
Dota 2 stands as a premier title in the MOBA genre, offering players a constantly evolving landscape of hero builds. Each update can significantly alter the game’s meta, leading to some heroes being heavily nerfed while others emerge victorious. Among these, certain builds are particularly dominant and are often referred to as truly broken.
When discussing “broken builds, ”many players might recall the notorious Fountain Hook strategy, which requires intricate teamwork and coordination. Unlike that strategy, this guide will focus on individual hero builds in Dota 2 that can single-handedly change the tides of a match.
Top Broken Dota 2 Builds You Should Experiment With

If enhancing your matchmaking rating (MMR) in Dota 2 is your goal, consider experimenting with the following broken builds. Note that these builds are tailored to the Dota 2 patch 7.37e, and be aware that as new patches are released, some of these strategies may become less effective.
Magic Lina Position 2

Role |
Position 2 Middle Lane |
---|---|
Primary Facet |
Thermal Runway |
Core Items |
Boots of Travel, Aghanim’s Scepter, Aghanim’s Shard, Ethereal Blade |
How it Works |
Utilize powerful spells to eliminate enemy heroes in a single blow. |
If you enjoy obliterating opponents regardless of their health pool, then Lina is a stellar choice in the current Dota 2 environment. Positioned in the mid lane, few heroes can match her explosive burst potential. Begin your strategy by farming for Boots of Travel, followed by Aghanim’s Scepter and Shard, and finally an Ethereal Blade. With these items and well-leveled abilities, you can unleash around 4, 000 damage using the right spell combination.
The execution of this build is straightforward: activate Flame Cloak on Lina, apply Ethereal Blade to an enemy, then follow up with Laguna Blade, Light Strike Array, and Dragon Slave. The synergy between these spells allows for a quick elimination of enemies. Moreover, this build retains its effectiveness into the late game; items such as Octarine Core or Wind Waker can further enhance Lina’s aggressiveness as the game progresses.
Methodical Phantom Assassin

Role |
Position 1 Safe Lane |
---|---|
Primary Facet |
Methodical |
Core Items |
Battle Fury, Black King Bar, Desolator |
How it Works |
Use Stifling Dagger to initiate and Phantom Strike to secure critical hits with Coup De Grace. |
The 7.33 patch introduced by Dota 2, known as the Crownfall Update, significantly enhanced various heroes through the implementation of Facets and Innate Abilities. Currently, Phantom Assassin has become one of the standout performers due to these updates.
While traditionally a strong carry, Phantom Assassin’s reliance on random critical hits has been mitigated by her Methodical Facet, ensuring that every sixth attack on the same target triggers a guaranteed crit. Stick with the item build consisting of Power Treads, Battle Fury, Black King Bar, and optionally a Desolator, particularly if crowd control isn’t an issue.
The offensive capability of this build excels in the late game thanks to the scaling nature of her Facet combined with additional attack speed.
Aghs Rad Bloodseeker

Role |
Position 1 Safe Lane |
---|---|
Primary Facet |
Arterial Spray |
Core Items |
Radiance, Aghanim’s Scepter |
How it Works |
Inflict area damage with Aghanim’s Scepter and gain overheal through takedowns. |
Bloodseeker has historically had a mixed reputation among players, but he recently emerged more powerful than ever in Dota 2. As a Position 1 Hard Carry, his current optimal strategy revolves around obtaining a Radiance and an Aghanim’s Scepter.
Once you secure Radiance, begin participating in team fights to expedite your farming. The acquisition of Aghanim’s Scepter introduces the Blood Mist ability, allowing Bloodseeker to deal substantial area damage while generating overheal from his kills, effectively transforming him into a resilient powerhouse capable of dominating team battles.
Alpha Wolves Lycan

Role |
Position 3 Offlane |
---|---|
Primary Facet |
Alpha Wolves |
Core Items |
Standard Lycan build suitable for the current meta. Hand of Midas is recommended for leveling up quickly. |
How it Works |
Utilize Alpha Wolves for scouting and ambushing enemy supports. |
Another significantly overpowered build is the Alpha Wolves build for Lycan. While his Summon Wolves ability has always been a nuisance for enemy supports, the Alpha Wolves Facet allows these minions to maximize their level, significantly increasing their lethality against isolated foes.
Forgoing heavy item reliance, this build can initiate chaos as long as you prioritize leveling in the offlane. Gaining levels quickly is key to unleashing the full potential of the Alpha Wolves. A Hand of Midas can expedite this process, but you can opt for the Helm of Dominator in the traditional build path.
After maximizing your Summon Wolves ability, venture into the jungle to clear camps while sending your wolves out to scout for vulnerable enemy supports. The wolves acquire invisibility at level three and gain an additional skill at level five.
Blink Shard Lich

Role |
Position 5 Hard Support |
---|---|
Primary Facet |
Frostbound |
Core Items |
Blink Dagger, Aghanim’s Shard |
How it Works |
Initiate with a Blink and cast Chain Frost to control and damage enemy heroes. |
While this guide primarily addresses core heroes, numerous support builds are equally formidable in Dota 2. Lich, for example, has risen to prominence due to his effective Aghanim’s Shard ability, which makes him a strong contender in both the mid and late game.
The Blink Shard Lich build is easy to execute, requiring minimal farming and focusing instead on initiating chaos during team fights. With a Blink Dagger and Aghanim’s Shard, your effectiveness in disabling enemies grows exponentially. Begin with Frostbound to enhance Chain Frost’s lingering effects, and once equipped, you can selectively eliminate key enemy heroes before a team fight erupts.
Consider using a Glimmer Cape for extra mobility and utility when your Blink Dagger is on cooldown, adding another layer of initiation potential.
The diverse build options available for heroes in Dota 2 are what make it an extraordinary gaming experience. Try out any of the featured builds and share your experiences in ranked games. With dedication and practice, you might even become proficient with these featured heroes.
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