25 Pairs of MOBA Characters That Are Basically the Same

It should be pretty obvious by now that all MOBA games share similar mechanics and maps, which was probably to be expected considering that virtually each and every one of them was inspired by the original Defense of the Ancients mod for Warcraft 3. Certain titles, however, took it a step further and have also included characters that are suspiciously similar to heroes, champions or gods found in other titles from the same genre. With that in mind, today we’re going to be looking at 25 pairs of characters from various MOBAs that are very similar in appearance, and sometimes even share nearly identical abilities.

Stitches (Heroes of the Storm) vs Pudge (Dota 2)

Needless to say, these two heroes are like brothers from another mother; a very ugly mother. Both Stitches and Valve’s Pudge have been inspired by Pudge the Butcher from the original DotA, complete with a hook ability that can be used to yank enemies from a distance. Other similar abilities include toxic clouds that can damage multiple opponents and ultimates that can disable a single enemy for a few seconds.

Nasus (League of Legends) vs Anubis (Smite)

Inspired by the Egyptian god of the dead, Nasus and Anubis are two other characters that look almost identical in appearance, though that shouldn’t be too surprising given the source material. In terms of playstyle, both characters are spell casters that can deal AoE damage and slow their opponents, while also being able to regain some of their lost health via different forms of passive Lifesteal.

Corki (League of Legends) vs Gyrocopter (Dota 2)

Gnome-like creature piloting a flying contraption? Check. Missiles, bombs, front-mounted guns? Check, check, and check. Corki and Gyrocopter are two very similar looking characters that like to play with the same toys. That’s not to say that they have identical abilities but they definitely share some similarities when it comes to their playstyle.

Wraith King (Dota 2) vs Leoric (Heroes of the Storm)

Before Blizzard forced Valve to change the name, Wraith King looked a bit different and was known as Skeleton King. Coincidentally, this is also the alias of Leoric from Diablo who was later turned into a character for Heroes of the Storm. Short history lesson aside, what we have here are two similar looking tanky heroes that can rise from the dead and heal themselves in the midst of combat. The main difference is that Wraith King focuses on stuns and critical hits while Leoric is a lot more mobile and good at fighting multiple opponents at once.

Malzahar (League of Legends) vs Gideon (Paragon)

The theme here is robbed mages with a love for portals and purple magic. Appearances aside, Malzahar is a bit better at dealing with opponents in 1v1 combat, but Gideon is definitely more useful in a team fight.

Fenrir (Smite) vs Warwick (League of Legends)

Werewolves are a staple of pretty much every MOBA so it should be no surprise that Smite and League of Legends each have a character that represents the popular archetype. Fenrir and Warwick have more in common than just their wolf-like appearance, however, as both of them rely on mobility, leaping attacks, and disabling their opponents before going in for the kill.

Thor (Smite) vs Muradin (Heroes of the Storm)

This one might seem like a bit of a stretch at first glance but there’s no denying that Heroes of the Storm’s Mountain King has quite a bit in common with Thor, the God of Thunder. While their appearance isn’t all that similar, these two characters based on Norse mythology both wear Viking-inspired armor, wield a powerful hammer that can be thrown at their opponents, and like to use leaping attacks.

Ashe (League of Legends) vs Drow Ranger (Dota 2)

Perhaps one of the best examples of suspiciously similar characters in MOBA games, Ashe and Drow Ranger are almost identical when it comes to their playstyle, as well as their appearance. Though their abilities differ a bit, these two arches mostly rely on stacking attack speed, slowing their opponents, and unleashing flurries of arrows for massive amounts of damage.

Nyx Assassin (Dota 2) vs Anub’Arak (Heroes of the Storm)

Giant beetles are yet another staple in MOBA games, with Nyx Assassin and Anub’Arak being two perfect examples not only because they look almost the same but also because they are technically based on the same character from Warcraft 3. Unsurprisingly, their kits are also pretty similar as both heroes come equipped with an Impale ability, burrow mechanics, and a carapace that can mitigate incoming damage.

Artemis (Smite) vs Sparrow (Paragon)

When it comes to Artemis and Sparrow, most of their abilities deal AoE damage and are tailored towards team fights or clearing waves of creeps, though their kits also include tools that can make them a nightmare in 1v1 combat. The most striking resemblance, however, is an ability that calls down a volley of arrows from the skies, which looks almost identical when used by both characters.

Chronos (Smite) vs Zilean (League of Legends)

Time is of the essence for these two characters and they both have a variety of tools at their disposal to ensure that time is always on their side. These abilities include slowing time to a crawl for their enemies while boosting their own movement speed, creating damaging rifts in time, and even turning back time by teleporting to a previous location on the map. The difference is that Zilean plays better with others as many of his abilities can be cast on allies while Chronos is mostly about boosting his own power.

Axe (Dota 2) vs Darius (League of Legends)

Even though one is a human and the other one is an orc, Darius and Axe have a lot of things in common and are great characters to start with for anyone who is switching from one MOBA to the other. Specifically, both are tanky warriors that can inflict damage over time, force multiple opponents into melee range and fight them all at once with their spinning axe attacks. In addition, Axe and Darius have virtually identical ultimate abilities that allow them to instantly execute enemies with low health and repeat the process several times in quick succession.

Heimerdinger (League of Legends) vs Gazlowe (Heroes of the Storm)

Similar to a lot of other video games, League of Legends and Heroes of the Storm like to depict engineers as crazy little humanoid creatures who really love blowing things up. While far from being the only characters that fall into this category, Heimerdinger and Gazlowe are two great examples of why you shouldn’t let unstable inventors play with fire, unless they’re on your team of course. As for their kits, both heroes come equipped with a variety of bombs, rockets, lasers, and turrets that can be very effective against the enemy team, and especially their creeps.

Puck (Dota 2) vs Brightwing (Heroes of the Storm)

The side-by-side image above is probably pretty self-explanatory for why these two characters might be considered suspiciously similar. Appearances aside, though, Puck and Brightwing are actually two very different heroes that don’t really have too much in common aside from a couple of abilities that can damage multiple opponents at once. Still, if you’re switching from one MOBA to the other it’s always great to see a familiar face.

Medusa (Dota 2) vs Medusa (Smite)

The mythological creature known as Medusa sure has a lot of fans among developers as her likeness can be found in a wide variety of games, including more than a couple of MOBAs. In the case of these two Gorgons, Smite’s take on the character is a lot more mobile than Dota 2’s version, however, Valve made its Medusa a lot tankier. Unsurprisingly, snakes and arrows are an important part of both of their kits and their ultimates revolve around Medusa’s iconic stone gaze, which can petrify anyone foolish enough to stare into her eyes.

Sobek (Smite) vs Renekton (League of Legends)

Sobek might not be one of the most well-known ancient Egyptian gods, however, those who play Smite are likely very familiar with that name. As it happens, League of Legends has its own take on the deity and he is known as Renekton. The two characters share a very similar appearance along with abilities that include leaping attacks and swirls that damage all enemies around them. Their ultimates are quite different, though, but they are essentially powerful AoE abilities that can hit for a decent amount of damage.

Nocturne (League of Legends) vs Spectre (Dota 2)

Nocturne is a bit like a mash-up of Dota 2 heroes with an affinity for darkness, such as Bane, Night Stalker, and Spectre, though he definitely looks more like the latter. Just like Spectre, Nocturne’s kit includes an ability that deals a small amount of damage and causes the target to leave a trail, which allows him to move through units with increased movement speed in pursuit of the enemy. In addition, both characters also have passives that periodically damage nearby enemies, though they do work a bit differently.

Rumble (League of Legends) vs Howitzer (Paragon)

If you thought Rocket Racoon was cool you should definitely check out these two furry MOBA characters. No, they don’t have a giant friend named Groot but they do each pilot an awesome mech that allows them to go head to head with pretty much any opponent. Rumble and Howitzer also share a very similar ultimate ability which has them firing multiple missiles that damage anything caught in the targeted area.

Malfurion (Heroes of the Storm) vs Nature’s Prophet (Dota 2)

Looking at these two characters one might assume that they have quite a bit in common, and yet, that’s not entirely the case. Malfurion and Nature’s Prophet are both druids who use the forces of nature either as a weapon to damage their opponents or as a tool to aid their allies, however, they have very different methods for achieving those goals. Basically, the main reason why these two are on the list is because they’re both support heroes that do indeed look suspiciously similar.

Nazeebo (Heroes of the Storm) vs Ah Puch (Smite)

The Witch Doctor Nazeebo might not be a Mayan deity but his appearance and abilities are certainly very reminiscent of the god Ah Puch. While Nazeebo’s bread and butter is voodoo and Ah Puch is more akin to a necromancer, both these characters have achieved mastery over the damned and can summon a wide variety of undead creatures in combat, including zombies and powerful spirits.

Xin Zhao (League of Legends) vs Guan Yu (Smite)

Similar not only in appearance but also in their fighting style, these two polearms-wielding warriors rely on mobility and quick attacks to make short work of their opponents. Xin Zhao and Guan Yu both have spinning blade abilities, as well as charge attacks that damage and slow their enemies. Contrary to what some wallpapers might suggest, Xin Zhao isn’t actually seen riding a horse in-game and Guan Yu only mounts up for the duration of his ultimate ability.

Valla (Heroes of the Storm) vs Vayne (League of Legends)

Next up we have Valla and Vayne, two characters that spend most of their time hunting evil beings and like to use crossbows as their weapons of choice. Not only that but both these characters have passives that increase their movement speed and short range dash abilities that allow them to chase after fleeing opponents and move in for the kill.

Gankplank (League of Legends) vs Kunkka (Dota 2)

While these two don’t have that much in common compared to other pairs of characters on this list, there aren’t too many pirates in MOBA games so it would have been a shame not to include them here. That said, Kunkka and Gankplank do have AoE ultimates that allow the pirates to call in their respective ships to damage their opponents.

Illidan (Heroes of the Storm) vs Terrorblade (Dota 2)

Illidan and Terrorblade might not share too many common abilities, however, their playstyles are very similar as both heroes start off very squishy and weak but have incredible late-game carry potential. In addition, the two do share an almost identical ability called Metamorphosis with which they can transform into a much more powerful and imposing version of themselves that also makes them look a lot more demonic.

Kayle (League of Legends) vs Tyrael (Heroes of the Storm)

No MOBA is complete without some sort of angelic character gracefully watching over the team and proving protection or healing to their allies. In this case, however, the two angels are not so much about supporting their team as they are about dispensing righteous justice on the front lines of the battlefield. Having said that, you can always count on Kayle and Tyrael to provide a helping hand when the situation gets dire because both of them pack ultimate abilities that can make allies completely immune to damage for a short period of time.