It’s the last day of 2023, so let’s see which were the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023. Some names will definitely surprise you.
After we’ve revealed the Dota 2 heroes that were picked the most in 2023, it is time to do the same, but this time, we will focus on the least popular options. This year was not that interesting regarding metas because we only had a couple of alternatives. Therefore, some heroes were a lot more popular than the rest, whereas others got little to no playtime.
We know that the stats are interesting, which is why it’s time to see which are the least-picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023. We will come back a year later and see if there are any changes.
Chen
Starting from the bottom, the hero with the lowest pick rate in 2023 is none other than Chen with his 0.88% pick rate. Those of you who’ve played a lot or analyzed what we’ve been covering throughout the year are probably not surprised because Chen has always been one of the least popular options to get in Dota 2.
Despite the fact that the hero is great in pro matches, he is not good in PUBs. Chen is too complicated to master, and the hero is required to have a team that knows what it is doing. Needless to say, this isn’t easy in PUB games, which is why he is among the least-picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023.
Considering the changes he received in the Dota 2 Patch 7.35, we expect Chen to become slightly more popular in the future. However, we don’t think he will be a go-to option in PUBs because of the specific playstyle.
Visage
The second place among the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023 list goes to Visage. You may remember that the hero was really big in late 2022 and early 2023, but after many nerfs, he was removed from the meta. There were several pro players who tried using him, but things never worked out.
At the time of writing, Visage’s pick rate is a little over 1.16%, making him the second-worst option to get. He is a mid-laner who can play against most heroes, but what’s interesting about him is that he has certain timings people need to adhere to.
Visage is all about the mid-game and the ability to control it by pushing and doing damage. He is not easy to play, and the fact that he requires a team that focuses on him makes it very difficult in PUB Games. Therefore, most people prefer to pick something else.
Elder Titan
The third spot on the list of the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023 is Elder Titan. He used to be big in 2021 and 2022, especially in professional matches, which also reflected his popularity in PUB games. Sadly, the situation in 2023 is different because the hero’s win rate and pick rate dropped a lot.
Speaking of the devil, Elder Titan appeared in 1.28% of matches, making him slightly better than Visage. He can work in some setups, and the hero is very strong against cores that rely on their armor. For example, Elder Titan is a solid pick versus Morphling, but since the latter wasn’t that big in 2023, ET also did not receive as much time.
Broodmother
Normally, Broodmother is one of those heroes that people use when they want to carry the games by themselves. She’s always been one of the heroes who does not get as much attention as others, but 2023 was probably one of the worst years for the hero yet because Brood only got a 1.38% pick rate.
The big problem with Brood and why she’s among the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023 is the counters. You can pick all sorts of options that are strong against her, which means she won’t be able to do much. Broodmother’s strength is that she farms fast and can push a lot faster than others. However, the only way to take advantage of those things is by having a solid laning stage, which is just not that easy.
Brewmaster
Speaking of heroes that are difficult to learn but highly effective in action, Brewmaster has to be one of the best examples. His 1.45% pick rate throughout 2023 does not seem impressive, but we need to remember the hero can be devastating. Sadly, only a couple of players know how to use him properly, which is why he is among the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023.
Brewmaster is an offlane, and he is among the most popular tempo controllers in the game. What makes the hero dangerous is his ultimate, which allows him to push, do damage, CC, and much more.
We’ve watched numerous high-level PUB Dota 2 games where people know how to use Brewmaster properly. Sadly, this is not the case in the lower-level games, where the hero gets little to no playtime.
Lycan
The last of the least picked Dota 2 heroes in 2023 that we want to talk about is Lycan. This is probably the most surprising pick on the list because Lycan was pretty big in late 2023. In fact, he was among the heroes with the highest win rate and even got interesting changes in the Dota 2 patch 7.35. Unfortunately, things were not good for the hero in early 2023.
Currently, Lycan is a hero that people use when they want to focus on the mid game. He is a lot different from other carries because the hero does not need that much farm to be effective. Also, people using Lycan know they need to base their strategy around his ultimate because this makes him so dangerous.
We expect Lycan to be among the heroes that will become more popular in 2024, especially after the recent updates.