The most contested meta Dota 2 heroes at The International 2025

The International 2025 is over, and Team Falcons have immortalised their names on the Aegis of Champions. We witnessed a lot of meta shifts throughout TI14, but amidst all the hustle, one factor remained constant – Helm of the Dominator. This particular item has haunted many matches, and now, it's haunting in our pubs too.

ATF lifting the Aegis.

Thus, let's take a look at how professional players efficiently used this item at The International 2025 and which heroes rose up to the meta and became the most contested or popular heroes.

Naga Siren was a popular meta ban at TI14

Naga Siren was consistently among the first phase bans at TI14, and with good reason, too. She can consistently push out waves, scout the map, and her Song of the Siren allows her team to either initiate, retreat or reset the fights mid-battle, an extremely reliable tool in Dota 2. These factors make Naga one of the most contested meta heroes at The International 2025. On top of that, Naga can also be a flex pick, capable of either playing as a support or a safelane core.

Naga Siren had a 95.83% contest rate in 138 matches. In the 10 matches where she got through, Naga had a 60% win rate.

This guy roared your carry wcyd.

Beastmaster was another highly sought-after hero at The International 2025. With Helm of the Dominator being the meta-defining item of TI14, it's no surprise to see that BM was one of the most popular heroes of The International 2025. He is an extremely reliable flex pick. Originally played as an offlaner, BM often picks up Helm of Dom early. The hero can also be played as a midlaner, where he would rush an early Aghs. Both itemisation routes allow Beastmaster to come online early and secure objectives like Roshan, allowing his team to play a high-tempo game. Beastmaster also scale well as the game progresses.

At The International 2025, Beastmaster is ranked just behind Naga. He had a 94.44% contest rate across 136 matches, and in 22 matches where he got through, Beastmaster had a 45.45% win rate.

Earthshaker is a TI staple

No TI would be complete without an Earthshaker. Known for his unrivalled AoE crowd control, ES once again proved his impact at The International 2025, where he was one of the most contested meta heroes of the tournament.

Let's shake things up.

ES has long been a support, but at TI this time, he was one of the most efficient midlaners. Fissures allow his team to defend the high ground with ease, clearing waves. His ultimate, Echo Slam, is a consistent threat to the opponents, always reminding them to reconsider their positioning, as any careless group-up could have devastating results.

At The International 2025, ES had an 86.11% contest rate in 124 matches. He had a 53.66% win rate at the 41 games where he was picked, signifying his popularity.

Marci being played as a safelane hard carry was perhaps one of the most unorthodox strategies we've seen at The International 2025. With the Helm of Dominator and Fleeting Fury facet, the hero scales remarkably as the game progresses. Moreover, Marci is a hero that comes online quickly with just a pickup of a BKB. During the group stages of The International 2025, Marci was a highly contested meta hero for the safelane hard carry.

However, as the tournament evolved, players figured out a way to kite her during skirmishes. Nevertheless, her viability does not fade away. At The International 2025, Marci had an 81.25% contest rate across 117 matches. She had a 50.00% win rate in the 20 matches where she got through.

The pub stompers

While there were many unorthodox picks as meta safelane heroes at The International 2025, only two truly stood out as pub stompers.

Also Read: The International 2025: Teams and Players chasing their next Aegis

At the tournament, Troll Warlord had one of the highest win rates among safelane heroes. He may get kited at the highest level of competitive Dota 2, but in pub matches, he can outshine the brightest. At The International 2025, Troll had a 29.86% contest rate across 43 matches. When he did make it through in 15 games, he achieved a 73.33% win rate.

Fuzzy Wuzzy

Ursa was another traditional safelane hero that was one of the most contested Dota 2 meta heroes at the tournament after the group stage. Despite recent nerfs, Ursa has not lost his edge. He scales well as the game progresses, can have a decent laning stage and can stand toe-to-toe against other meta heroes. He can also do an instant burst damage. At The International 2025, Ursa had a 45.14% contest rate across 65 matches. In the 20 games where he was picked, he had a 70% win rate.

These were some of the most contested heroes at The International 2025, folks. Some of these picks may seem unusual or even bizarre, but always remember – TI meta is always different! With The International 2025 now behind us, let's look forward to a new Dota 2 season full of historic plays and unforgettable drama.