Mid guide

Poison the lane, slow the fight and let the enemy hurt themselves on your skin.

582 HP279 manaLevel 1

ViperDota 2 hero

Viper is a ranged Agility hero whose poison attacks, area damage and passive slows make every lane and every fight a slow, painful grind for the enemy.

AgilityRanged

#53of 127 heroes
by pick rate

Pick rate: 7.4%
Hero win rate: 48.2%

Our game-phase read Editorial · impact 1–5

Source & our read · Sep 12, 2026

OpenDota · retrieved Sep 12, 2026. 280,339 Viper picks and 135,030 wins in approximately 3,780,175 rank-classified public matches. Excludes Turbo and pro stats. This is a sample, not all players.

Pick rate = hero picks ÷ estimated matches; win rate = hero wins ÷ hero picks. Estimated matches = all hero picks ÷ 10, following OpenDota’s calculation. Tied pick counts share a rank. The API does not provide observation timestamps.

Our impact scores · 1 low, 5 high
Early · 5/5	Poison Attack and Corrosive Skin win almost every lane against melee heroes.
Mid · 4/5	Dragon Lance and Black King Bar make him a durable damage dealer with slows.
Late · 3/5	He stays annoying but falls behind real carries and dies to burst without an escape.

The Dota2Freaks take Editorial

Why pick Viper?

Pick Viper against melee heroes and lanes that cannot trade, and when the enemy relies on passives Nethertoxin disables.

When to think twice

Avoid Viper against long-range burst, heavy kiting and lineups that reach and kill a slow hero with no escape.

The usual mistake

Do not chase too far. Viper is slow and has no escape; poison the target and let it come back to you.

Our picks · Mid

Viper item builds

Choose for the game in front of you.

Standard

Default mid path around range, Black King Bar and the speed Viper lacks.

01Starting
Empty inventory slot
Lane with cheap stats
02Lane
Empty inventory slotEmpty inventory slot
Sustain and trade in mid
03First core
Empty inventory slot
Attack from longer range
04Mid game
Fight through control
05Late game
Push enemies away and scale
06Luxury
Finish the damage build

Dragon LanceLonger attack range keeps Viper away from melee threats while he poisons.

How to use these builds

These are our editorial build paths. Labels describe their purpose, not measured popularity or win rate. Click an item for its use. Each stage is an inventory snapshot: keep earlier items, use consumables, upgrade components, and replace small items as space runs out. Boots, defenses, and late slots can change with the draft.

More match and build examples: Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Item names and images: Valve.

The draft check

Friends & counters

Our picks, based on how the spells work together.

5 friends to play with

Lion

Earth Spike and Hex hold targets so poison stacks and Viper Strike do their work.

Crystal Maiden

Frostbite roots a target and Arcane Aura covers Viper's spell costs.

Slardar

Slithereen Crush sets up attacks and Corrosive Haze amplifies Viper's physical damage.

Dazzle

Shallow Grave protects a slow Viper who gets caught in a fight.

Witch Doctor

Paralyzing Cask and Maledict combine with Viper's slows for easy kills.

5 counter picks to watch

Sniper

Sniper attacks from outside Viper's range and Viper has no way to close the distance.

Lina

Magic burst from range kills a slow Viper before his poison matters.

Storm Spirit

Ball Lightning closes the gap and Electric Vortex pulls Viper out of position.

Puck

Illusory Orb and Dream Coil catch a hero with no escape.

Windranger

Windrun evades Viper's attacks and Shackleshot holds him for Focus Fire.

About these picks

These are useful ability interactions, not a statistical ranking or guaranteed matchups. Positioning, items, and cooldowns change the result. Hero links open a full guide when available, otherwise the directory.

Ability references from Valve: Lion · Crystal Maiden · Slardar · Dazzle · Witch Doctor · Sniper · Lina · Storm Spirit · Puck · Windranger. Checked 2026-10-13.

The buttons

QWER + D · open for spell values

Poison AttackUnit targetAttacks apply a stacking poison that slows movement, deals damage over time and reduces magic resistance.

Mana: 20
Cooldown: 0s
Damage per second per stack: 4 / 8 / 12 / 16

NethertoxinPoint targetCreates a toxic area that damages enemies, slows their attacks and disables passives.

Mana: 70
Cooldown: 14s
Max damage per second: 35 / 65 / 95 / 125

Corrosive SkinPassivePassive. Enemies who attack Viper are slowed and damaged over time; Viper gains magic resistance.

Mana: —
Trigger cooldown: 0s
Magic resistance: 10 / 15 / 20 / 25%

Viper StrikeUltimateSlows an enemy's movement and attack speed heavily and deals damage over time.

Mana: 100 / 150 / 200
Cooldown: 50 / 40 / 30s
Damage per second: 70 / 110 / 150

NosedivePoint targetRequires Aghanim's Shard. Viper dives to a point, applying Corrosive Skin's effect to nearby enemies.

Mana: 75
Cooldown: 25s
Radius: 500

Base stats & innate Level 1 · no items

Strength21+2.4 / lvl

Agility21+2.9 / lvl

Intelligence17+2 / lvl

Attack damage: 48–50
Armor: 1.5
Move speed: 275
Magic resist: 25%
Attack range: 575
Base attack time: 1.7s
Health regen: +2.3500001/s
Mana regen: +0.85/s

DOTA2FREAKS GUIDE · REVIEWED Oct 13, 2026

Dota 2 Viper guide: mid builds, abilities and tips

Viper is a ranged Agility hero whose poison attacks, area damage and passive slows make every lane and every fight a slow, painful grind for the enemy.

What role does Viper play in Dota 2?

Viper is a ranged Agility hero. Our recommended role is mid, with offlane as a common alternative.

Viper wins by attrition. Poison Attack stacks slows and damage over time, Nethertoxin damages an area and slows attack speed, Corrosive Skin punishes anyone who attacks him with slows and damage, and Viper Strike cripples one target for several seconds. Pick Viper against melee heroes and lanes that cannot trade with a poisoned attacker. He is slow and has no escape, so he struggles against long-range burst and heroes who kite him.

How to play Viper in Dota 2

Viper laning and early decisions
Attack the enemy hero every time they come for a last hit; Poison Attack stacks make each hit worse than the last. Use Nethertoxin on the wave when the enemy stands in it, and let Corrosive Skin punish any trade they start. Buy regen and Wraith Bands rather than mana items early.
Viper positioning and teamfights
Stay at the edge of the fight and poison the enemy carry or the hero who must move. Drop Nethertoxin on the group to slow their attacks and break passives, and use Viper Strike on the hero whose attacks or escape matter most. Viper fights best from behind a front line, not as the front line.
Dota 2 Viper item build decisions
Bottle, Power Treads and Wraith Bands carry the lane. Dragon Lance or Hurricane Pike add range, Black King Bar protects him in fights and Sange and Yasha or Eul's add the speed he lacks. Aghanim's Scepter makes Viper Strike a long-range area tool, and Butterfly, Daedalus or Shadow Blade finish the build.

Dota 2 Viper tips and ability interactions

D2F ADVICE

Viper: Poison stacks decide the lane

Each Poison Attack adds a stack that slows and damages more and lowers magic resistance. In lane, hit the enemy several times in a row rather than once per wave so the stacks build up. Autocast is fine for harassment, but turn it off to last-hit without drawing creep aggro.

Viper: Nethertoxin breaks passives

Enemies inside Nethertoxin lose their passive abilities and attack slower. Cast it under heroes such as Bristleback, Phantom Assassin or Huskar whose passives keep them alive, and keep it on the point they fight from so they either leave or lose their strength.

Viper: Nosedive brings Corrosive Skin to the fight

With Aghanim's Shard, Nosedive lets Viper dive onto a point and apply Corrosive Skin's slow and damage to enemies around the landing. Use it to catch a fleeing hero or to start a fight on a group of melee enemies who will take the skin damage every time they hit you.

Dota 2 Viper ability mechanics

Key Viper mechanics · Valve snapshot Oct 13, 2026
Detail	What it means in your game
Poison Attack	Attacks apply a stacking poison that slows movement, deals damage over time and reduces magic resistance.
Nethertoxin	Creates a toxic area that damages enemies, slows their attacks and disables passives.
Corrosive Skin	Passive. Enemies who attack Viper are slowed and damaged over time; Viper gains magic resistance.
Nosedive	Requires Aghanim's Shard. Viper dives to a point, applying Corrosive Skin's effect to nearby enemies.
Viper Strike	Slows an enemy's movement and attack speed heavily and deals damage over time.

Dota 2 Viper FAQ

Which role should Viper play in Dota 2?

Viper is a mid or offlane hero. In mid his poison wins most trades and he reaches his items quickly; in the offlane he makes life miserable for a melee carry. Either way he is a lane bully who turns into a durable damage dealer with slows in the mid game.

Which items should Viper buy in Dota 2?

Bottle, Power Treads and Wraith Bands cover the lane. Dragon Lance is the usual first core, followed by Black King Bar and Hurricane Pike. Sange and Yasha or Eul's Scepter add speed, Aghanim's Scepter and Shard strengthen his spells, and Butterfly, Daedalus or Shadow Blade finish the build.

Is Viper suitable for Dota 2 beginners?

Yes. Viper is one of the easiest mid heroes: his attacks do the work, Corrosive Skin punishes mistakes by the enemy and Viper Strike is a simple targeted spell. New players should learn to stack poison in lane, to stay behind the team in fights and to buy Black King Bar when stuns stop them.

How should you use Viper's ultimate in Dota 2?

Viper Strike heavily slows one enemy's movement and attack speed for several seconds while damaging them. Use it on the enemy carry when a fight starts or on a hero trying to escape, and remember it has charges, so you can use it on a second target. Aghanim's Scepter turns it into a long-range area version.

Next pick?

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6 random heroes · Opens the hero directory.

Difficulty

Main role

The Dota2Freaks take Editorial

01Starting

02Lane

03First core

04Mid game

05Late game

06Luxury

01Starting

02Lane

03First core

04Mid game

05Late game

06Luxury

01Starting

02Lane

03First core

04Mid game

05Late game

06Luxury

01Starting

02Lane

03First core

04Mid game

05Late game

06Luxury

01Starting

02Lane

03First core

04Mid game

05Late game

06Luxury

5 friends to play with

Lion

Crystal Maiden

Slardar

Dazzle

Witch Doctor

5 counter picks to watch

Sniper

Lina

Storm Spirit

Puck

Windranger

The buttons

What role does Viper play in Dota 2?

How to play Viper in Dota 2

Viper laning and early decisions

Viper positioning and teamfights

Dota 2 Viper item build decisions

Dota 2 Viper tips and ability interactions

Viper: Poison stacks decide the lane

Viper: Nethertoxin breaks passives

Viper: Nosedive brings Corrosive Skin to the fight

Dota 2 Viper ability mechanics

Dota 2 Viper FAQ