'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
A competitive MOBA like Dota 2 thrives on its pro community and events.
Dota 2 is likewise known especially for its multi-million dollar prize pool tournaments, The International towering above all as the annual Holy Grail for all Dota 2 pros. It is their spectacular plays that enabled such hype to accumulate around the DPC fixtures.
But it would never be the same without the catalysts who channel the hype, the casters. Fortunately, Dota 2 is blessed with many brilliant energetic casters. Too many to list, in fact. So here are arguably five of the best casters in the history of Dota 2.
Who are the best Dota 2 casters of all time?
5. Ioannis ‘Fogged’ Loucas
As an avid player in the original DotA Allstars pro scene, and then an extended professional career in the early years of Dota 2 alongside the likes of Saahil ‘UNiVeRsE’ Arora, Fogged brings his breadth of experience to his methodical casting. Although he transitioned into a caster career only after 2015, his game knowledge serves him well in the panel.
4. David ‘LD’ Gorman
Famous for numerous Dota 2 Compendium chat wheels like “Waow” or “Patience from Zhou”. The most famous, of course, is from an hour-long Dota 2 TI 2016 group stage match. As the disadvantaged Alliance surprisingly thwarted an Evil Geniuses base rush, LD’s excitement got the better of him, and he blurted out ‘Ding Ding Ding!’ followed by an expletive.
With his ‘Beyond The Summit’ studio that he co-founded, LD’s biggest contribution to the scene is bringing Asian Dota 2 tournaments to western audiences with his English casting.
3. Austin ‘Capitalist’ Walsh
If nothing else, Capitalist will forever be immortalized by the legendary Dota 2 ‘water bottle’ clip. In a tense third match of a toe-to-toe TI 2019 series between Mineski and Team Secret, Capitalist crushed a plastic water bottle and spilled water everywhere in his frenzied casting hype.
However risible it may look in hindsight, it is only a testament to the passion Capitalist’s casting brings to the table. Who to best lead the cheering echoes of the crowd, if not the caster? Alongside his casting talents, he is also an extremely competent player himself. Capitalist is one of the few Dota 2 casters to hit 8k MMR.
2. Tobi ‘TobiWan’ Dawson
None can enervate the crowd like TobiWan can. TobiWan’s rhythm oftentimes feels like a battle chant, and it does all that a battle chant is supposed to do. In his long Dota 2 casting career, there have been many noteworthy casting calls recorded in the annals of chat wheels and crystalized into proverbs.
They have become integral keynotes to iconic Dota 2 plays - such as ‘It’s a disastah!’ to accompany the famous 6 million Dollar Echo Slam in the TI5 grand finals. The long career, however, may have drawn to a close. TobiWan was all but booted from the DPC panels indefinitely when certain allegations of sexual misconduct came to light in 2020.
1. Owen ‘ODpixel’ Davies
ODPixel’s frantic rapid speech in his casting is often likened to rapping. They call him the ‘rap god’, and for good reason. The landmark display of his fast-talking skills is best showcased in his casting of a DreamLeague Season 7 fixture.
ODpixel is indubitably the top caster in Dota 2 today with his stirring, engaging and almost aggressive casting style.
