Dota 2 hard carry tier list: Who are the Position 1 heroes?

Dota 2 can be confusing with its roles and all its heroes, but its status as the founding father of MOBAs gives players more than one reason to play it. Of all the roles, the hard carry has become the most popular.

Position 1, the safe lane, or the hard carry, is perhaps the most glamorous role in the game. In the Dota 2 hard carry meta, it’s all about having a mid-to-late game powerhouse to close out and secure a win in the final stages. The early game can be fraught with danger, but the best heroes in the role become inevitable toward the end of a match.

While all 126 heroes can be forced into hard carries, not all shine in the Dota 2 position 1 role, but those that do typically shape how a game ends.

Our Dota 2 hard carry tier list looks at the path of the meta and the current state of the game. While under most circumstances, the top of the tier list will perform best, this tier list doesn’t take into account specific match-ups or counters.

As with any Dota 2 hero tier list, this is shaped by the most recent buffs, nerfs, and updates. While the top heroes are generally the best, note that factors like items and an individual’s understanding of their character can cause a hero to over/underperform their placement in the tier list.

The information for this tier list is based on the most recent patch and will specifically look at the middle three Dota 2 ranks (Archon, Legend, and Ancient). Those in lower ranks should focus on heroes they enjoy, while those higher up know what works for them and can make off-meta picks excel.

While professional play often helps guide the direction of the Dota 2 hard carry meta, it won’t be a strong focus in this tier list, since pro players often do things that the average gamer cannot replicate. The data collected predominantly comes from dotabuff and dota2protracker.

When it comes to being a hard carry, how you finish matters more than how you start. Some of the best heroes in the Dota 2 hard carry meta buck this trend by being dangerous throughout a game, then even more effective toward the end. Juggernaut and his obscene 99% pick rate is a good example of this.

Anti-Mage’s ability to shut down spell casters all makes him a strong choice too, boasting the highest ban rate at 4.21%. Heroes like Ursa, with Fury Swipes stacking, can snowball from the early game, and by the late game, an Ursa player can be the perfect carry to get over the line with a win.

A-tiers still have an argument to being some of the best hard carry options, and their mid-game spikes can make them deadly opponents. Luna is a good example of this, a hero who benefits massively from an incredible ult that is exceptional for team fights. Pair this with generally high damage, good mobility, and fast farming that helps in the gpm (gold per minute) race against the other carry, and A-tiers like Luna can still hold their own.

Of the Dota 2 Position 1 heroes, the A-tiers are still incredibly popular. While none enjoy Juggernaut-level pick rates, heroes like Phantom Assassin and Sven have pick rates of over 40%, proving to still be great options. 

B-tiers don’t tend to excel in the role unless under certain circumstances, like specifically countering an enemy hero. They can also be better at another role, with Slardar being an exceptional midlaner and a decent carry, mainly because he tends not to scale as well at the very end of the game, but is strong in the mid-game.

While these B-tier heroes aren’t as effective as S and A-tiers in most circumstances, a few still benefit from relatively high pick rates. Good examples include Morphling and Slark, who both have pick rates of over 24%; however, their win rates are less than stellar at around 46% each.  

C-tier heroes are considered off-meta and require some finessing to make them work at times. The heroes here typically aren’t built for the Dota 2 hard carry meta, like the Queen of Pain, whose high damage and mobility make her extremely dangerous, but her effectiveness coming in the early and mid-game make her a better midlaner.

Something similar can be said for Witch Doctor, who is built to play for a team, rather than carry them. He’s also another hero strong at the start with early, high laning potential, while Dota 2 heroes suited to be the hard carry usually save their best for the end game.

D-tiers simply aren’t built to be the late-game juggernaut that a hard carry needs them to be. Using Lion as an example, he lacks the damage output, survivability, and scaling that hard carries need. His specialisation in disabling and controlling makes him better in either a support role to aid the hard carry, rather than being the Position 1 hero.

Late game scaling and damage output to be the team’s most dangerous asset in the final stages is what makes a hard carry so important. Many D-tier heroes lack this because, like Lion, they are better at aiding the hard carry, and many D-tiers here are S or A-tiers in the support roles.

As the name suggests, hard carry heroes put their team on their backs in the mid-to-late game. The best heroes in our Dota 2 hard carry tier list tend to scale the best and offer the high damage and survivability needed to fulfill their role. Those poorly suited to the role tend to lack these features.

While those at the top of the tier list tend to be the best options, it’s important to note how individual heroes perform against certain team comps. Yes, Juggernaut is the most picked hero in this role, and an S-tier option, but if the team has a Morphling, known to counter Juggernaut, an alternative might be required.