Many veteran players look back fondly on the days when the mid lane was the center of the Dota universe. It wasn’t just about winning your lane; it was about total map control. Back then, a skilled mid player could single-handedly decide the outcome of the game. Today, the game feels different, and the mid lane has changed along with it.

We aren’t necessarily missing the toxic “mid or feed” calls that used to plague the pre-game chat. Instead, we miss the sheer impact that mid laners once had. The honorable 1v1 duels were a pure test of mechanical skill. One perfect move could start a snowball effect that rolled over the entire enemy team. But what exactly caused this shift? Why is mid no longer the most popular role, and is this change good for the game? Let’s analyze the current state of the mid lane.

The Shift in Power Balance

As someone who has played Dota for over two decades, I have watched the game evolve slowly but surely. No single patch changed everything overnight, but the accumulation of small tweaks over the years has created a completely different experience.

The biggest difference I see today is the quality of life and power level of support heroes. In the past, it was normal for supports to run around with just boots and a Magic Wand at the 15-minute mark. My perspective might be biased since I am primarily a support player, but I believe the economic changes that made support gameplay more enjoyable were necessary for the game’s health.

However, these changes were tough on mid players. In the old days, mid laners held a massive level advantage over everyone else on the map. Because supports were poor and underleveled, they were easy targets for repeated ganks. I used to say that while cores were playing an Action RPG, supports were playing a Survival Horror game. Your job was to stay hidden while trying to provide utility without dying instantly.

That comparison doesn’t hold up as well today. Good positioning and spell usage remain vital, but with the gold and experience supports now receive, the power dynamic has leveled out. Mid laners felt this shift the most. It is much harder to take over the game from the middle lane now, not because mid heroes are weaker, but because their usual targets have become much stronger.

Quality of Life Improvements

Supports weren’t the only ones to benefit from quality of life changes. Mid laners actually gained some significant advantages as well. The introduction of water runes allowed many heroes to play a non-interactive style in the lane. As long as a hero has some form of wave clear, they can survive the early minutes of the game.

Personally, I think this is a positive development. It opens the role up to a wider variety of heroes that would otherwise be unplayable. It allows players to navigate difficult matchups without falling completely out of the game. Ultimately, this diversity makes the game more interesting. However, it does take away some of that classic “honorable 1v1” atmosphere.

Truthfully, support rotations to the midlane have always existed. The higher you climb in MMR, the less “honorable” Dota becomes in general. That is just the nature of high-level play: exploiting advantages and being unpredictable is the path to victory.

Still, for many dedicated mid players, the addition of water runes reduced the skill expression found in small, moment-to-moment actions during a 1v1. Over time, it has led to more reliance on side lane supports for rune control. This forces more interaction and potentially more early game skirmishes, which is a net positive in my opinion. But it does take away from the “samurai” style battles we used to see.

Furthermore, total mid lane domination has become much less likely. In the past, the best mid players were those with the highest mechanical skill. If you could crush your lane opponent and make them a non-factor, you had free rotations to any side lane for easy ganks. The burden of decision-making was much lower when operating with a massive level and gold advantage.

Medium Risk, Medium Reward

All these factors have combined to make the mid role much more “normal” and “consistent.” Again, this depends on the player, but in my view, it creates a fairer and more diverse game, which is ultimately better.

What was lost, however, was the “high-risk, high-reward” playstyle. Or perhaps it wasn’t lost, just dulled down a bit. That aggressive playstyle definitely attracted a specific portion of the player base; it spoke to them on a fundamental level.

It isn’t that no one wants to play mid anymore. It is likely still the second or third most popular role in ranked matchmaking. It is just that the mentality of current mid players differs from those of the past.

They have had to change and adapt to rely more on their teammates and avoid overextending. They are no longer significantly more powerful than everyone else on the map.

The most successful mid players today are no longer necessarily the ones with the highest mechanical skill. Instead, they are the ones with the highest discipline and the best decision-making.

Final Thoughts

It is always enjoyable to reminisce about the “good old days” of Dota. However, it is also important to understand that most changes over the years have made the game better. It is more accessible, more diverse, more interesting, and generally deeper.

There is definitely something to lament regarding the lack of rough edges and the jank that was inherent to the game in the past. Some parts of the “Dota feel” were irreversibly lost. Despite this, we feel like Dota is on the right trajectory and is only getting better.