Born out of a modified map of Warcraft III, Defense Of The Ancients, or Dota, became one of the pioneer games for MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) and esports. After a couple of patches, maps, and ownership changes, the Warcraft III mod was able to have its standalone game, which became Dota 2.
Dota 2’s roster of fantastic heroes ranges from godly deities to creatures of the deep and anything in between. While skills and team synergies are the only things needed to win any Dota 2 match, it is fun to know the heroes’ lore and see which of your favorite heroes are the most powerful in the setting.
10 Invoker
Carl, The Invoker, is considered to be one of the strongest quasi-immortals to ever walk the planet. Back in the ancient days, practicing magic was extremely difficult and was practiced by mages mainly through mnemonic means, meaning they could only invoke spells that they had memorized. Because of this, mages in ancient times were only limited to three to four spells, some even resorting to using grimoires to invoke spells. Invoker was in a different league, however. When he was as young as eleven years old, he was able to manipulate the elements using orbs that he summoned. This allowed him to invoke 10 different magic spells, making him one of the most powerful mages of all time.
While Invoker can memorize and cast different spells, there are spells that he quickly removes from his memory once he figures that these spells are not useful to him anymore. One specific spell is called the Sempiternal Cantrap, an immortality spell that he used himself when he was younger. Once he became a quasi-immortal, he purged the spell from his memory and just continued using the 10 signature spells created by the leaders of the magi.
9 Earthshaker
An immortal being who willed himself into existence, Earthshaker is part of the planet where all the events of Dota 2 take place. Being one with the planet, Earthshaker was able to sense the destruction of a “sister planet.” This caused Earthshaker to be more cautious about what will happen to his planet, as fragments of the sister planet have merged with him.
Originally hailed from the mountains of Nishai and tasked to protect the Red Mountains, Earthshaker is a being immensely powerful, as he was able to will himself into existence. He can control the earth and send waves of mass destruction every time he slams his totem imbued with the power of the earth.
8 The Fundamentals
The Fundamentals are primordial entities created by the Elder Titan, The Worldsmith. Each Fundamental embodies fundamental laws of the universe and can exist along multiple planes of existence. Each of the four Fundamentals co-exists to bring balance to all planes, but their own personalities and agendas have strayed them from their true purpose.
Io, the Fundamental of electromagnetism, manifest all kinds of electric and magnetic forces of all planes. Io appears to the material plane in the form of a wisp, which can call upon particles of spirits to aid allies in battle. Enigma embodies the gravitational force that is present throughout the whole universe and can manipulate gravity and summon black holes. Chaos Knight governs chaos, disorder, and destruction, while Ezalor, the Keeper Of The Light, is the Fundamental of order and is the creator of many ancient suns.
7 Dawnbreaker
Dawnbreaker is an automaton created as a living weapon by the Children of Light, followers of the Fundamental Keeper Of The Light. Her main purpose is to continue Ezalor’s quest against darkness and chaos, but their ambitious quest became their downfall. Dawnbreaker was not able to finish this quest, and her lifeless body wandered throughout space until it crashed into the planet where all battles in Dota 2 take place. Revived by a wandering young star, Dawnbreaker lives again and will now continue her failed quest.
Armed with her trusty Brightmaul, she was tasked with purging the darkness of primordial night which resulted in the banishment of ancient night creatures — except for Balanar the Night Stalker. Her creators also tried to use her to absorb Io’s power to bind Chaos Knight.
6 The Celestials
Also known as the Spirit Brothers, the Celestials are heavenly beings that are attuned to different elements of nature. Xin, Kaolin, Inai, and Raijin are the personifications of these Celestial beings, and only five of them exist in the Dota universe, along with Brewmaster’s father.
Each Spirit Brother is attuned to a specific element and is usually unique from each other when it comes to their personalities. Their strength is also magnified by those warriors whom they chose to use as vessels. All the Celestials except Inai, the Void Spirit, revived mighty warriors so they can take on their physical forms.
5 Arc Warden
In the beginning, there was only the Primordial Mind, the first mind to ever exist and the progenitor of all creation in the Dota 2 universe. When the universe was created, the Mind was fractured into greater fragments, two of which became the Radiant and Dire. The differences between these two fragments caused them to wage war against one another and use heroes for their own selfish purpose. A third fragment willed itself into a more tangible form and became Arc Warden. His purpose is to reunite the fragments and restore the order of the universe.
He managed to imprison his siblings and converge them into a single sphere, becoming the Mad Moon. But, Arc Warden’s seal on the moon became weaker and weaker as eons went by, and these fragments broke free to start the never-ending war again. Arc Warden must now try and reseal these two again, but since he became weak after the first encounter with his siblings, he has to recruit heroes to join his cause.
4 Ancient Apparition
Kaldr the Ancient Apparition is a mere projection of the original Kaldr, whose power exceeds time itself. Kaldr already existed in the infinite void outside time before the universe was created by the Primordial Mind. As the universe comes close to an end, Ancient Apparition will only become stronger, and the true Kaldr will manifest the apparition.
Original Kaldr’s icy presence will bring all matter to stop; not one being will be able to move, thus bringing a sort of balance to the universe.
3 Oracle
Compared to all other heroes in this list, Nerif the Oracle is just one of many who came before him; mortals that are bred and raised for the purpose of aiding the Graven King. But, there is one thing that separates Oracle from his predecessors — instead of just seeing the future, Oracle can change the future as he sees fit.
Oracle was able to change the tides of multiple battles because he changed the future, as commanded by the Graven King. But, too much abuse of this power drove the king mad when Oracle said that the king’s final battle will go either way. Both the king’s army and the enemies were winning and losing at the same time, resulting in an infinite split of reality in Oracle’s original universe.
2 Elder Titan
The Elder Titan, also known as The Worldsmith, created the world and therefore can reduce the world into mere atoms. He created the Fundamentals, and he exists in all seven planes at the same time. He can call upon aspects of himself from different planes, appearing in the material plane as an Astral Spirit.
While he can reduce all elements into their basic forms, The Elder Titan aims to use his worldsmithing to create better worlds. He made everything into what it is, and with the conflicts between the Radiant and Dire, he aims to restore what was broken and damaged.
1 Weaver
Skitskurr belongs to a group of insect-like beings called the Weavers. They maintain and repair the very fabric of reality, and they can weave reality to their liking. Maintaining the fabric of reality is an enormously important task, as any tear or unraveling of its fabrics will cause worlds to become annihilated. They also defend the fabric against those who want to destroy it, but Skitskurr is not contented with just doing these menial tasks.
Weaver tried to make new fabrics of realities and soon got cast out of their cosmic tapestry. Banished into a different reality, Weaver is now free to change it the way he likes. Changing the very fabric of reality and weaving new threads of fate will be too easy for Skitskurr, and everything in the whole Dota 2 universe will cease to exist should Weaver start tearing at its seams.
