FNG on Why Supports Have a Hard Time in Dota

Dota 2

November 30, 2023

Marcus Wong

Ever wonder why supports have a limited hero pool while carry players seemingly have their pick of the pool?

Well, turns out there’s more to this unusual trend than just mere preferences. This pattern is not just about personal preferences but is deeply rooted in the game’s strategic and meta considerations.

Credit: Helena Kristiansson / ESL

Fng’s Perspective – Captain of Virtus.Pro

Artsiom “Fng” Barshak, the captain of Virtus.pro, highlighted this issue during a live stream. He pointed out the limited choices available to professional support players, mainly due to the requirement of picking these heroes in the first phase of the draft. This strategic constraint significantly narrows down the options for support players.

“The sh*ttiest thing is that you have to first pick a support. You take a support that works with everyone and against all heroes. For example, Treant Protector. He is still strong even after the nerfs. He can be countered, but the chances are several times less than with any other support. That’s all. So you sit there, having a hero pool of 2-3 heroes in pubs, zero enjoyment.

Meanwhile, the core players’ pool is huge. This is not a patch issue. I’m bored because I know this meta has been going on since TI12. No problem, what the current patch is. The problem is that it has been around for a very long time. You don’t need to be skilled here. You just sit down, pick the best hero, and play.”

Fng described the situation as frustrating, citing the example of Treant Protector. But this isn’t just the case for professional players either. Unless you’re able to successfully draft a flex support hero, you’re going to struggle. If you a pick a hero that doesn’t need to countered, you’ll struggle to have any real impact on the game.

According to Fng, this stagnation in the game reduces the skill requirement and variety in the support role.

Yatoro’s All-hero Challenge TI edition

Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk, a carry player known for his versatility, showcases the stark contrast in hero pool availability. During Team Spirit‘s victorious run at the International 10, Yatoro played 14 different heroes over 20 games, illustrating the vast array of choices available for carry players.

Currently, there are over 120 heroes in Dota. This should allow for decent flexibility but with long patches and aging metas, it’s difficult to find something new to work with. Many interactions are figured out within hours of a new patch dropping.

Source: Dota 2 / Valve

How To Not Get Countered as a Support

Supporting in Dota 2 encompasses various critical game mechanics such as lane equilibrium, creep pulling, denying, and harassing. Given these multiple responsibilities, having a reliable and versatile hero is crucial for a support player.

Of course, as Fng described, the necessity to pick heroes early in the draft phase often forces supports to choose less ideal heroes that are more susceptible to being countered by the opposing team. This dynamic often limits their hero pool to a few meta-relevant choices.

However, there are few heroes in the game that cannot be played flexibly. We’ve all seen an Ancient Apparition mid that manages to dominate in pubs. Flexing your hero and being able to build situational items, even with a lower farm priority, is a good way to ensure you’re not countered too harshly.

Impact of Recent Dota 2 Patches

The Dota 2 patch 7.34e, released on November 21, has also contributed to the current situation. The patch failed to significantly alter the balance of power. It didn’t introduce changes that would encourage a broader hero pool for support players. This lack of impactful updates has been a point of contention within the Dota 2 community, with many players expressing dissatisfaction with the current meta.