Support players in Dota 2 rarely steal the spotlight. They do all the dirty work, sacrifice farm, and tank ganks so their cores can shine. And even though a support’s job isn’t glamorous, the very best supports still deliver stellar performances with minimal resources.

In this article, we’ll put the spotlight on the best support players in 2026 who have dictated games from the shadows. 

Top 10 Support Players In Dota 2 (2026)

Our ranking is based on each player’s recent performance and impact rather than raw numbers. That includes laning efficiency, warding, influence in teamfights, and consistency in operating with limited farming and item priority.

Best Support Players In Dota 2 Ranked

Here is how we’ve ranked the best support players in Dota 2:

#10. Erik “tOfu” Engel (Team Liquid)

Our ranking opens up with longtime Gaimin Gladiators veteran tOfu, who recently opened a new chapter in his career by joining Team Liquid. Along with the team change, he also transitioned from position four to position five.

Even in his previous role, tOfu is known for being a sacrificial support player who still delivers massive impacts in fights—and the numbers back it up. He’s holding the highest average support hero damage in pro play at 14,912, consistently doing so even in the position five role with Liquid. 

Last year was a slow year for tOfu, especially after Gaimin Gladiators withdrew from The International 2025 due to organizational issues. However, he seems to be meshing well with Team Liquid, where he now supports Michael “miCKe” Vu—one of the best carry players in the world.

#9. Matthew “Ari” Walker (Tundra Esports)

Ari has been one of the best support players in the world mechanically, but has had a relatively quiet career, achieving little to no major results. However, things changed when he finally got the opportunity to play for a top team, Tundra Esports.

Since joining Tundra, Ari has demonstrated his individual prowess, particularly with Dark Willow and Hoodwink, his trademark picks. He’s always good at landing impactful Terrorizes and multi-hero Bushwacks in crucial teamfights.

Despite his lack of Tier 1 experience, Ari played exceptionally well at BLAST Slam Season IV and V, where he looked like a natural performing in front of large crowds. Thanks to his solid performances, he won back-to-back BLAST Slam titles, marking the first major victories of his career.

#8. Edgar “9Class” Naltakian (PARIVISION)

PARIVISION’s 9Class might not top the stats sheets, but he is easily the most ratty, unorthodox support player in the world. His main purpose is to be annoying, acting like a mosquito that constantly buzzes around your head when you’re playing a Dota game. 

Even though he’s playing under one of the best Dota 2 teams globally, 9Class is often considered a meme in the Dota 2 community. This is mainly due to him playing heroes like Slark, Terrorblade, and even Templar Assassin in the support role.

Despite all the trolling and disruption, 9Class is still a solid player with strong mechanics. In the off-chance he’s forced to participate in a 5v5 teamfight, you can still count on him to execute well. 

#7. Andreas “Cr1t-” Nielsen (Team Falcons)

For the longest time, Cr1t- has been considered one of the best players to have never won TI, but he finally broke that narrative this year.

After more than a decade at the top level, the Team Falcons support player captured The International 2025 trophy, an accolade that had eluded him throughout his whole career. Cr1t- is one of the most reliable supports today.

He’s a safe pair of hands, and you can count on him to provide the saves and initiations he’s expected to pull off. With his wealth of experience and calm temperament, Cr1t- will always remain cool and collected, even under the highest pressure. 

#6. Yap “xNova” Jian Wei (Xtreme Gaming)

After a year-long hiatus, xNova announced he was ready to return to professional play. He had a slow start to the year, but things changed when he stood in for Xtreme Gaming at TI14. The Chinese squad wasn’t even expected to make it to the Playoffs, but xNova helped them finish in second place. 

What’s interesting is that xNova has the lowest GPM across all Tier 1 players at only 300, meaning he’s played practically every game with the least gold possible. For reference, each hero gets 90 passive gold per minute. 

Despite having zero resources to work with, xNova still somehow maintains one of the lowest average deaths as a support at 5.02 per game. He’s the definition of a team player and can make magic happen with no greed.

#5. Aleksandr “rue” Filin (Team Spirit)

Rue is Team Spirit’s rookie support. He was promoted from Yellow Submarine into the main Team Spirit roster alongside Satanic, who is one of the best Dota 2 carry players in the world. 

Rue is a quiet kid playing in a team full of superstars. He’s humble and keeps a low profile, but his gameplay speaks for itself.

On top of sitting in the top 3 in average assists (15.75) and hero damage (14,558), he holds the number 1 spot in average KAL at 3.56 (a metric that measures kills and assists divided by deaths), meaning he’s the most efficient support this year. 

#4. Vitalie “Save-” Melnic (BetBoom Team)

For years, many have kept a close eye on Save- for being one of the most mechanically gifted support players in Dota. 

Just like his name suggests, Save- is proficient in heroes with saving abilities, such as Shadow Demon and Ringmaster. However, his sheer mechanics also allow him to make plays on Pugna, Rubick, and Muerta. It’s hard to question his skill once you bring in the numbers.

He has the highest support KDA of 6.47, and he’s also tied with rue for the number one spot in KAL at 3.56. Save- had his most successful season yet, winning two trophies and finishing in the top-4 at The International. It won’t be too surprising to see him reach new heights next year. 

#3. Martin “Saksa” Sazdov (Team Yandex)

Saksa had most of his success playing for Tundra Esports, adding three more trophies to his cabinet in 2025 with the team.

Saksa is particularly good at finding resources on the map, as he has the highest XPM at 516 across all support players in Dota 2. This experience is why he has such a high impact in late-game fights—he’ll have a Level 3 ultimate and all the Talent Trees needed. 

After TI14, Saksa planned to take a break, but ended up standing in for a struggling Team Yandex. His impact was immediately seen, as he helped the Yandex organization win its first tournament at DreamLeague Season 27, turning what was a sinking ship into a title contender in less than three months. 

#2. Jingjun “Sneyking” Wu (Team Falcons)

Only 30 years young, Sneyking cemented himself into all-time territory with a victory at The International 2025, earning his second Aegis. 

If Sneyking needs a nickname, it’d be “money man.” He’s always racking up gold despite playing the role with the lowest farm priority. He really knows how to farm, as he sits at the top 1 for average GPM at 384, last hits at 144, and total gold spent at 14,715.

This is why you’ll often see Sneyking on top of enemy cores in the net worth charts, especially when he’s on heroes like Enchantress, Chen, or Mirana. So, if you’re trying to learn how to farm quickly as a support, you know whose replays you should watch. 

#1. Matthew “Whitemon” Filemon (Tundra Esports)

Whitemon may not post the strongest stats, but you can see how impactful he is the moment you watch him play. His laning stage is simply unmatched. He knows how to trade efficiently and plays around the side camps like nobody else. 

Most of the time, you’ll see Whitemon on playmaking heroes like Bane and Disruptor. He’s always at the right place, at the right time, setting his team up for easy kills. However, the Indonesian receives most praise for his vision game: you can learn a thing or two from the wards he places. 

Combined with his sacrificial playstyle, Whitemon always delivers huge impact with the least amount of gold. You’ll see him pulling some of the best Nightmares and Fiend’s Grip on Bane, a hero that typically has no items to work with. Simply put, there’s no support who does more for his team than Whitemon. 

FAQs

Who is the best support hero in Dota 2?

Some standout support heroes include Shadow Shaman, Jakiro, Muerta, and Shadow Demon.

Who is the best support player in Dota 2 history?

Many Dota 2 players consider veterans like N0tail and Puppey as the greatest support players in the game’s history. They have competed at the highest level for over a decade. 

Who is the best support player in 2026?

The best support player of the year is up for debate, but two players clearly stand out: Sneyking from Team Falcons and Whitemon from Tundra Esports.

Who should I watch to learn the support role?

If you’re looking to master your laning stage, players like Whitemon and Miposhka are great to watch. To learn how to farm as a support, watch Sneyking and Saksa.