Why Rubick is the most popular hero in TI

There was no skill that a Grand Magus couldn’t steal.

The International 10 is almost here. The 18 best teams from around the world will compete in the biggest esports event in history. The main tournament in the Dota 2 scene is expected to be an amazing spectacle, considering there’s more than $40 million dollars at stake.

Of the 121 heroes available in Captain’s Mode, Rubick is the most chosen hero during The International (TI) event. Of course, not just any hero can get an achievement like this.

So far Rubick has been voted 330 times, beating Earthshaker picked 323 times and Mirana 321 times. The note confirmed Rubick as the most popular hero in TI Dota 2.

But what is special about the hero nicknamed the Grand Magus? What makes professionals consistently choose Rubick in IT?

3 reasons why Rubick is the most popular hero in TI

1. He has great basic skills

Rubick is a hero centered on the Ultimate Skill “Spell Steal”, and his basic Skill is sometimes overlooked because it’s not too flashy. However, in reality, The Grand Magus has two of the best basic abilities in Dota 2 – Telekinesis and Fade Bolt.

Telekinesis allows Rubick to instantly lift an enemy into the air for two seconds, and he can land them in any desired location. Other enemies at the landing site are also stunned.

Not only that, this ability has 0.1 cast-time, which means it can capture enemies instantly. On top of that, it recently received an upgrade to Aghanims’s Shard that allows Telekinesis to be used to save friends as well.

On the other hand, Fade Bolt is one of the best skills to deal nuke damage, even at all stages of the game, from the early game to the late game. This skill deals considerable damage while reducing their physical damage. Fade Bolt allows Rubick to exchange attacks with opponents effectively during the laning stage and also reduces a lot of enemy damage in the late game.

2. Rubick is a good counter for team fight strategy

What can the team do against a strong lineup in a team fight with skills like Black Hole and Ravage? Of course, by choosing a hero who can steal the skill!

Rubick’s Steal Spell, allows you to fight fire with fire. You can choose Rubick and use the enemy’s strongest skill to destroy them.

If the enemy has a lot of heal, then Rubick can also heal. If the enemy has Enigma? Let the Grand Magus demonstrate how to use the Black Hole skill.

Rubick’s ability is also not limited to stealing Ultimate skills. Heroes like Earthshaker and Jakiro, who rely mostly on one spell for most matches (Fissure and Ice Patch) are perfect victims for Rubick. Rubick’s presence will provide Earthshaker and Jakiro’s advantages, plus Fade Bolts and Telekinesis skills. Doesn’t that sound Overpower or OP?

3. Grand Magus provides drafting flexibility

Rubick Wandering Harelquin, the most popular Hero in TI — Credit: Valve

The next reason why Rubick is the most popular hero in TI is – it offers drafting flexibility. Long ago when Rubick was first released in Dota 2, players considered him a mainstay hero for the midlane. And it has proven to be very effective in The International 2012.

Nearly a decade later, Rubick has evolved into a support hero. The hero’s useful skills, combined with the ability to steal an opponent’s Ultimate allow him to make a huge impact without much farming.

Nonetheless, Rubick still occasionally pops up in the midlane, and it’s that versatility that contributes to TI’s excellent pick rates. Grand Magus can fill three positions, hard support, soft support/roamer, and offlaner. That flexibility is something the captain really likes during the draft phase.

Do you think The Grand Magus will remain the most voted hero in the history of The International? Or will the throne of the most popular hero in TI be taken by Mirana or Earthshaker?