Best Dota 2 Carry Players in 2025

In the current Dota 2 scene, the carry role often makes or breaks a team’s chances at glory. The year 2025 has ushered in one of the most competitive eras in Dota 2 history, showcasing some of the most skilled and versatile carries. From mechanical prodigies to seasoned veterans, here are the five best carry players in the world right now.

Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko

• Team: BetBoom Team
• Age: 21
• Nationality: Russian

When it comes to raw mechanical skill, Pure feels unrivalled. As one of the most mechanically gifted carry players in the world, the 21-year-old has shown excellent in dominating the laning stage with his aggressive play style. He doesn’t just rely on passive creep farming – he’s always looking to bully opponents out of the lane to set the pace for his game. 

However, what truly sets Pure apart is his potential to 1v9. Only a select few carries today can single-handedly put an entire team on their back, and Pure is arguably the best to do it. He has the sheer mechanical brilliance and fearless play style to gamble the entire game on a single play.

Still, this risky play style comes with a double-edged sword. His high-risk decision-making sometimes puts his team in precarious positions, where he could throw the lead off of one miscalculation. And when pressure mounts, he sometimes loses his cool and is heavily prone to tilt. Once Pure’s composure falters, he could start making some very questionable decisions.

Despite his weaknesses, Pure’s ceiling remained sky high. If he can refine his decision-making and maintain calm when things go South, there’s no doubt Pure has the potential to become one of the best carries in the world. 

There’s no doubt that Pure is one of the most entertaining carries to watch, as his volatile playstyle always guarantees high-octane matches. From pulling off unbelievable outplays to going all-in with a Divine Rapier when it’s not needed, Pure is definitely a joy to watch in the professional scene.

Remco “Crystallis” Arets

• Team: Tundra Esports
• Age: 23
• Nationality: Dutch

Crystallis is one of those carry players who flies under the radar. He’s often underrated and unfairly criticized by fans. Despite the backlash, Crystallis doesn’t deserve the hate – he’s been on a journey of resilience and growth.

After winning a Major with PARIVISION, he was surprisingly kicked from the team, only to be picked up by Tundra Esports. Since then, he continues to steadily develop into one of the most stable carries in the scene.

Unlike most of the other carries on this list who chase every last bit of farm, Crystallis thrives in Tundra’s unique system, where farm is split more evenly among three cores. Even with limited farm, Crystallis consistently plays at a high level, proving that he doesn’t need all the gold to make an impact. 

His signature heroes like Monkey King and Razor highlight his aggressive, space-creating style, giving space for bzm and 33 to find some farm. Still, even when he’s given traditional farming heroes like Gyrocopter or Terrorblade, Crystallis still has the ability to take over and close out games with clinical precision. This man can handle the dirty work or step into the spotlight – he can do it all.

Overall, Crystallis is a valuable asset thanks to his strong and adaptable playstyle. He’s always ready to plug holes in any draft and doesn’t mind having his hero picked early to give bzm a favorable last pick. He definitely deserves more recognition than he’s given.

Michael “miCKe” Vu

• Team: Team Liquid
• Age: 25
• Nationality: Swedish

Despite facing waves of criticism from fans early on, miCKe has consistently proven his doubters wrong. He is now recognized as one of the best laners in the game today, with consistent ability to translate a strong lane into accelerated farm and top net worth positions. 

miCKe’s map movements are exceptional, not just for farming efficiency but also for early fight involvement. He always seems to understand the absolute limits of his hero, showing up to team fights with surgical precision. This requires immense game sense and awareness, as he always knows when to join battles or when to pull back and farm. 

Even when games look rough, you can always count on miCKe to stay competitive in the net worth chart, keeping pace with enemy cores and not falling too far behind. As someone who has been following his growth for years, he has transformed into one of the most reliable carries in the scene.

However, miCKe’s standout trait is his ability to make sharp decisions while under pressure. He performs remarkably well in high-stakes games in front of massive crowds, always making calm and calculated decisions in game-deciding fights. 

Let’s not get started on his near-unbeatable performances on his signature hero, Nature’s Prophet. He is easily the best player in the world on this hero, and pushes the hero’s limits to the absolute maximum. 

Overall, miCKe has turned into a solid and dependable carry player, who blends excellent mechanics, sharp game sense, and most importantly, clutch performances. He’s always carrying Team Liquid through insurmountable lower bracket runs.

Illya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk

• Team: Team Spirit
• Age: 22
• Nationality: Ukrainian

After taking a break at the end of 2024, Yatoro returned in 2025 like he never left – still one of the best carry players in the game. As if two TI victories weren’t enough, Yatoro was also the first player to reach the milestone of 16,000 MMR, displaying that his skill level is unmatched. He’s a true all-round carry – the entire package.

What sets Yatoro apart from his competing counterparts is his ability to shine even when Team Spirit falls behind. For some reason, Team Spirit often finds themselves in an early deficit, but Yatoro always brings his near-flawless itemization and clutch decision-making to always keep things competitive. Due to his prowess, Team Spirit is known to be the best team when playing from behind. 

That said, one of Team Spirit’s biggest concerns is that they frequently struggle to start strong, and sometimes, Yatoro doesn’t get the best laning matchups. While he may come out of the laning stage underfarmed, his adaptability and skill more than make up for it. 

Overall, Yatoro remains as one of the best carries who can do it all – dominate lanes when he’s supposed to, farm fast, and carry his team through high-pressure situations. There’s a clear reason why he’s a candidate for the best Dota player of all time, though 2025 has been a slower year for him. 

Alan “Satanic” Gallyamov

• Team: PARIVISION
• Age: 17
• Nationality: Russian

At just 17 years old, Satanic is already making waves as a true prodigy in the Dota 2 scene. With his zoomer reflexes, his mechanics are nothing short of extraordinary. When it comes to pressing buttons, he can do it all.

In 2025, Satanic has been topping the statistical leaderboards across the board, from GPM and last hits to XPM, KDR, and even maintained one of the lowest death counts in the professional scene. Simply put, Satanic is currently the most efficient farmer in the world without a doubt. 

What makes his rise even more impressive is his age. He hasn’t even reached legal age, and he’s already showcasing immense skill and game awareness that many veterans struggle to match. 

That said, youth does come with some growing pains. Due to his relative lack of experience, Satanic can make small errors when making decisions under pressure, leading to risky plays or missed opportunities that could even be game-losing. However, it really seems like Satanic’s game sense is improving with every tournament. He’s even won his first big event, ESL One Raleigh 2025, before he can legally buy alcohol. 

The raw talent and efficiency are there in his gameplay, and the sheer room to grow makes him one of the most exciting carries to watch in 2025. For this kid, the sky’s the limit. If he continues on this trajectory, we are really going to witness the rise of a future legend.