Ringmaster is one of the newest faces in Dota 2, and he’s already winning over fans with his versatile playstyle. He dishes out solid damage, controls the battlefield with crowd control abilities and can even bail out teammates in a pinch — making him a go-to pick for both casual gamers and the pros. But since he’s still fresh on the scene, many players are still figuring out how to get the most out of him. That’s where we come in. We’ve put together a full Dota 2 Ringmaster guide to help you unlock everything this hero has to offer.
Before diving deep into the hero’s specifics, we want to mention that Ringmaster is almost always played as support. There are attempts to position him as a mid-laner (and he works against specific heroes), however, he is undoubtedly better as a support.
Ringmaster is an INT hero with decent starting stats, range, and projectile speed. The hero is also very versatile when it comes to items, but we will discuss that later in our detailed Dota 2 Ringmaster guide.
Image Source: Valve
Before learning how the hero works, you need to know some details about his item build. Ringmaster is versatile in terms of what you can get, but after playing hundreds of games with the hero, we found that some options work better than others.
Like any other support, Dota 2 Ringmaster usually has the following starting items:
The early game as a hard support in Dota 2 can be challenging, so your items will vary. Usually, you will want the following:
As soon as the mid-game arrives, Ringmaster becomes exceptionally strong due to his CC and ability to save his allies. Your item choice here will depend on how the game goes and how fed your opponents are. But in general, you’ll buy some of these items:
Having all those items in position 4 or 5 is almost impossible in the mid-game, so you should focus on those that will help you in the given game.
Ringmaster’s utility and CC are highly efficient in the late game, but considering his role, he is usually the first to die. All of the items mentioned above will also work here, but you can also add the following:
Image Source: Valve
An important thing to know in this Dota 2 Ringmaster guide is how to use this hero’s abilities. Let’s go through each one and share a few words about it.
This channelled ability whips enemies, dealing damage and making them flee in fear. Aside from using it to clear waves (when needed), you can trick your opponents and outplay them when they least expect it.
Escape Act is your way of saving yourself or an ally when needed. It’s one of the abilities that needs more practice, but it can make a big difference once you learn how to use it. When used correctly, you can dodge abilities or give yourself/your ally enough time to survive.
Ringmaster’s dagger is his primary harassing tool throughout all stages of the game. It’s highly efficient early on, but since it slows your opponents, it can do wonders throughout all game stages.
Ringmaster’s big ultimate allows him to knock enemies, do damage over time, slow them down, and “mesmerise” them if they face the wheel. If it does not affect anyone, it will explode after 4 seconds. In other words, a well-placed ultimate can be incredibly hard to deal with, and it can win a team fight.
Ringmaster’s innate ability allows him to get a random single-use souvenir when an enemy hero dies near him. The fact that this is unpredictable makes the hero very dangerous, especially early on. Enemies rarely keep track of which Dark Carnival Souvenir you have, meaning you can surprise them with dodging abilities and doing all sorts of other things.
When it comes to Facets, Ringmaster has two options:
Both of them give you access to different souvenirs, so you need to choose the right options for your current matchup.
Image Source: Valve
Due to the fact that Ringmaster is a support (either soft or hard support), you have to know what you’re doing to be efficient. Check out our Dota 2 Support Guide for some tips & tricks if you’re unfamiliar with the role.
As soon as the game is on, the first thing you should do is place proper wards near the bounty runes. You can either use a Smoke to do that or try to sneak around so the enemies don’t see you.
After the laning stage begins, your goal as support is to do all the things that supports usually focus on. This includes pulling, playing around your cores, and, most importantly, harassing. Ringmaster is strong when it comes to exchanging hits and using his nukes, so always take advantage of that.
Depending on the situation, you may also want to rotate around the map. This can happen when you need to/can gank a specific lane or help your allies.
Once the mid game is here, you should focus on your ultimate. The ability is incredibly strong, so using it properly will almost always guarantee winning a team fight. The ultimate has a fairly high cooldown, however, so you have to coordinate your movements and team fight based on it.
Ringmaster’s late-game potential is strong, but he usually does the same thing as in the mid-game. His ultimate becomes even stronger and, depending on the situation, it may be everything he has to offer.
Even if you play against a Dota 2 Ringmaster counter, overall, the hero is a solid pick in almost any situation. Once you master his kit, Ringmaster can be very annoying to play against and can deal a surprising amount of damage. All in all, he is a strong pick in any meta.
Read More: Best Dota 2 Heroes to Climb Ranks in 2025
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