Top 10 defensive Dota 2 heroes

In Dota 2 ^[1], defensive heroes play a crucial role in keeping their teammates alive, mitigating damage, and controlling fights. Whether through healing, shielding, or powerful crowd control, these heroes can turn the tide of battle by ensuring their team has the sustain needed to outlast opponents.

This list highlights the top five defensive heroes who excel at protecting their allies. From versatile supports with lifesaving abilities to tanky front liners who absorb damage, these heroes provide unmatched utility in the toughest engagements.

So, without further ado, here are the best Dota 2 heroes for defensive players. Of course, those who like playing aggressively instead of defensively have a different set of heroes they should give a shot to.

10: Warlock

Warlock is a powerful defensive support hero known for his healing and game-changing team fight abilities. His Shadow Word (Q) provides sustained healing or damage over time, making it effective in both defensive and offensive situations. Fatal Bonds (W) links enemies together, causing shared damage and amplifying his team’s AoE attacks.

His Upheaval (E) is a slow that becomes stronger the longer it’s channeled, making it a great tool for disrupting enemy advances. Warlock’s ultimate, Chaotic Offering (R), summons a Golem that stuns enemies upon impact and deals heavy damage. His ability to heal, control fights, and summon tanky minions makes him a great pick for defensive strategies.

9: Undying

Undying is a tanky support hero who thrives in extended fights by draining enemy strength and keeping his team alive. His Decay (Q) reduces enemy health while increasing his own, making him harder to kill. Soul Rip (W) provides burst healing based on nearby units, making it excellent for sustaining allies.

His Tombstone (E) summons zombies that slow and weaken enemies, creating chaos in fights. Undying’s ultimate, Flesh Golem (R), amplifies damage against enemies while giving him increased survivability. His ability to disrupt team fights and sustain his allies makes him one of the best defensive supports.

8: Winter Wyvern

Winter Wyvern is a defensive support hero who excels at controlling fights and keeping teammates alive. Arctic Burn (Q) gives her bonus attack range and slows enemies, allowing her to harass opponents from a distance. Splinter Blast (W) deals AoE damage and slows grouped-up enemies, making it great for countering aggression.

Her most iconic ability, Cold Embrace (E), makes allies immune to physical damage while healing them over time, providing a powerful defensive tool against physical carries. Her ultimate, Winter’s Curse (R), forces enemies to attack their teammate, often leading to devastating team fights. Winter Wyvern’s mix of healing, crowd control, and disruption makes her a top-tier defensive hero.

7: Jakiro

Jakiro is a durable support hero with strong zoning abilities and defensive potential. Dual Breath (Q) slows and deals damage over time, making it great for harassing enemies and controlling fights. Liquid Fire (W) reduces enemy attack speed while applying burn damage, weakening their offensive capabilities.

His Ice Path (E) stuns enemies in a line, providing excellent crowd control in fights. Jakiro’s ultimate, Macropyre (R), covers a large area with fire, dealing massive damage over time. His ability to control space and limit enemy movement makes him an excellent pick for defensive strategies.

6: Elder Titan

Elder Titan is a defensive hero who thrives on disabling enemies and disrupting team fights. His Echo Stomp (Q) puts enemies to sleep in a wide area, giving his team time to reposition or engage. Astral Spirit (W) extends his reach and applies armor reduction, making enemies more vulnerable.

His Natural Order (E) removes enemy armor and magic resistance, weakening opponents significantly. Elder Titan’s ultimate, Earth Splitter (R), creates a massive fissure that deals percentage-based damage and slows enemies. His mix of defensive utility and disruption makes him a strong addition to any team.

5: Io

Io is a unique support hero designed for healing mobility and defensive repositioning. His Tether (Q) links him to an ally, where he starts sharing damage and provides healing based on distance. This ability, combined with faster movement speed, makes him excellent at rescuing allies from dangerous situations.

Overcharge (W) boosts Io’s attack speed and healing output for his tether ally, though it drains his health. This trade-off is usually worth it during team fights, thanks to the boost it provides. Spirits (E) allows Io to heal allies or damage opponents depending on the phase.

His ultimate, Relocate (R), lets him teleport himself and his tethered ally anywhere on the map, making it incredible for saving teammates, initiating fights, or executing tactical retreats. Io is the perfect option for players who prioritize saving allies and controlling the map.

4: Dazzle

Dazzle is a defensive support hero loved for his healing, crowd control, and ability to save allies from certain death. Shadow Wave (Q) heals allies while damaging nearby opponents, making it an excellent tool during team fights. Poison Touch (W) slows and damages enemies over time, disrupting their ability to engage or retreat.

Dazzle’s signature ability is Shallow Grave (E), which keeps teammates alive for a few extra seconds, even when their health drops to zero. This ability can turn losing fights into winning ones by giving teammates time to heal or escape. His ultimate, Bad Juju (R), reduces ability cooldowns and decreases the enemy’s damage output, making it essential during extended trades.

3: Abaddon

Abaddon is a tanky support hero who excels at damage mitigation and healing. Death Qoil (Q) heals allies while hurting opponents. Aphotic Shield (W) removes debuffs and absorbs incoming damage, making it ideal for saving allies from crowd control abilities.

Curse of Avernus (E) slows enemies and boosts allies’ attack speed, helping greatly during team fights. Abaddon’s ultimate, Borrowed Time (R), gives him temporary immunity to damage. It heals him to full health when his health drops too low, making him nearly unkillable in team fights and allowing him to tank damage.

Abaddon’s combination of sustain, damage mitigation, and team protection make him an excellent defensive hero.

2: Omniknight

Omniknight is a defensive hero known for healing, debuff removal, and damage mitigation. Purification (W) heals allies and removes debuffs, making it perfect for saving teammates from crowd control or lethal damage. Heavenly Grace (E) gives status resistance and debuff removal, which helps counter high-control enemy teams.

Repel (Q) grants temporary magic immunity to teammates so they’re safe from magical damage and disables. Omniknight’s ultimate, Guardian Angel (R), makes nearby teammates immune to physical damage and can allow teams to win fights by enabling players to engage or retreat without fear of dying.

Omniknight is a top choice for players who prioritize team protection and sustainability.

1: Treant Protector

Treant Protector is one of the best defensive heroes in Dota 2, offering exceptional sustain, team protection, and crowd control. Living Armor (W) heals allies and structures over time to provide prolonged sustainability and map control. Nature’s Guise (E) makes him move invisibly, allowing him to retreat from fights or initiate one.

Leech Seed (Q) slows enemies and drains their health, healing Treant and his teammates. This ability is excellent for harassing enemies and sustaining through small trades. Treant’s ultimate, Overgrowth (R), roots every enemy in a large area, allowing his teammates to deal damage during team fights.

FAQs

Which defensive Dota 2 hero is the best for beginners?

For beginners, Omniknight is one of the best defensive heroes to start with. His abilities focus on healing, damage mitigation, and saving teammates without requiring complex positioning or combos.

References

1. [1] "Dota 2 website". www.dota2.com. Retrieved March 22, 2025