Let’s learn more about The International 12 supports that we expert to see at the event.
October 12 is the date that marks the beginning of The International 12, Dota 2’s biggest and most important tournament of 2023. The event will gather the 20 best teams in the world, so we can expect tons of action all over the place.
Speaking of action, one of the things that TI12 fans are looking forward to is seeing the best heroes in action. We have already covered the carries and mid-laners, which means it’s time to take a look at the different supports. Despite the fact that a lot of people underestimate this position, there is no arguing that support heroes have a key role in the game. Needless to say, The International 12 supports we will see will be played by some of the best players in the world, so let’s learn more about them.
Vengeful Spirit
Despite the fact that some people use this hero in the carry position, most teams and players will pick Vengeful Spirit as a support. Consequently, this is one of TI12 supports that we think will shine, especially if we take a look at the most recent event.
What’s interesting about Vengeful Spirit is that the hero got tons of buffs in the last 2 patches. She slowly but steadily became one of the strongest heroes in the game after she was away for more than one year. In fact, Valve even addressed this in the last recent Dota 2 patch 7.34c, by nerfing some of her abilities.
Despite the nerf, Vengeful Spirit remains one of the top picks that can work in many different ways. She appeared more than any other hero at DreamLeauge Season 21, as well as BetBoom Dacha. So, unless Valve nerfs the hero, we expect that it will be one of the top picks at TI12, too.
Venge can be an excellent support for a variety of setups. Let’s not forget that she is one of the must-haves when using a Drow Ranger strategy because the damage output that these two heroes have makes them very strong.
Shadow Demon
The second pick that we think will be one of The International 12 supports is Shadow Demon. Although the hero may not be that popular in PUBs right now, he is really strong in professional matches and is one of the go-to heroes. The stats from DreamLeague Season 21 prove it because SD became the second-most popular hero at the tournament.
Shadow Demon has always been one of the most aggressive supports you can have in a team. He is known for his damage output and the fact that he works really well with illusion-based heroes. Currently, we’ve seen that Terrorblade is a popular pick, so SD will be one of TI12 supports that will be alongside him.
Another reason why Shadow Demon is strong right now is because of Sven. The latter is a popular hero in the current meta, and SD is known for being one of the best against him. Using his ultimate on Sven will require the latter to pop a cooldown, which allows Shadow Demon’s team to control the deadly right-click after that.
Warlock
A lot of people use Warlock as a midder while playing PUB games, but the hero is known for being one of the top-tier supports. He also got several big changes that put him back in the game, and right now, he is among the best picks you can have.
If we analyze DreamLeague Season 21, we can see Warlock played in 30 matches and has a 50% win rate. Although it is not that impressive, the only top support with better starts is Dark Willow. Therefore, this should be one of The International 12 supports that will appear more often than the rest.
The biggest reason why the hero will be one of the top options is his ultimate. Warlock’s most powerful ability can be devastating in team fights, which is why he will have a key role for some of the top-tier supports.
Earth Spirit
There are several Dota 2 heroes that are really hard to master, and it’s safe to say that Earth Spirit is one of them. Everyone who’s played with this hero knows how complex he is, but it’s no surprise that a lot of top-tier players know how to use him. That’s why we expect this to be one of TI12 supports that will show a lot more than others.
Earth Spirit is almost always the team’s position 4 support, whose goal is to gank lanes and help with kills. There have been many world-class players that became famous with this hero, such as jerAx. However, the latter is not active, which means that others will have the chance to shine.
Earth Spirit’s stats from DreamLeague reveal he was played in 28 matches. With a win rate of 57%, this makes him one of the most successful options on the list, and one of The International 12 supports to keep an eye on.
Dark Willow
As mentioned earlier in his article, Dark Willow became the most successful support at DreamLeague Season 21 with more than a 60% win rate. Therefore, we think that this will be one of The International 12 supports that we will see in action.
Many things make this hero popular, but what definitely allows DW to stand out is her damage output. If you need support that can burst down almost any target, this is the way to go. She is easy to play and efficient in the late-game, something that’s not true for all supports.
Another reason why this could be one of the go-to options when it comes down to TI12 supports is because of her ultimate. The hero can disrupt almost any team fight, which is enough to make her very popular.
