The International has always been Dota 2’s biggest stage, the arena where the best players in the world fight not just for millions in prize money, but for esports immortality. Yet, while some heroes shine under the spotlight, others never even make it to the draft screen. Over the years, entire lineups of champions have been consistently ignored at the highest level, creating a fascinating pattern of professional rejection that tells its own story about the state of the game.
At The International 2025 group stage, 23 heroes went completely unpicked across 108 matches. That’s a striking number when you consider how diverse Dota’s roster is, and many of these names are ones casual players often see as powerful in their own games. However, at the professional level, strength means something different, and these heroes just didn’t make the cut.
No case is more notorious than Meepo. Known for his steep learning curve and reliance on flawless mechanical skills, he has now been ignored in six Internationals: TI13, TI12, TI11, TI10, TI5, and TI3. He has become the poster child for heroes deemed too risky to touch on the biggest stage.
Other familiar faces share similar fates. Bloodseeker, despite multiple buffs over the years, has been left out of five different tournaments. Necrophos, once terrifying in pubs, simply can’t survive the pace of competitive matches and has also been ignored five times. Then there’s Techies, the most divisive hero in the game, whose unpredictable playstyle continues to keep him benched at five Internationals despite constant reworks.
The list of repeated rejections doesn’t stop there. Heroes like Warlock, Treant Protector, Outworld Destroyer, Wraith King, Huskar, and Drow Ranger each carry four instances of complete absence, spanning different metas and balance cycles. Their struggles reveal persistent design issues that make them unreliable at the highest level of play.
These unpicked stats are a direct signal to Valve’s balance team. When a hero is consistently absent from the biggest tournament in the world, it often leads to major changes or even complete reworks. Some years, like TI9, saw success with fewer forgotten heroes, while others, like TI14, showed how quickly balance can slip, with 23 champions once again shut out entirely.
In the end, The International doesn’t just crown champions; it exposes weaknesses. For every hero that defines a meta, others fade from relevance. These forgotten champions stand as a reminder of how brutal professional Dota 2 can be, where only the most adaptable, impactful, and versatile heroes survive the demands of tournament-level competition.
