Melee heroes make up half of the hero pool in Dota and the majority of the carry hero pool. They’re often considered to be weak in the laning phase due to the natural disadvantage against ranged heroes who can harass and shove them out of the lane, but with the right item timings and fights, they can turn the game around!
It is safe to say that most melee heroes shine in the late game, as they acquire more items and get fat. But not all the melee heroes are relevant in the current meta. We have compiled this list of the 10 Best Meele Heroes that wreck hard in the current patch to assist you on your MMR journey.
10. Juggernaut
The masked Samurai is a deadly hero that is better left untamed. It is impossible to contain him if he unleashes his true potential. Juggernaut is considered to be a beginner-friendly hero but only the advanced players understand the true potential and mechanics of this hero. Not only is he great at farming, but he can also control the tempo with his ultimate. He is also known as one of the most flexible heroes in the game in terms of item builds.
Why is Juggernaut a great melee hero?
- Does more with levels as opposed to farm.
- Great base movement speed, armor, and attack speed.
- Great talent tree that scales well with items.
Items to buy on Juggernaut
- Diffusal Blade
- Sange and Yasha
- Aghanim’s Scepter and shard
- Butterfly
- Eye of Skadi
9. Riki
This silent assassin is quite slippery! He is known to be quick and agile, he is not to be seen at all times! Along with a great disable in the form of silence, Riki hits really hard. Items such as Diffusal Blade and Skull Basher which counter the squishy heroes are often bought first by him. Though a tad bit slow at farming, Riki can gain gold and XP through team fights as his toolkit is quite great at fighting right off the bat!
Why is Riki a great melee hero?
- Riki is a natural Diffusal Blade carrier, and it doesn't help that he's easily capable of sneaking up on his squishy foes due to Cloak and Dagger.
- Riki can follow up with Smoke Screen and disable enemies.
- There is also a chance Riki will become invisible again as the spell projectiles travel, disjointing the stuns and other disables.
Items to Buy on Riki
- Diffusal Blade
- Abyssal Blade
- Daedalus
- Aghanim’s Shard
- Black King Bar
8. Monkey King
The fierce King sets his eyes on his enemies and does not stop without obliterating them from the battlefield! Although Monkey King is comparatively a weak laner, he can farm faster and even gank other lanes quite early in the game. All he needs is a Diffusal Blade and Manta Style to counter most ranged heroes. The immense damage from Jingu can’t be negated by the squishy enemies, making him the first priority in team fights. All you need is one great team fight with MK to come back into the game!
Why is Monkey King a great melee hero?
- Most heroes can’t destroy trees when Monkey uses Tree Dance.
- Monkey King tends to get Diffusal Blade, leaving his foes with no mana to use spells with.
- Wu Kong’s Command destroys squishy heroes and controls the crowd well.
Items to Buy on Monkey King
- Diffusal Blade
- Eye of Skadi
- Black King Bar
- Satanic
7. Nightstalker
This silent stalker hunts for his enemies throughout the night, as dawn approaches his powers to get weaker but he still holds the power to rip his enemies apart. Most heroes can’t contest Nightstalker because they are frankly powerless against him, courtesy of the Silence and crippling slow. Nightstalker may be a slow farmer but as soon as he hits level 6, he can rotate towards other lanes to secure kills and gold. Blink Dagger remains an exceptional item that can be used to initiate along with the silence, and further hunt down his foes.
Why is Nightstalker a great melee hero?
- Crippling Fear makes Night Stalker great against heroes with escape potential.
- High HP, movement speed, and armor
- Less reliant on items, more on levels
Items to Buy on Nightstalker
- Blink Dagger
- Aghanim’s Scepter
- Black King Bar
- Echo Sabre
- Armlet of Mordiggian
- Skull Basher
6. Ember Spirit
The fiery spirit of this warrior is unparalleled, his immense knowledge and capabilities are surely a sight worth witnessing. Being a melee hero vs. ranged heroes can be a hard task, especially in the late stages of the game, but ES defies all odds and is considered to be a great counter simply due to his AoE damage output along with the ability to soak up some serious damage. His flexibility allows him to obliterate enemies of all different kinds.
Why is Ember Spirit Great a great melee hero?
- High AoE damage which is hybrid (physical and magical)
- Can destroy illusions and clear waves effortlessly.
- Farms faster compared to most foes.
- Great talent tree that scales well with items and spells
Items to Buy on Ember Spirit
- Mjolnir
- Radiance
- Shiva’s Guard
- Blademail
- Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard
5. Alchemist
Alchemy and greed go hand in hand for our fellow Alchemist. He controls the game with his powerful Orc who guides him around the battlefield. With his Greevil’s Greed talent, it’s expected that he has at least 2 items before the 20-minute mark in-game. With armor reduction from Acid Spray and Unstable Concoction, he can lock enemies down and give them a run for their money with his ultimate. His enemies find it quite impossible to out farm him, his pace is quite unparalleled if he is having a good time.
Why is Alchemist a great melee hero?
- Grevil’s Greed passive provides him with increased gold
- Items such as Radiance, Manta Style, Battlefury increase his farming speed
- Low CD on spells
Items to Buy on Alchemist
- Radiance
- Assault Cuirass
- Shiva’s Guard
- Manta Style
- Black King Bar
4. Phantom Assassin
All support heroes fear the presence of Phantom Assassin as she is known to obliterate them with only a few hits. She is agile and silent in her moves, as an assassin should be. Phantom Assassin is one of the most played heroes in the game. She has great base movement and attack speed, which is rarely found in a carry hero. Her spells may seem underwhelming in the early game but as she reaches the late game mark, she can do a lot with just one Stifling Dagger.
Why is Phantom Assassin a great melee hero?
- Has great mobility with the Phantom Strike spell, can be used both defensively and offensively.
- The Blur spell provides up to 50% evasion, which is a great spell in the early game.
- Is capable of dealing over 2k critical damage.
Items to buy on Phantom Assassin
- Desolator
- Skull Basher
- Satanic
- Butterfly
- Monkey King Bar
3. Anti-Mage
Anti-Mage charismatic warrior has a bone to pick against the mages! His hatred for the arcane arts is unmatchable. He is unparalleled in the pro scene. He has what you need to counter most mage heroes, mana break. An early game AM can effortlessly decimate his enemies' mana and make him buy mangoes or Soul Ring to compensate. This will slow down their farm while AM is known to farm at a faster pace, allowing him to get ahead in the net worth charts.
Why is Anti-Mage a great melee hero?
- Mana Break can prevent enemies from using their spells.
- Blink allows him to escape and farm quickly
- With Manta Style, his mana burning will triple because illusions can also use Mana Break.
Items to Buy on AM
- Black King Bar
- Manta Style
- Abyssal Blade
- Butterfly
2. Ursa
This ferocious and breathtaking bear is a force to be reckoned with. Ursa is one of the most played carry heroes in the game, known for his ability to jungle smoothly and slay Roshan alone. His third ability, Fury Swipes, combined with his second, Overpower, can obliterate squishy enemy support heroes in the early game. Buying a Morbid mask allows him to sustain in lane and turn around a fight swiftly coupled with his ultimate, Enrage.
Why is Ursa a great melee hero?
- Menace against squishy heroes.
- Less reliable on items, more reliable on abilities.
- Can easily secure Roshan alone, gaining the Aegis of Immortality.
Items to buy on Ursa
- Blink Dagger
- Diffusal Blade
- Satanic
- Abyssal Blade
1. Sven
The rogue knight is known for inducing fear into his enemy’s minds, his fierce moves and heavy sword scare all the foes away. Sven is known to be one of the best carry heroes in the game. There are various reasons why Sven is number one on this list. He has it all, AoE stun, ease of farming, movement speed, and double damage. Sven is capable of dominating the battlefield all by himself. The items only supplement his abilities and enhance his presence during team fights.
Why makes Sven a great melee hero?
- Aghanim’s Scepter allows him to pounce on enemy heroes and stun them at the same time, a great gap closer.
- Can 1 hit kill squishy heroes.
- His AoE stun, Storm Hammer, is a useful crowd control spell.
- Can easily 1v5 with lifesteal and damage items.
Items to buy on Sven
- Echo Sabre
- Assault Cuirass
- Daedalus
- Black King Bar
- Bloodthorn
- Satanic
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