Master Rank rewards.

Valve Corporation and Capcom presents Dota x Monster Hunter

Valve Corporation has established a global standard for gaming. Dota 2, Half-Life, and Counter-Strike 2 are a few of the most played games published by Valve Corporation in the past. Capcom has partnered with Valve Corporation to make Dota x Monster Hunter an amazing experience for their fans.

At level 1 Hunter Rank, you can claim the Palico Courier that can be equipped. It lets you gather Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Super Rare, materials from your games. These Materials can be crafted into shining pieces of armor for your Dota 2 heroes.

Buy the Expedition Pack  

You can obtain exclusive items by purchasing the Expedition Pack. People with an Expedition Pack are provided with Poogie, Rathalos Form for Dragon Knight, Bullfango for Beastmaster, Monster Hunter Music Pack, and sprays.

Dota x Monster Hunter has a Hero Atlas that has 131 unlockable items for eager players. The crossover event is being held till February 6, 2026, giving esports clans several reasons to celebrate Dota Dreams during the holiday season. The new update takes about 3 GB of disk space and can be downloaded within a few minutes to play with your friends.

Best Dota 2 Melee Heroes in 7.39e

Melee heroes in Dota 2 have been key to many victories in 2025. These characters can enter battles quickly to wipe out entire enemy teams. Their attacks and abilities are faster than most ranged heroes, making melee heroes in 7.39e more reliable. It is easier to deny gold and experience to your opponents in lanes by targeting enemy creeps using melee heroes at the right moment in matches.  

The updated 7.39e patch for Dota 2 has made a few changes to balance various aspects of the game. Minor improvements like an increase in base armor for melee heroes can turn Dota 2 players into durable allies during battles. There are a number of items that can be equipped to melee heroes to provide a significant boost to their physical attacks.

Take a look at the best Dota 2 melee heroes in 7.39e.  

Anti-Mage – Melee attacks can burn mana

Anti-Mage has emerged as one of the top melee heroes to play. He can burn mana with his attacks, decreasing the chances of his enemies casting spells in battles. You can head to the off lane with Anti-Mage to earn gold by hitting enemy creeps with your blades.

He can Blink into battles effortlessly to get kills for his team. A majority of Dota 2 players max out Blink early in their matches to reduce the cooldown of their ability. It allows gamers to close in on opponents for team fights and escape their enemies while retreating.

Buying a Vanguard for Anti-Mage lets him tank damage from multiple enemy heroes, towers, and creeps without getting killed. You can also upgrade Vanguard to disarm your opponents during battles. His passive ability, Mana Burn, can deal additional damage to enemy heroes with each hit. Once an adequate amount of mana is burnt by his hits, Anti-Mage can cast Mana Void to decimate his enemies.

Gamers can counter spell casters and support heroes by activating Counterspell. Anti-Mage has an increased resistance to magic due to Counterspell, absorbing damage from incoming spells. You can purchase items like Battlefury, Sange, and Yasha, to gain an advantage while playing Anti-Mage for rewards.     

Sven – Stun enemies with Storm Hammer

Sven is a Strength hero with attacks that can stagger his opponents. At level 1, Sven can stun multiple enemy heroes around him with Storm Hammer. You can deal a total of 500 damage to your opponents by unlocking the Aghanim’s Scepter upgrade for the melee hero.

The Heavy Plate facet for Sven provides a physical barrier with Warcry to your allies, preventing your team from taking damage. You can use Warcry to chase your enemies on the map and gain bonus armor for a few seconds.

Dota 2 has several guides for Sven to transform him into an outstanding carry hero. The best builds for Sven include items such as, Blink Dagger, Mask of Madness, Crystalys, and Silver Edge. Sven can farm neutrals with ease using Great Cleave. The safe lane for Sven can give him access to numerous neutral creep camps for gold.

You can search for enemies by roaming constantly with Sven. Players can communicate with their party members before teleporting to other lanes with Sven for fast kills. His ulti, God’s Strength, grants bonus damage to the melee hero. Sven can eliminate enemies within seconds by activating God’s Strength during team fights.  

Phantom Assassin – Melee hits deal critical damage

Phantom Assassin can hurl daggers at enemy creeps and heroes to slow them. Enemies affected by Stifling Dagger can be targeted by Phantom Assassin and her allies to deal damage in lanes. A combination of Stifling Dagger and Phantom Strike can drain the health of your opponents while playing Phantom Assassin in online matches.

The bonus attack speed provided by Phantom Strike lets her trigger Coup De Grace throughout the game. Her ulti, Coup De Grace, gives Phantom Assassin a chance to deal critical damage with her attacks. You can equip Phantom Assassin with items that provide bonus attack damage to increase her killing sprees.

She is a core member of the Sisters of the Veil, whispering anecdotes that can be heard pulsating through Dota Dreams. Her kills are discreet, dealing loads of damage to her enemies from the shadows. She can easily evade attacks from her opponents, making them ineffective in team fights.

Phantom Assassin gains more than 3 Agility points per level. Starting a match with a Quelling Blade and an Orb of Blight can drastically increase your last hits, providing a ton of gold to the Agility hero. A Desolator can be used to slit her opponents smoothly with her blades. You can also buy an Abyssal Blade for the melee hero to stun opponents.

Spectre – Haunt enemies on the map

Spectre is a carry hero with an amazing ability to strike her opponents at the right moment. She can reflect damage from enemies using Dispersion to counter attacks. Spectre can phase through her surroundings on the map using Spectral Dagger to cover the distance between her enemies. Spectral Dagger can deal 220 damage per instance, slowing enemies on its path for a few seconds.

Her passive ability, Desolate, deals Pure damage to her opponents. Once you max out Desolate for Spectre, you can buy a Diffusal Blade to slow enemies and eliminate them during battles. A Harpoon can be bought for the melee hero to move faster towards enemies for fast kills.

You can look at the mini-map between battles to cast Shadow Step on your enemies. You can upgrade her ulti to Haunt using an Aghanim’s Scepter to make the spell global, affecting all of her opponents. You can cast Reality on enemies with low health to annihilate them. Buying a Manta Style for Spectre can also increase your chances of winning in esports tournaments.

Melee heroes can mitigate opponents

The attack damage of melee heroes makes them lethal to enemy heroes in Dota 2. The increased attack speed of melee heroes also lets them trigger items like Maelstrom and Crystalys frequently to deal devastating damage to the enemy team.  

Fastest Dota 2 Heroes in 7.39d

The fastest heroes in Dota 2 are trained to chase their enemies for kills. You can pick any of the fastest Dota 2 heroes in 7.39d for exciting gaming sessions with your party members. There are loads of items that you can purchase to increase the movement speed of your heroes. Allies in online matches depend on the fastest heroes on the map to get kills before their opponents can teleport back to their fountain.

The International 2025 has just reached its conclusion, with Team Falcons being crowned as the winners. The fantasy team and predictions for The International 2025 within the game had provided plenty of incentive for Dota 2 players to get involved in the esports tournament. It was held between September 11 – 14, 2025, at the Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany. The total prize pool of the tournament was $2.8 million.

Team Falcons beat Xtreme Gaming 3-2 to lift the Aegis of Champions in the international competition. Xtreme Gaming won 4 games in the Playoffs without losing a single match to their opponents. Despite their winning streak earlier in The International 2025, Xtreme Gaming were defeated in the finale. Team Falcons kept their cool after losing the first match in the finals and climbed back to the top for a sensational victory. Congratulations, Team Falcons, for being the best among the Dota 2 teams that took part in The International 2025.  

Take a look at the fastest Dota 2 heroes in 7.39d.

Spirit Breaker – Fastest hero to charge at enemies

Spirit Breaker is bound to hit his target anywhere on the map with his lantern. The Strength hero can use the mini-map to run towards enemy heroes. His ability, Charge of Darkness, can be cast on his enemies to strike them at maximum speed.

Enemies hit by Charge of Darkness will be stunned for a few seconds. Items like Echo Sabre and Mask of Madness can be devastating to enemies once they’ve been attacked by Spirit Breaker. You can purchase items that increase his Strength attributes and his attack damage to make his hits fatal for his opponents.

Gaining experience in the jungle can lead to many benefits for the Spirit Breaker. He can use his lantern to smash neutral creeps in the jungle between charging enemies in team fights. The neutral items unlocked by the Spirit Breaker and his Talent Tree skills can turn him into a formidable hero in Dota 2.

Core items for Spirit Breaker include Armlet of Mordiggian, Blade Mail, and Khanda. You can also buy items that grant bonus armor to the Strength hero to reduce incoming damage from his enemies. You can strike your opponents with several physical attacks to knock back enemies and prevent them from using spells. The status resistance provided by Bulldoze lasts for 8 seconds, giving Spirit Breaker a lot of time to weaken his opponents in battles. His ultimate ability, Nether Strike, deals 350 damage on hit and stuns his enemies, making Spirit Breaker harder to escape during online matches.

Io – Relocate allies to safety

Io is an awesome support hero in 7.39d. It can Tether itself to any ally to move closer to them. Based on the facet chosen by Io, tethered allies receive a number of advantages such as, increased movement speed, attack speed, spell amplification, bonus armor, and magic resistance.

Agility heroes like Troll Warlord, Ursa, and Sniper are ideal allies for Io. It can move around its allies and cast Spirits to deal damage to enemies while slowing them down in battles. Io can teleport to allies anywhere on the map using its ultimate ability. Relocate lets Io save its teammates from danger by teleporting them out of team fights. Once allies have their health restored, Io can teleport them back to their position for a counterattack.

The Universal hero is among the fastest heroes that you can play. It has a base movement speed of 320. Buying Tranquil Boots for Io can significantly increase its movement speed and its health regeneration rate. You can Tether heroes in lanes to heal your allies before destroying towers. Io can purchase Pavise to grant a barrier to its allies that can absorb physical damage from opponents. You can upgrade Pavise to Solar Crest to provide bonus attack speed and armor to your allies.

Luna – Fastest hero for chasing enemies

Luna can chase her enemies with a base movement speed of 325. You can buy a Boots of Speed, a few Iron Branches, and a Tango for Luna to head for the Mid lane. Luna can max out Lucent Beam to deal 300 magical damage per cast. It has a low cooldown of 6 seconds, letting Luna cast Lucent Beams multiple times on her enemies.

You can purchase a Boots of Travel recipe early in a match for Luna. It’ll be easier to teleport to towers and rescue your allies with a Boots of Travel. Luna can purchase items like Manta, Sange and Yasha, and Butterfly to become a terrifying hero in Dota 2. Her passive ability, Moon Glaives, can be used to eliminate enemy creep waves in lanes.

A Shadow Blade for Luna is excellent for sneaking up on enemies. She can ride her mount close to her opponents while invisible and activate Eclipse to annihilate the entire enemy team. An Aghanim’s Scepter can add loads of damage to her ulti. You can also cast Eclipse on enemies to retreat from battles and prevent getting killed.  

Weaver – Max movement speed in any lane

Weaver has a knack for striking multiple opponents at high speed. He can gain maximum movement speed at level 1 with Shukuchi. Weaver turns invisible for 4 seconds by using Shukuchi to move past his enemies. He can use Shukuchi to grab runes, chase enemies, retreat, and scout the map.

Buy a Linken’s Sphere to absorb spells and stuns while playing Weaver. Many carry heroes pick Weaver since he is one of the fastest heroes mentioned in Dota Dreams. The Mid lane and the Off lane are suitable for Weaver to farm gold.

Attacking support heroes with Weaver is a good strategy for fast kills. Items that add attack damage to the Agility hero can be equipped to mitigate enemies. A Crystalys bought for Weaver gives each of his attacks a chance to deal critical damage. A Desolator can reduce the armor of his enemies. A Monkey King Bar provides additional attack damage and attack speed. You can purchase any of these items to turn Weaver into a serial killer during your Dota 2 matches.

Fastest heroes find a way to win

The fastest heroes figure out a way to win in difficult situations. You can switch between pushing lanes and taking out opponents to gain gold and experience with the fastest heroes in Dota 2. These heroes can appear in an instant to defend their allies, destroy their opponents, and eliminate barracks. Be sure to play any of these fastest heroes to become a professional Dota 2 player for your team.

Top Dota 2 Ranged Heroes to Get First Blood in 7.39d

Ranged heroes in Dota 2 are known for their ability to get First Blood. In the recently released 7.39d update for the game, esports players can choose from a wide range of heroes to extract the first kill before anyone else in the match. Teamwork and coordination between party members can make it seem like an easy kill if you’re prepared.

You can play a variety of ranged heroes to deal damage to enemies in Dota 2. The first 5 minutes of the game can be worth taking risks for First Blood since heroes are yet to learn most of their skills. Nukers like Dark Willow and Shadow Fiend are your number 1 choice in 7.39d as you can hit enemies without taking damage. You’ll need a few Enchanted Mangoes early in a match to restore mana while casting different spells to ensure your team earns First Blood.

Here are the top Dota 2 ranged heroes to get First Blood in 7.39d.

Enchantress can hop, skip, and jump for First Blood

Enchantress is filled with charm. Her angelic voice is harmonious to the ears and her healing abilities are a sight for sore eyes. She can deal Pure damage to enemy heroes with her physical attacks using Impetus. Enemies on the run take loads of damage from Enchantress based on the distance they’ve traveled. You can count on Enchantress to give you a First Blood kill during Bounty rune fights.   

Dota teams partying together can have the Intelligence hero cast Enchant on enemy heroes to slow their movement speed for a few seconds. You can buy items including Circlets and Iron Branches to increase her health and mana pool at the start of the match. Allies taking damage from enemy heroes can be healed by casting Nature’s Attendants near them.  

The Spellbound facet for Enchantress grants bonus attack range on enchanted enemy heroes. The extended attack range also applies to any units under the control of Enchantress, providing players with a number of ways to get First Blood with the Intelligence hero. Buying a Boots of Speed might be one of the earliest items you can purchase for Enchantress to draw First Blood during battles.

Shadow Fiend can collect souls faster with First Blood

Shadow Fiend is one of the strongest ranged heroes in 7.39d. He can cast 3 lethal spells using Shadowraze before your team has a chance to take the first Bounty rune at the river. The Agility hero can hit his enemies with Shadowraze multiple times in a row for First Blood. You can also slow enemy heroes by taking the Shadowmire facet for the ranged hero.

The mid lane is best suited for the Dark Lord. You can level up early in the mid lane and teleport to the top lane or the bottom lane to get First Blood with your friends. His presence can reduce the armor of his enemies, giving him an advantage against enemy heroes. Heroes like Dragon Knight and Vengeful Spirit can nuke enemies with their spells to allow Shadow Fiend to step in and use Shadowraze for fast kills.

Once you’ve managed to kill enemy heroes with Shadow Fiend, you can buy a Blink Dagger to baffle your opponents on the map. If you happen to notice an enemy hero escaping to the Fountain with low health, you can activate Feast of Souls to catch them before they can heal. Shadow Fiend can avoid being hit by enemy towers to survive team fights in Dota 2.

Venomancer can poison his enemies

Venomancer is a Universal hero with poisonous attacks. He is among the hardest ranged heroes to counter in online gaming sessions. You can equip Venomancer with a Ring of Basilius to increase the rate of mana regeneration for the ranged hero. It’ll help players cast several Plague Wards in the lane to deal damage over time. The low cooldown and mana cost of Plague Wards let you drain the health of enemy heroes for First Blood in your matches.

You can strike enemy heroes with Venomous Gale to restrain their movement. Venomancer can hit multiple enemies in a straight line in front of him using Venomous Gale. Allies like Keeper of the Light can restore mana to Venomancer and cast Illuminate to eliminate enemy heroes in your lane. Having ranged heroes as your allies can make it convenient to mitigate enemy units while playing Venomancer.

Blight Stone and Orb of Venom are a few starter items that can enhance the attacks of the ranged hero. Pro players can level up Venomous Gale and Poison Sting instead of Plague Ward to avoid losing mana per spell before getting First Blood for their team. Most items you can buy for the Universal hero also increase his attack damage, making it easier to get First Blood with the ranged hero.

Dark Willow can host the wildest parties

Dark Willow is an adorable ranged hero. She can use Bramble Maze to root enemies in a large radius, making Mireska an amazing hero to play in Dota 2. Her seductive sounds in Dota Dreams have attracted quite a few beginners to try playing Dark Willow for the first time. People looking to get First Blood with Dark Willow can also take Shadow Realm to gain bonus attack range for the last hit.

Shadow Realm can be channeled for up to 5 seconds to deal more than 100 damage at level 1. A Null Talisman can be bought for the Intelligence hero to add attack damage and increase her mana pool. She can root multiple enemy heroes using Bramble Maze. Dark Willow can use Clarity Potions to regain mana after using spells like Bramble Maze and Shadow Realm for First Blood without running out of mana.

You can focus your attacks on melee heroes in the enemy team. Dark Willow can safely fight melee heroes from a distance with her magical spells and physical attacks. You can purchase a Wind Lace for Mireska to boost her movement speed at the start of the game. It’ll let Dark Willow cover plenty of distance to land the final blow on her opponents to collect the First Blood rewards for her team.  

Take First Blood frequently to unlock Dota Plus shards

First Blood needs to be a priority for Dota 2 beginners. People subscribed to Dota Plus can unlock loads of Shards as rewards for taking First Blood in their matches. These shards can be spent on Steam to gain exclusive sets for Dota 2 heroes, effects, and other cosmetic enhancements.  

Best Times to Use Runes in Dota 2

Runes in Dota 2 let you play your games in a variety of ways to make your matches fun. The best times to use runes like Shield and Haste in the strategy game are while fighting enemy heroes, giving you a number of advantages in battles.

New players beginning to play Dota 2 might find it hard to figure out how runes work. Heroes like Lone Druid have emphasized Double Damage in Dota Dreams to instill the importance of activating runes during their gaming sessions. These ancient runes have existed in Dota 2 for several years, allowing players to capture them in a Bottle for immediate use.

Runes tend to pop up on either side of the river near the Mid lane. Placing an Observer Ward in the river will give you visibility of runes as soon as they appear on the map. You can expect runes to become available every 2 minutes in Dota 2, making them an integral aspect of your core tactics to achieve victory.  

Here’s a closer look at the best times to use runes in Dota 2.

Runes can help you regenerate health after lethal blows

Your health in Dota 2 can dictate the pace of your game. Many beginners teleport to their base after losing much of their health in battles, taking you away from the action. Once you’re safe behind a tower, you can move towards the river near the Mid lane to locate a Regeneration rune to regain health.

A Regeneration rune restores health and mana to a hero. It provides the best time to launch a counterattack on enemy heroes, leaving your opponents bewildered in battles. Players must stay hidden while the Regeneration rune is active, as any damage taken from enemy heroes can interrupt the restoration, requiring people to wait for their couriers to deliver items.

Intelligence heroes like Zeus can take charge of lanes by activating a Regeneration rune. You can watch this clip of Zeus killing Phantom Assassin with Thundergod’s Wrath and retreating to heal from an Assassinate shot from Sniper. Zeus heals from the lethal attacks and pushes Sniper back, despite taking heavy damage from multiple enemy heroes in his lane due to the Regeneration rune stored in his Bottle.   

Deal more damage

The Double Damage rune can be an amazing asset during battles. You can activate the Double Damage to deal 2x your attack damage to enemy units. Physical attacks can eliminate enemy heroes within a few hits with the Double Damage rune.

Agility heroes like Shadow Fiend can mitigate their opponents by using Shadowraze. Passive abilities like Necromastery and Presence of the Dark Lord have a devastating impact on enemy heroes with Double Damage. Shadow Fiend can use multiple instances of Shadowraze and hit his enemies with his ranged attacks to get quick kills in combat.

Melee heroes like Abaddon have the potential to destroy enemies with Double Damage. You can level up Curse of Avernus to slow enemies, gain bonus attack speed, and deal more damage while playing Abaddon. Fans of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne might remember King Arthas roaming the frozen lands with his friends to reclaim dominion of his old kingdom. The Double Damage rune adds a nice touch of fear to his sword.

Surprise enemies with runes during team fights

An Invisibility rune can be activated to make heroes undetectable for a few seconds. You can get into battles without alerting the enemy team by using Invisibility runes in Dota 2. Finding these runes early in the game lets heroes scout the jungle for enemy heroes with low health. Mid lane heroes can signal their allies to be prepared for kills right after activating Invisibility runes.  

Dragon Knight can use an Invisibility rune to easily stun enemy heroes. The Elder Dragon Form prevents enemies from escaping and the Breathe Fire spell can give you an instant kill with Dragon Knight in the game. Support heroes like Vengeful Spirit can activate Invisibility runes to swap enemy heroes into an ambush. She can cast Nether Swap, Wave of Terror, and Magic Missile to annihilate her enemies with her team.  

Cast spells faster with an Arcane rune

Arcane runes are best suited for nukers. You can message your allies to take Arcane runes to deal enormous amounts of damage with their spells. Arcane runes can significantly decrease the cooldown of spells and items, making it a lot more fun to play support heroes in Dota 2.

Earth Spirit can roll into battles and silence enemies with Geomagnetic Grip. The cooldown of his spells can be reduced to less than 10 seconds with Arcane runes found in the river. Venomancer can place up to 4 Plague Wards to hit enemy units in a single wave of creeps using Arcane runes. You can also cast Venomous Gale several times after activating Arcane runes in battles with Venomancer. Enemy heroes affected by Venomous Gale and Plague Ward have their attack speed and movement speed slowed during battles.

Puck is an Intelligence hero with unbelievable compatibility for an Arcane rune. She can storm into team fights with her Illusory Orbs and use her ulti to restrain the movement of her enemies. Puck can deal over 500 damage for every 5 seconds with an Arcane rune in her grasp. Skywrath Mage can almost cast Arcane Bolts without cooldowns by activating an Arcane rune in matches. You can purchase items like Aether Lens and Eul’s Scepter of Divinity to have plenty of mana to cast these spells after using Arcane runes for Intelligence heroes.      

Destroy towers with Illusions

Illusion runes give you control of 2 images that deal loads of damage to enemy units. These images can’t cast spells but can be effective in destroying enemy towers. It can also be used to distract enemy heroes in lanes. An Illusion rune is ideal for Agility heroes since they can deal physical damage to enemy creeps, neutrals, and towers.

Ember Spirit can root enemies with Searing Chains and attack them with illusions for a Double Kill. Flame Guard can absorb magical damage from enemies, allowing Ember Spirit to fight his opponents with images created with Illusion runes. Mirana can Bottle an Illusion rune and leap into battles to stun enemies. She can attack stunned enemies with her illusions for fast kills in Dota 2.  

Runes are available throughout the game

Runes are reliable sources of replenishment. You can use runes like throughout the game to regain health, turn invisible, and earn gold. Besides the runes at the river, you can also collect the Bounty runes in the forest to increase your gold per minute (GPM). Learning to use these runes in Dota 2 matches can help you beat your rivals in upcoming tournaments.

Top Dota 2 Intelligence Heroes in 7.39c

Intelligence heroes like Lina can stun enemies

Intelligence heroes are revered in Dota 2 for their spell casting skills. The latest 7.39c update for the strategy game has tweaked the gameplay mechanics of your favorite intelligence heroes to get more kills in each game. Dota 2 veterans will enjoy playing these heroes with their friends to win esports tournaments and earn prize pool rewards in 2025.

Take a look at the top Dota 2 Intelligence heroes in 7.39c.

Lina – Intelligence that scorches the screen

Lina has a number of spells that can mitigate enemies in any lane. She can enter battles and wipe out the entire enemy team to become the MVP of most Dota 2 matches that are played online. New players who’ve started playing Dota 2 after listening to Dota Dreams for the first time will be excited to interact with her. Fans of her talents might catch a glimpse of fire dancers imitating Lina during live events popping up in your city.

Many people prefer the Thermal Runaway facet compared to Slow Burn for its ability to instantly eliminate enemies. The best combination of spells for Lina during the early game phase of a match is leveling up Dragon Slave and Light Strike Array till you’ve unlocked her ulti. Casting all 3 of her spells will let Lina deal over 800 damage to an enemy hero, giving you an easier chance of getting kills.

She can stun multiple opponents with Light Strike Array, allowing her allies to ambush the enemy team in battles. Once you’ve bought Arcane Boots for Lina, you can get her an Eul’s Scepter of Divinity to boost her movement speed. The bonus regeneration provided by Eul’s Scepter of Divinity will replenish plenty of mana to nuke enemy units throughout the match.  

Pugna – Nether Wards put Intelligence heroes at bay

Pugna is among the finest Intelligence heroes in Dota 2. He excels at creating opportunities to counter team fights against multiple enemies. You can push lanes, destroy enemy towers, and deal damage to enemy units by playing Pugna in Dota 2 competitions. Pugna gains more than 5 Intelligence per level, making him an amazing hero for beginners.

One of the best items you can purchase for Pugna is Aether Lens. The item increases your mana pool and mana regeneration rate. You can also buy Dagon or Veil of Discord to deal bonus magic damage with Pugna in battles. Most of Pugna’s spells have less than 10 seconds of cooldown that lets him cast multiple instances of Nether Blast and Decrepify to annihilate enemies.

Placing a Nether Ward can quickly turn around battles in Dota 2. Enemy heroes around a Nether Ward take damage per spell based on the mana consumed. You can upgrade the Nether Ward with an Aghanim’s Shard to drain the health of multiple heroes using Life Drain. The Siphoning Ward facet for Pugna restores mana and health to the Intelligence hero based on the amount of damage dealt by the Nether Ward.

Crystal Maiden – Freeze your enemies

Crystal Maiden can restore mana to her allies around the map. You can max out Arcane Aura for Crystal Maiden to become an outstanding support hero. She can slow down enemy units with Crystal Nova and freeze enemies for several seconds by casting Frostbite.

You can purchase a Glimmer Cape for Crystal Maiden to turn invisible in battles. You can activate Glimmer Cape to move into position before casting Freezing Field on nearby enemies. Crystal Maiden can also use Glimmer Cape on her allies to help them escape from opponents without taking damage.

The Glacial Guard facet for Crystal Maiden can be effective against the enemy team. You can cast Crystal Nova to guard your allies from physical damage by choosing the Glacial Guard facet. Buying a Pavise for Intelligence heroes can also protect your team from being killed during battles. Items like an Aeon Disk can nullify incoming damage to last longer in team fights while playing Crystal Maiden.

Zeus – Instant kills that help your allies

Zeus can strike down his opponents with his lightning bolts. Clarity potions can restore a ton of mana for Zeus in the mid lane. You can cast Arc Lightning frequently to eliminate enemy units and use Lightning Bolts for easy kills in 7.39c. Intelligence heroes like Zeus can cast spells from a safe distance to weaken the enemy team.  

Performing a Heavenly Jump on time can help Zeus get out of harm’s way. Abilities like Thundergod’s Wrath and Nimbus enable Zeus to score kills at any time. You can buy a Refresher Orb for Zeus to deal enormous amounts of magical damage to increase your Killing Sprees. The Talent Tree provides resourceful upgrades such as bonus health, bonus damage per ulti, and turning Lightning Bolt into an AoE spell.

Enchantress – Pure damage per attack

Enchantress is a ranged hero in Dota 2. She can easily take on the jungle to farm gold by converting neutral creeps. Casting Enchant on creeps on the map lets her controlled units tank damage from neutral camps. Converted creeps gain bonus health and attack damage for the duration of the spell. Enemy heroes can be slowed using Enchant, letting Enchantress and her Little Friends destroy opponents in matches.

Her ulti, Untouchable, prevents enemy units from dealing damage to Enchantress by slowing their attack speed. Early game items like Phase Boots and Force Staff can be vital to eliminating enemies with Enchantress. She can deal Pure damage to enemy heroes by activating Impetus during team fights. Impetus deals bonus damage based on the distance between Enchantress and her enemies. Attacks enchanted with Impetus deal more damage to images, making it effective against heroes like Phantom Lancer, Naga Siren, and Terrorblade.  

Intelligent heroes including Enchantress can mutilate enemy heroes with a Scythe of Vyse. The item provides bonus Intelligence attributes and mana regeneration to attack enemies with Impetus throughout matches. Enchantress can disable her enemies with Scythe of Vyse to deal Pure damage in her lane.

Intelligence heroes in Dota 2 can save games

Intelligence heroes are built to save games in esports tournaments. The recently held Esports World Cup 2025 had several of the best Dota 2 teams from around the world playing Intelligence heroes to win rounds. The finals of the EWC 2025 had over 10 Intelligence heroes competing for the cash prize of $1 million. You can practice any of the Intelligence heroes in the Dota 2 roster to impress your party members on Steam.

Best Dota 2 Items to Reduce Damage

Dota 2 teams playing together need to buy items to reduce damage in their matches. These items can be purchased to block incoming damage and absorb spells during battles. Most new players in Dota 2 tend to fight enemy heroes without damage reduction items in their inventory, leading to low HP throughout the game.

Watch this video of Axe burying his enemies with his abilities and items to get a Rampage. Gameplay involving damage reduction items provides plenty of chances to take out the enemy team. Items like Shiva’s Guard and Vanguard can decrease the amount of damage taken by heroes in Dota 2.

Reduce damage early with a Vanguard

Vanguard has saved the lives of Dota 2 players in millions of esports tournaments. It costs 1700 gold and blocks damage from physical attacks. Melee heroes such as Chaos Knight, Riki, and Spectre can block twice as much damage compared to ranged heroes, giving melee heroes an advantage of buying Vanguard in Dota 2 competitions.

It is easier to complete a Vanguard for heroes in the Off lane. You can buy a Vitality Booster from the Secret Shop and have your courier deliver a Ring of Health from the Fountain in a matter of minutes. Agility heroes like Riki can survive longer in lanes with a Vanguard to reduce damage during team fights. Ursa and other farmers in Dota 2 can purchase a Vanguard to destroy neutral creeps and gain more gold.   

Mage Slayer can be effective to reduce damage against spell casters

Mage Slayer is an outstanding item to counter Intelligent heroes. The item grants damage, attack speed, and magic resistance to heroes by combining Cloak, Orb of Venom, Gloves of Haste, and Cornucopia. Enemy heroes affected by Mage Slayer deal less magic damage per spell, letting carry heroes mitigate spell casters in a few hits.

Slark can become an unstoppable killer with a Mage Slayer in his inventory. You can pair Mage Slayer with a Vanguard for Slark to reduce damage from Dark Pact and Pounce on enemies for fast kills. Sniper can eliminate support heroes with a Mage Slayer. The ranged hero can stand at a distance and strike spell casters like Lion and Bane to score kills in team fights.

Return damage with Blade Mail

Blade Mail has to be one of the strongest items for tank heroes in Dota 2. You can return damage for up to 5.5 seconds by activating Blade Mail in battles. It provides bonus armor to heroes, decreasing damage per hit from enemy heroes, creeps, towers, and neutrals.

Universal heroes like Abaddon can significantly increase their durability by purchasing a Blade Mail. You can use Blade Mail at full health to boost your chances of killing multiple enemies while playing Abaddon. Players can cast Aphotic Shield on Abaddon to further reduce damage from incoming attacks. The strong dispel from his abilities and his ulti, lets Abaddon use Blade Mail more frequently in his matches.

Protect your team with Crimson Guard

Crimson Guard is a fantastic item to protect your team. You can purchase a Crimson Guard for 3725 gold. Strength heroes affected by the active ability of Crimson Guard can block a ton of damage. Brewmaster can use Crimson Guard before using his ulti to lead his team to victory. He can also change his stance to Earth Brawler to gain bonus armor and magic resistance.

Tusk can potentially be a match-winner for his team with Crimson Guard. You can choose Tusk in Dota 2 to roll into battles using Snowball. Tusk can click on nearby allies to increase the speed of the Snowball, stunning enemy heroes on his path. You can cast Ice Shards with Tusk and reduce damage by immediately using Crimson Guard to help your team get kills.

Pipe of Insight can save lives during battles

Pipe of Insight can absorb spell damage from magical abilities. It can be used in battles to save lives by providing a Barrier to allies around you in a large radius. Teammates affected by the Barrier can nullify damage from spells for 8 seconds, giving your team adequate time to flee.

The bonus health regeneration provided to heroes equipped with a Pipe of Insight can be crucial in team fights. Winter Wyvern can block all physical damage dealt to allies by casting Cold Embrace and using Pipe of Insight to reduce damage from magic. She can also redirect incoming attacks from the enemy team to her opponents by using her ulti in battles.

Shiva’s Guard works well to reduce damage

Shiva’s Guard provides 15 armor to heroes. Freezing Aura is a passive ability that decreases the attack speed of enemies around heroes to reduce damage. It is effective against Agility heroes like Faceless Void, Mirana, and Weaver. You can release an Arctic Blast by activating Shiva’s Guard to amplify spell damage and slow the movement speed of enemies. It also deals bonus damage to illusions, making it a preferred item against enemy heroes like Naga Siren and Phantom Lancer.

The item is featured on the psytrance set Dota Dreams, giving people an insight into the depth of its origins. Artists, DJs, and musicians have tried to implement the sound of Shiva’s Guard into their performances to blow the minds of their audiences. Here’s a closer look at the supreme psytrance DJ, Ace Ventura, activating Shiva’s Guard on his India tour.  

Assault Cuirass provides armor to your entire team

Dota 2 heroes with an Assault Cuirass in their inventory are provided with bonus armor and attack speed. The Assault Aura surrounding heroes with Assault Cuirass increases the armor of allies by 5 and decreases the armor of enemy units by 5. Enemy towers and barracks are also affected by the Assault Aura, letting your entire team flatten the enemy base for a win.

Sven and Spirit Breaker can annihilate their enemies with an Assault Cuirass. Spirit Breaker can bash his opponents and knock them back with the increased attack speed. Sven can kill multiple heroes with the cleave damage from his physical hits by equipping an Assault Cuirass in battles.

Items can drastically reduce damage

There are dozens of items in the game to reduce damage in Dota 2. Depending on your team and party members, you can purchase several items to reduce damage from magical spells and attacks. The best Dota 2 teams in the world rely on damage reducing items to win trophies and collect prize pools.

Best Dota 2 Agility Heroes in Patch 7.39b

Agility heroes in Dota 2 are best known for carrying their team to victory. The latest changes made to the game in patch 7.39b have provided Agility heroes with adequate abilities to dominate matches online. There are several advantages of picking Agility heroes in Dota 2 that let players farm gold easily in their lanes.

You can buy loads of starter items for Agility heroes to gain vital stats like armor and health regeneration. These items help your heroes push lanes without getting killed in combat. Agility heroes take a bit of time to be able to kill their enemies without having to flee the battles. Support heroes like Warlock can place Observer Wards around the map to increase the visibility of their opponents and heal Agility heroes before fighting foes for bonus gold.

Take a look at the best Dota 2 Agility heroes in patch 7.39b.  

Agility heroes like Sniper can take charge of the mid lane

Sniper is a ranged hero made for the mid lane. The Agility hero can craft items easily to deal tons of damage to enemy creeps and heroes at the start of the game. New players choose Sniper in their matches for his simplicity in handling hordes of creeps rushing towards the base. Tower hugging allows Sniper to wipe out waves of enemy creeps to earn experience faster compared to enemy heroes.

Shrapnel is the first ability you’ll need to max out for Sniper. Many gamers might be inclined to take the Scattershot facet for Sniper to deal increased damage with Shrapnel. You’ll be a lot safer in your lane by choosing the Ghillie Suit facet in patch 7.39b to last longer in battles. An instance of Shrapnel can slow enemy heroes for up to 10 seconds without the Scattershot facet, helping your team gain easy kills early in games.

You can purchase items such as Dragon Lance and Falcon Blade for Agility heroes. Sniper can cast Shrapnel without running out of mana with Falcon Blade in his inventory. His antics in Dota Dreams are memorable due to his brilliance as a carry hero in the game for over a decade. Headshots and body shots can knock back opponents, preventing enemy heroes from closing in on your team.

Players can quickly teleport to nearby towers and Assassinate their enemies using Sniper from quite a distance. Staying hidden while playing Sniper can be key to winning matches in Dota 2. You can counter spell casters with Sniper by purchasing a Mage Slayer. The increased attack speed and magic resistance provided by Mage Slayer can weaken Intelligent heroes.   

Troll Warlord can annihilate multiple enemies with his attacks

Troll Warlord is a ferocious hero with ranged and melee attacks. He can strike his enemies with unrelenting attacks, gaining attack speed with each hit. Jah’rakal roots his opponents using his axes in melee mode, preventing them from retreating to their fountain.

His ulti, Battle Trance, puts Troll Warlord in a frenzy. Battle Trance provides bonus Lifesteal, attack speed, and movement speed, letting Troll Warlord annihilate multiple enemy heroes with his hits. Birds, squirrels, and frogs on the map take notice of Troll Warlord after he starts to get into his Battle Trance. Watch the psytrance legend, Technical Hitch, destroy the dancefloor by activating Battle Trance during his live concert at Sunburn Union. On mobile screens, Technical Hitch transforms into a pure energy being with the beats of his HiTech tracks releasing soundwaves of salvation.    

A Yasha and a Shadow Blade can turn Troll Warlord into the MVP of the match. You can get a Morbid Mask for the Agility hero to earn gold from neutrals in the jungle. Ancient neutral camps provide tons of gold and unlock new neutral items that can be quite effective in battles for Troll Warlord. You can buy a Butterfly for Agility heroes like Troll Warlord to evade incoming damage from enemy heroes. Troll Warlord can hurl Whirling Axes at his enemies to slow their movement speed and blind them during battles.  

Luna is one of the best Agility heroes for team fights

Luna has a significant part to play in Dota Dreams. She reminds players that the night sees all. She is one of the best agility heroes for team fights, hitting several enemies at once with her magical abilities. Luna is equipped to level up in the mid lane and the safe lane in Dota 2.

Eclipse and Lucent Beam are her most important abilities. You’ll have to max out Lucent Beam to take out enemies with her ulti. Make sure you’re not near neutrals or enemy creeps before using Eclipse to kill enemy heroes on the map. Dota tactics for Luna involve upgrading her ulti with an Aghanim’s Scepter to remove the limit of Lucent Beams hit per unit. Her upgraded ulti strikes enemies twice as fast and increases the total amount of beams. A Refresher Orb can be the item that wrecks the enemy team while playing Luna.

There are loads of items that can be bought for Agility heroes like Luna to gain an advantage in team fights. Her passive ability, Moon Glaives, deals damage to nearby enemy units with each attack. You can enable Manta Style to conjure illusions to fight for Luna and mitigate enemy towers within seconds. A Linken’s Sphere can prevent Luna from getting hit by spells, increasing her survivability. You can also try purchasing a Lotus Orb for Luna to reflect spells from enemy heroes.   

Disable the enemy team with Medusa

Medusa has a unique set of skills. She can cast Mystic Snake to drain mana from enemy heroes, replenishing her mana pool during battles. Medusa can root enemies in front of her using Gorgon’s Grasp and turn them into stone to deal bonus damage.

Once you’ve gained the ability to hit 5 enemy units using Split Shot, you can buy a number of items for the Gorgon. The Eye of Skadi can slow enemies with physical attacks, letting Medusa get kills with her skills in Dota 2. Items like Assault Cuirass can grant bonus attack speed to Medusa and her allies to wipe out the enemy team. She is a reliable carry hero for Dota 2 tournaments in the current 7.39b patch.

Agility heroes are awe-inspiring in Dota 2

Agility heroes are fun to play with friends. They can use a range of abilities to change the outcome of battles. A majority of esports players and pro Dota 2 teams choose Agility heroes in online competitions to be able to destroy enemy towers and win games for their teams. These awe-inspiring Dota 2 characters can be spectacular to watch during live streams, giving viewers an incentive to participate in gaming events and esports tournaments.