[7.40c] The 5 Best Carry Heroes in Dota 2
February 10th, 2026
Patch 7.40c is a significant balance update for Dota 2 that has noticeably impacted game pace and hero strength. Overpowered heroes from the previous version (such as Loading...) have been specifically nerfed, while some traditional carry heroes have received buffs, making the choice of the 1 position more diverse. Today's Dota is no longer just a late-game competition - many matches can be decided around the 25-minute mark. Mid-to-late game team fighting and pace-setting abilities often directly determine the outcome, and the traditional playstyle of relying on split-pushing to turn the tide of battle is becoming increasingly difficult. In such an environment, the core requirements for the 1 position have also changed: rather than late-game potential, we value laning strength more - we must establish an advantage online and prevent the enemy's 1 position from farming easily. Instead of pure farming ability, we need mid-game fighting power and must be ready to participate in team fights before 25 minutes. Instead of stand-and-shoot output, we need high mobility - to be able to fight, run, and secure kills. Instead of passive farming, we need to actively set the pace and can't just farm in silence. The current meta also has several notable features: popular supports are mostly ranged, while traditional melee supports (like Loading...) have lower pick rates. Survival environment for illusion heroes has improved, and items with extra damage against illusions have been nerfed. Ranged carries are more numerous, giving melee carries (such as Loading...) more room to play.
Fifth Place: Loading...
Loading... is a typical lane-dominant carry, receiving minor buffs in 7.40 and no targeted nerfs in subsequent versions. Players who have played Loading... can pick him up quickly, as there are similarities in operation and itemization. During the laning phase, manually casting Loading... to harass enemies has strong pressure and doesn't easily draw creep aggro. You can also use Loading... to last-hit ranged creeps - after harassing, chase and attack, making him more aggressive than Loading..., but with less self-sustain. There are two main item paths: the regular route is Loading... → Loading... → Loading... → Loading... → Loading.... An alternative route is replacing Loading... with Loading..., which is more cost-effective. In team fights, don't stand and shoot - stay on the edges and continuously kite. Develop the habit of reappearing to deal damage in the last second of Loading... to maintain high mobility and reduce invisibility downtime.
Fourth Place: Loading...
7.40c mainly weakened Loading...'s tower-pushing ability and late-game output, but his laning and mid-game fighting power are basically unaffected. He can still use Loading... to harass and Loading... to heal and pressure enemies. His burst damage with Loading... is still very high. The short cooldown Loading... provides excellent mobility, and Loading... also brings stable farming efficiency. In the new patch, fewer players will contest Loading..., making him more suitable for second-phase picks and reducing the probability of being countered - this is actually a positive. In terms of itemization, don't fixate on Loading...; this slot can be replaced with Loading... or Loading... for stronger team fighting.
Third Place: Loading...
Loading... has received buffs for several consecutive versions. 7.40 also improved the survival environment for illusion heroes, and items with extra damage against illusions have been nerfed. Currently popular 1 positions are mostly ranged and generally fear Loading...'s close-range output, making this patch's environment very suitable for him. He has strong killing potential at level 2 during the laning phase, with built-in self-sustain, and has obvious pressure when paired with a ranged support. Gameplay-wise, make good use of the tp scroll - you can look for opportunities to gank the enemy carry at level 6 or even earlier. One pull and one stun provide extremely high burst damage. This hero shouldn't stay in lane or farm jungle for long - he must actively roam and set the pace. His ultimate can also be used as a farming tool, split-pushing like Loading...: send an illusion to push a lane while other units farm the jungle. Due to the high attack damage of illusions, enemies find it difficult to distinguish the real hero from illusions immediately - tricking skills is profitable.
Second Place: Loading...
Loading... was continuously slightly nerfed in 7.40b and 7.40c, but the overall impact is not significant. Here's a new idea: don't fixate excessively on Loading.... While it does increase farming speed, the long downtime during synthesis is very harmful to the early-to-mid game and doesn't provide survivability. In the late game, the anti-heal effect of Loading... isn't necessarily a must-have. From an output perspective, Loading... and Loading... often have higher priority. From a survivability perspective, Loading... is usually more worth considering first. In many matches, Loading... can completely skip Loading.... She still retains her advantages from previous versions: decent early-game fighting power and farming efficiency, with a very high late-game output ceiling.
First Place: Loading...
Loading... received two consecutive rounds of buffs in 7.40 and 7.40b, with the 7.40b buff being particularly noticeable - it just was overshadowed by discussions about other popular heroes at the time. In the new patch, he satisfies both 'strong laning' and 'mid-game fighting ability' requirements, and also has farming advantages that many carries don't have: as long as his level keeps up, maxing Loading... allows for high-speed farming with relatively lower equipment dependencies. His playstyle is similar to Loading..., with the core objective being continuous pushing. After gaining an advantage in the laning phase, farm quickly between 5-10 minutes through both lane and jungle. Enter his strong phase around the 10-minute mark, pushing with siege creeps - a common pace is enemy offlane tier 1 → mid tier 1 → offlane tier 2 → roshan → other outer towers. In matches below 6000 MMR, you can prioritize Loading... for a single-kill rhythm: after Loading..., complete Loading... and continuously look for opportunities around the cooldown of your ultimate. Your first major item can even be directly Loading... to further improve single roshan control ability. Even if teammates have average coordination, you can still snowball an advantage with this rhythm: lane dominance → Loading... single kills → Loading... for Aegis → push with Aegis.
Below is the build guide for the hero playstyles recommended in this article:
