Dota 2: The Most Underrated Offlaners in the Game
| Tags: Dota 2
| Author Zlosterr
We highlight the oft-forgotten hidden gem offers you can pick in Dota 2.
Offlane is probably one of the most underrated positions in Dota 2 and for a reason. In lower-level pub games, people usually go to this position when others steal mid and safelane. Of course, this is not the case when it comes down to pro games or higher-level pubs. People there know the offlane is one of the most important positions in Dota 2. Because the player there has to go up against a duo or a tri-lane; meaning they need to have a specific set of skills.
Similar to the other two cores in a Dota 2 game, every meta has its offlane superstars. Usually, these heroes have the task of creating space for the other cores or participating in team fights. Although picking the meta heroes is usually a good idea, there are some names in Dota 2 that can work really well in many situations. Since they're not that commonly picked, we’re pointing them out for you here.
Undying
The first hero that is on our list is Undying. Even though this used to be one of the most annoying heroes in Dota 2, many pub players and pro teams don’t pick him as often as they should. Undying is one of the heroes that deserves special attention from the teams that have to go up against him. He is extremely strong early on because of his incredible skill set.
Due to the fact that he can steal STR and summon Tombstone, he can easily lane against three heroes. Needless to say, Undying is more than capable of winning the glane against pretty puch every carry in the game. In fact, some heroes, such as Anti-Mage and Phantom Assassin usually change their lane in order to secure more last hits.
Abaddon
Abaddon is an interesting hero because he has one of the most intriguing skillsets in the game. Even though most people try to utilize him as a support, the hero can also do a lot of right-click damage, especially if he gets a couple of items. That’s why some people use him in the carry position or as an offlaner.
Abaddon's not that strong in the offlane early on. However, once he gets a couple of levels, he can become very annoying. Although he doesn’t have the firepower to solo kill most carries, he can prevent them from farming, which is always a plus.
Some people prefer to pair Abaddon with another hero in the lane to be more effective. There are loads of good options out there, so it all comes down to the heroes you have to go up against.
Brewmaster
Brewmaster is probably one of the most engaging heroes on this list. One of the things that make him special is his ultimate, which requires you to have good unit control to be effective. The fact that he is much harder to play than some of the traditional offlaners means that he is not as popular as he should be.
Those who know how to utilize Brewmaster’s potential usually dominate their lane, as well as the mid game. Besides his ultimate, Brewmaster can do a significant amount of damage with his abilities and right clicks. In fact, he is one of the few offlaners that can purchase Radiance and make the item work.
Another advantage that people often forget is that Brewmaster is one of the heroes that can do wonders in the late game. His ultimate allows him to be incredibly versatile and keep some heroes away from the team fight for at least a couple of seconds. That’s one of the reasons why some pro teams pick him regularly.
Clockwerk
Clockwerk is a fun hero who used to be the go-to option in pubs and pro games. Initially, the hero was a popular offlaner until some of the pro teams started utilizing him as a position four support. While it's true that he can be an excellent support in some circumstances, the hero is also pretty good in the offlane.
While it is true that he is not the best damage-dealer, every mistake made by the enemy carry can be fatal because Batter Assault is a really deadly spell early on. Even heroes with natural escape mechanisms, such as AM, can’t use them because of the mini stun.
Another advantage of putting Clockwerk in the offlane is the fact that he can get levels faster and use his Hook. As you know, this is one of the best engaging spells in the game because it stuns the enemy.
Nyx Assassin
Next on our list, we have Nyx Assassin, a hero who is a nightmare to play against if you use spells. Nyx Assassin is not that dangerous during the late game, but he has probably some of the most annoying skills in the game. The fact that he can mana burn enemy heroes every couple of seconds, stun them and reflect abilities make him incredibly hard to deal with. Every hero that has some kind of AoE spell has to be careful because Nyx can easily land a stun and disrupt the entire ability.
In addition to all of the annoying spells, the hero also has invisibility, which allows him to gank and solo kill most of enemy supports. Besides gaining more movement speed, Nyx also does a lot of physical damage with his ultimate, which is always a plus.
Night Stalker
The last hero that should be on this list is Night Stalker. Some of you may not agree, but NS is among the heroes who can make a huge difference if he manages to snowball. Sadly, this isn't an easy task, because NS is not one of the faster farming heroes in Dota 2. In fact, he is pretty slow, which means he relies on his kills.
The good news is that NS can be an excellent ganker once nighttime arrives. Since he does a lot of physical damage, NS can do pretty well in the lane and even kill the opposing carry at least once.