Before anything else, let’s get one thing clear: there is no such thing as a “best hero”. It’s all up to you and how you’re going to use a hero’s potential to the fullest.
This is true for both DoTA2 and Artifact. Nevertheless, there are heroes that, from a mathematical perspective, increase the likelihood of victory.
Here are some heroes that should be on your Artifact deck.
The Wolf: Lycan
At first glance, the Lycan doesn’t seem too impressive, as 4 Attack and 10 Health is hardly something to sing home about. Heck, some creeps can almost match or even outdo that! What makes this green hero formidable isn’t its raw stats, but its Continuous Effect, Feral Impulse, which gives allied neighbors +2 attack. In a game like Artifact, a +2 boost in attack can give you a huge advantage.
If that’s not good enough for you, he also has a signature card, Savage Wolf. This spell summons a creature with 3 Attack and Health. After every combat phase, these creatures gain +1 and +2 to attack and health respectively. On top of that, they’re also going to get a buff from Feral Impulse. Such a lethal combination can definitely put pressure on opponents, so it’s no wonder why it’s one of those that have a high Artifact card price.
Phantom Assassin
Phantom Assassin is one of the most popular carry hero picks in DoTA 2, and it seems to be the same in Valve’s popular MOBA card game spinoff. Here, she is a fittingly black hero that boasts of 6 Attack and has a pretty decent 8 Health. Her Continuous Effect is Efficient Killer, giving her +4 damage when her target is an enemy hero. That’s definitely more than enough to take a hero down!
Mind you, a direct attack is not the only way she can kill an enemy hero. With her signature card, Coup de Grace, you can condemn your enemy of choice at the cost of discarding a random card. With her surefire ways of eliminating the opposition, it’s no surprise that people like having the Phantom Assassin in their deck.
Legion Commander
Another solid hero is the Legion Commander. She’s a red hero with 6 Attack, 1 Armor, and 8 Health – standard red hero fare. Compounded with her Continuous Effect, Moment of Courage, which gives her +2 Retaliate (additional damage whenever attacked), essentially making her a hero with 8 Attack.
Her signature spell, Duel, is a simple yet effective card. It just allows you to choose any opponent she will attack, nothing more and nothing less. This makes her an effective hero when it comes to the aspect of overall board control.
Moon Rider: Luna
Luna, a blue hero, has an ample 8 Health, but her 3 Attack leaves much to be desired. Thankfully, she makes up for it with her Continuous Effect, Lucent Beam, which deals 1 piercing damage to a random target and adds a charge to her signature spell, Eclipse. The said card then deals 3 Damage per charge. With just 3 charges, you’ll be able to take most, if not any target!
I Said Good Day Sir! – Axe
Last, but definitely not least, would be Axe. The7 Attack, 2 Armor, and 11 Health is very reflective of this hero’s role in DoTA 2. The downside to this is that he doesn’t have a Continuous Effect. But with stats like that, it’s hardly a problem.
His signature card, Berserker’s Call, forces an allied red hero to fight neighboring enemies. It’s a rather perfect card, considering his base attributes. Don’t worry about Axe getting mobbed; he’ll be fine.
Without a doubt, there are lots of awesome heroes in Artifact. In fact, we wanted to include as many heroes as possible. Regardless, if you want exceptional heroes, you should get these iconic names on your deck. Or you can choose not to. Just do whatever works for you!