Why are ranged heroes building Quelling Blade in Dota 2?

William Davis Published 29/05/2021

Quelling Blade has always been a strong early game option for melee cores in Dota 2, but ranged heroes in the mid and safe lanes are starting to get it too. 

Quelling Blade is a 130-gold item that grants bonus damage when hitting creeps. Melee heroes get 12 damage while ranged heroes only get six. Despite the 50% decrease in damage, ranged heroes in the Dota Pro Circuit and pubs are starting with the item to boost their last hitting ability.

Six damage doesn’t sound like a lot, but compare it to a Null Talisman. Null grants an intelligence hero five damage, 0.6 mana regeneration, and 3% spell amp. While Null Talismans have some clear advantages, they cost nearly four times as much for less raw damage. Very few items in Dota 2 offer as much value as Quelling Blade, even when its damage gets reduced by half.

The effective cost of Quelling Blade is the lowest it’s ever been. The item dropped from 200 gold to 150 in patch 7.28, then lowered to its current price of 130. Once item slots run low, it can be sold to recoup half the investment. While the melee bonus damage has been slowly nerfed from 24 down to 12, the ranged bonus went from seven to six.

Some ranged heroes even have abilities that synergize with Quelling Blade. The bonus damage can be applied to an enemy hero with Templar Assassin’s Psi Blades. Medusa and Gyrocopter have similar synergies with Split Shot and Flak Cannon respectively. 

All of that comes in addition to the standard benefits of Quelling Blade. Ranged heroes can still chop down trees to make more efficient jungle paths or interact with enemy spells like Sprout and Acorn Shot.

With an opportunity cost of two last-hits and a multitude of benefits, consider picking up Quelling Blade the next time you play a ranged Dota 2 hero.

Read Also

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 ...

Dota 2

Team Spirit vs Iron Wing at TI15: Best Betting Predictions and Picks Owen Harsono The playoffs for TI15 starts off with an absolute banger of a match between Team Spirit and Iron Wing, and the betting odds could not be any closer. Here are our TI15 Team Spirit vs Iron Wing predictions. Tournament: The International 2026 (TI15) Stage: Playoffs Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: This is the closest series we have at the first round of the TI15 playoffs, as ...

Dota 2

Who Will Win The International 2026 (TI15)? These Are Our Best Picks Owen Harsono The TI15 group stage is over, and we’re down to the top eight teams. We’ve now got a pretty good idea of which teams are the favorites heading into the playoffs based on recent performance and season results, so here are the teams we think have the best shot at winning TI15 and claiming some of The International  prize pool. The TI15 group stage saw eight teams exit the event ...

Dota 2

The International 2026 (TI15) Elimination Stage Preview and Predictions Owen Harsono The TI15 Group Stage is almost over, and all that’s left is the very deadly Elimination Stage, which will eliminate five teams and allow the five survivors to advance to the playoffs. Below, we’ll walk you through how the Elimination Stage works, the matchups, and our best picks. The Elimination Stage is the final phase of the TI15 Group Stage. The modified Swiss format promotes the top three teams directly ...

Dota 2

Team Spirit vs TEAM VISION at TI15: Best Betting Predictions and Picks Owen Harsono We’re two days into TI15, and we have our first significant match of the tournament. Team Spirit will take on TEAM VISION (PARIVISION) for the first playoff spot. Here are our predictions for the big match. Tournament: The International 2026 (TI15) Stage: Group Stage Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: TEAM VISION enter TI15 as the tournament favorites, but Team Spirit are playing under zero pressure at ...