Dota 2 Fantasy is a particularly niche activity, enjoyed by the most passionate Dota 2 fans. For starters, it’s similar to pick’em or fantasy team-building games, where it tests participants’ knowledge of Dota 2 pro players and how often do they outperform others. In this year’s Compendium, you can make Dota 2 The International fantasy predictions to earn points.

Now, if Dota 2 Fantasy seems enticing already, then you’re in luck because there is an official Dota 2 Fantasy event, curated for the International 12 (TI12). Unlike previous Dota fantasy events, you have immediate access to all players with the Compendium.

Source: Valve

How to Play Dota 2 The International Fantasy Predictions

In most cases, the most picked TI12 Fantasy Picks would be the top powerhouses for the season. The WEU titans, Gaimin Gladiators, took first place in all 3 Majors this year as well as DreamLeague Season 20. They’ve been a thorn in the side of Team Liquid all year.

Hence, the most confident teams should usually be your simplest and most effective options. Even so, filling all your TI12 Fantasy picks with the entire Gaimin Gladiators line-up isn’t the best idea, especially since they have found themselves in the lower bracket after the group stage. Instead, with decent knowledge of the TI12 players, you would find yourself with more accumulated fantasy points if you chose the best players by game stats.

The Dota 2 Fantasy page is already open in the Dota 2 game itself and you’ll need to lock your 3 player roster before they lock. Unlike previous years, you’ll need access to the Compendium before you can take part.

To take part, you’ll need to purchase the Compendium for $7.50 for 6 levels or $29.99 for 50 levels to take part in Fantasy. This is a departure from the usual structure, which included free fantasy.

For every 3 levels you have on your Compendium, you’ll earn a reroll token. These tokens allow you to customize your fantasy lineup. It’s a little more complex than recent years so let’s dig in.

dota fantasy

Source: Dota 2 TI12 Compendium

TI12 Fantasy Picks

Here are some of our main picks for every role. There are 3 slots, one for Core players, one for Mid and one for Support.

Core

Core players typically have the highest Gold Per Minute (GPM), especially in winning matches. However, the stats on cards can vary based on your specific crafting data. For Core players, ideal crafts with high stats include GPM, Roshan kills, Towers Destroyed, or any carry-related stats.

At this point in the tournament, it is likely better to include players who are currently in the upper bracket. This is simply because they have a higher chance of participating in the entire playoff stage. Teams in the UB include LGD Gaming, Team Spirit, Team Liquid and nouns. You’ll also have to make a call between offlane and hard carry players.

We’d recommend choosing your player based on which crafting options you have.

Mid

The mid slot is reserved for the feistiest of players. Even among mid players, some players are extremely aggressive and are held above others. TI12 has some of the best midlaners in the world including Nothingtosay (LGD Gaming), Abed (Shopify Rebellion) and Topson (Tundra Esports).

In the Mid slot, we recommend picking cards with Kills stats, Creep Score and Roshan Kills. Since it’s a general rule of thumb for mid players to contest for runes and exert pressure on the enemy team by killing, Runes Grabbed could also be a good option.

Support

Supports play a vital role in your TI12 fantasy picks, as much as cores. These are often your playmakers in the game, so ideal stats are Wards Placed, Lotus Grabs, Camps Stacked and Stuns.

You’ll also need to make the call between hard and soft support players on each team. The difference between these roles is nuanced but can make a big difference in the points gain. In the group stage, both Mira and Miposhka from Team Spirit performed well in points. Check out performances from Talon and 9Pandas too.