Dota 2 Hero Tool: The Beginner Hero Finder Tool for Dota 2

The Beginner Hero Finder Tool

The Beginner Hero Finder Tool finds the best Dota 2 heroes for beginners in three taps. It only suggests heroes Valve itself rates as easy or medium, and it knows which heroes Valve gives new players. Axe learned Dota by running at people. This tool is faster.

1. Tap how you want to fight: hit things, cast spells, help your team or be the tank.
2. Pick melee or ranged and how easy it should be: only the easiest heroes or a bit more.
3. Flip the cards. You get your three best matches with a match score and the reasons. Shuffle again shows the next three.

Axe explains

Beginner heroes in 10 seconds

1. 20heroes in Valve's New Player Mode.
2. 55heroes with the easiest rating.
3. 13heroes to save for later (3 stars).
4. 1hero Axe recommends. Axe.

Easy hero first. Fancy hero later. Axe hero always.

Best Dota 2 heroes for beginners: Valve's own list

Dota 2 has a New Player Mode for players who just started. It only allows 20 heroes, split into cores and supports. That is Valve telling you which heroes are safe to learn the game with. 18 of them have the easiest difficulty rating.

Cores in New Player Mode

Axe★★★

Dragon Knight★★★

Drow Ranger★★★

Juggernaut★★★

Muerta★★★

Phantom Assassin★★★

Sniper★★★

Tidehunter★★★

Viper★★★

Windranger★★★

Wraith King★★★

Zeus★★★

Supports in New Player Mode

Crystal Maiden★★★

Jakiro★★★

Lich★★★

Lion★★★

Pudge★★★

Vengeful Spirit★★★

Warlock★★★

Witch Doctor★★★

Hero pool from Liquipedia's game modes page. Stars are Valve's difficulty rating.

Hero guide · Dota2FreaksAxe: builds, items and how he wins fightsEasy to learn, in Valve's beginner pool and very loud. See the items and skill order that make Axe work.→

Easiest Dota 2 heroes: what the stars mean

Valve rates every hero from one to three stars. One star means few buttons and simple spells, three stars means tricky timing, many spells or unusual mechanics.

Save these 13 for later: Arc Warden, Brewmaster, Chen, Earth Spirit, Invoker, Io, Kez, Lone Druid, Meepo, Morphling, Oracle, Rubick and Visage. They are great heroes. They are just not great first heroes. Axe tried Invoker once. Axe pressed every button. Nothing happened. Then everything happened.

Your team talks about "pos 5", "ss" and "322"? The Dota 2 Slang Dictionary explains every word.

Found your heroes? Put them in their own row of the hero picker with the Hero Grid Generator, it has a preset by complexity too.

Pressing every button like Axe? The Hotkey Layout Builder shows which key does what, on a real keyboard.

Dreaming of a three-star hero? Invoker is one of them: the Invoker Combo Trainer drills his ten spells before your first game with him.

Playing with friends? Add them with their Friend ID: the Steam ID Converter finds it from any Steam profile.

A few games in? The Rank Quiz checks what you already know about items, heroes, timings and spells.

Not sure what kind of player you are yet? The Hero Quiz finds the hero that matches your personality.

Easy support heroes for beginners

Supports help the team: they stun, heal, save and set up kills. These have the easiest rating and a strong support role (2 or 3 of 3 in Valve's roles).

Crystal MaidenLichVengeful SpiritWitch DoctorDazzleLionAbaddonOgre MagiOmniknightShadow ShamanSkywrath MageUndyingVenomancer

Easy carry heroes for beginners

Carries farm gold and win the late game with right-clicks. These have the easiest rating and a strong carry role.

MuertaPhantom AssassinSniperAnti-MageChaos KnightGyrocopterMedusaDragon KnightDrow RangerJuggernautWraith KingAlchemistBristlebackHuskarLunaRazorRikiSlardarSvenUrsa

Easy tanky heroes for the front line

Tanky heroes stand in front, take the hits and start fights. Offlaners are often heroes like these. Easiest rating, strong durable role and at least some initiation:

AxeTidehunterWraith KingBristlebackCentaur WarrunnerMarsPrimal BeastDragon KnightViperAlchemistChaos KnightHuskarNight StalkerSlardarSpirit BreakerSven

Easy spell casters (good for learning mid)

Ranged heroes with strong spells are a common pick for the middle lane. These have the easiest rating and a strong nuker role:

LionZeusLeshracLinaSkywrath MageSnapfireCrystal MaidenJakiroLichMuertaWitch DoctorLunaNecrophosShadow Shaman

Heroes with a red frame are also in Valve's New Player Mode.

How the match score works

The match score is simple math on Valve's hero data, nothing made up:

• 60 points for how well the hero's roles fit your fight style (Valve role levels 0–3).
• 25 points for the difficulty: full points for one star, half for two stars. Three-star heroes never show up.
• 15 points if the hero is in Valve's New Player Mode.

Melee or ranged is a filter, not a score: if you pick ranged, you only see ranged heroes.

Your first games: Axe's beginner tips

• Play one hero for a while. Ten games on the same hero teach you more than ten games on ten heroes.
• Last hit creeps. The gold goes to whoever lands the final hit. Practice it every game.
• Carry a Town Portal Scroll. It takes you back to your towers when your team needs you.
• Dying costs gold and time. When you are low on HP, walk away. Axe never walks away. Axe also dies a lot.

Feeling brave? Let the Random Hero Picker choose. Every hero also has an innate ability from level 1: the Innate Ability Lookup explains them.

Guide · Dota2FreaksDota 2 Support Guide for position 4 and 5Picked a support? The guide covers both support roles, useful wards and a plan for your next three games.→

Free guide · Dota2FreaksRank Up Guide: find the one thing holding you backFive quick questions about your role, your lane and your losses. You get one habit to fix and a free mission for your next three games.→

FAQ: Axe answers questions