The most vital lane in the gruesome game we call Dota is undoubtedly the mid-lane. A 1v1 matchup allows you to showcase your skills and outplay your enemy. It is also the hardest lane in the game as you are constantly under pressure to perform well and gank your lacking teammates. There are a few players who have made their mark as experts in this lane— with tens of thousands of matches on their favorite heroes, they are the titans of the middle lane.
We have compiled the list of the Best 15 Mid Lane Players worldwide. The skill level and game knowledge of these players is impressive and there is a lot you can learn from their games to climb up through the ranks.
15. MidOne
MidOne, the beast from the east, the one-man army is now making his comeback with team Tundra after a major hiatus from the pro scene. Although he has been absent from the scene for a while, MidOne’s dynamic and mechanical approach to dota is quite fresh from what we usually are used to seeing in the scene. Laning against a lethal mid-laner like MidOne is quite difficult as he is known to be hyper-aggressive, punishing even the slightest mistake you make. After all, as his name suggests, loves dominating the mid-lane.
MidOne’s hardcore laning skills are unmatchable, only a few can perform decently against him. His commendable performance led Team Secret to win various tournaments. His mid gameplay is just impeccable and unflawed. As a midlaner, MidOne loves to show his aggression in the laning phase; this combined with rotating and capturing runes constantly makes him a very active midlaner.
Recent Tournament Achievement
7th-8th- ESL One Kuala Lumpur 2023 - $47,500
14. Abed
This prodigy is known to be a brilliant mastermind in the game. Abed has been playing Dota since he was 8 years old! He has risen through the ranks to establish himself as one of the best mid-laners in the game, catapulting his trajectory from SEA pubs to the stage of the International and other Dota tournaments.
While having a dominant playstyle, Abed is also a great mid-laner. His spell-casting is unparalleled. Abed is known to be quite active in the mid-lane, he is quite bloodthirsty, always rotating for kills and ganks. His excellent item timing combined with his mechanical skills makes him a versatile player, who adapts to all changes and has no problem catching up if he ever falls behind. Although we didn’t see much of this mid-domination in the recent events, we can expect him to bounce back stronger than ever on Team Aurora.
Recent Tournament Achievement
15th-16th - Riyadh Masters 2024 - $30,000
13. Bzm
The young Bzm was relatively unknown before joining OG. He surprised fans and doubters alike with his massively impressive performance on heroes like Ember Spirit, Invoker and Queen of Pain. His flawless and dominating gameplay has made him a star performer now on Navi. His dedication and vigor have made him a top mid-player, and who knows by the time we make another best mid-laner list, he could be ranked much higher!
All you have to know about Bzm is that he is an impressive mid-laner. He is known for his versatile hero pool and exceptional plays. His crafty and innovative playstyle is quite unparalleled in the current times. He is very hyper-aggressive yet disciplined at the same time. His insane reactions made him fall under the radar for Navi. With the right captainship and slight improvements, Bzm is destined for success.
Recent Tournament Achievements
5th-6th - Elite League Season 2- $52,000
12. Larl
Before joining Team Spirit, Larl was just another high-ranked pub player. The young mid-laner has to fill the spot of the mighty Torontotokyo after his exit from the team last year, quite big shoes to fill in terms of the impact the latter had on the team. Larl proved his haters wrong with the International victory last year, crowning him as the prince of CIS dota. He is a highly versatile mid-laner, and he exhibited his flawless performance, stepping up time and time again whenever required.
It is indeed a hard task playing mid against the likes of Malr1ne, Nisha, or Quinn, but Larl manages to make it all look like a cakewalk. His moves are calculated and fully thought through, just like a chess move. Larl’s biggest strength is his ability to come back even from the worst situations, which allows him to recover and lead his team to victory. His meteoric rise and exceptional gameplay have only solidified his place in the team and increased his credibility as a mid-player. Larl is young and highly motivated and we are sure he is eyeing a second Aegis!
Recent Tournament Achievements -
9th-12th - International 2024 - $51,998
11. Xm
Being a staple name in the Chinese Dota scene is quite a difficult accomplishment. It is extremely hard to stay relevant as a mid-player in the high MMR brackets. Xm has managed to stay consistent and make a place for himself as one of the top mid-players in the world. He was earlier considered to be a player with huge potential, and after a few roster changes, and stints with some of the best players in the world, he found his new home in Team Xtreme.
Xtreme’s high placement across previous tournaments has been attributed to the deadly performance of Xm. Crowd control heroes are the absolute favorite of Xm, these heroes with high-value ultimates are seen to be picked by him only to end up on YouTube a few hours later as a rampage montage. Xtreme may be having some issues in recent times, but Xm and Co. will surely persevere their way to the upcoming pro season.
Major Tournament Achievements
5th-6th- International 2024 - $91,076
10. Mikoto
Mikoto (or Dreamcocel as he was formerly known) has quickly risen through the ranks as one of the best mid-lane players in the SEA region. His intense gameplay and jaw-dropping skills on various mid-heroes like Ember Spirit, Snapfire, Templar Assassin, etc. have gained him major attention and praise. His fast-paced yet calculated gameplay has made him the talk of the town in the pro circuit. Mikoto is highly versatile, yet his playstyle will make you look like he has mastered every hero that he plays, nothing but flawless gameplay.
Along with being a versatile player, Mikoto is also known for his immense map awareness and mechanical prowess. His strength lies in the early game from where he can steamroll into the late game with his intense gameplay. With the right hero and the right itemization, there is no way you can stop Mikoto from snowballing and essentially running over you. Mikoto still has a long way to go, and we wish him luck on his journey toward greatness.
Major Tournament Achievements
13th-16th - International 2024 - $39,078
9. Gpk
The much-famed CIS region has been the homeland of both controversies and talented young mid-players who all unusually seem to have at least three heroes in the master tier. Silly jokes aside, Gpk is one of the most skilled and feared opponents in the CIS and EU region. His mid gameplay is something you won’t see in your average high-ranked pub games, he makes his impact heard and punishes enemies whenever he can with his wide array of heroes.
Not all players can achieve the feat of playing at such a high skill level at a young age. Despite all his criticism and controversies, Gpk has managed to be abnormally consistent in the mid-lane. His deadly laning skills are unparalleled, his style is unmatchable. Gpk is one of the most promising players to emerge from the CIS region, we may even see him lifting some major trophies in the coming year and there are chances he will be ranked much higher on the next version of this list.
Recent Tournament Achievements
13th-16th - International 2024 - $65,024
8. Ori
Ori is a legend in the Chinese pro scene. Millions of fans look up to him and hope he gets to lift the Aegis soon. There aren’t many players in the pro scene who are as mechanically skilled as he is. Ori is truly in a league of his own, a league far beyond anyone’s reach. Ori’s gameplay is lauded by fans and peers all around the world. This mix of disciplined yet aggressive playstyle is hard to master and is even harder to play against as most enemies are left baffled.
After being on the legendary Vici Gaming for five years, Ori made the shift to Aster where he reinvented himself as a much more aggressive and dominant laner. His fast-paced playstyle is often emulated by various players, however, he can’t be duplicated! Ori’s versatility says a lot about his gameplay, he manages to keep his nerve and strike only when the iron is hot, never being hasty. Although we don’t get to see much of him in the pro scene, it won’t be long until he comes back with a stacked team on his way to the International.
Recent Tournament Achievement
7th-8th - Clavision: Snow Ruyi - $26,250
7. Sumail
The King of the mid lane, Sumail is undoubtedly a legend of the game. Winning the International at age 15 is no easy feat, and neither is staying relevant and consistent through the years after that. Sumail has had a rocky career after he departed from EG, but his new home in Nigma was an unexpected move. With the new team, Sumail has managed to find his long-lost love for the game and emerge back as the GOAT. His consistent gameplay and hyper-aggressive playstyle have ranked him so high on the list.
Sumail has switched to a much team fight-oriented yet flashy play style which is reminiscent of his tenure at EG. Nigma has truly awoken the beast. You may have witnessed him slaying enemies left and right, outclassing and outplaying them at PGL Wallachia. Sumail's versatility is also worth mentioning, as he has one of the widest hero pools as a mid-laner. The GOAT is here to stay and annihilate his haters, proving to them that he is not a one-trick pony. With his unexpected foray into the MENA region, we only wish him luck and success at further tournaments.
Recent Tournament Achievements
3rd - Clavision: Snow Ruyi - $62,500
6. NoOne
Not all players can be both extremely good at the game and cocky at the same time! NoOne is the embodiment of that, his highly skilled yet arrogant playstyle is well-received in the CIS region. Also, did we mention that he is one of the few players to win 5 whopping Dota Majors? Being an active mid-player for the past decade, NoOne is a mighty beast with the right hero and the right players.
Known to be a punishing mid-laner, he never settles for anything except kills. You can often see the compilation of his brilliantly executed mid-playstyle on heroes like Invokker, Pangolier, Timbersaw, and many more. This combined with his impressive judgment and intense gameplay has ranked him this high on our list. Along with just excelling with any hero in the laning phase, NoOne keeps up the pace to farm up items and gank other lanes as well. With a decent finish this past Ti, we can only expect him to keep his head up high and emerge victorious at the next International!
Recent Tournament Achievement
5-6th - The International 2024- $91,076
5. NothingToSay
We have nothing bad to say about this young superstar! Hailing from Malaysia, NothingToSay has quickly gained notoriety as the best mid-laner in both the China and SEA regions. His raw and energetic gameplay combined with his quick thinking is quite rare and flawless in the pro scene. From being a high-ranked player to various top 3 finishes across tournaments, NothingToSay has made his mark as a brilliant mid-laner.
NothingToSay has quickly established himself as one of the most hopeful players to win the international. His extremely articulate and critical thought process is not a common sight in the pro scene; he is known to be as thoughtful as a chess Grandmaster! NothinToSay is extremely versatile and efficient in all the heroes he plays, he even performs exceptionally well with his least-played heroes. NothingToSay has mastered the art of mid-lane and has been praised worldwide in such a short span of his career.
Recent Tournament Achievement
13th-6th - The International 2024- $39,078
4. Topson
Topson is the only 2 time Ti winner on the list! He needs no introduction as his skills do the talking for him. Topson is known to be a skilled mid-player and respected and feared by fans and contemporaries worldwide. His two-time Ti-winning feat is unparalleled by any other mid-player. Known for his wide yet unconventional hero pool, he has won various tournaments with the legendary OG lineup.
Before joining OG, Topson was relatively unknown. His career trajectory changed after a few good performances leading to Ti 8. OG shocked the world by winning the Ti, with the MVP being Topson. His mid-lane plays are a sight to witness! He is known to have an aggressive mid-play style and loves to build unconventional, extremely situational items that win him the game. Although Topson has retired from the pro scene, as Dota fans, we expect him to make a comeback in the upcoming years as we want to see more domination from this legend.
Recent Tournament Achievement
3rd - The International 2024 - $234,150
3. Quinn
Quinn, the Cool, Calm and Collected mid-lane king of NA, is by far one of the hottest prospects to emerge from the North American region. He went from competing in various tier 2/3 stacks to winning four tournaments in a row; Quinn has achieved so much with Gaimin Gladiators. His jaw-dropping mechanical skills coupled with his aggressive and flashy playstyle is the reason why he is ranked so high on this list. In the recent few patches, we have seen Quinn win his lane regardless of the players he is facing, which is a commendable feat, especially in a pro game.
Along with his supreme mechanical skills and lane dominance, Quinn is also known for his vast hero pool. His versatility is off the roof as he is known to pull off any mid-hero (both meta and off-meta) without breaking a sweat. There have been games where Quinn has his major hero pool banned, yet he emerges victorious with any hero he picks. Although they placed second this year, Quinn and Gaiming are eying the International, we all know it, and we are sure that with enough improvements and the addition of Watson, Gaimin can prove victorious!
Recent Tournament Achievement
2nd - The International 2024 - $364,305
2. Malr1ne
Malr1ne, the wonder kid has gained traction with Dota fans all across the world, thanks to his aggressive gameplay and entertaining trash talk. Taking a page from OG’s book, this 19-year-old has mastered the art of the mid-lane. His hyper-aggressive yet calculated playstyle has won him various accolades with team Falcons over the past year. You can study his signature Razor, Puck or Storm Spirit to win your mid-lanes.
Although team Falcons had a disappointing 4th place finish at the recent International, there is a long way to go for the young Malr1ne as he is constantly improving and getting better at the game. Handing him his favorite heroes is a death wish as he can effortlessly wreak havoc with them in your pub games! With a few more successful results in the future, we can expect him to be ranked number one on this list!
Recent Tournament Achievement
4th place - The International 2024 - $156,100
1. Nisha
The recent Ti winner and the master of the mid-lane, Nisha has built a massive legacy for himself. He is an absolute feast to watch, as it always feels like he is two steps ahead of his opponents. A prodigy who quickly became a household name and a worldwide success. Nisha is quite the star, who shines hard and blinds enemies with his flashy gameplay. He is known for his unpredictable and highly devastating playstyle. He is undoubtedly the prominent reason behind Team Liquid's recent International victory.
Nisha's consistent and excellent performance over the last few years officially grants him the GOAT status. This mid-lane dominance is rarely matched by any other player, as they often get run over due to his wrath. No matter the hero he chooses to play, Nisha always gets the better end of the stick due to his impressive mechanical skills and game knowledge. Nisha is known to prioritize kills and aggression over farming. There is more to come from this young legend as we know that he is aiming for the second Aegis next year!
Recent Tournament Achievements
1st Place - The International 2024 - $1,170,965
