Dota 2 patch 7.36 has shaken up the meta, introducing a ton of hero balance changes and new game mechanics. At the heart of the update is Innate Abilities, a feature that offers every hero passive power-ups to bolster their game impact. Best of all, there are loads of great options!
But what are Innates exactly? And, more importantly, what are the best Innate Abilities to use in Dota 2? This guide will answer all your burning questions and highlight the top skills to help you climb the ranked ladder.
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Best Dota 2 Innate Abilities
What Are Innate Abilities?
Innate Abilities are passive skills exclusive to every Dota 2 hero. They include existing effects or power-ups (like Treant Protector’s Nature’s Guise) and entirely new or reworked abilities (such as Witch Doctor’s Gris-Gris).
Typically, you can’t level up these abilities, but they may scale with other regular spells. You also can’t choose your Innate Ability. Instead, they’re preset for each hero, persisting from the sound of the battle horn until either the Dire or Radiant Ancient is destroyed.
Best Innate Abilities In Dota 2
So, what is the best Innate Ability in Dota 2? With more than 160 heroes to choose from, it’s a tough question! In the section below, we’ve highlighted a few exceptional options to help you dominate your enemies in the lanes.
Note: The following list of Innate Abilities in Dota 2 is subjective and based on the author’s personal preferences. Your mileage may vary, so feel free to experiment and find the abilities that best suit your playstyle.
Coat Of Blood (Axe)
Axe has always struggled with armor issues due to his low Agility stat gain. However, the new Innate Ability, Coat of Blood, addresses this long-standing issue by giving him a permanent 0.4/0.6/0.8/1.0 armor bonus whenever he gets a kill. The best part? Any kill with Culling Blade gives double the amount!
The amount of armor gained increases with each level of Axe’s ult. This means he will become harder to kill and ultimately more impactful in team fights, particularly in the later game stages. You can further augment Axe’s survivability by purchasing high-sustain items like Bloodstone or Heart of Tarrasque.
Dragon Blood (Dragon Knight)
Dragon Blood offers Dragon Knight a bonus of 4 health regeneration and 2 armor, each increasing by 0.5 per level. These values are also multiplied by 1.5x while in Dragon Form. Similarly to Axe, this Innate Ability makes DK extremely tanky, granting him incredible sustain right from level 1.
While the bonus regen and armor ensure a strong laning phase, it also allows DK to maintain a strong map presence by reducing the need to return to the Fountain for healing. This means he can spend more time farming gold and experience or pushing the lanes. It also allows DK to man the frontlines in combat.
Duelist (Juggernaut)
With Duelist, Juggernaut deals 10% more damage to enemy units that face him. Plus, the bonus damage is always applied during Omnislash, making his ultimate 10% more deadly. As a percentage-based bonus, Duelist enables Juggernaut to scale well into the late game.
Juggernaut has long been a popular pick due to his high base damage and kill potential. However, the addition of Duelist has further strengthened these traits. As of June 4, 2024, Juggernaut has a 53.7% win rate and a 21.2% pick rate, showcasing the impact of this Innate Ability on his performance in-game.
Foul Play (Shadow Shaman)
Shadow Shaman’s Foul Play is basically a free Aeon Disc. When Shadow Shaman is about to be killed, he turns into a chicken with 1 HP and gains a 10% movement speed boost for 3s. This transformation also applies a strong dispel and grants him 0.75 seconds of immunity from all damage!
However, the best part is that the Cluster Cluck Facet allows Shadow Shaman to use Hex on allies, granting them 0.1s of invulnerability to save them from lethal damage. It also spawns three uncontrollable chicken illusions, which can confuse enemies and help the troubled ally make a quick escape.
Reins Of Chaos (Chaos Knight)
Reins of Chaos is a game-changing Innate Ability. Whenever Chaos Knight creates illusions, there is a 50% chance that an extra illusion will spawn. This Innate applies to all sources, including Phantasm, Manta Style, Illusion Rune, and spells like Shadow Demon’s Disruption.
It pairs especially well with Aghanim’s Shard upgrade, which gives Chaos Knight a 50% chance to spawn an illusion whenever he uses Chaos Bolt. This lets you dish out a ton of damage, securing vital kills and objectives. It will also accelerate your farming, helping you reach your power spike faster.
Smoldering Resin (Batrider)
Smoldering Resin adds a debuff to Batrider’s right-click attacks to deal 15% of his attack damage every 1s for 2s. This Innate Ability complements Sticky Napalm (especially after its recent buffs) and even pierces damage block, allowing him to inflict devastating damage on enemies.
This Innate Ability empowers Batrider to be more aggressive by giving him more tools to harass or kill enemies. However, what makes Smoldering Resin truly impactful is its scalability with Batrider’s attack damage, transitioning him from a utility-focused hero to a potent DPS core.
Static Field (Zeus)
Zeus’s Static Field is a top-tier Innate Ability. Anytime he attacks or hits an enemy with an ability, it deals 4% of their current health as damage. Also, because the passive is percentage-based, the assault is especially potent against high HP heroes like Pudge or Centaur.
Combined with Zeus’ already-powerful nuke damage, Static Field makes him an annoying adversary in the lane and team fights—and a hero that’s difficult to kill! This is because Zeus also has great mobility to escape those brave enough to get close to him.
Honorable Mentions
Think that’s all? You’d be sorely mistaken! Here are a few more Innate Abilities in Dota 2 that, while not making the top list, deserve an honorable mention:
- Summon Convert (Chen)
- Eldwurm Scholar (Winter Wyvern)
- Intrinsic Edge (Void Spirit)
- Herd Mentality (Spirit Breaker)
- Maul (Ursa)
Change The Way You Play With Innate Abilities
Innate Abilities bring a fresh dynamic to Dota 2, offering unique passive skills that enhance each hero’s impact on the game. Whether it’s Axe’s Coat of Blood providing vital armor, or Zeus’s Static Field dealing devastating percentage-based damage, these abilities can turn the tide in your favor.
Experiment with different heroes and their Innate Abilities to find what best suits your playstyle, because mastering these abilities may give you a significant edge in matches. Dive into the latest Dota 2 patch and harness the power of Innate Abilities to climb the ranked ladder and dominate your opponents.
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