win.gg
Win.gg Dota 2 Dota 2 updates hero leg counts, reignites fan controversy

Dota 2 updates hero leg counts, reignites fan controversy

Author Icon
William Davis Published 15/08/2021

Dota 2 players are obsessed with weird stats. The number of legs each Dota 2 hero officially has is one of them, strangely enough. 

In a recent Dota 2 update, Valve has once again made adjustments to the canonical number of legs each hero has. Players expecting balance patch 7.30 were understandably disappointed. Instead, the update reignited the community discussion around how many legs Dota 2 heroes have.

To clarify, “legs” doesn’t refer to some kind of gameplay mechanic or cosmetic. It’s referring to the body part. Dota 2’s heroes vary from regular humans sporting the standard pair to insects with six or more. Many heroes have no legs at all. OpenDota even measures pick and win rates for heroes based on their number of legs. The statistic is really only used for battle pass challenges but the community is divided on the number of legs some heroes have. 

In the most recent update, Ancient Apparition and Oracle both had their leg counts dropped to zero. The most recent Captain’s Mode addition Hoodwink was updated from two legs to four to reflect her squirrelly design. The most controversial change is to Underlord, who was swapped to two legs and four arms. The front pair do have knuckles but it’s difficult to imagine Underlord walking around on just his hind legs.

Valve has an official number of legs for every hero but the discussion is still live among Dota 2 fans. Do mounted heroes like Chaos Knight have six legs or just two? Does Arc Warden’s clone feet count? What about Lone Druid and his Spirit Bear? Does Broodmother or Meepo have the most legs? The corner cases are too many to name.

Why are legs a stat in Dota 2?

Dota 2’s leg controversy originated from a humorous panel moment from The International 2012. TongFu had just knocked Evil Geniuses out of the playoffs to advance to the top eight. Commentator Bruno Carlucci commented that TongFu won because their hero picks had zero legs. Evil Geniuses, by contrast, drafted 18 legs among five heroes. Lina was the first notable Dota 2 legs edge case. Bruno argues that since she floats to move around, Lina technically doesn’t have legs. 

The number of legs a hero has doesn’t affect gameplay in any way. The statistic is only used for certain battle pass challenges. Weekly missions and cavern crawl can both require picking heroes with a certain amount of legs. Mounted or four-legged heroes do generally have faster base movement speed but that decision is purely coincidental.

William Davis
About William Davis

View full profile
Read Also
TEAM VISION survive 90+ minute TI15 game against Falcons to save everyone’s predictions Dota 2
TEAM VISION survive 90+ minute TI15 game against Falcons to save everyone’s predictions Michael Hassall TEAM VISION has defeated Team Falcons 2-1 in an unexpected match-of-the-day at The International 2026, TI15. The three-game instant-classic went the full distance, including a 94-minute final game to secure VISION’s win. VISION, are widely regarded as favorites to win the tournament, and one of the most predicted teams to win in both in-game TI15 predictions, and predictions markets. A loss could have seen thousands of predictors disappointed. As mentioned, ...
How To Watch Dota 2 the International 2026 — Where To Watch TI15 Live Dota 2
How To Watch Dota 2 the International 2026 — Where To Watch TI15 Live Hannan Mundia Every esports game has one tournament that triumphs over every other. For Dota 2, that tournament is The International, and the 2026 edition is shaping up to be one of the most exciting ones yet. The premier tournament is taking place in Shanghai, China — but if you are wondering how to watch Dota 2 The International, then what are your options? Considering how popular Dota 2’s The International tournament ...
Trade on the Dota 2 TI at Kalshi — Use Promo Code WINGGPREMAR Dota 2
Trade on the Dota 2 TI at Kalshi — Use Promo Code WINGGPREMAR Hannan Mundia Dota 2 is a major part of the esports industry globally, and with TI15 taking place currently in Shanghai, traders are utilizing prediction markets like Kalshi to trade on specific outcomes. Should you wish to do so yourself, you can use the promo code WINGGPREMAR for up to $500 in bonus trades when depositing and trading $25. Dota 2 may not have the same player count as League of Legends, ...
Best Dota 2 betting Sites for TI15, The International 2026 Dota 2
Best Dota 2 betting Sites for TI15, The International 2026 Michael Hassall The International 2026, TI15, is the most important Dota 2 event of the season. With the calibre of talent on display, it’s natural you might want to put a wager on the most bet-on esports in the world during its biggest tournament. But which bookmakers are going to be the best for TI15? Are there any offers and promos going into The International 2026? Luckily, we’re here to guide you ...
TaiLung responds to allegations and TI15 ban in fierce rebuttal Dota 2
TaiLung responds to allegations and TI15 ban in fierce rebuttal Michael Hassall Sanctioned Dota 2 player Santiago "TaiLung" Agüero Gustavo has made a dramatic response to allegations of match-fixing and his ban from The International 2026 and all future PGL events in a new Facebook post. The response, posted on the evening of Aug. 11, addresses multiple accusations and the ban against him by PGL. The post also criticizes the investigation process and situation surrounding his ban and suspension from the LGD ...
Dota 2 TI15 prize pool – What is The International 2026’s prize pool amount? Dota 2
Dota 2 TI15 prize pool – What is The International 2026’s prize pool amount? Michael Hassall The International is the most prestigious Dota 2 event of the year, the pinnacle of the game, and for many years, the highest prize pool in all of esports. But is TI15 following the same pattern? For many years TI was a crowd-funded prize pool with tens of millions of dollars on the line, but has dropped significantly since then. Since Valve’s decision to shift away from the battle pass ...
GG.BET Bonus: The International 2026 Offer — Get Up to €1,000 + €250 in Free Bets Esports Betting
GG.BET Bonus: The International 2026 Offer — Get Up to €1,000 + €250 in Free Bets Ben Boland Dota 2 fans are rejoicing at the start of the esport's biggest competition, The International 2026 (TI15). It is the 15th edition of the competition, bringing the world’s best teams in Dota together in Shanghai. The good news is that GG.Bet brings you closer to all the action. It is one of the top Dota 2 betting sites, and you can follow the action live and bet on your favourites. ...