In Dota 2, offlaners occupy the most versatile role in the game, and deciding which hero to pick is not easy.
Are you struggling in the offlane? Do you often find yourself struggling to stay alive? If so, this is the guide for you. Below I have a list of the top 10 offlaners and why they deserve their spot on the list.
10. Slardar
Slardar, the Slithereen Guard
Slardar's bash makes him a beast against melee heroes. His Bash of the Deep allows him to trade auto attacks with almost any carry. And if you can farm up a blink dagger, you become a potent initiator capable of stunning multiple heroes.
Why Slardar is Great for Offlane:
- Slardar is exceptionally mobile.
- He can easily trade hits with the enemy carry.
- His ultimate makes him great in the jungle.
- Slardar has high base armor.
- His AoE stun can make for an easy escape.
9. Tidehunter
Leviathan, the Tidehunter
Tidehunter is a hero that loves to team fight. You can use Tidehunter's ultimate, ravage, to turn the tide of almost any team fight. Pun intended. Tidehunter is exceptionally durable and can withstand even the most formidable enemies in the offlane.
Why Tidehunter is Great for Offlane:
- He reduces the enemy's damage.
- Tidehunter is excellent at quickly farming creep waves.
- He has great sustain with his damage block passive.
- His passive makes him harder to stun.
- Tidehunter's gush ability reduces the opponent's armor.
8. Mars
Mars, the First Son of Heaven
Mars is a semi-carry strength hero that is exceptionally versatile. He can use his ultimate, arena of blood, to destroy team fights by trapping multiple foes inside. And suppose you catch a low-level support wandering out on their own. In that case, all you have to do is throw your ultimate down and watch as they hopelessly try to squirm out of their inevitable death.
Why Mars is Great for Offlane:
- He's extremely durable with a damage reduction passive.
- Mars can solo kill the enemy carry if he's left unchecked.
- His abilities are great at securing creep kills from a distance.
- He's excellent at jungling if he needs to.
- His spear synergizes well with a support's stun.
7. Pudge
Pudge, the Butcher
Pudge is an unconventional hero to add to this list. But with Pudge being my all-time favorite hero, I had to add him.
Pudge’s Meat Hook is an insanely satisfying skill shot that pulls an enemy toward you. This makes him great at getting solo kills and pulling enemies out of position in a 5v5 team fight. If Pudge gets a few kills early on, he's a force to be reckoned with as he gains strength with each kill. But be careful in the early game, as Pudge is notorious for being the worst laner in the game and can struggle to hit creeps.
Why Pudge is Great for Offlane:
- He can hook supports out of position.
- Pudge gets increased magic resistance from his passive.
- His Rot ability can slow fleeing enemies.
- Pudge can roam mid if he's struggling in the offlane.
- He gets bonus strength from each kill or assist he gets.
6. Timbersaw
Rizzrack, the Timbersaw
Timbersaw is a situational pick that can destroy certain lineups. If the enemy team picks multiple strength heroes, just pick Timbersaw and enjoy your free MMR.
He shreds through strength heroes like butter, as Whirling Death temporarily reduces the enemy’s primary stat. And when strength heroes get their stats reduced, they lose a ton of health. He is also notably mobile, with his Timber Chain allowing him to maneuver fights easily.
Why Timbersaw is Great for Offlane:
- He gets bonus HP regen from his passive.
- Timbersaw can challenge almost any strength hero.
- His timber chain makes him hard to catch.
- Once he gets to level 6, he can often solo kill the carry.
- Timbersaw's reactive armor gives him bonus armor when he's attacked.
5. Doom
Lucifer, the Doom
There isn't a better disable in Dota 2 than Doom's, aptly named Doom. Doom can essentially prevent an enemy from playing the game by disabling their spells and items for a whopping 16 seconds. And, if you lose your lane, Scorched Earth and Devour allow you to quickly recover.
Why Doom is Great for Offlane:
- His Devour ability instantly kills creeps.
- Doom's Scorched Earth increases his movement speed.
- His Infernal Blade does a ton of damage to supports.
- At level six, Doom can kill the enemy carry.
- He's excellent at jungling.
4. Batrider
Batrider
If you ask any pro Dota player "who’s the best laner in the game," they will probably say Batrider. Every one of Batrider's abilities synergizes perfectly to destroy the enemy carry during the laning stage. And after dominating your lane, all you need is a blink dagger to harness Batrider’s full potential.
Why Batrider is Great for Offlane:
- He can easily solo kill the carry.
- His Firefly makes him super mobile.
- Batrider has bonus vision when using Firefly.
- He slows enemies in his lane.
- Batrider has high movement speed.
3. Enigma
Enigma, the Consumer of Worlds
Love team fighting, but Tidehunter's ravage isn't flashy enough for you? Well, there's nothing flashier and more satisfying than dropping a literal black hole onto your enemies. A perfectly placed black hole can single-handedly win a team fight. And the rest of his abilities are great for jungling and pushing out creep waves.
Why Enigma is Great for Offlane:
- He can summon Eidolons to hit creeps for him.
- His Midnight Pulse can clear creep waves.
- Enigma can easily farm jungle camps.
- He has high base armor.
- His Malefice ability can kill out of position supports.
2. Weaver
Skitskurr, the Weaver
Weaver is an offlaner that can transition into a carry if his lane goes well enough. You shouldn’t have much trouble staying alive in the offlane, as killing Weaver is like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands. He's fast, mobile, invisible, and can output insane damage with the right items.
Why Weaver is Great for Offlane:
- Weaver is exceptionally mobile.
- His ultimate can be used to escape certain death.
- Weaver's geminite attacks do a ton of damage.
- Enemies need true sight to see weaver when he uses Shukuchi.
- His swarm ability reduces the enemy's armor.
1. Clockwerk
Rattletrap, the Clockwerk
Like Pudge, Clockwerk has a deadly hook at his disposal. Clockwerk's hook is the opposite of Pudge's, however. Hookshot latches onto an enemy and launches Clockwerk towards the target. Once he's next to the target, Clockwerk can use his Power Cogs to trap the enemy in place.
Clockwerk’s abilities make him an incredibly powerful initiator. He’s a high impact hero that is a great pick in any lineup.
Why Clockwerk is Great for Offlane:
- He's great at initiating on the carry.
- His Battery Assault decimates melee heroes.
- Clockwerk's Power Cogs can immobilize supports.
- He can use his Rocket Flair to kill creeps from a safe distance.
- He has a high base movement speed.
