The Current State of the Meta
The patch is well underway, and teams from all over the world are putting their unique strategies to the test. But this year, something unusual is happening—heroes are undergoing an identity crisis. Classic core heroes are suddenly being played as supports, offlane heroes are finding their way into the carry role, and we are witnessing some of the most unconventional picks in competitive play.
One of the biggest surprises of the year? Morphling Support.
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Morphling Support: A Role Reversal
Morphling, a hero that has been a core pick for over a decade, is now being played as a support—and it actually works!
“Imagine taking Cristiano Ronaldo and making him your goalkeeper—and somehow, it works.”
For years, Morphling was known for his high-damage agility build, but pro teams have discovered that his toolkit works surprisingly well in a support role. Here’s why:
- Waveform allows him to reposition instantly, making him hard to catch.
- Strength Morph makes him incredibly tanky, allowing him to survive longer in fights.
- Guardian Greaves Morphling becomes a sustain machine, forcing teams to overcommit to kill him.
The idea may seem absurd, but it’s actually proving effective at high levels of play. This isthe beauty of Dota 2—no matter how long the game has been around, there are still new strategies waiting to be discovered.
Certified Cool Builds: What’s Trending?
Every meta shift brings a wave of crazy, innovative builds, and at Riyadh Master introduced some of the most unconventional hero choices we’ve seen in years.
Vengeful Spirit Mid
Chinese teams have been experimenting with Vengeful Spirit as a midlaner, making full use of her powerful aura and teamfight control. While core Venge isn’t new, it’s rare to see teams fully commit to the pick in high-stakes matches.
Sand King Mid
Sand King has quietly been creeping into the midlane in pro games. Historically played as an offlaner, he is now being utilized as a high-tempo magic burst hero, with Blink Dagger rushes leading into fast-paced, aggressive rotations.
“Enjoy Sand King mid while you can—because we all know Valve loves to nerf him the second he gets too popular.”
Doom’s Facet Devil’s Bargain
One of the most fascinating item strategies comes from Ramzes’ Doom, who has been using the Facet Devil’s Bargain ability to sell Midas right before fights to buy bigger items, then rebuying it later for farming.
- This allows Doom to optimize his economy and power spikes.
- He effectively switches between greed mode and fight mode, depending on the game state.
- Bonus points for all-chatting enemies after forcing them into bad fights.
Hero Role Swaps: The Wildest Picks So Far
If you thought Morphling support was weird, wait until you hear about some of these crazy hero role swaps happening in pro games:
- Terrorblade Support – Pro teams are experimenting with TB’s Reflection and Sunder as a late-game saving tool.
- Elder Titan Core – Some teams have been maximizing ET’s right-click damage, turning him into a pseudo-carry.
- Rubick Mid – The spell-stealing magician is finding success as a lane dominator, using his high spell amplification to snowball games.
- Venomancer Carry – A nightmare for melee cores, some teams have been using Venomancer as a pseudo-carry in aggressive lineups.
“I love seeing carry heroes played in the support role—it’s like watching a Lion try to be a house cat. You either get a strategic masterpiece or a complete disaster.”
What’s Next for the Meta?
We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible in the ever-evolving world of Dota 2. With every patch, we get closer to breaking the traditional roles we once thought were set in stone.
Who knows? Maybe next week we’ll see BuLba draft support Storm Spirit.
What are some of the wildest builds you’ve seen lately? Let us know in the comments!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Morphling being played as a support?
Morphling’s waveform mobility, tankiness from Strength Morph, and itemization into Guardian Greaves make him surprisingly durable and effective in a support role.
Is Sand King mid viable in ranked games?
Yes, but it requires a strong understanding of spell usage and itemization. If you’re comfortable with blink dagger initiations and early-game aggression, it can work well.
Will Valve nerf these off-meta picks?
Historically, when heroes become too dominant in unconventional roles (like carry Venge or support Windranger), Valve tends to balance them. Enjoy these strategies while they last!
What’s the weirdest pick you’ve seen in pro Dota 2?
Besides Terrorblade support and Venomancer carry, one of the strangest picks has been Doom selling Midas before fights for instant power spikes.
