Why Is Pudge Banned So Often?

Pudge gets banned so often in public games for two reasons. Players fear facing a good Pudge, whose hooks punish every careless step. And they fear getting a weak Pudge on their own team. Both lead to the same click in the ban phase. Pro games are different. Pro teams ban him only when a patch or a draft makes him a real threat, and in many patches he is neither picked nor banned much.

We do not quote ban numbers here. For real pro pick and ban counts, see the Pudge pro matches page.

Why do pub players ban Pudge?

Fear is the main reason, and it comes in two forms.

The first is fear of the enemy Pudge. A skilled one can hook a hero out of their lane, out of a fight or away from a teleport. Being dragged out of a safe spot feels awful, and it sticks in memory. Many players would rather not deal with it at all.

The second is fear of an ally Pudge. Players know he is a hero that swings with skill. A strong Pudge wins games. A weak one misses hooks, leaves his lane and feeds. When you queue alone, you cannot know which one you will get. A ban removes that gamble.

There is also a simple point. He is picked a lot. A hero that shows up in many games gets noticed in many ban phases too.

What do players fear most about facing Pudge?

It is mostly the threat of the hook. Meat Hook can come from the fog with no warning. It deals Pure damage and pulls the target into Pudge and his team. Even when it misses, it forces enemies to play scared.

Then comes the follow-up. Dismember holds a hero in place and goes through spell immunity. Black King Bar blocks the hook's damage but not the pull. So a core who plans to turn on spell immunity and fight can still be dragged out and held. That feels unfair to many players, even though there are clear answers.

Pudge also grows from kills. Flesh Heap gives him permanent Strength when enemy heroes die near him. A Pudge who gets going early becomes harder and harder to kill. The counters page shows who handles him better, using real match data.

How do bans work in ranked games?

In ranked All Pick, each player can nominate a hero to ban. Not every nomination goes through, since each one only has a chance of working. This means a Pudge ban does not mean the whole team hates Pudge. It may be one player's choice that happened to land.

Rules for the ban phase change from time to time. Check the current game mode rules in the client if you want the details.

Why do pro teams ban Pudge?

Pro teams ban heroes that break their plan. A team that relies on one key core may ban Pudge if he can pull that core out of position. A team that dislikes his pressure in a certain lane may ban him too.

But pros do not fear the gamble the way pub players do. They know the skill of the enemy player. And Pudge's weak points are well known at that level. Pro teams have the vision, the summons and the quick disables to blunt him. So in many patches, he is not a priority ban.

When a patch makes him stronger, that changes. He may start to appear in pro drafts, both as a pick and as a ban. The patch history page shows how Pudge has changed over time.

What should you do if Pudge is banned?

Do not take it personally. A ban is part of the draft, not a judgment of you. Pick a hero that fills a similar role. Our list of heroes like Pudge offers options with hooks, grabs or similar pressure.

If you want Pudge to be banned less in your own games, play him well when you get him. Teammates remember a Pudge who helped them win.

FAQ

Why is Pudge banned so often in pubs?

Players fear both a strong enemy Pudge and a weak allied one. He is also picked a lot, so he gets noticed in the ban phase.

Is Pudge always banned in pro games?

No. Pro teams ban him only when a patch or the draft makes him a threat. In many patches he is rarely picked or banned.

Does a Pudge ban mean the team hates Pudge?

Not always. In ranked games, each player nominates one ban, and only some nominations go through.

Checklist

• Do not take a Pudge ban as a personal judgment.
• Check real pro pick and ban counts instead of guessing.
• Keep a backup hero with a similar role ready.
• Play your Pudge games well so teammates trust the pick.
• Learn the answers to Pudge so you have less reason to ban him.