Win.gg
Dota 2
Shard Chen is the hot new Dota 2 build, here’s how to do it Shard Chen is the hot new Dota 2 build, here's how to do it
Chen’s Aghanim’s Shard is stampeding over patch 7.30. Here’s how to kill your enemies with a portable ancient stack.
Warm up your micro skills, because Chen is making plays in Dota 2 matchmaking.
Chen’s win rate has surged in patch 7.30d. The micro-intensive missionary’s win rate has jumped to a whopping 49.4% in Ancient matchmaking. That doesn’t seem strong, but it’s an extremely high win rate for such a micro-intensive hero. Here’s how to take advantage of his imbalanced Aghanim’s Shard and take over the game.
The new Chen focuses almost entirely on his Aghanim’s Shard ability. The 1,400 gold item allows Chen to take control of ancient creeps, the most powerful neutrals in the game besides Roshan. The creeps don’t get the same bonuses as Helm of the Overlord, but Chen can recruit up to three of them at level 18. It’s tough to lose with three Ancient Black Dragons backing you up.
How to play Chen in patch 7.30d
If you feel like adding Chen to your support repertoire, it’s a good idea to try him out in demo mode first. His abilities are somewhat complex and he requires an understanding of micro control. To learn how to spawn creeps in demo mode, check out our
Dota 2 chat command guide.
Chen is pretty mediocre without creeps, but a point in Divine Favor can help you trade with the enemy laners. Start maxing Divine Persuasion with a value point in Penitence at level four. Take Hand of God whenever you can and don’t be afraid to use it liberally.
For items, Chen’s normal progression is Mekansm into Guardian Greaves, but try to have 1,400 gold saved up as soon as Aghanim’s Shard becomes available. Chen gets a sizable power spike at levels 12 and 18 since he can grab more ancients. Look for potential pushes and try to take enemy tier ones as fast as possible. Access to more jungle camps means better creeps, especially in the enemy triangle.
Chen’s mid and late-game responsibilities are much easier with ancient creeps. Persuade some Black Dragons and use their active ability to push all three lanes at once. Turn down the enemy’s damage with a Golem. If your carry needs a boost, use the Thunderhide’s buff to give them 75 attack speed. Throwing them at towers is a good way to slow siege, just watch the boosted kill bounty.
Read Also
Dota 2
ESIC hand down ruling in EWC Dota match-fixing case: Lifetime ban for coach as DarkMago gets a nickel
Michael Hassall
South American Dota 2 player Gonzalo "DarkMago" Herrera will be banned for five years from competitive Dota 2, with his coach Juan "Vintage" Angulo banned permanently, following the results of an The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) investigation. ESIC handed down the findings and rulings from its investigation into match-fixing allegations leveled at members of South American Dota 2 team PlayTime during the Esports World Cup on Sep. 10, in a ...
News
Polystrike Turns a Dota 2 Mod Into a Standalone Tactical Shooter
Hannan Mundia
After the community-made mod found success within the community, developer and publisher Robin Entertainment has decided to turn Polystrike into a proper standalone game. Community-made mods of games finding success within the respective game’s community is nothing new. However, only a handful of those mods are able to go on and become a standalone game. One of the more recent examples is The Forgotten City, which started as a mod ...
Dota 2
Team Spirit wins TI15 to lift a record third Aegis of Champions
Michael Hassall
Team Spirit has defeated TEAM VISION in the grand finals of TI15, The International 2025. In a full five-game series on Aug. 23, Spirit pulled out all the stops and narrowly defeated an incredible VISION team in a back-and-forth series in Shanghai, China. With Spirit’s victory, Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk and Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov become the first ever three-time TI champions, and Team Spirit becomes the first ever organization to lift ...
Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Finals Preview and Predictions
Michael Hassall
The International 2026, TI15, has reached its final day, and just three teams remain in the fight for the Aegis of Champions. With the lower bracket final and Grand Final still to come, everything comes down to one final day of Dota 2 action. The lower bracket finalists will first battle for the right to reach the main event’s final series, while the winner will advance to face the upper-bracket ...
Dota 2
TI15’s opening ceremony weaves a tapestry of emotion for Valve’s storied title
Michael Hassall
The main stage of The International 2026, TI15, kicked off today with the traditional opening ceremony heralding the start of the biggest celebration of Dota 2 on the calendar. On Aug. 20 fans in Shanghai, China, and at home, were treated to a rousing 11-minute series of performances and video packages, introducing TI15’s main stage show. Here’s how the magic unfolded: The ceremony began with a graphic which quite literally ...
Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Playoffs preview and predictions
Michael Hassall
The Group Stage of The International 2026, TI15, is in the books and we’ve whittled down 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams to just eight finalists. One of these talented lineups will be the ones lifting the Aegis of Champions come Sunday, Aug. 23, but until then, there’s plenty of playoff shenanigans that could go on. Below we’ve put together a preview of the upcoming Playoff Games, along ...
News
The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027
Ben Boland
The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...
