Top 10 Game-Changing Ultimate Abilities in Dota 2

In Dota 2, each hero boasts a distinctive ultimate ability that has the potential to drastically change the outcome of a match. These powerful moves are pivotal in determining a hero's role and effectiveness in different scenarios. In this analysis, we delve into the top ten game-changing ultimates, exploring their significance, the heroes associated with them, and strategic tips for both utilising and countering these abilities.

Black Hole - Enigma

Enigma is usually played as an off laner or jungler, focusing on farming essential items. His ultimate, Black Hole, is crucial for disabling multiple enemies during team fights.

Black Hole channels a vortex that pulls in and disables all nearby enemies, dealing damage over time.

Combos and Synergies:

Sand King's Epicenter

Amplifies damage within the Black Hole.

Gyrocopter's Call Down

Adds significant area damage to the mix.

Disruptor's Static Storm

Silences and damages enemies caught in the Black Hole.

Lina's Laguna Blade 

Quickly finishes off key targets trapped in the Black Hole.

Leshrac's Pulse Nova

Consistently deals damage within the Black Hole.

Countermeasures:

Rubick

Can steal Black Hole and turn it against Enigma's team.

Silencer's Global Silence

Prevents Enigma from casting Black Hole.

BKB

Makes heroes immune to the disabling effect.

Abyssal Blade

Provides a stun to interrupt Enigma's channelling.

Force Staff

Helps allies escape the Black Hole's radius.

Chronosphere - Faceless Void

Faceless Void is a carry hero who primarily farms in the safe lane. His main objective is to build core items to maximize his damage output, then initiate fights with his ultimate to take down key enemies.

The Chronosphere creates a large, time-stopping dome, freezing all enemies and allies. Faceless Void can move and attack freely inside the dome.

Combos and Synergies:

Invoker's Cataclysm

Uses Sun Strikes on all enemies caught in the Chronosphere for massive damage.

Witch Doctor's Death Ward

Can channel his Death Ward outside the Chronosphere to damage trapped enemies.

Skywrath Mage's Mystic Flare

Deals immense magical damage to heroes in the Chronosphere.

Snapfire's Mortimer Kisses

Launches damaging projectiles into the dome.

Phoenix's Supernova 

Provides a powerful follow-up, as enemies cannot attack the egg while frozen.

Countermeasures:

Linken's Sphere

Blocks the Chronosphere's initiation on critical targets.

Heroes like Puck 

Can Phase Shift or Blink away to avoid being caught.

BKB (Black King Bar)

Provides magic immunity, allowing heroes to fight back or escape.

Disruptor's Static Storm

Silences Faceless Void, preventing him from casting Chronosphere.

Abyssal Blade: Can be used to stun Faceless Void before he casts Chronosphere.

Finger of Death - Lion

Lion is a support hero known for his powerful disables and high burst damage. His ultimate, Finger of Death, allows him to eliminate critical targets quickly.

Finger of Death is a single-target nuke that deals significant damage and can instantly kill squishy enemies.

Combos and Synergies:

Shadow Shaman's Shackles

Holds a target in place for Finger of Death.

Faceless Void's Chronosphere

Guarantees a safe target for Finger of Death.

Doom's Doom

Silences and turns off a target, making it easier to finish them off.

Earth Spirit's Geomagnetic Grip

Stuns and silences, setting up for Finger of Death.

Aghanim's Scepter

Allows Finger of Death to hit multiple targets.

Countermeasures:

BKB

Provides immunity to magical damage.

Pipe of Insight

Reduces incoming magic damage for the team.

Dazzle's Shallow Grave

Keeps allies alive through the burst.

Wraith King's Reincarnation

Revives after taking the lethal damage.

Heroes with high burst healing

Treant Protector's Living Armor can mitigate the damage.

Reverse Polarity - Magnus

Magnus is often seen in the off lane or mid lane roles, utilising his ultimate ability, Reverse Polarity, as a potent initiation tool. This ability draws all nearby enemies towards him, stunning them and setting them up for devastating damage.

Combos and Synergies:

Sven's God's Strength

Deals immense cleave damage to grouped enemies.

Earthshaker's Echo Slam

Capitalizes on clustered enemies for maximum impact.

Dark Seer's Vacuum

Ensures enemies are tightly grouped before Reverse Polarity.

Luna's Eclipse

Maximizes damage on stunned enemies.

Jakiro's Macropyre

Lays down a damaging path under the stunned enemies.

Countermeasures:

Oracle's False Promise

Saves allies from follow-up damage.

Ghost Scepter

Provides temporary physical immunity.

Outworld Devourer's Astral Imprisonment

Removes a key target from the fight.

Disruptor's Kinetic Field

Can trap Magnus, preventing him from initiating.

Heroes with mobility

eaver or Anti-Mage can avoid being caught by staying spread out.

Exorcism - Death Prophet

Death Prophet is a mid laner who excels in pushing and sustained team fights. Her ultimate, Exorcism, is vital to her ability to siege towers and win extended engagements.

Exorcism releases spirits that attack nearby enemies and structures, returning to heal Death Prophet based on the damage dealt.

Combos and Synergies:

Treant Protector's Overgrowth

Holds enemies in place while Exorcism spirits deal damage.

Tidehunter's Ravage

Ensures enemies are within range of Exorcism.

Faceless Void's Chronosphere

Keeps enemies immobilized within Exorcism's range.

Enigma's Black Hole

Holds enemies in place for maximum damage.

Winter Wyvern's Winter's Curse

Keeps enemies clumped together for Exorcism.

Countermeasures:

Heroes with high burst damage

Lion or Lina can quickly eliminate Death Prophet.

Silences

Prevent her from activating Exorcism, such as Silencer's Last Word.

Disables

Stuns or Hexes can interrupt her ultimate.

Burst damage items

Items like Ethereal Blade can quickly take her down.

Heroes with disengage abilities

Weaver or Puck can kite and avoid her spirits.

Primal Roar - Beastmaster

Beastmaster is an off laner known for his intense initiation and vision control. Primal Roar is essential for locking down key targets and disrupting team fights.

Primal Roar sends out a shockwave, stunning the primary target and knocking back others in its path.

Combos and Synergies:

Bane's Fiend's Grip

Provides additional control over the stunned target.

Hoodwink's Sharpshooter

Delivers significant follow-up damage.

Skywrath Mage's Mystic Flare

Provides burst magical damage to the stunned target.

Mirana's Sacred Arrow

Follows up the stun with another long-duration stun.

Juggernaut's Omnislash

Ensures Juggernaut can focus on the stunned target.

Countermeasures:

Linken's Sphere

Can block Primal Roar.

Heroes with mobility

Anti-Mage or Queen of Pain can avoid getting caught.

Force Staff

Provides an escape for allies from the roar's path.

Aeon Disk

Ensures the target survives the initial burst.

Heroes with saves

Oracle or Dazzle can keep the targeted ally alive.

Ravage - Tidehunter

Tidehunter is a tanky off laner. His ultimate, Ravage, is a powerful initiation tool that can turn the tide of team fights.

Ravage sends tentacles that stun and damage all nearby enemies.

Combos and Synergies:

Witch Doctor's Death Ward

Can freely channel his ultimate on stunned enemies.

Medusa's Stone Gaze

Keeps enemies in place after Ravage.

Phoenix's Supernova

Ensures enemies can't attack the egg while stunned.

Disruptor's Static Storm

Follows up with a silencing field.

Invoker's Chaos Meteor

Deals significant follow-up damage.

Countermeasures:

BKB (Black King Bar)

Negates the stun effect.

Heroes with high mobility

Storm Spirit or Ember Spirit can avoid the initial cast.

Lotus Orb

Reflects Ravage to Tidehunter.

Nyx Assassin's Spiked Carapace

Stuns Tidehunter when Ravage hits.

Silences

Prevent Tidehunter from casting Ravage.

Guardian Angel - Omniknight

Omniknight is a support or an off laner focused on protecting his team. Guardian Angel can make his team nearly invincible during crucial moments.

Guardian Angel grants all nearby allies massive physical damage immunity for a short duration.

Combos and Synergies:

Dazzle's Shallow Grave

Further prolongs ally survivability.

Juggernaut's Omnislash

Provides physical immunity while slashing through enemies.

Legion Commander's Duel

Guarantees a win by making her immune to physical attacks.

Oracle's False Promise

Keeps an ally alive while Guardian Angel is active.

Luna's Eclipse

Maximizes damage output while being immune to physical attacks.

Countermeasures:

Diffusal Blade

Can purge Guardian Angel.

Magic damage heroes

Leshrac or Zeus can ignore the physical immunity.

Silencer's Global Silence

Prevents Omniknight from casting Guardian Angel.

Nullifier

Dispels the effect of Guardian Angel.

Ancient Apparition's Ice Blast

Prevents healing from Guardian Angel.

Song of the Siren - Naga Siren

Naga Siren is versatile and played as a carry or support. Her ultimate, Song of the Siren, is excellent for initiating or disengaging from fights.

Song of the Siren puts all nearby enemies to sleep, allowing Naga Siren and her team to reposition or set up combos.

Combos and Synergies:

Disruptor's Static Storm

Combine with Song to ensure enemies can't cast spells.

Kunkka's Ghost Ship

This guarantees the ship will hit while enemies are asleep.

Enigma's Black Hole

Set up a perfect Black Hole while enemies are asleep.

Earthshaker's Echo Slam

Hit sleeping enemies with maximum effect.

Invoker's Sun Strike

Precisely hit multiple sleeping enemies.

Countermeasures:

BKB

Can prevent sleep.

Heroes with high mobility

Ember Spirit or Storm Spirit can escape before Song is cast.

Silences

Prevent Naga Siren from casting her ultimate.

Aeon Disk

Ensures survival through the setup phase.

Heroes with long-range disables

Keep her from using Song effectively.

Supernova - Phoenix

Phoenix is a support with high team-fight potential. Supernova can turn the tide of battles if the enemy fails to destroy it in time.

Supernova transforms Phoenix into a burning sun, stunning and damaging enemies if it completes without being destroyed.

Combos and Synergies:

Earthshaker's Echo Slam

Ensures enemies are immobilized while Supernova explodes.

Faceless Void's Chronosphere

Protects Supernova from being attacked.

Tidehunter's Ravage

Keeps enemies stunned, allowing Supernova to complete.

Magnus's Reverse Polarity

Groups enemies together for maximum effect.

Winter Wyvern's Winter's Curse

Forces enemies to attack each other instead of the egg.

Countermeasures:

High attack speed heroes

Troll Warlord or Sniper can destroy Supernova quickly.

Silences and stuns

Can prevent Phoenix from using Supernova.

BKB

Allows heroes to ignore the damage and attack the egg.

Aeon Disk

Ensures survival during the stun.

Heroes with burst damage

Quickly destroy Phoenix before it can use Supernova.