The hallowed grounds of The International, Dota 2`s most prestigious tournament, are typically where legends are forged and epic comebacks unfold. Yet, amidst the glory, there are moments of stark, almost comedic, struggle that etch themselves into the annals of esports history. One such instance recently captivated audiences during the second map of the BetBoom Team versus Team Falcons clash at The International 2025 playoffs, featuring Ivan “Pure~” Moskalenko and his rather unenviable venture as Anti-Mage.
The Fateful Draft: A Carry`s Nightmare Unveiled
For any Dota 2 enthusiast, the sight of an Anti-Mage pick on the 23rd phase usually signals a late-game powerhouse in the making—a hero designed to farm relentlessly, split-push towers, and eventually blink in to annihilate spellcasters. However, the opposing team, Team Falcons, had other plans, delivering a swift and brutal reality check with their 24th phase pick: Huskar. And if that wasn`t enough, an earlier Shadow Demon pick already loomed. This combination created an immediate and profound problem for Pure~`s Anti-Mage.
To put it in technical terms, Huskar is Anti-Mage`s bane. His magical damage resistance, immense health regeneration, and ability to continually harass with Burning Spear makes farming a lane against him virtually impossible for a squishy Anti-Mage. Shadow Demon, with his disruption and soul catcher, further exacerbates the issue, ensuring Anti-Mage cannot even safely blink away or sustain himself. The stage was not merely set for a challenging game; it was rigged for a cinematic, and frankly, hilarious, display of professional desperation.
The Early Game Ordeal: A Wandering Anti-Mage
From the first minutes, it was clear Pure~`s traditional Anti-Mage game plan was null and void. Driven off his lane at a mere second level, the fundamental objective of “farm, farm, farm” became an abstract concept. What followed was a series of tactical adjustments, or rather, increasingly desperate attempts to find any modicum of impact on the map. We observed Pure~`s Anti-Mage, a hero usually tethered to his farming routes, engaging in what can only be described as a grand tour of the map`s less-than-hospitable areas:
- Mid Lane Excursion: A brief, unfruitful attempt to gank the mid-lane, perhaps hoping for a miracle or just a change of scenery.
- Return to the Cruelty: A tentative return to his own lane, only to be reminded of Huskar`s oppressive presence.
- Jungle Jeopardy: Farming the jungle, typically a safe haven, became a high-risk endeavor against a team actively hunting him down. The irony of an Anti-Mage struggling against three-to-four neutral creeps in a camp due to constant pressure was not lost on viewers.
Each movement was a testament to Pure~`s inventiveness, born not of tactical brilliance in a winning scenario, but from the sheer necessity to exist and contribute in an utterly stifling one. It was a masterclass in making the best of an absolutely terrible hand.
Mid-Game Mayhem: The Comedy of Errors Continues
As the game progressed, Pure~`s plight deepened. Ganks, usually an Anti-Mage`s side activity, became his primary, albeit often unrewarding, focus. One particular sequence saw him assisting a teammate in a gank on Shadow Demon, only for the kill to be swiftly claimed by others. Another attempt, called in by a teammate promising an “easy frag” under the influence of Static Storm, dissolved into yet another unfortunate demise. Rule number 24, as the original article wryly notes, became painfully clear: “never trust teammates” when you`re the designated punching bag.
His attempts at aggressive split-pushing, a hallmark of Anti-Mage, were equally perilous. While he managed to pressure a top-lane tower, the lower lane proved to be a fortress. Even obtaining the coveted Battle Fury, Anti-Mage`s core farming item, felt like a small victory in a losing war, its power used more often to clear neutral camps than to cleave through enemy heroes. His ultimate, Mana Void, typically a devastating tool against mana-dependent heroes, found itself relegated to dispatching jungle creeps or delivering minor bursts in engagements that inevitably ended in his team`s retreat, or worse, his own swift defeat at the hands of a waiting Sven.
The Inevitable Conclusion and Professional Scrutiny
The final confrontation, a desperate team fight under “smoke” of deceit, saw Pure~ once again embroiled in the chaos, only to face the overwhelming might of the Falcons. The result was predictable: a crushing defeat for BetBoom Team. His final damage output, a mere 2,000 in half an hour, underscored the severity of his predicament.
While the game`s outcome might seem a black mark on Pure~`s performance, the context reveals a different story. This wasn`t a failure of skill on his part, but a testament to a strategic misstep in the drafting phase. Team Falcons expertly utilized their last pick to completely shut down Anti-Mage, transforming what should have been a dominant carry into a wandering, under-farmed spectacle. The question, therefore, rests more with BetBoom Team`s inability to either protect their Anti-Mage or pivot their strategy to create space for him. In the high-stakes environment of The International, where every pick is scrutinized, this became a prime example of a hero being “drafted out of the game.”
The Irony of the Grand Stage
What makes Pure~`s Anti-Mage adventure so memorable, and indeed, so “sitcom-esque,” is the sheer irony of it all. To witness a top-tier professional player, on the biggest stage in esports, reduced to such inventive yet ultimately futile measures, is a rare sight. Every Dota 2 player has experienced that one game where nothing goes right, where farm is nonexistent, and where every attempt to make an impact is met with immediate, crushing resistance. But for this to happen to a player of Pure~`s caliber, with the eyes of the world watching the playoffs of The International, elevates it from a mere bad game to a meme-worthy saga.
Pure~`s efforts, though unsuccessful in securing a victory, were commendable for their sheer inventiveness under duress. It was a striking reminder that even the most skilled players are at the mercy of the draft and the game`s inherent rock-paper-scissors dynamics. His Anti-Mage odyssey serves as a poignant, and perhaps even comically tragic, illustration of how quickly the tides can turn, even for the best, when the fundamental pillars of a hero`s game plan are systematically dismantled before the first horn even sounds.
Jasper Hawthorne