The midlaner is the center of attention in Dota 2. Whether heroes are dragged towards you, or you have to hunt them yourself, a good midlaner will capitalize on any opportunity to make your enemies pay.
A good mid hero needs to be able to lane well, have good farming abilities, and yet still provide assistance whenever your team calls for it. It’s a tough, multi-faceted role—but there are few more rewarding in Dota.
Here are three of the best mid heroes to gain MMR with in patch 7.31.
3 best mid heroes to gain MMR with in Dota 2 patch 7.31
Storm Spirit
Storm Spirit’s mobility is unmatched. No matter the angle or location, as long as you have mana, you will get there—which makes mana management an important skill when playing this hero.
In terms of the lane, Storm is one of the strongest, especially against melee heroes who have to run into his Static Remnants or risk losing creeps. Even if he does lose the lane, he’s great at catching up in the jungle, and loves to clear stacks—so make sure you create stacks yourself, or get your supports to make some.
While Orchid Malevolence used to be the de facto item for Storm, he’s since expanded his horizons. Kaya and Sange, Black King Bar, and even Witch Blade have become common first item choices, depending on your priorities.
Later in the game, it’s hard to go away from the Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard build. There’s just so much synergy between the two items—Scepter turns your Electric Vortex into an AOE spell, dragging everybody near you, while Shard gives you charges of Overload when activated. Coupled with the level 25 talent that lets Overload bounce, it turns Storm Spirit into one of the most terrifying late-game damage dealers that can come from anywhere and at any time.
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Ember Spirit
Xin, the Ember Spirit, has been a competitive mainstay for a reason. His in-and-out skill set remains relevant no matter the meta, and he’s an elusive hero that’s difficult to pin down.
He’s a great early ganker, because he gains access to a lot of damage very cheaply. While Orb of Corrosion has fallen out of favor with many heroes, it remains an essential pick-up for Xin. His Sleight of Fist covers a wide area, letting him tag the debuff on several heroes instead of just one. The minus armor allows Sleight of Fist to deal more damage, and the slow makes it easier for him to chase down targets.
Ember Spirit is a versatile damage dealer. Generally, he focuses on the magic path, because Aghanim’s Scepter is a near-core purchase for him. The upgrade gives him more remnants and significantly improves their distance, making Ember one of the best backline jumpers. Maelstrom is also a common purchase as its procs work with Sleight, giving him a farming tool.
If he chooses to go the physical route, Sleight allows him to keep on the outskirts of the fight, despite being a melee hero. Items like Desolator and Daedalus allow him to output a ton of damage, and he’s a great Divine Rapier carrier if the game calls for a desperate purchase to turn the tide since he’s so elusive.
Pangolier
Pangolier received a few small buffs in 7.31, but the reworked Diffusal Blade, now costing 650 less gold, is arguably the biggest boon to mid Pangolier.
Getting the item turns Swashbuckle into even more of a menace, adding 160 damage and mana burn to a spell that deals 340 physical damage, dealing 500 damage with one cast spell on an eight-second cooldown. Pangolier isn’t the most oppressive mid laner, but having low-cooldown abilities means he can often secure creeps with spells.
Getting expedited levels also means faster access to his ultimate, Rolling Thunder. It’s a great teamfight spell that can chain-stun targets by itself, and is always a frustrating experience for your opponents. Midlaners can often contribute to ganks on the sidelines, where mobility is generally a precious commodity due to low levels.
Diffusal Blade also synergizes well with Rolling Thunder. The targeted slow is an easy way to land your ultimate, which means your team can follow up on your initiation.
This list is geared more towards public matchmaking. If you want to see what the pros are picking, ONE Esports’ Dota 2 hero tier list might be more your speed.
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