Known for its huge international competitive scene, Dota 2 has attracted dozens of top competitive gamers to its ranks, and few are as impressive as the rallying point for every team: the Carry players.
If you've ever wanted to know a little more about the top names in Dota 2's competitive Carry scene, or if you just want to feel bad about all the 20-somethings on the list that are already way more rich and successful than you'll ever be, read on.
10. Moogy/uuu9
Moogy, headset on and ready to rumble
Xu Han, also known as “Moogy" or “uuu9,” is a veteran Dota 2 player who has been playing since 2013. He started on TongFu but can now be seen as a star player on the Newbee roster. Moogy is a Chinese Dota 2 veteran. He recently won the Perfect World Masters as well as ESL One Genting 2018.
The current Newbee roster is a formidable Chinese Dota team that consistently performs well at Majors which can be seen by their performance in the 2018/2019 season. With Moogy at the forefront, we can expect a great performance in the rest of the season. Still going strong at 24 years old, Moogy shows that old dogs can still learn new tricks.
Moogy’s playstyle is a very aggressive pushing style that usually focuses on large damage-dealing heroes who are able to make comebacks with their spells if necessary. Moogy is able to hyperfarm really well when he gets enough support in the laning phase. When he is on his these heroes, he is able to exploit their massive nuking ability and supplement their playstyle with his aggressive approach to the game.
Watch Moogy carry Sven, Juggernaut, and Luna.
9. Paparazi灬
Zhang Chengjun, aka Paparazi灬
Zhang Chengjun, who goes by “Paparazi灬,” is a player who has yet to capitalize on his skills. Paparazi灬 is the first player ever to reach an 8000 MMR, and he did so while playing in the Chinese region, one of the most competitive servers in the Dota community. He clearly has the individual skill to play top tier Dota but he seems to come up short when he goes to big tournaments.
Paparazi灬 was able to win the Dota2 Professional League Season 5 (2018 S1) while at Vici Gaming. Paparazi灬 continues to play at Vici Gaming and came 2nd at a number of top-tier tournaments including ESL One Katowice 2018 and ESL One Hamburg 2018. He is a Chinese Dota player and still has more to achieve, even though he is 22.
Paparazi灬 plays good old-fashioned Chinese Dota with a new-age twist. He is able to farm quickly, efficiently and at a manageable pace. He doesn't always coordinate with his team as well as he should, but he is still able to adjust to any meta and has a large pool of heroes at his disposal. He is capable of being the best Dota player that China has to offer if given the opportunity.
Watch Paparazi灬 carry Faceless Void, Juggernaut, and Sven.
8. Resolut1on
Resolut1on, looking like he means business
Roman "Resolut1on" Fominok is a Ukrainian born-and -bred Dota player. He is a household Dota name and has had an impactful career. At just 22 years old, he has secured good placings at every International he has attended. In 2018 he placed 7-8th, in 2017 he placed 7-8th, and in 2016 he placed 2nd. Forward Gaming may not be able to put up good results if he wasn’t part of their roster, as Resolut1on was able to lead them to 2nd place at MDL ChangSha Major and wins at GESC 2: Thailand Dota2 Minor 2018 and MDL Macau 2017.
Resolut1on is one of the most consistent Dota players in the game right now, able to produce good results in every game he plays. He farms efficiently and plays according to what is expected of him while making very few mistakes. Resolut1on is truly a great Dota player and has the potential to become an International winner and hold the Aegis. His ability to play initiator heroes and heroes that are farm-intensive is something to be admired.
Watch Resolut1on carry Faceless Void, Luna, and Medusa.
7. MidOne
MidOne, ready to dominate the competition
Yeik Nai Zheng, also known as “MidOne,” is without a doubt one of the best Dota players to come out of Southeast Asia. This Malaysian-born Dota player has become a Team Secret powerhouse carry. Team Secret has been the most dominant team coming into 2019, where they have won The Chongqing Major 2019 and ESL Katowice 2019.
MidOne has been able to show off his skills and Malaysian pride by becoming the first Southeast Asian player to get a 10000 MMR. At 22 years old, he has attended 3 Internationals and doesn't seem to be slowing down.
MidOne is a team player with a playstyle oriented around maximizing his team's potential. He is a carry that pushes the other players on his team to the limits, allowing his team to rally around him and effectively work together to achieve theier goals. MidOne’s ability to farm allows him to enter team fights in a confident position, because he clearly understands his role as the main damage-dealing entity on the team. MidOne is clearly proficient at Dota 2, and if we watch the 2019 season playout, we could be revisiting this list with him at the top of it.
Watch MidOne carry Ember Spirit, Monkey King, and Kunkka.
6. Somnus/Maybe
Somnus, headset equipped and focus unshakeable
Lu Yao, who goes by his gamer tag “Somnus” or his other gamertag “Maybe,” is currently an inactive member of LGD.Gaming. This Chinese Dota player competes with the best of them, recently securing a 2nd place standing at The International 2018. He is a highly-skilled player who has earned achievements like winning the MDL Changsha Major 2018 and EPICENTER XL 2018.
Somnus’s technical know-how makes him relevant in any meta; he adapts, changes and does his thing. Somnus takes the most complicated heroes that Dota can throw at him and plays them with ease. He is able to make using mechanically difficult heroes like Invoker look like child’s play. He uses any hero’s skillset to his advantage and thrives on heroes that are ability-heavily and use their manapools as efficiently as possible. He is a champion at using big spells and can make any caster into a force to be reckoned with.
Watch Somnus carry Storm Spirit, Invoker, and Queen of Pain.
5. Ame
Ame, his quiet focus unparalleled
Wang Chunyu or “Ame” was born and raised in China. Chinese Dota has made him into a player who is able to evaluate games effectively. Ame’s greatest achievements come from his ability to to take control of situations and turn them around, coming 1st at The MDL Changsha Major 2018 and 2nd at The International 2018.
LGD.Gaming is currently his home, and he’s certainly settled well, as they now rank among the most dominant teams that China has produced in recent years. This 21-year-old is continuing to surprise the world and constantly reminds players that Chinese Dota is here to stay.
Ame is the definition of what it means to be a carry, able to shoulder the burden of taking the draft your team has decided on and turn it into a winning strategy. He takes calculated risks with the hero he has at his disposal. You can see him take on large team fights and come out victorious because of his aggressive nature. Ame is a player that uses his analytical understanding to see the smallest openings and turn those into huge comebacks and upsets.
Watch Ame carry Terrorblade, Morphling, and Juggernaut.
4. MATUMBAMAN
MATUMBAMAN, pleased with how things are shaping up
Lasse Aukusti Urpalainen, also know as “MATUMBAMAN," is a Team Liquid regular from Finland. MATUMBAMAN has essentially been a Team Liquid regular since the start of his professional Dota 2 career. Since being at Team Liquid, he has placed in the top 2 of many Premier tournaments (except The International 2018, where he placed 4th).
However, MATUMBAMAN’s greatest Dota 2 accomplishment comes from winning the The International 2017. This sparked a run of consecutive top-tier performances from him in the midlane and made him a household name in the Dota 2 community just at the age of 23.
MATUMBAMAN has an unconventional playstyle, performing best with heroes you usually don’t see picked a lot in pro games. He is able to make heroes that seem irrelevant in the current meta relevant and capitalize on the unique advantages of each hero no matter the situation. When he uses heroes like Broodmother and Lone Druid, he is able to take control of the entire map and make his dominance known.
Watch MATUMBAMAN carry Broodmother, Lone Druid, and Necrophos.
3. Sumail
Sumail may be young, but he can certainly play with the big dogs
Syed Sumail Hassan or “Sumail” is one of Dota 2’s brightest North American stars. His performance as a Dota 2 pro player has been astounding, as he has earned solid competitive results while at Evil Geniuses. He not only won win the Aegis of Immortals at The International 2015, but also came 3rd the following year at The International 2016, showing people that a 16-year-old can play Dota 2 with the best of them. Sumail is the youngest Dota 2 player to ever win The International.
Sumail is one of the few North American Dota 2 players that is very mechanically gifted and focused. He picks heroes that are have really hard-to-master mechanics and is able to use them at will. Sumail uses his understanding of each hero to maximize his farm and secure objectives as efficiently as possible. He is able to outsmart his opponents and secure wins when his team is at a disadvantage because he is able to efficiently exploit each hero’s mechanics.
Watch Sumail carry Puck, Storm Spirit, and Lina.
2. RAMZES666
RAMZES666 on a roll
Roman Kushnarev, known by his gamer handle “RAMZES666,” is a young up-and-coming star in the Dota 2 scene. The 19-year-old is currently transforming Virtus Pro into a powerhouse team that was able to secure wins at The Bucharest Major 2018 and The Kuala Lumpur Major 2018 along with a variety of other tournaments in 2018.
RAMZES666 is currently on a hot streak that doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. This Russian Dota player is making a huge splash in Europe and the international Dota 2 scene, and there is no sign of him slowing down.
RAMZES666’s youthful approach to the game is changing his team’s playstyle into an aggressive, objective-focused team that quickly secures objectives. He is a player that farms efficiently and, upon getting the farm that is necessary, quickly moves onto the next objective. Once RAMZES666 gets going there is no stopping him, as he is able to take the smallest advantage and turn into a Godlike streak.
Watch RAMZES666 carry Lifestealer, Juggernaut, and Drow Ranger.
1. Miracle-
Miracle- in the glow of the LEDs, ready to guide his team to victory
Amer Al-Barkawi, also known as “Miracle-,” is one of this generation's best Dota 2 players at only 21 years old. The Polish and Jordanian Miracle- is known for his innate ability to play Dota. He was scouted after rising through the pub ranks and achieving number 1 on the MMR rankings. He is the first person ever to get 9000 MMR in Dota 2 through solo matchmaking.
He was recruited by NoTail right out of the pubs and quickly showed that he can play with the big boys by winning The Frankfurt Major 2015 and The Manila Major 2016 while at OG. After his run at OG, he moved on to his current home with Team Liquid. While at Team Liquid he held the coveted Aegis of Immortals at The International 2017 and went on to get 4th place at The International 2018 the following year.
Miracle- has been able to master and utilize Dota’s most difficult heroes and secure wins that seemed impossible, living up to his gamer tag regularly. He uses every hero masterfully and executes even the boldest strategies with grace. The versatility he cultivated in the pub scene allows him to fit into any roster and use any means necessary to win a game. He is called the “M-God” because he is able to farm heavy, even when he has been sanctioned heavily, and will reliably carry his team to victory. Once Miracle- gets going and continues securing kills, he will be Beyond Godlike before you know it.
Watch Miracle- carry Invoker, Anti Mage, and Terrorblade.
You may also be interested in:
Top 10 Best Dota 2 Carry Heroes That Wreck Hard! (2019 Edition)
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Top 10 Best Dota 2 Teams 2019 (Best Dota 2 Teams In The World)
