by in
Dota 2’s The International 2022 tournament came to an end on Sunday with eight unpicked and unbanned heroes. The non-selection of these heroes did not in any way suggest the games played were less exciting.
The TI11 games delivered a good mix and match of heroes used creatively. The hero pool for the tournament was a vast one that consisted of 123 heroes, 115 of which were selected throughout the event.
Some heroes, such as Primal Beast, Enigma, and Marci, were frequently chosen or banned. Some of the other choices include unusual ones, such as Medusa and Arc Warden.
Some players have stated that the uncontested heroes were not selected because they did not find them strong enough to battle with or ban. Others said they had no utility in various team compositions, and as such, they didn’t feel obliged to pick them.
Below are the uncontested heroes.
Windranger
The Windranger used to be a comfort pick for most teams, but that trend has suddenly become a thing of the past. To secure a kill using the Windranger, a player would be required to use the skillshots in unison in quick succession. However, skillshots are often not ideal for pro games.
Dragon Knight
Over time, there have been better champions in the meta that can do everything the Dragon Knight does and more. Although he has a good laning phase and farms pretty well, Dragon Knight does not particularly fit into any active lineup in modern-day Dota 2.
Clinkz
With a superb win rate of 54%, Clinkz fits perfectly into a teamfight meta. However, his ability to build a Gleipnir and quickly take on support heroes while accelerating his farm using Chain Lightning does not work well in the pro scene. This is because there are some limitations on his map movement via multiple sentries, Slardar, and dust.
Bounty Hunter
Bounty Hunter used to be one of the most reliable soft support within a teamfight based roster. Although he used to provide a lot of benefits in terms of utility, the hero currently provides very little value. When used in a burst damage-oriented meta, Bounty Hunter can be very underwhelming. Gaining gold for the hero as a support can only be done through Jinada, which can immediately be dragged down by a good opponent.
Meepo
His 53 percent win rate in a pub scene, enabled by his Dig buffs, puts him in a good position. Due to his counter-pick heroes such as Pangolier, Leshrac, and the occasional Earthshaker being in the meta currently, Meepo would not be picked in a pro scene. This does not, by any measure, suggest that Meepo is weak. If selected, the hero is capable of going up against Broodmother and the four Spirit heroes. Meepo can shut down the mobility of these heroes and burst them down.
Treant Protector
Treant Protector is known for his kit, which features a couple of slows but deals a huge blow over time. It also features a damage block accompanied by a heal and a reliable AoE root. Treant Protector makes for a good selection, but in a fast-paced meta, he is quite slow in the landing phase. His lack of armor also makes him very vulnerable and easy to wreck.
Keeper of the Light
Just a few patches ago, the Keeper of the Light was fondly addressed as the king of the mid-lane. The Keeper of the Light, however, is no longer seen in that light following a rework on Null Talismans and nerfs to his Illuminate. The once-dependable hero has rapidly become a mediocre support with an average landing stage capacity. Outside of the landing stage, he adds very little to the lineup in teamfights.
Techies
Known to be the most reviled hero in Dota 2 history once upon a time, Techies has since fallen way down in the pecking order. Having gone through some remakes a few patches ago, he has since been perceived to be better suited in position four or even as a midlaner. While his burst damage combo, in addition to an Ethereal Blade, incapacitates the tankiest target and he possesses a very potent disarm that stops enemies in their tracks from attacking, his entire kit can be destroyed by Black King Bar. It also takes too long for Techies to be relevant in pro games as players prefer faster BKB timings.
