When playing ranked matches in Dota 2, the first thing players do before the match starts is to ban and pick heroes to use. This pick-and-ban phase is also applied in professional tournaments, upping the ante in competitiveness. However, if you are a fan of watching pro Dota 2 games, you will notice that some heroes are selected more frequently than others.

Having a high pick rate means a hero is easy to use, is meta-relevant, or synergizes well with most heroes. There are those with a high pick rate who also managed to win lots of games, meaning they are incredibly valuable in a lineup.

Curious to see which Dota 2 heroes have the highest win and pick rates? Here is a list of the 10 best heroes to use in ranked and competitive matches:

Mirana

Mirana is a ranged hero who specializes in ganking enemies due to her invisibility ability which also affects her allies. Her Star Storm and Sacred Arrow allow for damaging enemy units from near and far. She can also boost her power after initiating a fight through her Leap. Meanwhile, her invisibility gets reactivated even after she or any of her allies is revealed.

In ranked games, Mirana has a win rate of 51.43% and a pick rate of 15.73%.

Windranger

Windranger is also a ranged hero whose ability power depends on how strong her physical attack is. Her Shackleshot is an excellent crowd control tool that stuns and ties enemy units to each other while Powershot gets stronger the longer she charges her weapon. Defensively, she can use Windrun to improve her evasion and movement speed and Gale Force can push enemies away.

In ranked games, Windranger has a win rate of 47.95% and a pick rate of 17.24%.

Legion Commander

Legion Commander is a tanky yet mobile hero who can easily target squishy enemies. Her first ability, Overwhelming Odds, allows her to exploit enemy numbers to boost her strength. Her other two abilities, Press the Attack and Moment of Courage, can be used simultaneously to dispel enemy abilities and give her lifesteal.

Her ultimate, Duel, allows her to go one-on-one with an enemy hero using only normal attacks. In ranked games, Legion Commander has a win rate of 48.55% and a pick rate of 17.22%.

Lion

Lion is a ranged hero who can disrupt enemy combos with his crowd control abilities. Earth Spike status enemies after being knocked airborne. Hex transforms enemies into a frog while Mana Drain prevents enemies from using abilities due to Lion’s absorption of mana. His ultimate, Finger of Death, is a powerful move that gets even better for every kill he gets.

In ranked games, Lion has a win rate of 48.67% and a pick rate of 17.02%.

Slark

Slark is a melee hero who can harass enemies safely due to his Depth Shroud which creates a smokescreen and Shadow Dance which renders him undetectable by any item. Slark can also drain the attributes of his enemies through his Essence Shift and capitalize further on this by tethering his victim with Pounce.

In ranked games, Slark has a win rate of 50.15% and a pick rate of 17.55%.

Invoker

Invoker is a ranged hero who is arguably the most difficult Dota 2 hero to learn. He can use various abilities based on the combination of his three elemental reagents: Quas, Wex, and Exort. Quas provides increased HP regeneration, Wex provides a boost in movement and attack speeds while Exort improves Invoker’s damage output.

In ranked games, Invoker has a win rate of 47.47% and a pick rate of 22.67%.

Sniper

Sniper is a ranged hero who is known to have a decent damage output that scales as the game progresses. Aside from his range and accuracy-related abilities like Take Aim and Headshot, he can also use explosives that have an area of effect. His ultimate, Assassinate, can deal heavy damage or even take down enemies from afar.

In ranked games, Sniper has a win rate of 49.65% and a pick rate of 23.27%.

Phantom Assassin

Phantom Assassin is a melee hero who is used as a carry due to her insane critical hits and evasive abilities. Stifling Dagger and Fan of Knives are her main offensive moves while Phantom Strike and Blur make her an elusive opponent to deal with. Her ultimate, Coup de Grace, can be used to finish off enemies in an instant.

In ranked games, Phantom Assassin has a win rate of 50.19% and a pick rate of 24.12%.

Juggernaut

Juggernaut is an easy hero to master despite using melee attacks. This is because his abilities revolve around the use of his sword. His Blade Fury and Blade Dance combo well while his Swiftslash and Omnislash improve his mobility before attacking. What makes him last longer in team fights is his Healing Ward which also affects allies.

In ranked games, Juggernaut has a win rate of 50.61% and a pick rate of 21.20%.

Pudge

Pudge is a melee hero famous for pulling enemies close to him with his Meat Hook. His other abilities deal decent damage but depending on what ability you use, it may get risky or rewarding. Rot releases a toxic cloud that also damages Pudge while Dismember heals him up as he devours an enemy unit.

In ranked games, Pudge has a win rate of 51.12% and a pick rate of 33.94%.

If you regularly play Dota 2, chances are you will be coaxing your teammates to use any of these heroes or try to secure some of them yourself. The advantages these heroes can provide to a team is no joke. Try to learn how to use most of them to improve your game. Just remember to exercise teamwork so as not to waste these heroes’ potential.