Dota 2 heroes list: How many heroes are there?

There are many heroes in Dota 2, and the sheer diversity of the roster is what makes every match feel so different. With over a hundred unique characters, each bringing its own abilities, playstyles, and roles, it’s no wonder that no two drafts ever play out the same.

This guide details the full Dota 2 heroes list with release dates, original DotA names, attributes, and beginner-friendly picks, giving you a complete snapshot of how the hero pool has evolved over time.

Dota 2 heroes are playable characters you control in your matches. Each has a unique set of abilities and can be categorized into one of four attributes: Strength, Intelligence, Agility, or Universal, which influence their stats, scaling, and overall playstyle.

Generally speaking, every Dota 2 hero is designed to fit different roles, based on their specialization.

For example, heavy physical damage dealers typically function as carries, burst-heavy spellcasters dominate the mid lane, durable frontliners excel as offlaners, and healing or crowd-control specialists support the team with utility and vision.

As of patch 7.40c, there are 127 heroes in Dota 2. The most recent addition is the Strength-based support Largo, added on December 16, 2025.

Largo’s in-game description reads:

“The exiled Murkroots of Velu’Mar discovered a living island so ancient it speaks only in song. Raised among the shamanic bards who learned to commune with it, Largo now roams the realms with a troupe of frogling disciples, looking for inspiration for new melodies to bring back home.”

Out of the entire Dota 2 hero roster, 112 heroes (roughly 88%) were ported from the original Defense of the Ancients (DotA) game. The remaining characters were introduced after patch 7.00 launched on August 23, 2016, which is when Valve began actively expanding the Dota 2 hero pool.

While early post-7.00 releases came quickly, the pace has slowed significantly in recent years. Today, Valve typically releases one new hero every 8–12 months, with occasional longer gaps between releases as the focus shifts toward balance updates and major gameplay changes.

Here is a list of all Dota 2 heroes with names and release dates for each character. This timeline illustrates perfectly how the hero pool has expanded over the years.

Here’s the full roster of Dota 2 heroes sorted by Strength, Agility, Intelligence, and Universal attributes.

There is no fixed schedule or timeline for hero releases in Dota 2. Valve adds new characters at random, though historically, new heroes are typically announced around key events like The International or major gameplay patches.

From 2010 to 2013, Valve ported many classic heroes from the original DotA Warcraft III mod. However, the developers embraced an entirely new philosophy post-7.00 in 2016, moving toward carefully designed, lore-driven heroes like Mars, Hoodwink, Muerta, and Ringmaster.

Since then, Dota 2 has averaged roughly one hero per year, with Valve clearly favoring quality over quantity.

It’s no secret that Dota 2 is one of the hardest games to learn—but with the right starter hero, you can make the steep learning curve less punishing. The best beginner heroes share a few key traits: low complexity, simple ability kit, high durability, and self-sustain.

Perhaps the most important factor is to play heroes with simple mechanics and a low skill floor. This includes having straightforward ability kits that require minimal micromanagement, like a passive-heavy kit or simple “point and click” spells that are hard to miss and easy to set up.

Durability is another key factor. Having inherent tankiness (i.e., high armor, health regeneration, or max HP) built-in sustain (e.g., healing or lifesteal), or, in the case of Wraith King, a reincarnation ability that brings you back to life if you die, ensures you remain impactful and recover from mistakes.

Below, you can find a few beginner-friendly heroes to try. To learn more about them, you can find all the Dota 2 heroes’ names and abilities in the game client.