The best heroes for 10 vs 10 in Dota 2 are completely OP

The 10 vs 10 game mode returns to Dota 2 in this week’s spotlight, but certain heroes are completely overpowered due to the doubled hero count.

10 vs 10 is rare in Dota 2. It’s difficult to coordinate a game between 20 people, and the Dota 2 map has a hard time accommodating so many players. However, it does bring new strategies and ideas to the Dota 2 experience. Many heroes care about how many units are in a fight or on the map, and doubling player counts makes some heroes seem broken. Here’s a brief history of Dota 2 10 vs 10 as well as the best heroes to get your Dota Plus shards quickly.

10 vs 10 is a rare game mode in modern Dota 2. It was originally marketed as a brand new way to experience the game. Most notably, The International 2015 featured 10 vs 10 with half the players pulled from the crowd. One such fan was a Pudge cosplayer who turned out to be none other than Danil “Dendi” Ishutin. 2016 repeated the 10 heroes per side Dota 2 All-Star Match, but the first instance featuring a surprise Dendi appearance was definitely the best.

The best heroes to pick in Dota 2 10 vs 10

The best heroes in Dota 2 10 vs 10 tend to be concerned with the number of enemy or friendly units on the map and how those impact hero abilities. Here’s five picks to make your three victories a walk in the park.

Silencer is an obvious pick in 10 vs 10 Dota 2, but not just because of a doubly-effective Global Silence. Silencer’s unique trait where he steals the intelligence of slain enemies works just as well in 10 vs 10. Thanks to the combative nature of the mode and Silencer’s long range, he can quickly rack up dozens of bonus intelligence. He also brings a ton of AoE and team fight control, though his squishy nature must be solved with items. 

Earthshaker is another great pick for 10 vs 10 in Dota 2. Echo Slam against 10 heroes and no additional creeps deals 2,380 magical damage. Add in enemy creeps and illusions and every dunk is a slam dunk. In addition to a very impactful ultimate, Earthshaker also brings a useful tool in Fissure. Blocking creeps in the lane is a great way to deny experience from four heroes at once. It’s also one of the few spells that can split up these big teams with impassable terrain.

Treant Protector may seem like an unlikely choice, but his toolkit becomes even more useful. Hiding in the trees and split pushing with Nature’s Grasp often goes uncontested. Roaming gank squads are a common strategy in this mode, and Treant simply sidesteps them in the forest. Towers are very valuable, and Living Armor allows Treant’s team to squeeze a little more map control per structure. He also can throw it onto friendly heroes getting jumped across the map.  

He may still be unpickable in normal Dota 2 games, but 10 vs 10 is a whole different story for Nature’s Prophet. Global abilities are very strong in this game mode, and Nature’s Prophet is the most global hero of them all. A sprawling team fight is always a great opportunity to rat towers. Combined with his great stat growth and versatile item build, Nature’s Prophet is great for applying pressure or countering a specific enemy.

As for the carry players, try out Spectre. Haunt alone made her a 10 vs 10 all-star in the old days, but Aghanim’s Scepter only makes Spectre even better. Shadow Step is great for securing a risky gank, and her scaling helps her keep up once towers start falling.

Global abilities are a major part of Dota 2 10 vs 10, and the best heroes at abusing it include Zeus, Ancient Apparition, Spirit Breaker and the ones mentioned above.