[Top 15] Dota 2 Best Heroes For AoE Damage (7.33b)

With over 120 heroes in the game, Dota has a diverse pool of heroic as well as grim heroes who are all unique and dominant in their ways. Heroes have different types of damage done, some only do a specific amount of damage in a small area, while some heroes deal damage in a specific area of effect. This damage dealt can be of dire consequences for the enemy team. Heroes with such high AoE spells are considered to be the high rollers as they can essentially control the pace of the game by dealing damage to multiple heroes at once. 

With no further adieu, we present you the Best 15 Heroes for AoE damage in 7.33. These heroes wreck hard in the current meta. These heroes can sustain and push through their initial setbacks as they are known to recover and bounce back stronger.

15. Disruptor

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The devastating and electric force of Disruptor is too heavy for his puny foes to handle. Disruptor is by far the most obvious support counter to spell-casting heroes regardless of the meta. This electrifying hero has all the right abilities in his toolkit. Disruptor’s low cooldown spells and surprisingly high damage make him a perfect fit in most matchups. He is an exceptional hero to lane with, as he can ensure his enemies get interrupted and annoyed. As most heroes are highly privy to magic damage in the laning stage, they are the number one target of Disruptor before they can even get their Black King Bar. 

Disruptor is a level-reliant hero, making him prone to a team fighting more, as he does not rely too much on items. Disruptor can change the direction of the game if he manages to separate enemies from the team fight by Glimpsing them back or silencing them, rendering them highly useless. The Static Storm ultimate is further amplified by Aghanim’s Scepter that not only silences them but mutes his items as well. Disruptor should be your go-to hero if your enemies have agile and slippery heroes.

What makes Disruptor a great AoE hero?

• Disruptor has immense crowd control spells, allowing him to separate people in fights.
• He is a deadly nuker as his spells also deal an immense amount of magical damage right from the get-go.
• Highly effective hero right from the laning phase with his annoying spells.
• Disruptor is easy to play, making him a perfect fit regardless of the MMR pool.
• Does not fall off in the late game, unlike certain other support heroes.

Top 5 Best Endgame Items for Disruptor

• Aghanim’s Scepter - Causes ultimate to mute enemy items.
• Aeon Disk - Saves him from getting burst quickly from enemy damage and also applies a basic dispel, has a hefty cooldown of 180 seconds.
• Glimmer Cape - Provides invisibility upon cast, and can be used to escape or set up to gank enemies.
• Eul’s Scepter - It can be used to sweep the Disruptor or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock them down or set up for teamfights.
• Force Staff - Allows the Disruptor to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing, it can be helpful to catch or initiate on enemies.

Disruptor is strong against

• Primal Beast - Disruptor forces Primal Beast to buy a Black King Bar much earlier than he might like but becomes a major threat to Disruptor once he does.
• Io - Disruptor can always Glimpse the Io back or his target after he Relocated nearby.
• Slark - AoE silence and the ability to mute Black King Bar is deadly to Slark at all stages of the game.

Disruptor is weak against:

• Viper - Corrosive Skin minimizes the damage Viper takes from all of Disruptor's skills.
• Kunkka - X Marks the Spot allows Kunkka or his teammates to fight back under the effect of Glimpse.
• Juggernaut - Blade Fury allows Juggernaut to simply move out of Kinetic Field and dodge Glimpse.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Disruptor

14. Venomancer

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Probably known as the most toxic hero in Dota, Venomancer is quite hated because of how well his abilities can shove pretty much any hero off the lane. If you are a carry hero facing an offlane Venomancer, you better escape to the jungle or ask your support to make you some stacks because Venomancer can ruin your farm with his magical AoE and DPS. Venomancer can also split push and deal decent damage to buildings thanks to his wards.

As we know, most heroes in the early game, especially the carries, have low magic resistance, a weakness that Veno takes the most advantage of. Venomancer can them Sven due to the massive AoE damage output which is further amplified by his items which include Veil of Discord, Scythe of Vyse, and much more. Venomancer can keep up with the farming pace in the late game, which can backfire for enemies in the middle game if they are constantly ganked by the venomous beast.

Why is Venomancer a great AoE hero? 

• High DPS and magic damage can further be amplified with items.
• Venomancer forces enemeis to choose between using his Black King Bar or Pipe, or worse,  getting constantly slowed by his poison.
• Constant harassment right from the early game, taking advantage of enemy low magic resistance.

Top 5 Endgame to Buy on Venomancer

• Spirit Vessel - Immense DPS and heal reduction to enemies when used. This item can be used to reduce enemy lifesteal, rendering heals and Satanic useless.
• Heaven’s Halberd - Upon usage, it can be used by Venomancer to disarm enemy heroes, making him unable to attack for a few seconds. Most heroes are affected severely by this item as it can prevent them from doing damage in teamfights.
• Force Staff - Allows Venomancer to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing.
• Veil of Discord - Provides amplified magical damage in an AoE. Most enemies have low magic resistance hence he can fall prey to the insane magic damage being dished out by Venomancer.
• Scythe of Vyse - Upon usage it hexes the targetted unit, essentially making them unable to use spells or items, along with reducing their movement speed for 3.5 seconds. 

Venomancer is strong against

• Axe - Venomancer's slows and magical damage over time work well against Axe's complete lack of mobility.
• Earthshaker - Plague Wards are very useful for slowing and kitting down Earthshaker, revealing him from initiating and re-initiating and putting his Blink Dagger on cooldown.
• Spectre - Venomancer's poison damage-over-time are very effective against Spectre, which lacks magic resistance from early to mid-game.

Venomancer is weak against 

• Abbadon - Borrowed Time and Aphotic Shield can dispel Venomous Gale and Poison Sting.
• Anti-Mage - Counterspell provides magic resistance, diminishing the effectiveness of Venomancer's spells.
• Oracle - Fortune's End can dispel Venomous Gale and Poison Sting from allies.

13. Medusa

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The stone-cold, serpentine warrior is quite a hard nut to crack, her identity and prowess cement her as one of the most lethal and tanky carry heroes in the game. Medusa is an ultra late-game hero, even if her early game is disastrous, she can bounce back and turn the game around just with one fight. Her tankiness allows her to be the center of the fight without worrying much about her enemies, which she can still crack down on thanks to her immense attack damage. If not ganked, she can perpetually farm and destroy all enemies and win the game even in a 1v5 situation. 

Medusa is known to farm faster than most carry heroes. Agreed, some heroes have higher mobility than her, but Medusa has sustainability and effective damage, making her an ideal hero in the later stages of the game due to how well she fares against multiple heroes. This is something that squishy carry heroes can’t excel at. All the attack modifiers and damage are too hot for the enemy team to handle even in the late game, making most players eventually tap out against this serpentine warrior.

Why is Medusa a great AoE hero? 

• Thanks to Splitshot, Medusa farms quickly compared to her counterparts who need way more time to fight and come online.
• With the new update, Medusa barely takes any damage thanks to her reworked mana shield, making her a tanky carry hero.
• Medusa also builds tanky items, increasing her HP and her armor.
• Medusa’s ultimate, Stone Gaze, is highly useful right from the early levels as it makes her a reliable fighter who can fight or escape with no difficulty.

Top 5 End Game items on Medusa

• Eye of Skadi - It reduces HP regen and healing upon physical attacks from Medusa. It helps reduce enemy regen. Eye of Skadi also provides increased stats and HP to Medusa. 
• Butterfly - Provides increased evasion, agility, and movement speed. It is an essential item that increases Medusa’s survivability in the late game.
• Daedalus - Provides a chance to do decent critical damage upon physical attacks.
• Hurricane Pike - Pushes Medusa and targeted the enemy 450 units away from each other, and for 6 seconds, allows her to make 5 attacks against the target without range restrictions and with +100 attack speed. It is an essential team-fighting item on Medusa.
• Satanic - When activated, it allows Medusa to lifesteal 200% upon physical attacks and allows sustain herself in teamfights. This item also dispels any negative buffs, quickly life-stealing from 0 to 100 in no time. 

Medusa is strong against

• Enchantress - Enchantress often has a small army of neutral creeps, allowing Medusa to hit her with a later bounce of her Mystic Snake.
• Necrophos - Mana Shield tanks most of the damage from Reaper's Scythe; with sufficient mana, the kill threshold drops significantly.
• Enigma - Medusa's Split Shot can kill Demonic Conversion creeps easier and Mystic Snake bounces off from them.

Medusa is weak against 

• Anti-Mage - Mana Void is effective against Medusa's big mana pool and mana usage, presenting a huge hazard to Medusa's allies around her since her Mana Shield still gives her some protection if she has mana.
• Nyx Assassin - Level 4 Mana Burn burns Medusa's mana every 5 seconds if Medusa only increases her mana pool with intelligence. Additionally, 70% of the Mana Burn damage gets mitigated by Mana Shield, burning even more mana.
• Invoker - EMP is a large mana burn nuke that can hit Medusa's Mana shield with enough damage to lose even more mana.

12. Sven

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Sven, the rogue knight, is a deadly carry hero who deals ungodly physical damage. His toolkit allows him to lock down enemies or charge at them with increased movement speed, making it impossible for them to escape his wrath. Sven's abilities are enough to dominate the battlefield, with items only complementing his strength in team fights. Sven’s pub appearances were low before this patch, but with the buffs to his cleave and ultimate, he has quickly risen through the ranks as one of the most-played carry heroes in this meta.

There are several reasons why Sven is considered a powerful carry hero. His kit allows him to dominate and lock down even the toughest enemies, while his farming ability and item progression enable him to gain a significant advantage as the game progresses. Sven is capable of taking on entire teams by himself, especially in the late game, making him a nightmare for weaker opponents. His strength lies in his ability to face multiple heroes at once without crumbling, thanks to items like Satanic, Daedalus, and his massive physical damage.

What makes Sven a great AoE hero? 

• Aghanim’s Scepter allows him to pounce on enemy heroes and stun them at the same time, a great gap closer.
• His cleave is great with God’s Strength which can mow down heroes easily.
• Sven is frequently picked in pro games due to his versatility and ability to adapt to different situations.
• His abilities allow him to lock down and charge enemies with increased movement speed, making it difficult for them to escape.
• Sven has the toolkit to dominate the battlefield and fight multiple heroes at once.

Top 5 Best Endgame Items for Sven

• Overwhelming Blink - Increases Sven’s strength and deals damage in an AoE that deals attack and movement speed slow to enemies, while also making them take 150% of his strength as damage. 
• Assault Cuirass - Immense armor gain also reduces enemy armor at the same time 
• Daedalus -  Daedalus allows Sven to deal critical damage. This high damage will enable him to be a devastating hard hitter, as he can also solo kill and does not always need follow-up from his team due to the items he has built earlier.
• Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Sven invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance.
• Bloodthorn - It silences the targeted enemy for 5 seconds, making them take 30% of the total damage dealt during the silence. The attacks will also have True Sight, and deal critical damage under its duration. Sven prefers this item as it provides him with much-needed disables in the early game

Sven is strong against

• Broodother - Great Cleave clears Spiderlings quickly to increase gold income.
• Meepo - Cleave will demolish Meepo's clones. Against a closely packed group, Sven does not even need to target the clone with the lowest health.
• Phantom Lancer - Storm Hammer's AoE stun will hit Phantom Lancer and his illusions.

Sven is weak against

• Axe - Berserker's Call prevents Sven from bursting his targets before Axe can interfere. The worst kind of opponent for Sven is one who can stop him from attacking who he wants to, which is exactly what Axe does.
• Medusa - Mana Shield makes it very hard for Sven to burst her within Storm Hammer's stun duration.
• Templar Assassin - Sven has no easy way to burn Refraction charges and needs help from teammates to kill TA successfully.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Sven

11. Leshrac

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Leshrac has been a staple mid-hero in the current meta due to his reliability and readily available ungodly magical damage. Leshrac is relevant right from the laning phase, his damage shoves out enemies from the lane and forces them to purchase magical resistance items early on, slowing their progression on other more necessary items Leshrac can push lanes with his Edict, deal immense damage to heroes, and lock them down with his Split Earth. He is a consistent mid-hero and does not fall off in the late game. 

It’s quite advantageous to pick Leshrac in the current meta as his toolkit is highly dangerous to play against. Leshrac is known for his high magical damage, AoE, and lockdown potential, all of these elements are lethal against squishy low magic resistance heroes. The best part is that Leshrac is often picked as a flex hero, meaning he can be played in quite any lane! Apart from countering low magic resistance heroes, Lesh can also mow down buildings with Edict providing equal counter push and ratting in the late game if required. 

Why is Leshrac a great AoE hero? 

• He has a strong laning presence due to his high damage output, long attack range, and AoE spells.
• Leshrac is a versatile mid-hero who can be played as both a magical nuker and a pusher. 
• He also has great mobility and can easily get around fights with his Diabolic Edict and Pulse Nova.

Best 5 End-Game Items to buy on Leshrac 

• Scythe of Vyse - Scythe of Vyse - Upon usage it hexes the targetted unit, essentially making them unable to use spells or items, along with reducing their movement speed for 3.5 seconds. 
• Eul’s Scepter - It can be used to sweep the Leshrac or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock them down and set up with Earth Splitter.
• Aghanim's Scepter - Grants Nihilism ability, which allows Leshrac to essentially decrepify nearby enemies, slowing them and boosting the damage of his abilities.
• Kaya and Sange - Provides increased stats along with increased status resistance, spell amplification, health, and mana regeneration. This is an exceptional item on Leshrac as it allows him to deal immense damage to foes without worrying too much about his mana. 
• Black King Bar - Provides magic immunity upon usage, making Leshrac invulnerable during team fights. It is essential in most matchups as he has low magical resistance. It also applies a basic dispel upon usage.

Leshrac is strong against

• Io - Lightning Storm will usually hit both Io and his Tethered target since both will be close enough for the lightning to jump. It can then be followed up by Split Earth.
• Meepo - Pulse Nova deals an insane amount of damage in an area around him, which can quickly wear down Meepo clones.
• Visage - Diabolic Edict and Pulse Nova hit all units around Leshrac, making it very easy for him to kill the Summon Familiars.

Leshrac is weak against

• Pugna - Nether Ward punishes Leshrac's constant mana usage from spamming spells.
• Clockwerk - Clockwerk naturally builds Blade Mail, reflecting Leshrac's high magic damage output at him.
• Nyx Assassin - Nyx Assassin's Spiked Carapace will stun Leshrac when hit by any of his AOE abilities. While Mana Burn deals high damage due to Leshrac's high intelligence gain and burns a large amount of Leshrac's essential mana pool.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Leshrac

10. Earthshaker

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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.

Top 5 Best Endgame Items for Earthshaker

• Blink Dagger - Blink transports Earthshaker 1200 units in the distance he is facing, it can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any damage. Blink is used to closing the gap and getting on top of his enemies and following it up with Echo Slam.
• Aghanim’s Scepter - Causes Enchant Totem to turn into a ground target ability, causing Earthshaker to jump in the air and land at the target spot, casting Enchant Totem there
• Glimmer Cape - Provides invisibility, and can also be used on allies to escape or to initiate on his foes. Earthshaker benefits massively from Glimmer as he has no innate abilities that help him escape.
• Force Staff - Allows Earthshaker to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing, it can be useful to escape from enemies or initiate on them.
• Eul’s Scepter - It can be used to sweep the Earthshaker or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock them down or set up for teamfights.

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.
• Phantom Lancer - Phantom Lancer's many illusions increase Echo Slam's damage.

Earthshaker is weak against:

• Disruptor - Static Storm if used in a fight can prevent Earthshaker from executing his combo after blinking in. Glimpse can also be used before he gets his spells off to send him back.
• Lifestealer - Rage prevents Earthshaker from damaging and stunning Lifestealer.
• Skywrath Mage - Ancient Seal is an instant silence that can be pre-cast onto Earthshaker to disrupt his combo before he uses Blink Dagger to initiate.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Earthshaker

9. Sand King

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In 7.33, 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 7.33. 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 that 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.

Top 5 End Game items for Sand King

• Blink Dagger/Overwhelming Blink - Upgrades the Blink Dagger. Increases strength and deals damage in an AoE that deals attack and movement speed slow to enemies, while also making them take 150% of your strength as damage. Sand King benefits heavily from this item as he can survive a teamfight due to the high strength bonus.
• Shiva’s Guard - Upon usage, it emits a freezing wave that deals 200 damage and slows the enemy for 40% of their movement speed. This slow is impressive and lasts for 4 seconds. The increased armor and survivability ensure Sand King stays durable in fights while reducing enemy healing in an AoE.
• Veil of Discord - Cast a 600-radius blast that causes enemies to take 18% increased damage from spells. The increased magical damage buff allows Sand King to deal shine bright with his Epicenter.
• Aghanim’s Scepter - Adds Caustic Finale poison to heroes hit by Sand King's Burrowstrike and increases its cast range. The increased range allows Sand King to escape or initiate from a long distance. 
• Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Sand King or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down and follow up with Burrowstrike or Epicenter or temporarily shut them off from the fights.

Sand King is strong against

• Broodmother - Caustic Finale allows Sand King to easily kill Broodmother's Spiderlings throughout the game.
• Slark - Shadow Dance, which usually allows Slark to survive fights, is ineffective against Sand King's AoE damage.
• Meepo - Epicenter and Sand Storm's AoE damage ensures all Meepo clones get damaged, making it hard for Meepo to choose which one to flee as all are taking damage at the same rate.

Sand King is weak against

• Earth Spirit - Boulder Smash will push Sand King out of Sand Storm to reveal his position or an activated Epicenter off of Earth Spirit's allies, potentially wasting his combo. 
• Rubick - Burrowstrike is one of the best and easiest steals for Rubick and Sand King should be careful when playing against him.
• Silencer - Global Silence silences Sand King, effectively reducing Sand King's initiation and counter-initiation potential. It can also interrupt the channeling of Epicenter.

8. Dark Seer

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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 7.33, 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.

Top 5 Best End-Game Items for Dark Seer

• Guardian Greaves - Upon usage, it heals Dark Seer and all allied units in the AoE while also providing a basic dispel to him, providing immense survivability in teamfights.
• Blink Dagger - Upon cast, Blink transports Dark Seer 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used for closing the gap and getting on top of enemies and following up with the Vaccum Wall Combo or the Normal Punch, or it can also be used to escape away from a bad teamfight.
• Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE around Dark Seer, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE. It is essential if Dark Seer faces high physical damage heroes.
• Aghanim’s Scepter - Grants two charges to Ion Shell, buffing it and allowing Dark Seer and his allies to survive through teamfights.
• Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells hence can also be used to reflect spells if timed correctly. Lotus Orb also provides a basic dispel upon activation.

Dark Seer is strong against 

• Meepo - Dark Seer can take great advantage of Divided We Stand by putting an Ion Shell on a clone to harass them effectively.
• Terrorblade - Dark Seer's Vacuum and Ion Shell allow him to clear the wave of Terrorblade's illusions.
• Templar Assassin - Ion Shell destroys Refraction's protection stacks in a short time. Also, Surge ignores the massive slow from Psionic Trap.

Dark Seer is weak against 

• Anti-Mage - Mana Void can deal a lot of damage if Dark Seer spent a lot of mana on his abilities.
• Oracle - Fortune's End dispels Ion Shell and Surge, making any gank attempt on Dark Seer in the laning phase likely to succeed.
• Sniper - A Sniper who is somewhat competent at positioning is hardly going to be affected by any of Dark Seer's spells thanks to Take Aim.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Seer

7. Timbersaw

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The mighty Timbersaw fares extremely well against melee and ranged heroes alike. He is quite a dominating force in the offlane right from the early game as the enemy does not have much resistance to his magical and pure damage. Timbersaw can dictate the pace of the game with his moves, due to him being such a tanky hero. Most enemies can surely hinder Timber’s gameplay but the latter does not rely on attack damage to kill creeps or heroes. His abilities are enough to decimate his enemies.

Even if the enemies manage to secure a decent farm, Timber’s Reactive armor stops enemies from advancing any further and ignoring him in teamfights. This forces his foes to jungle early on in the game, which makes him lag in the farm and XP department. Timber can triumph in the late game as well if he is given free rein, he can purchase various items which allow him to maintain control and dominance against his foes, including Crimson Guard or Heaven’s Halberd. 

Why is Timbersaw a great AoE hero? 

• High pure damage that pierces and messes up with enemy strength
• Timbersaw's innate durability is very hard to deal with for enemies
• Most enemies will have a hard time dealing with Timbersaw due to his tankiness and high Armor from Reactive Armor
• Timbersaw's high Pure Damage and low-cooldown AoE nukes can also destroy squishy heroes within no time due to his low magic resistance.

Top 5 End Game items for Timbersaw

• Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep Timbersaw or the targetted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. This can be used to lock enemies down to setup up his Chakram or temporarily shut them off from the fights.
• Pipe of Insight -  Provides immense magic damage block on activation, and affects the whole team. 
• Crimson Guard - Provides immense physical damage block, and also affects the whole team. It is extremely useful to prevent enemy heroes from doing significant physical damage. 
• Blade Mail - Can reflect enemy damage and prevent them from using high-damage spells on him.
• Lotus Orb - Reflects targetted spells and hence can also be used to dodge spells if timed correctly. Lotus Orb also provides a basic dispel upon activation.

Timbersaw is strong against

• Broodmother - Spiderlings deal almost no damage against Reactive Armor. They also die quickly from Timbersaw's AoE abilities.
• Axe - Whirling Death reduces Axe's strength by 15%, which makes him less durable, especially from the early game. It's also stackable.
• Monkey King - Timbersaw can easily cut down the tree that Monkey King is standing on, stunning him for a lengthy period.

Timbersaw is weak against

• Bane - Brain Sap's pure damage ignores stacks of Reactive Armor.
• Doom - Doom shuts down Timbersaw completely, negating his mobility and preventing him from doing any damage. It also breaks Reactive Armor's passive bonuses from Aghanim's Scepter.
• Faceless Void - Time Dilation is similar to a long-duration silence, making Timbersaw useless in team fights, or forcing him to adapt his build.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Timbersaw 

6. Tidehunter

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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?

• In the early game, carry heroes cannot penetrate Kraken Shell and will do almost no damage to Tidehunter even with Medallion of Courage or Solar Crest.
• 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.

Top 5 End Game items against Tidehunter 

• Blink Dagger - On cast, Blink transports Tidehunter 1200 units in the distance he is facing, can’t be used for 3 seconds if he takes any form of damage. Blink is used to close the gap and get on top of enemies and use Ravage, or it can also be used to escape away from them.
• Shiva’s Guard - Upon activation, it deals damage in an AoE around Tidehunter, slowing down the affected targets. It also provides increased armor and reduces enemy armor in an AoE.
• Lotus Orb - Upon usage, it reflects targetted spells to the caster. It can also be used by Tidehunter to dispel any enemy debuffs. It can hence be used to reflect or dispel buffs.
• Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - The Scepter makes Gush AoE and the Shard grants him Tendrils of the Deep ability which stuns enemies within his reach. The tentacles are essentially a mini ravage, with 75% of Ravage’s radius, making it easy for Tidehnter to reach enemies.
• Force Staff - Allows Tidehunter to force himself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction they are facing. It is quite essential in catching or escaping from enemies as it does not get disabled on physical attacks like the Blink Dagger.

Tidehunter is strong against

• Batrider - Kraken Shell is very useful against Sticky Napalm and Flamebreak, easily dispelling them regularly.
• Shadow Fiend - Anchor Smash reduces Shadow Fiend's large attack damage, and Kraken Shell makes Tidehunter the last target Shadow Fiend wants to attack.
• Phantom Assassin - The AoE nukes from Ravage, Anchor Smash, and an Aghanim's Scepter-upgraded Gush can clear Phantom Lancer's illusions easily.

Tidehunter is weak against

• Anti-Mage - Mana Break quickly burns Tidehunter's mana pool, preventing him from spamming his abilities, and Kraken Shell does not mitigate the bonus damage component.
• Razor - Kraken Shell's dispel does not restore damage stolen by Static Link, and the stolen damage easily offsets Anchor Smash's damage reduction. 
• Nyx Assassin - Mana Burn can instantly deplete Tidehunter's low mana pool, especially in the early game, potentially preventing Tidehunter from casting Ravage.

 https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Tidehunter

5. Luna

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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 7.33, 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.

Top 5 Best Endgame Items for Luna

• Eye of Skadi - Reduces regen and healing upon physical attacks. It helps reduce enemy regen. Eye of Skadi also provides increased stats and HP to Luna.
• Satanic - Provides increased lifesteal on physical attacks upon activation and also provides basic dispel from the latter.
• Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity, making you invulnerable in the fight against magic spells.
• Butterfly - Increases evasion, agility, and movement speed. Butterfly essentially makes Terrorblade untouchable in the late game due to the high miss chance and physical damage.
• Manta Style - Creates two illusions of Luna on usage, also allowing her to dispel certain spells or dodge if she times it right. It can also be used to split push lanes and farm efficiently.
• Hurricane Pike - Allows Luna to close the gap and deal immense damage to enemies, also provides decent stats 

Luna is strong against:

• Arc Warden - Luna's short range and fast movement speed allow her to fight Arc Warden inside his Magnetic Field.
• Enchantress - Though Enchantress's  Untouchable can greatly reduce Luna's attack speed, and can go through any form of Spell Immunity, she has a pitiful HP so Lucent Beam and Eclipse can kill her very quickly.
• Arc Warden - Luna's Moon Glaives allow her to clear Arc Warden's Tempest Double.

Luna is weak against:

• Ancient Apparition - Despite Ancient Apparition's fragileness, he can easily harass Luna on the lane with Chilling Touch due to its high range and damage. This can get even worse if Ancient Apparition buys Aghanim's Scepter and combines it with items that can give him bonus attack damage and attack speed.
• Juggernaut - Both  Blade Fury and  Omnislash are direct counters to Eclipse, offering Juggernaut spell immunity and invulnerability. Therefore, Luna will need assistance in taking down Juggernaut as going solo will not be successful.
• Zeus - His highly damaging nuke spells with low cooldowns are not something Luna wants to go against.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Luna

4. Ancient Apparition 

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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.

Top 5 Best Endgame Items to buy on Ancient Apparition

• Force Staff - Allows Ancient Apparition to force herself or the targetted unit 600 units ahead in the direction he is facing. This allows him to either escape from his foes or initiate on them, depending upon the scenario.
• Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard - Increases Ice Vortex damage and heal reduction, destroying DK’s game
• Rod of Atos -  Upon usage, it roots the targeted unit. It can be the much-needed lockdown that Ancient Apparition needs to stop enemies from TP’ing. It can also be combined with Ice Blast to lock enemies down and damage them.
• Glimmer Cape -  Glimmer Cape is more of a support’s way of escaping enemy damage or aiding their allies in escaping as upon cast it turns you or the targetted ally invisible.
• Scythe of Vyse - Scythe offers Ancient Apparition immense disable potential which he seems to lack. It turns the targeted enemy into a pig, making them unable to use any spells or items while also reducing their movement speed. This disabler item is of high value to him as it allows him to dominate the late game, locking down his foes and decimating them with the follow-up from his team. 

Ancient Apparition is strong against 

• Alchemist - Ice Blast nullifies the health regeneration granted by Chemical Rage, which Alchemist greatly relies on to stay alive in battle.
• Chen - Ice Blast prevents  Divine Favor and Hand of God 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.

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.
• Mirana - Leap allows Mirana to easily escape the freezing range of Cold Feet. Mirana also tends to build Manta Style which dispels Cold Feet.

https://www.dota2.com/hero/ancientapparition

3. Kunkka

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Kunkka, the Admiral almighty himself, is known to be a great counter to squishy heroes due to his strength and physical damage disparity, both of which are naturally high from the early levels for the claddish general. He can effortlessly survive ganks as his high-status resistance and HP pool come to the rescue. His ultimate proves to be of great use as well as it makes sure he and his allies take the least damage in fights, allowing the fight to be in their favor. The tanky nature of Kunkka is only amplified further by high armor and high HP items. 

Kunkka is an exceptional laner if we theorize a purely 1v1 matchup, he ensures that his counterpart is shoved away from the lane, reducing their farm efficiency. Some heroes are highly effective in the late stages but Kunkka can match their farm due to his AoE physical damage which enemy heroes can’t negate easily. If Kunkka is let loose in the later stages of the game then there is no way the fiery swordsman recovers from this deficit. He is one of the few rare heroes capable of 1v5’ing the entire enemy team.

Why is Kunkka a great AoE hero? 

• He is naturally known to build high HP and armor items
• Ghostship makes him and his allies tanky from the enemy onslaught
• High base armor and HP pool right off the bat
• Immense damage in the late game which can’t be negated by enemies so easily, he also does not fall off quickly when the late game approaches.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Kunkka 

• Daedalus - Provides immense critical damage upon physical attacks. Most Kunkka players prefer purchasing multiple Daedaluses as the crits stack.
• Assault Cuirass - Increases armor and attack speed while reducing the same for enemies in an AoE.
• Armlet of Mordiggian - Provides increased HP and damage, and is toggleable. Kunkk benefits highly from this toggleable HP mechanic against Ember.
• Aghanim’s Scepter - Provides a fleet of Ghosthips, allowing Kunkka to continue his onslaught while also controlling the crowd immensely. The fleet can tremendously impact the enemy team by slowing them down or making them back off.
• Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity from all of Ember’s magic damage spells, making him invulnerable in the fight

Kunkka is strong against

• Meepo - Tidebringer, Torrent, and Ghostship destroy Meepo's clones.
• Queen of Pain - Ghostship helps your team soak up damage from Sonic Wave and Scream of Pain.
• Warlock - Ghostship helps your team soak up damage from Chaotic Offering and hit summons hard.

Kunkka is weak against

• Clinkz - Clinkz's high damage output and insane attack speed late-game can take Kunkka out of the fight before it begins.
• Ursa - Enrage can be activated before being hit by Ghostship to prevent most of the damage.
• Juggernaut - Blade Fury negates Kunkka's X Marks the Spot.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Kunkka

2. Queen of Pain

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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. 

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.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Queen of Pain

• Scythe of Vyse - Upon usage it hexes the targetted unit, essentially making them unable to use spells or items, along with reducing their movement speed for 3.5 seconds. 
• Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete enemies from the fight
• Bloodthorn -  Silences the target for 5 seconds, also dealing them an extra 30% damage at the end of its duration. It can be useful to silence spellcasting heroes and entirely shut them off from the team fight.
• Black King Bar - Upon usage, it provides spell immunity. This entirely negates the damage from all magic spells.
• Eul’s Scepter - Can be used to sweep QoP or targeted enemy into the air for 2.5 seconds, making them unable to use spells or move. 

QoP is strong against

• Drow Ranger - You can burst Drow Ranger down before she has a chance to try and Gust you away. Try to have a teammate bait her Gust out before you Blink and get the drop on her.
• Huskar - Queen can simply blink away after he jumps on her with Life Break.
• Slark -Both Scream of Pain and Sonic Wave hits him during his Shadow Dance.

Qop is weak against 

• Anti-Mage - Because Queen of Pain's spells cost a decent amount of mana, Anti-Mage can easily use Mana Void if she spams her spells recklessly.
• Death Prophet - Silence will prevent the Queen of Pain from using Blink to escape or chase.
• Faceless Void - Chronosphere prevents Queen of Pain from escaping with Blink, and her low survivability makes her an easy kill.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Queen_of_Pain

1. Invoker

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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.

Invoker’s skill set allows him to act both offensive and defensive, depending upon 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.

Best 5 End-Game items to buy on Invoker 

• Scythe of Vyse - Disables enemies and removes them from the fight by hexing them.
• Black King Bar - Provides spell immunity against any magic damage spells.
• Aghanim’s Scepter - Reduces the cooldown on spells
• Blink Dagger - Great for gap-closing or initiating     
• Refresher’s Orb - Can refresh spells and items and use them again in quick succession to delete Alch from the fight

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).
• Huskar - Sun Strike deals pure damage and pierces spell immunity, and Huskar tends to drain his HP, making him a susceptible target.
• Necrophos - Tornado allows Invoker to purge Necrophos's Ghost Shroud, nullifying any benefits he could get out of it.

Invoker is weak against

• Faceless Void - If Invoker is caught in Chronosphere, 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.
• Pugna - Nether Ward on its own can greatly hinder Invoker from casting many of his abilities, at least until he gets a significant amount of HP or is under the protection of spell immunity from Black King Bar.

https://dota2.fandom.com/wiki/Invoker

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