To win a typical game of Dota, you need an array of heroes that can contribute the maximum in a teamfight. Typically, AoE heroes effectively damage multiple heroes at once and hence are a decent choice when it comes to fighting early on in the game. AoE heroes come in all shapes and sizes, the ones that do massive damage in an AoE, the ones that disable multiple heroes at once and the ones that slow….you get the gist. Having at least two AoE heroes can help you turn the tide against your enemies in the late game.
In this article, we bring you the Best 15 AoE Heroes which will help you wreak havoc on the entire enemy team with your damage and impact! These heroes are effective in the meta and will ensure that you win your fights.
15. Crystal Maiden
Crystal Maiden is the perfect support hero regardless of the meta. She can be picked in tandem with any carry hero and nine out of the ten times their lane combo will be victorious. She has all the spells that her enemies hate! Everything from decent AoE damage to lockdown, there are ways to dominate the low magic-resistant heroes. Often, laning is a nightmare for her opponents as they are subjected to constant harassment, shoving them out of the lane. Crystal Maiden does her best when she has levels, making her more relevant as she can participate in teamfights.
Crystal Maiden is by far, one of the least complex support heroes in the game, which explains her high pick rate, she can easily catch her enemies off-guard with her Frost Bite and unleash her Frost Nova on them. She is an exceptional laner, a dominant fighter, and all in all a great way to counter multiple heroes at once with her intense AoE damage. Her toolkit is highly lethal, it does not fall off no matter how late you are in the game. All it takes is one spell to catch unsuspecting enemies off-guard.
What makes Crystal Maiden a great AoE hero?
- Impressive spells can be used to lock enemies down and deal damage right from the laning phase.
- Her passive provides global mana regeneration, helping all her allied heroes with their mana regardless of their position on the map.
- She can farm quickly to acquire items, making her active support
- Highly relevant in the late game as her spells do not fall off, they’re only amplified due to her talent tree and items.
- Ultimate can be used in tandem with any ally who has crowd control abilities, allowing her to neutralize multiple enemies at once.
Crystal Maiden is strong against:
- Wraith King - Wraith King has low mobility, which makes it hard for him to catch the Maiden down in a teamfight due to the latter’s slows and Frostbite lockdown.
- Broodmother - Broodmother’s spiderlings are decimated with Crystal Maiden’s AoE damage spells, making it hard for her to effectively deal damage without them.
- Lycan - Lycan’s ultimate is ruined if Maiden catches him off-guard with her frostbite.
- Meepo - Meepo’s low magic resistance makes him an easy target to Crystal Maiden’s high magical AoE damage.
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer cannot cancel Maiden’s ultimate, making him fall prey to her damage if he is frostbitten.
Crystal Maiden is weak against:
- Rubick - Rubick can steal all of Maiden’s spells and deal more damage with them due to his spell amplification.
- Bristleback - All of Bristleback’s spells allow him to easily close in on Crystal Maiden and kill her.
- Pudge - Pudge can easily hook a stationary Crystal Maiden under the effect of her ultimate, easily leading to her death if followed by Dismember.
- Dawnbreaker - Dawnbreaker’s global potential makes it hard for Crystal Maiden to lock her enemies down, as there is always the threat of Dawn using her ultimate and healing her allies.
- Kez - Kez’s action-packed toolkit makes it easy for him to stand his ground and fight against Maiden.
CRYSTAL MAIDEN Hard Support Gameplay
14. Dawnbreaker
Dawnbreaker is one of the newest additions to the game, and she is a force to be reckoned with! Her strong spells are sure not to be underestimated! Dawnbreaker is a versatile hero who can be played in any position due to the flexible nature of her spells. She is known to be quite tanky and slippery right from the early game! This makes it easier to play for newer players!
Dawnbreaker is a menace in the late game due to the value that she brings to the team fight, usually building utility items such as the Solar Crest, Pipe of Insight, Guardian Greaves, Blademail, Vladimir’s Offering, and much more! Both the Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard are of great value.
What makes Dawnbreaker a great AoE hero?
- She can use the Celestial Hammer’s ability to escape or initiate.
- Solar Guardian ultimate can be used to escape to your allies and heal them in the process.
- Impressive talent tree that increases the cast range of her abilities.
Dawnbreaker is strong against
- Legion Commander - Dawnbreaker can simply use Solar Guardian to heal and initiate on Legion if she uses Duel on her allies.
- Slark - Dawnbreaker can simply chase down Slark with Celestial Hammer and stun him even if he is under the effect of Shadow Dance.
- Phantom Assassin - Danbreaker can stand her ground against Phantom Assassin due to her high armor and healing potential.
- Naga Siren - Naga and her illusions can be obliterated by Dawn’s damage. The latter can also jump and heal her allies if they are affected by Naga’s song.
- Crystal Maiden - Dawnbreaker can stop Crystal Maiden from channeling his spells by using Starbreaker on them.
Dawnbreaker is weak against
- Elder Titan - Elder Titan greatly reduces Dawnbreaker’s armor and makes her susceptible to lockdown with his earth stomp.
- Silencer - Silence reduces any chances of Dawnbreaker initiating and healing her allies in the teamfight.
- Winter Wyvern - Dawnbreaker can’t use Solar Guardian on allies affected by Winter’s Curse as she will attack them due to its effect.
- Bristleback - Dawnbreaker’s damage is reduced heavily against Bristleback due to his high armor and damage reduction.
- Keeper of the Light - Keeper of the Light has high magical damage, which Dawnbreaker despises due to her low magic resistance.
13. Ancient Apparition
Ancient Apparition is a powerful support hero that excels in lane due to his excellent harass capabilities and lane control with his chilling touch spell. He can secure kills for his carry with his Cold Feet, which forces enemies to remain in place or suffer the consequences. Along with that, his ultimate, Ice Blast, can be a game-changer in team fights, preventing enemy heroes from healing and making it easier for the team to secure kills. In the late game, Ancient Apparition's Ice Vortex spell can also provide invaluable vision, as well as increasing spell damage for allies, making him a valuable asset to have on the team.
Right from the laning phase, Ancient Apparition proves to be a menace if played as a lane support. The new update has buffed his Ice Vortex, as it now provides ample vision and amplifies the magical damage of allied spells, allowing for easier kills and more efficient farming. Overall, Ancient Apparition is a reliable support hero that can excel in any stage of the game, from the early laning phase to the late-game team fights.
What makes Ancient Apparition a great AoE hero?
- Ice Blast is a phenomenal spell that can significantly affect team fights and turn the tide of a game. It's a global range that can contribute to team fights from anywhere on the map.
- Chilling Touch and Cold Feet, can also be very impactful in the early game and provide strong harass and kill potential in lane.
- Ice Vortex can be used to provide vision and slow enemies, making it a versatile spell that can be used both offensively and defensively.
- He is also a great hero to pair with other heroes that have high burst damage, as his ultimate can ensure that enemies cannot be healed or saved by their allies.
Ancient Apparition is strong against
- Huskar- Ice Blast nullifies the health regeneration granted by Inner Fire, which Huskar greatly relies on to stay alive in battle.
- Necrophos - Ice Blast prevents Necrophos from healing his allies or himself.
- Dazzle - Shallow Grave prevents Ice Blast's shatter for up to 5 seconds, but can mostly only delay it as Ice Blast's debuff lasts 10 seconds and prevents Shadow Wave from healing them.
- Bristleback - Ice Blast can greatly soften Bristleback due to the low regen reduction.
- Io - Io cannot sustain himself and his allies with heals if he is targeted by Ice Blast and stuns from Cold Feet.
Ancient Apparition is weak against
- Anti-Mage - Mana Break and Mana Void deal a lot of damage to Ancient Apparition due to his high mana pool.
- Lycan - Shapeshift increases Lycan's movement speed and renders him unslowable, allowing him to easily avoid and escape Ancient Apparition's abilities.
- Storm Spirit - Lightning Ball allows Storm to easily escape the freezing range of Cold Feet and Ice Blast.
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer can dispel the Cold Feet effect with Doppelganger.
- Void Spirit - Void Spirit has an excellent toolkit to escape Ancient Apparition’s freezing spells.
12. Tidehunter
The mighty and resilient Tidehunter does exceptionally well in the offlane, primarily against squishy melee heroes as he can simply lower their armor and deal high damage while significantly reducing the damage he takes in return. He deals little to no damage to the former due to Anchor Smash his naturally high Base Armor along with his mighty Kraken Shell which drastically reduces any damage he takes. Tide can simply blink into Ravage and have his team follow up on the enemies, he can also build items like Solar Crest, or Lotus Orb to reduce the amount of damage he takes.
Most players have no choice but to ignore this mighty melon man during teamfights as they can not deal damage to him due to Kraken Shell even with the help of their teammates. Tide can simply negate all the damage and tank through the team fight, shielding his cores. Most carry heroes have no way to turn the tides against the Tidehunter in the late game due to his immense armor, his offlane impact and lane damage are too hard to be ignored right from the early game.
Why is Tidehunter a great AoE hero?
- Anchor Smash's bonus damage has the potential to kill creeps quite effortlessly while reducing the physical damage that enemies deal.
- Tidehunter does not rely heavily on the farm and can rotate lanes to hunt enemies quite early on in the game, as soon as his Ravage is available.
- Immense crowd control with the help of his ultimate, Ravage, allows him to lock down multiple heroes at once.
Tidehunter is strong against
- Wraith King- Kraken Shell is very useful against Wraith Blast and while Anchor Smash can reduce Wraith King’s already low damage in the early game
- Phantom Lancer - Anchor Smash and Ravage destroy Phantom Lancer’s illusions, making him an easy target in the teamfight
- Medusa - Tidehunter can easily get on top of Medusa and reduce her damage while also locking her down with Ravage once she uses Stone Gaze.
- Chaos Knight - Chaos Knight’s Phantasms have a low resistance to Tidehunter’s damage, making him weak in the early game.
- Silencer - Silencer’s spells do not last on Tidehunter as they are dispelled by Kraken Shell.
Tidehunter is weak against
- Chen - Chen can sustain himself and his allies with a plethora of heals and auras which make the Tidehunter effective in teamfights
- Elder Titan - Elder Titan’s passive negates armor, making Tidehunter weak at close range.
- Juggernaut - Ravage can be countered if Juggernaut uses his Blade Fury at the right time.
- Razor - Kraken Shell's dispel does not restore damage stolen by Static Link, and the stolen damage easily offsets Anchor Smash's damage reduction.
- Omniknight - Guardian Angel and heals from Omniknight make it hard for the Tidehunter to be effective in a teamfight.
11. Puck
The mystical faerie dragon, Puck is one of the few non-tanky heroes on this list, and the reason why he is so hard to kill is attributed to his spells! Although relatively a weak and squishy laner, Puck can turn the tides around against enemies if he manages to secure his early game by farming sufficiently and ganking other lanes. Puck’s slippery spells make him hard to kill, he can escape with his Illusory Orb, Waning Rift, and also with his Phase Shift. All these spells combined with items like Blink Dagger and Eul’s just enhance his agility and make him one annoying hero to catch.
Even if you manage to catch the Puck with silence, he can just purge it off with his Eul’s! The early game is always Puck favored because he is innately slippery and deals a ton of magical damage and also has decent lockdown. On the offensive, Puck is equally lethal and annoying. His items allow him to catch foes off-guard and deal high amounts of damage to them. Puck does more damage by just kiting his foes around and making them waste time by being painstakingly nimble.
Why is Puck a great AoE hero?
- Illusory Orb and Waning Rift provide great mobility, allowing Puck to initiate on enemy heroes or to escape, making him hard to kill
- Puck is also known to purchase items like Blink Dagger, Eul’s Scepter, and Linken’s Sphere which make him an extremely nimble hero to get hold of.
Puck is strong against
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer is countered by silence, AoE damage and lockdown, three tools that Puck has in his toolkit.
- Queen of Pain - Puck can silence Queen of Pain and lock her down with Dream Coil, closing all doors of exit for her.
- Invoker - Invoker cannot stand his ground once he is silenced by Waning Rift.
- Slark - Waning Rift and Dream Coil make it hard for Slark to escape or be impactful in a teamfight.
- Storm Spirit - Storm despises silences, which make it impossible for him to initiate or escape the teamfight.
Puck is weak against
- Riki - Puck can’t use his spells if he is silenced by Riki’s Smoke Screen in teamfights.
- Nightstalker - Nightstalker can get on top of Puck with Blink or Ultimate and further silencer him and reduce his potential teamfight.
- Lone Druid - Lone Druid’s Bear can root Puck, making him vulnerable and unable to use his spells.
- Broodmother - Broodmother usually builds an Orchid of Malovalence, which silences Puck, susceptive to further damage unless he builds Euls or Linken’s.
- Spectre - Puck has high mobility but Spectre has Shadow Step! The latter’s ultimate allows her to hunt down Puck regardless of where he might be on the map.
10. Warlock
Warlock the sinister wizard has been an affluent counter to team fighter heroes regardless of any nerfs or buffs. There are various reasons why Warlock is included on this list. The damage from Fatal Bonds to squishy heroes is too much for them to handle, the annoying damage can cause them to go back to the base to regen, further ruining their gameplay and item timings. Warlock also can work well without many items, as he is more of a level-reliant hero. His AoE spells allow him to push quickly, he is also known to use his ultimate to summon a Golem, which can be used to push lanes and tank the towers.
This mystical wizard is quite underestimated but if utilized to his full potential can decimate most heroes with his devastating magical spell combo. Warlock is picked frequently due to his easy skill set. He can heal and deal destruction with his spells. Fatal Bonds combined with Shadow Word can deal some heavy damage to unsuspecting foes. Chaotic Offering ensures enemies can’t use their high ticket spells even with the Black King Bar on as it pierces spell immunity, vastly destroying their game.
Why is Warlock a powerful AoE hero?
- Chaotic Offerings can be used both as a team fighting tool or a way to take down towers with the help of the Golems.
- Fatal Bonds can be used to make creeps and enemies easy to kill, due to their immense magical AoE damage.
- Shadow Word is an effective spell that can also be used as a way to push lanes if you acquire the Aghanim’s Shard which makes it an AoE spell.
Warlock is strong against
- Terrorblade - Terrorblade’s illusions melt quickly against the fatal AoE of Warlock
- Chaos Knight - Phantasms stand no chance against Fatal Bonds and Upheaval combo.
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer’s illusions stand no chance against Warlock’s heavy damage.
- Naga Siren- Fatal Bonds link the Naga Siren and her illusions together, which combined with the area of effect damage or Cleave will be devastating.
- Enigma - Chaotic Offering pierces spell immunity and is an area of effect ability, therefore it doesn't matter if Enigma buys Black King Bar or Linken's Sphere, Warlock will always be able to cancel the channeling of Black Hole.
Warlock is weak against
- Weaver - Weaver's Shukuchi allows him to escape from Warlock's Upheaval with high move speed.
- Bristleback - Bristleback’s high damage resistance reduces Warlock’s impact on him in teamfights.
- Shadow Fiend - Shadow Fiend can mow down Warlock and his Golem with his physical damage and spells.
- Morphling - Morhpling can give Warlock a taste of his own medicine by morphing into him and dealing him heavy damage
- Tidehunter - Warlock’s damage and spell effect is quickly dispelled off Tidehunter due to the latter’s Kraken Shell ability
9. Luna
Luna, the Moon rider, is a popular hero for beginners and pros alike. Her farming abilities and massive AoE damage output make her a force to be reckoned with. Although laning can be tough for Luna, she can fall back on the jungle to farm with the help of her Moon Glaives and decent early-game damage. Luna is a great pick for dealing with hybrid damage as her ultimate Eclipse deals an ungodly amount of magical damage which complements her physical damage. In 7.37d, we see Luna back in action as she is constantly picked due to the buffs to her ultimate and also to the general items she builds in the late game.
Luna's quick farming abilities and massive AoE damage output make her a prime pick for dealing with enemy heroes. She clears waves quickly, allowing her to farm and split push at an impressive pace. Other carry heroes often struggle to keep up with Luna if the game goes on for more than 40 minutes. Additionally, Luna can be paired with heroes who have massive crowd-control abilities, giving them an advantage over their weaker opponents.
What makes Luna a great AoE hero?
- Lunar Blessing ability offers increased night vision and bonus damage for allies.
- Immense farming potential thanks to the Moon Glaives passive.
- Usually known for hitting the item timings early due to her incredible farming speed.
- Luna has high armor and HP for an agility hero.
- Eclipse deals magic damage, which is essential for heroes with high armor/HP.
Luna is strong against:
- Nightstalker- Luna's short range and fast movement speed allow her to fight Nightstalker
- Undying - Though Undying’s Decay can greatly reduce Luna's HP, Undying has low magic resistance, so Lucent Beam and Eclipse can kill her very quickly.
- Slardar - Luna's Moon Glaives allow her to stop Slardar from running away.
- Riki - Riki has decent mobility but the damage dished out from Luna’s spells and Khanda reduces him to rubbles due to his low HP
- Shadow Shaman - Shaman can’t withstand the damage of Eclipse, discouraging him from using his channeling shackles on Luna or his allies.
Luna is weak against:
- Bristleback - Bristleback can simply turn away and ignore Luna’s massive magic and physical damage.
- Dark Seer - Luna can be disrupted by the Vaccum Wall combination, creating illusions of her that deal a great amount of physical damage to her.
- Broodmother - While Luna can farm Broodlings, Brood and her army of broodlings can overwhelm her once she gets Orchid.
- Chen- No matter where he is on the map, Chen can heal his allies if they are being affected by Luna’s high-damage spells
- Shadow Demon - Disruption can create illusions of Luna, which Shadow Demon can use to farm or fight.
8. Mars
The first son of heaven, Mars, is somewhat of the rage in the offlane. His exceptional tank potential and damage-dealing abilities rank him high up on this list. Mars is an exceptional hero if you want someone to tank out all the damage and lead the charge for your team, and a great wave-clear hero as well. He synergizes well with most heroes, making him a flexible pick in every game, and can withstand tonnes of damage with his flexible and reliable item build. He is also extremely durable due to his Bulwark, making him stand his ground in teamfights.
Mars is picked often due to his high reliability, allowing him to opt for multiple different builds according to the heroes he is facing, a luxury that not all heroes get to have. He is also an exceptional crowd control hero, courtesy of his ultimate, which prevents people from entering the Arena or dealing damage from outside of it. This way he can shield himself and his allies from enemy onslaught or corner certain enemy heroes and beat them down within no time under its duration, while also making him a tough nut to crack.
What makes Mars a good AoE hero?
- The Bulwark spell makes it hard for Mars’ enemies to attack him, as he takes less damage if attacked from the front or the sides
- His Arena doesn’t allow him to get any damage dealt to him if it comes from outside of it, allowing him to isolate enemies and trap them inside, which is especially great with his Facet.
- Mars naturally has high HP and armor, he also builds high armor and HP items (ex. Assault Cuirass, Overwhelming Blink, Shiva’s Guard) which amplify his durability.
- Mars naturally has a great source of damage with his other spells as well, which also allows him to become a great crowd-control hero and deal copious damage deep into the late-game
Mars is strong against
- Drow Ranger - Drow has no mobility, making her an easy target in teamfights for Mars.
- Io- Io is generally squishy and targets affected by the Arena are not visible to their allies, making it hard for Io to heal or relocate allies outside the war zone.
- Brewmaster - Brewmaster’s brewlings can easily melt against the damage dealt by Mars’ Bulwark.
- Slark - With Mars’ constant pressure, Slark has a hard early game, even in the late game, Mars’ spells go through Slark’s Shadow Dance.
- Windranger- Windranger has very minimal mobility, which makes her an easy target for Mars’ lockdown and massive damage
Mars is weak against
- Lifestealer - Rage can prevent Lifestealer from being affected by Mars’ spell.
- Naga Siren - Once Mars uses his ultimate, Naga Siren can prevent him from further using his spells by using Song of the Siren.
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer can use Doppelganger to escape Mars’ arena.
- Anti-Mage- Anti-Mage can Blink out of Mars’ Arena, ignoring his damage output
- Ember Spirit - If Ember has a remnant at a secure location, he can simply jump out of the Arena if he is quick enough
7. Shadow Fiend
Nevermore, the haunting Shadow Fiend is the enslaver of all souls. His eerie abilities harness him the power to dominate the battlefield. Shadow Fiend is one of the top-tier mid-heroes in the game, he can be on the Mount Rushmore of Mid heroes. Every core player has him in their rotation, primarily due to how easily this hero can farm and deal damage right from the early stages of the game. The recent buffs to his Facets and Presence of the Dark Lord have also brought him under the radar of carry players, making him a versatile pick. If you want to expand your hero pool while climbing up the MMR ladder, then Shadow Fiend is the right carry hero in this patch.
The haunting Shadow Fiend is an excellent hero in the meta, but with certain builds and items, he can dominate the game quite easily. Certain builds include the Sange and Yasha into Hurrican Pike, Black King Bar and Monkey King Bar, which make him a lethal force to be reckoned with. Although all these items can sound overwhelming to acquire, all you need is a Mask of Madness and a few levels in Raze and Presence of the Dark Lord to wreak havoc.
Why is Shadow Fiend a great AoE hero?
- Shadow Fiend’s updated facet provides him with armor corruption, which works effectively on buildings as well as heroes, making him a lethal right-clicker right from the laning phase.
- Shadow Fiend can be an active carry hero from the early game, as all he needs is a few levels in Shadow Raze and Requiem to be impactful in a teamfight.
- Shadow Fiend has a strong talent tree, which can make it easy for him to deal high physical damage from his Razes while increasing his overall threat in a fight.
Shadow Fiend is strong against:
- Meepo - Shadow Fiend can deal immense AoE damage and beat down Meepo with his Raze and armor reduction.
- Anti-Mage - Shadow Fiend can take advantage of Anti-Mage’s low armor and beat him down once he blinks into the teamfight.
- Oracle - Oracle has low armor and mobility, making it easy for him to target the Oracle. Inexperienced Oracle players will surely use the ultimate on themselves, providing Shadow Fiend a huge window to hunt down his allies as they have no protection.
- Abbadon - Aphotic Shield and Mist Coil are of no use if Shadow Fiend’s lethal damage can reverse its effect in one single hit.
- Warlock - Although Warlock can initiate or stop Shadow Fiend from casting his ultimate, the latter’s high damage can shortly help him fend off the Golems and destroy Warlock who lacks armor and mobility.
Shadow Fiend is weak against:
- Terrorblade - With Reflection, Terrorblade can give Shadow Fiend a taste of his own medicine. Further, if Shadow Fiend is unable to finish off Terrorblade with the Requiem and Raze combo, Terrorblade can simply use Sunder and finish Shadow Fiend.
- Templar Assassin - Shadow Fiend has no mobility and low armor, two factors that Templar takes heavy advantage of. She can slow Shadow Fiend down with her traps while melting his armor with Meld.
- Phantom Lancer - Shadow Fiend can be overwhelmed by the massive army of Phantom Assassin illusions, making him an effective counter to the former.
- Windranger - Windranger can use Shackle Shot and Gale Force to reduce Shadow Fiend’s impact in a teamfight. She can further use Focus Fire to constantly target Shadow Fiend in a teamfight, profiting off his low armor.
- Hoodwink - Hoodwink can slow down Shadow Fiend with Acorn Shot and Bushwack, canceling his ultimate if he is channeling it. Her ultimate, Sharpshooter, can apply break if it hits Shadow Fiend, making it hard for the demon to reduce armor and deal increased damage for a brief duration.
6. Queen of Pain
The seductive Queen of Pain knows how to hunt and haunt her prey. It is obvious that she is quite well-versed when it comes to handling damage, and for sure knows how to deal twice back to the caster. Queen of Pain is quite dominant against most mid-heroes, putting them at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to net worth. Her naturally high magic damage is quite hard for low magic-resistant heroes to tolerate. It also takes them ages to farm magic resistance to negate any sort of damage dished out by the mighty Queen.
items. You’re at the wrong end of the leash if you face off against the Queen of Pain. There is constant spam and harassment, which is irritating to lane against as if it is overlooked then it can result in your death. She has the perfect skill set to both harass and kill the enemies, her mobility makes her even harder to catch as she can just Blink away if enemies try to initiate on her. Unlike most mid-lane heroes, the Queen of Pain is active as soon as she gets her level 6, allowing her to gank other lanes.
Why is QoP a great AoE hero?
- She is extremely good at wave clear and farming.
- Active hero and a decent early-game ganker.
- Immensely high magical damage on spells that supplement her ability to kill.
- Mobile due to her Blink, which helps her initiate or escape from a teamfight.
QoP is strong against
- Leshrac - Although Leshrac can lock down Queen of Pain with his stun, he needs more follow up and stuns to kill her in a teamfight, or else Queen can simply Blink away.
- Razor - Queen of Pain can’t be targeted by Razor as she can simply Blink away once he starts using his static link on her
- Timbersaw - Timbersaw has decent chase potential with Timber Chain but Qop can simply Blink at a location where there are no trees, making it hard for Timbersaw to catch her.
- Sand King - Queen can simply blink away after Sand King jumps on her with Burrowstrike.
- Clockwerk - Queen of Pain can escape Clockwerk’s initiation with her Blink.
Qop is weak against
- Ember Spirit - Ember can chase Queen of Pain and mow her down with his massive physical and magical damage
- Meepo - Meepo can overwhelm Queen of Pain and lock her down with his Earthbind.
- Huskar - Huskar can chase Qop with his Lifebreak and deal enough damage with his stacks before she can blink out to safety
- Chen - Chen can heal himself and his allies if they are struck by Qop’s magical damage.
- Medusa - Qop deals no effective damage to Medusa due to her massive mana shield.
QUEEN OF PAIN Midlane Gameplay
5. Invoker
Invoker is a quintessential AoE mid pick to squishy and low magic resistance heroes, and there are various reasons for it. Low magic resistance is a weakness that Voker takes great advantage of. Invoker often breaks even in the laning phase but is known to dominate the late game. Invoker fares well in the laning phase, sometimes even breaking against some annoying and aggressive heroes like Zeus and Viper. An experienced Invoker player will always try to harass the enemy midlaner out of the lane and demote him to the jungle.
The invoker’s skill set allows him to act both offensively and defensively, depending on the scenario. Unlike most mid-laners, Voker can gank and push lanes fairly early on in the game. This gives him that edge in both experience and farm. Invoker is seen as a squishy mid-hero against the magic damage-dealing lot of heroes, but his abilities allow him to defend himself from the terrorizing lethal enemy heroes. He provides decent crowd control with his spell combos, which can help him turn the tides in teamfights.
Why is Invoker a great AoE hero?
- Invoker’s spells offer a variety of different AoE effects, including stuns, slows, and damage over time, allowing him to control and disrupt teamfights in various ways.
- Invoker’s ability to instantly invoke spells makes him difficult to predict and counter, as he can quickly switch between spells to adapt to changing situations.
- He has the potential to deal massive amounts of damage throughout the game, especially when paired with certain item builds and heroes that can further amplify his spell power.
- Decent aggression with the Quas Exort build.
- Snowballs quickly if not contained in the early game.
Invoker is strong against
- Wraith King - EMP allows Invoker to burn Wraith King's mana to prevent Reincarnation from triggering (only until Wraith King gets his Aghanim's Shard).
- Medusa - EMP allows Invoker to burn Medusa’s mana to prevent her from using spells and bursting her down
- Doom - Doom has low mobility and magic resistance, making him an easy target for Invoker in fights
- Abbadon - Abbadon has low magic resistance and can be forced to trigger his ultimate by any of Invoker’s spell combinations
- Dawnbreaker - Dawnbreaker’s low magic immunity can make it hard for her to stand her ground against Invoker.
Invoker is weak against
- Phantom Lancer - If Invoker is caught by Phantom Lancer, he will most likely be the primary target due to the large teamfight contribution he can provide.
- Broodmother - Broodmother is both an Orchid Malevolence and a Nullifier carrier. As she can farm it early, she can kill Invoker easily.
- Puck - Puck can easily get on top of Invoker, silencing him and locking him down with Dream Coil.
- Phantom Assassin - Phantom Assassin’s high mobility makes it easy for her to initiate on Invoker and mow him down with her high physical and armor-piercing damage.
- Templar Assassin - Invoker’s low armor makes him a prime target for Templar’s initiation.
Tofu INVOKER Soft Support Gameplay
4. Dark Seer
Ish’Kafel, the Dark Seer does not need any weapon to decimate his enemies. His wrists are enough to make his enemies rage quit. Dark Seer is one of those classic offlane heroes, as he is picked through multiple different tournaments for over a decade at this point. You always see him popping here and there due to his world-famous Vaccum and Wall combo, which sucks the enemies together and makes a replica of them which deals damage to them. In 7.37d, Dark Seer emerged as an efficient farmer, meaning he can farm quickly and wreak havoc in teamfights with his newly acquired items.
Right from the initial levels, Dark Seer is a thorn in the side of low magic-resistant carry heroes, plus points if they are melee! In the early game due to little to no magic immunity, Dark Seer can obliterate his foes with the backup of his teammates. His magic damage from the Shell combined with the lightning-fast Surge movement speed ensures that none of his foes escape the battlefield alive. Dark Seer is an exceptional addition to your team if your team lacks an initiator as well as a crowd-control hero.
Why is Dark Seer a great AoE hero?
- Can initiate teamfights with his immense crowd control spells
- His spells deal incredible damage right from the laning phase, allowing him to farm fast.
- Though he farms fast, Dark Seer generally relies more on levels to have an impact on the game.
- Dark Seer can also aid his carries to farm or push lanes by applying Ion Shell on them.
Dark Seer is strong against
- Medusa - Dark Seer can take great advantage of Medusa’s mana pool ussing the Vaccum Wall combination on her and hurting her Mana Pool.
- Abbadon - Abbadon can be easily burst down with Ion shell and spell combos as he lacks the magic immunity.
- Visage - Visage can be easily chased down and harassed with Ion shell, as Dark Seer can simply use it on his familiars, prompting Visage to not club them together
- Chaos Knight - Chaos Knight and his phantasms have low magic resistance, making them vulnerable to Dark Seer’s high magical damage.
- Broodmother - Dark Seer can destroy Brood and her spiderlings with his Ion Shell and Vac + Wall combo.
Dark Seer is weak against
- Ursa- As Dark Seer is melee, he has a high chance of being jumped on by Ursa, making him a prime target to initiate in teamfights.
- Enchantress - As Enchantress’ Untouchable makes it hard for Dark Seer’s illusions to be effective against her
- Phantom Assassin - Due to low armor, Dark Seer struggles against the Phantom Assassin in the laning stage.
- Timbersaw - Due to high pure and magical damage, Timbersaw has the edge over Dark Seer in the laning phase.
- Weaver - Weaver is highly mobile, making it easy for him to escape the Vaccum + Wall combination.
3. Sand King
In 7.37d, Sand King fares well against most heroes, especially if they are melee. He may have a hard time getting harassed himself, but not when his opponents can’t see him! Sand King can farm and deal damage quite effortlessly without even moving. Apart from dealing lethal AoE damage, SK farms fairly quickly and is ready to rotate to other parts of the map. All it takes is one Blink Dagger or Veil of Discord for him to dominate and destroy his enemies. With his mobility and ability to initiate team fights, Sand King can make quick rotations and turn the tide of the game in his team's favor.
Sand King is a formidable offlane hero as he has emerged to be a strong pick in 7.37d. With his natural tankiness and ability to sustain himself, Sand King can hold his own against most carry heroes. He can also farm and push lanes effectively, ensuring that he gets a good gold advantage over his opponents. In the offlane, he can also take advantage of his AoE damage to clear out creep waves and take down enemy towers. Overall, Sand King is a versatile hero who can fit into different roles and excel in various lanes.
Why is Sand King a great AoE hero?
- Sand King is a strong team fighter who can deal massive AoE damage with his ultimate, Epicenter.
- He can be played as a tanky initiator or as a damage dealer, depending on the item build and team composition.
- He has a great escape mechanism with Burrowstrike and Sandstorm, making it hard for enemies to catch and kill him.
- Sand King is a good farmer and can quickly clear neutral camps with Sandstorm, allowing him to gain gold and experience even if he gets zoned out of the lane.
Sand King is strong against
- Winter Wyvern - Winter Wyern can’t use her heal on herself or her allies if Sand King is in proximity, posing the threat of him initiating on you
- Naga Siren - Sand King rips through Naga Siren’s spell damage with his high-damage
- Chaos Knight - Chaos Knight and his phantasms stand no chance against the impressive damage dished out by Sand King in a teamfight due to the former’s low immunity to magic damage
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer and his weak illusions find it hard to withstand damage being dished out by Sand King
- Lone Druid - As Lone Druid and his Bear stick together, both can be obliterated by Sand King’s immense damage in the late-game
Sand King is weak against
- Zeus - Lightning Bolt can reveal Sand King when he is invisible in his Sandstorm.
- Juggernaut - Juggernaut can simply use Bladefury to escape Sand King’s damage.
- Bristleback - Bristleback can withstand the damage being dished by Sand King once he has a Pipe of Insight.
- Oracle - Oracle can save himself or his allies from Sand King’s Magic damage with his toolkit.
- Ember Spirit - Ember can simply remnant away from Sand King’s damage if he is initiated on.
2. Enigma
The mystery of this being lies within the abyss, often known to bend and manipulate time. Enigma is a deadly force that is banned in every other game. He possesses different tools that help him farm faster and more efficiently while also allowing him to split push with the help of his Eidolons. He is known for his threatening ultimate, the Black Hole. Enigma ranks on this list due to his ability to both teamfight and farm simultaneously. Enigma is an essential hero in the current patch due to his reliable ultimate and quick farming capabilities.
It's evident that Enigma is a hero that you see picked often in 7.37d, but his impact is visible only when he is fighting heroes who are countered by him. Heroes vulnerable to magical damage due to low magic resistance are often the most prioritized by Enigma. He takes advantage of this and quickly disrupts such puny enemies whenever he can. Laning can go either way but Enigma can prevail on top if he has the level advantage, allowing him to shove secure the late game with his abilities.
What Makes Enigma a great AoE Herogreat AoE hero?
- Enigma can deny ranged creeps to create Eidolons which can further be used to jungle or harass enemies right from level 1.
- High base movement speed and intelligence.
- Amplifies his teamfight potential whenever he acquires his Blink Dagger.
- The farm can be accelerated with high levels of Demonic Conversion, leading to stronger Eidolons!
Enigma is strong against
- Shadow Demon- Shadow Demon’s Disruption and Shadow Poison can prevent Enigma from blinking in and casting his Blackhole.
- Meepo - Midnight Pulse along with Blackhole can destroy Meepo due to the massive magical damage dished out.
- Slark - Slark is very slippery and can simply escape being Blackhole’d if he uses his pounce preemptively.
- Ogre Magi - Ignite prevents Enigma from using Blink Dagger, reducing his impact in the teamfight if he can’t jump in and cast the Blackhole at the right time.
- Lifestealer - Lacking any stun and being heavily dependent on his physical attacks and spell immunity, Lifestealer has no way to stop Black Hole, assuming he does not initiate Enigma first with Abyssal Blade.
Enigma is weak against
- Rubick - If Rubick isn’t caught in Enigma’s Blackhole, it will be a big problem for the latter, as he can simply steal it and use it against him.
- Bristleback - Bristleback's constant harassment from Quill Spray will greatly hurt Enigma's laning and kill his Eidolons.
- Medusa- Medusa under the effect of Stone Gaze can stop Enigma if he steals Blackhole, penetrating Black King Bar.
- Warlock - Warlock’s Golem pierces spell immunity, preventing Enigma from effectively casting Blackhole
- Wraith King - Wraith King can easily get on top of Enigma, mowing him down with his massive physical damage.
1. Earthshaker
The sheer magnitude of Earthshaker causes his enemies to shiver, his spells cause even the mightiest of his foes to eviscerate. Earthshaker makes the life of his enemies a living hell with his devastating damage. He is highly effective in the early game as he can rotate lanes and catch multiple enemies off-guard with his spells. You should surely consider playing Earthshaker if you are a position 4 player, you will not regret seeing him do copious amounts of damage and have a lasting impact on the game right from the early stages.
The terrifying Earthshaker is the nightmare of all illusion-based heroes. He does not let multiple heroes group around either, his stuns and damage are too lethal for his enemies to take him lightly. And above all, he does not require multiple items to have an impact on the game! All it requires is a Blink Dagger to decimate the entire opponent team within a matter of seconds. Mastering Earthshaker surely requires time, but it is quite worth it as he is highly relevant in the current meta and will help you climb the MMR ladder effortlessly.
What makes Earthshaker a great AoE hero?
- Earthshaker's strong AoE abilities can clear multiple heroes and illusions, or at least make it easier to distinguish the real one by the damage they take.
- Echo Slam deals more damage against more enemies, which can be devastating against heroes grouping up together.
- His stun-lock potential allows him to lock multiple enemies down at once and make it hard for them to escape alive if his team follows up with more damage.
- Earthshaker is a highly tanky laner, making it hard for his foes to neutralize him in the early game.
- His immense magical damage isn’t negated at all in the early stages of the game.
Earthshaker is strong against:
- Broodmother - Echo Slam's damage potential increases phenomenally due to Broodmother's hordes of spiderlings and spiderites.
- Meepo - Meepo's clones count as real heroes, meaning that an Echo Slam hitting them will deal catastrophic damage to Meepo and his team.
- Lone Druid - Lone Druid and Bear standing together in a fight can increase Echo Slam's damage.
- Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer and his illusions are by default an easy target for the Earthshaker to jump on, causing massive damage due to Earthshock.
- Slark - Even if Slark is under his Shadow Dance effect, he is still vulnerable to magic damage and stuns.
Earthshaker is weak against:
- Sniper - Sniper always stands behind in a fight, dealing damage from a distance, making him an easy counter to Earthshaker.
- Huskar - Due to high healing potential and magic resistance, Huskar can easily fight Earthshaker even on a fraction of HP.
- Viper - Laning as an Earthshaker against Viper is a death sentence, making it hard for the latter to have an effective fight.
- Windranger - Windranger’s high mobility and escape potential make her a highly effective counter to Earthshaker.
- Templar Assassin - Templar Assassin can use her Refraction to stay resilient in a teamfight against Earthshaker. She can also trigger the traps to stop Earthshaker from initiating the fight.
