The Legendary Roster: A Guide to Heroes in DotA 1 (DotA Allstars)
DotA Allstars—popularly known in the gaming community as DotA 1—features a legendary roster of 114 heroes. These characters are systematically distributed across six taverns situated together in the upper-left corner of the map, organized by their primary attributes.
The vast majority of these heroes possess four distinct abilities: three basic spells and one powerful ultimate capability. These skills are unlocked and upgraded progressively as your hero gains experience and levels up during the match.
Furthermore, upon reaching milestone levels 10, 15, 20, and 25, every hero can choose between two powerful enhancements from the Talent Tree. This innovative mechanic, adopted from DotA 2, represents the current development and balancing direction that this custom Warcraft III map continues to follow.
Hero Classifications by Attribute
The roster is divided into three fundamental categories, each defining a hero's scaling, role, and survival mechanics.
1. Strength Heroes (38 Heroes)
Characterized by high survivability and robust attribute growth, Strength heroes excel at absorbing damage, initiating team fights, and dominating the early stages of the game. They are split between the Sentinel Strength and Scourge Strength taverns.
📊 Primary Attribute Bonus: For Strength heroes, each point of Strength grants +1 Attack Damage.
- General Strength Bonuses (All Heroes): +20 Health, +0.1 Health Regeneration, and +0.08% Magic Resistance per point.
2. Agility Heroes (36 Heroes)
Agility heroes excel in the late game. Thanks to their high attack speed and physical damage scaling, they serve as the team's primary "carries," though they are often fragile and vulnerable during the early laning phase. They reside in the Sentinel Agility and Scourge Agility taverns.
📊 Primary Attribute Bonus: For Agility heroes, each point of Agility grants +1 Attack Damage.
- General Agility Bonuses (All Heroes): +0.16 Armor, +1 Attack Speed, and +0.05% Movement Speed per point.
3. Intelligence Heroes (40 Heroes)
Boasting massive mana pools, Intelligence heroes rely on powerful magical damage, crowd control, and utility/support spells. While incredibly dominant in the early to mid-game, they typically lose some effectiveness in the ultra-late game. They are found in the Sentinel Intelligence and Scourge Intelligence taverns.
📊 Primary Attribute Bonus: For Intelligence heroes, each point of Intelligence grants +1 Attack Damage.
- General Intelligence Bonuses (All Heroes): +12 Mana, +0.05 Mana Regeneration, and +0.07% Spell Damage Amplification per point.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What does DotA stand for?
DotA is an acronym for Defense of the Ancients, the iconic custom map created within Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne that pioneered the MOBA genre. In this game, two teams compete to destroy the enemy’s "Ancient," a critical structure heavily fortified inside the opponent's base. DotA eventually laid the competitive foundation for its standalone sequel, DotA 2.
How many heroes are in DotA 1?
As of the latest DotA 7.04R10 version, there are exactly 114 heroes. The pool is mathematically split into 38 Strength heroes, 37 Agility heroes, and 40 Intelligence heroes, each offering unique tactical advantages.
Who are the best heroes in DotA 1?
There is no single "invincible" hero, as DotA 1 is meticulously balanced around counter-play and team composition. However, certain heroes remain incredibly popular due to their self-sufficiency. Characters with built-in healing, high health regeneration, or lifesteal mechanics are highly favored for independent lane survival. Among the most picked are Juggernaut, Alchemist, Necrolyte, Abaddon, Bloodseeker, Naix (Lifestealer), Skeleton King, Slark, Ursa, Invoker, and Legion Commander.