Now that The International 2025 is behind us, it’s time for our traditional recap with a deep dive into the heroes that shaped the meta. Despite the fairly stable environment leading into the tournament, the landscape shifted dramatically once the games began. As always, cores remained the backbone of every draft, but this time, supports took center stage as the defining force of the tournament.
In this recap, we’ll explore which heroes rose to the top, which ones fell short, and how teams squeezed the most value from their picks. Using tournament data—focusing on win rates, pick frequency, and overall impact — we’ll also touch on what we’re calling the Shadow Meta: the set of heroes flying under the radar but showing signs of becoming dominant in the months ahead.
The International 2025 Meta Recap
Disruptor is Popular But Bane is Efficient
Across 144 matches played during The International 2025, Disruptor emerged the most picked hero in the draft phase. He appeared in 53 games, but despite his popularity, the results were slightly underwhelming. With only 24 wins, his 45.28% win rate landed below the average line.
Two spots below him in overall popularity, Bane proved that efficiency matters more than hype. Drafted in 42 matches, he secured 23 victories, giving him the highest win rate among the Top 5 most-picked heroes at 54.76%. His ability to shut down enemy cores with Fiend’s Grip and provide reliable lane presence cemented him as one of the tournament’s strongest supports.
This is a good time to be a support. A lot of meta picks to choose from. — Credit: ValveAmong the Top 5, the hero that managed to flex between support and midlane roles was Earthshaker. Picked 41 times, he settled in the middle of the efficiency rankings, finishing with a solid 53.66% win rate. His versatility, ability to disrupt teamfights, and game-changing Echo Slams ensured he remained a constant threat.
It’s a good time to be a support player — between Bane, Disruptor, Earthshaker, and others, there’s a wide pool of reliable, meta-defining picks to choose from.
Shadow Meta: Trolling As Expected
Our Shadow Meta rules are simple: we highlight heroes who not only outperformed the field statistically but also appeared in at least 10% of matches. These are the “hidden gems” that might not be the flashiest picks but delivered results consistently.
At the top of this secret hierarchy were two carries who terrorized opponents all tournament long: Troll Warlord and Ursa.
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Troll Warlord was unstoppable. Drafted in 15 games, he secured 11 wins, translating to a jaw-dropping 73.33% win rate. His ability to thrive in chaotic fights and scale into the late game made him one of the most reliable win conditions across the event.
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Ursa wasn’t far behind, boasting a clean 70% win rate with 14 victories in 20 appearances. Known for dismantling Roshan early and punishing greedy drafts, Ursa fit perfectly into TI’s fast-paced, objective-focused style.
If you play core roles it's time to test the heroes on the shadow meta. — Credit: ValveBoth heroes excelled as primary carries but also showed potential flexibility in other core roles. If you’re a core player climbing the ladder, these two should be at the top of your list.
Heroes Over 60% Win Rate
Behind these standout carries was a group of heroes who maintained over 60% win rates across respectable sample sizes. Here’s the full list:
- Medusa — 64.29% WR
- Queen of Pain — 63.64% WR
- Centaur Warrunner — 62.50% WR
- Shadow Demon — 61.90% WR
- Phoenix — 61.11% WR
- Tusk — 60% WR
- Void Spirit — 60% WR
Each of these heroes had their moments to shine, and many became central to their teams’ deep runs in the tournament.
Medusa was instrumental in Xtreme Gaming’s march to the Grand Finals, where Wang “Ame” Chunyu often relied on her incredible scaling to close out tense matches. Her durability and farming speed made her one of the hardest carries to answer in the late game.
Centaur Warrunner was another surprise success story. While not a staple pick in recent metas, Zhang “Bach” Ruida of Team Tidebound demonstrated just how effective Centaur could be as an offlaner. His initiation with Blink Dagger and durability in lane contributed heavily to his team’s progress.
Heroes to every role, every play style and every kind of draft. — Credit: ValveOne of the more curious cases was Phoenix, who showed up as an offlane pick in Heroic’s elimination match against Tundra Esports. On paper, Phoenix struggles against fast-hitting carries like Troll and Ursa, but it's ability to disrupt lanes and punish melee brawlers like Elder Titan gave it a niche role in the right drafts.
Finally, Tusk deserves recognition for making a small but meaningful comeback. Once a meta staple, he had fallen off in recent times. At TI 2025, however, his toolkit proved invaluable once again. His highlight moment came in Game 4 of the Grand Finals, where Sneyking played him to perfection, showcasing his versatility.
Looking Ahead: Next Season on the ESL Pro Tour
With The International 2025 meta recap wrapped up, the competitive focus shifts toward the upcoming ESL Pro Tour season. September is packed with qualifiers for DreamLeague Season 27 and BLAST Slam IV, but this will also serve as a period of rest for many teams. For others, it’s an opportunity to finalize roster changes during the annual post-TI shuffle.
The next major Tier 2 event on the calendar is the FISSURE Universe: Episode 7, which begins on October 6th. This tournament will be the first chance to test whether the trends we saw at TI — like the rise of Troll and Ursa — will hold up, or if teams will start experimenting with counters and fresh strategies.
Time to prepare for the next season on the Dota 2 ESL Pro Tour. — Credit: dotesportsIf you want to stay ahead of the curve with updated hero guides, roster news, and the latest tournament coverage, make sure to keep an eye on the Strafe news section!
Featured Image Source: Valve
