What’s Tougher to Analyse: Hero Picks in Dota 2/League of Legends or Map Picks in CS2?

In a Counter-Strike match pool, players have a selection of 7 maps to select from, which is an important consideration for strategy and game style. But in a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) like League of Legends and Dota 2, players have over 100 character options to pick from. While this is a vast difference compared to the number of Counter-Strike maps, does it mean that MOBAs are harder to analyse?

The choice of maps and heroes can be a challenge, because those decisions may affect the outcome of a match. Bettors looking at making a wager on an Esports match face similar challenges. Considering what teams are playing, on what maps or with which heroes is an important part of analysis, before performing a betting odds comparison to find the best price for a selection. So, which is easier to interpret: hero picks or the map picks?

Don't Be Intimidated by the Numbers

The huge volume of character choice in MOBA games makes it sound like selecting from just seven maps in a traditional Counter-Strike 2 “pool” is a much simpler thing. That pool is a structured voting system that allows teams to say no to some maps and to settle for a balanced decision on where they want to fight. It’s even more straightforward in casual matches, because there’s no pool, and selection comes down to a simple vote.

Stack that up against the number of heroes (or champions) in League of Legends, for example, which is around 170. It means that in professional matches, players have a lot to consider before the start of a match and 100+ choices can be overwhelming, with so many alternatives up for grabs.

It could be terrifying under pressure to select the right characters, because logically, the ones that aren’t chosen, could potentially be better options. But skilled players combat this problem of choice by mastering certain skills and characters, just like a professional footballer undergoes heavy training to learn their positions and roles.

From this studious approach, each player has heroes and roles that they play best and from that, playing strategies are born. So, in actuality, the list of possible picks is narrowed down greatly as players’ hero preferences are where their strengths are, something which bettors should pay attention to.

Comparison of MOBA Games vs. CS2

Even when looking at things from a simpler perspective, there are further nuances to consider. In LoL, for example, champions have a list of fixed categories, like Mage, Fighter and Slayer. Dota does the same but with a bit more flexibility and the roles of the characters can also be adjusted according to the strategies of the teams.

But another important detail to note is that teams can't just pick the heroes they want, as characters can be banned before a match. So in a competitive scenario, strategy starts before the game itself does, and being selective in the banning of an opponent's favourites can cause tension and new challenges.

In CS2, you will see a similar pre-match strategy happen. If a team is well known for their abilities in the Dust 2 map, for example, their opponent will try to ban it for as long as possible.

How Hero and Map Selection Shapes the Game

In 2025, the League of Legends tournament had two favourite champions that got banned: Skarner and Kalista. Teams wanted to avoid them because of their power, which is a clear example of how hero selection works and how it can affect a match. Players, through their own preference of choice, naturally leave powerful characters for the other team, adding more complexity to MOBA games.

These patterns are important, because in any competitive game, knowing which options teams will favour or try to avoid, can give valuable insight into how matches will unfold. In CS2, teams often build their strategy around a handful of maps rather than spreading their practice across the entire pool. For example, Mirage is one of the most frequently picked maps in 2025 due to its CT-sided nature.

Teams with strong defensive setups tend to pick Mirage because it lets them control the mid-lane and rotate quickly. On the other hand, Anubis is more of a wildcard. It's a T-sided map, so it's not that popular unless a team has an exceptionally coordinated attack.

How to Go Deeper in Your Hero Picks or Map Picks Analysis

When it comes to competitive gaming, it's all about getting to know the players and the battleground. Just like in real-world sports, team dynamics play a big part in shaping Esports strategy. If you want to analyse map picks or hero picks, make sure you check out:

• Statistics Websites: Check sites that track win rates, pick trends, and team strategies. For example, Dotabuff is great for Dota 2, HLTV for CS2, and U.GG or Lolalytics for LoL.
• Match Analysis: Start watching matches frequently and study the competitive scenario to understand each team's strategies. In addition, HLTV has detailed CS2 match breakdowns, while DatDota and Liquipedia help with Dota 2 stats.
• Game Updates and Patches: Metas change fast, especially in MOBAs. Stay ahead by following Valve’s patch notes and Dotabuff's changelog for Dota 2, or Riot’s updates for LoL. CS2 maps don’t rotate as often but keep an eye on HLTV for any tournament pool changes.

MOBA Games are Complex: But CS2 is no Easier

In the duel between CS2 map picks and MOBA hero picks, the latter seems to be more complex, just because of sheer numbers. But that doesn't mean that CS2 analysis should be relaxed. Many things influence the results of games, so be prepared to study each map, team, player, and statistics very carefully.