2022 is another big year for Dota 2 with the Dota Pro Circuit picking up steam and Dota: Dragon’s Blood pulling in players. Let’s look at the top heroes that you should try out this year to win more matchmaking rating points. 

You can have your favourite heroes in Dota 2 but you have to accept that sometimes, they are not viable in every game that you play. There will be some players who will counter-pick your favourite heroes which will cancel you out of the match. If you want to win more MMR, you should learn to diversify your hero pool. 

Dota 2 has been around for more than a decade and with that history, you have tons of resources to learn how to play X hero. With constant updates, Dota has proven to be a game that is always in flux. However, certain heroes have always remained strong despite constant nerfs. We will tackle some of the heroes that you can learn to play so you can use them in your ranked games.

Spectre

When people play the hard carry role, they tend to play the three classic heroes which are Juggernaut, Anti-Mage, and Drow Ranger. While all of these heroes are strong in their own right, they are easily counter-picked. You just need a hard disable the first two while Drow is susceptible to being ganked as she is a squishy hero that thrives playing in the shadows.

When it comes to hard carries, some players do not like using Spectre because they find her boring to use. While she is a slow hero in the early game, you will appreciate her power when she manages to farm her items and enter the late-game stage. 

Spectre’s main strength is her ability to keep herself in the fight for a long time while still maintaining a huge damage output. She thrives on absorbing most of the damage as well because she is naturally tanky. However, she shines because of her Dispersion ability which reflects the damage done to her on the enemies.

If you build a Radiance or a Blade Mail with this hero, you can expect that she will be untouchable during team fights. It also helps that her ultimate ability, Haunt, will spawn multiple Spectres across the entire map which can deal even more damage. Don’t believe the notion that Spectre is boring to use because she is an awesome hero that deserves more love.

Zeus 

In terms of the mid lane, Zeus is a hero that can give you maximum damage output all around the map. With four abilities that are centred on magical burst damage, Zeus is a perfect definition of a glass cannon. He is not a tanky hero at all but he outputs so much damage from across the map.

Zeus can eliminate most of the heroes on his own using his burst damage. It gets even better with the Aghanim’s Sceptre upgrade because he gets additional damage with his additional Nimbus skill.

If you are looking for a hero that will deal massive damage without having to engage in the heat of the team fight, Zeus is your hero. However, you should know that there are some drawbacks. You should learn how to position yourself well because when they catch you, you will have limited ways to escape. 

However, the positives outweigh all of the factors because Zeus’ consistent burst damage will always outlast the enemy units as long as Zeus’ position isn’t compromised. If you are looking for easy MMR points playing in the mid lane, Zeus is a good choice.

Warlock

People who love to play support as their main roles have a diverse hero pool with some viable supports in the game but most people tend to go with the flashy ones. Think of heroes like Earthshaker, Rubick, or Lion. While those heroes are strong, they have some weaknesses especially with their reliance on farm but in ranked games, it is hard to come across resources while playing as the support.

Warlock has a skill set that amplifies all of his teammates. He has Shadow Word which is his healing ability that can help the allies who are in need. On the other hand, Fatal Bonds, Upheaval, and the ultimate, Chaotic Offering are all skills that help in team fights. 

Warlock is squishy support which means that you need to find the right position in fights. Aether Lens is an awesome item to buy as well because you don’t have to get close. After all, it extends your cast range.

The biggest obstacle you will face is most likely the timing with Chaotic Offering. If you want to throw the golem down, you should do it at an opportune time because if you do it too early, the fight is lost. 

Puck

Whether it’s run in the mid lane or the off lane, Puck is arguably the most elusive hero in the game. You can be a disruptor in the fights with your skills while also drawing most of the attention. Puck is effective because you can just go in and out of fights constantly with high-damage output skills.

Dream Coil is also a strong tool for team fights because it groups all of the opponents in an area of effect. Puck has a high skill ceiling but if you get the hang of it, you will play as one of the game’s hardest matchups.

Centaur Warrunner 

As one of the beefiest players in the game, Centaur Warrunner is the perfect hero for both engaging and disengaging from team fights. He will be a dominant force with his Hoof Stomp stun but he can also deal damage with Double Edge and his passive skill, Retaliate. 

However, his ultimate, Stampede, is one of the best skills in the game because it can be used for both initiating team fights and disengaging. If you want a reliable offlaner that can do everything, Centaur is a top-tier choice.These are just some of the heroes that you should try out this year. They will help you gain those MMR points that you need to rank up. Always remember that a wide hero pool will make you a better Dota 2 player.