Mobile Legends Bang Bang in 2025 definitely isn’t the same game you played last year. With every new patch, there’s something new, something old changed, or something at the top, suddenly at the bottom. For instance, in one season, your main is the absolute beast, easily carrying games. Then, the next? They get nerfed into the ground, and suddenly, you’re struggling to keep up.
That’s why maining the right hero in 2025 is everything. Pick wrong, and you’ll be stuck in the low ranks. Pick right, and you’ll climb faster, win more games, and maybe be so good you start getting banned in the draft!
So, who should you main this year? We talked to Aliu Abba, an MLBB veteran with five years as a Nigerian pro-MLBB player, and Opemipo, the founder of The Gaming Hub, one of the most active gaming communities in Africa. They break down which heroes are dominating, which hidden picks could surprise everyone, and what separates high-rank and low-rank players.
If you want to win more games, climb faster, and avoid wasting time on bad picks, this one’s for you.
The Most OP Heroes in 2025 (And Some Unexpected Picks)
MLBB’s current meta favors high-mobility, high-damage heroes. If you’re not playing someone who can move fast, deal burst damage or control fights, you’re probably at a disadvantage.
The Top OP picks right now, according to Abba & Opemipo, are:
- Hayabusa (Assassin): Crazy mobility, insane burst damage, and one of the hardest heroes to pin down in fights.
- Suyou (Marksman): She’s fast, she’s slippery and she shreds. A nightmare to kill with her movement and sustain. Deals huge damage. Good luck to anyone trying to catch her.
- Harith (Mage/MM Hybrid): After the Hunter X Hunter collab, Harith has been a MLBB hero to watch out for. Dominates fights with his mobility and can be played in multiple roles(jungle, mid, or even MM).
- Beatrix (Marksman): You can call her the Swiss Army knife of marksmen. The ultimate flexible marksman who can switch between multiple weapons to adapt to different situations.
- Fanny (Assassin): One of the highest skill-cap heroes in the game, but if you can master her, you’ll terrorize every lobby.
Surprising Picks Gaining Traction
Some heroes aren't the obvious choices to main, but lately, they’re turning into serious threats. Like the greatest sleeper hits of any genre, such as Shack Wes’ Mo Bamba (music), Among Us/ Helldivers 2(games,) or The Blair Witch Project (film), here are the sleeper picks in the Land of Dawn to look out for:
- For Abba, it’s Kaja & Chou. "They may not be OP like the others mentioned, but they’re deadly and dangerous in team fights," says Abba. Their ultimates allow them to isolate and delete key enemies.
- Opemipo goes with Zhuxin. "Very hard to chase, high mobility, almost impossible to CC. A tanky mage that frustrates enemies and is very annoying to deal with," he explains.
- Then there’s Grock. If you’re looking for a hero with high durability and ridiculous early-game pressure, that’s your guy.
Some honorable mentions on the hidden picks list are Edith, Gatotkaca, Badang, Hylos, and Luo Yi. They’re not the most popular but can still form a formidable threat if played correctly.
If you want consistent wins, start maining one of these heroes before the rest of the player base catches on.
The Best MLBB Heroes for Solo Queue vs. Team Play
Mobile Legends can be a different game when you’re playing solo or with a squad. Here’s how to pick the right hero for whichever scenario.
Best Solo Queue Heroes
- Granger (Marksman): Recently revamped and now one of the most banned marksmen in ranked. High damage, strong mobility.
- Melissa (Marksman): Opemipo explains why she’s such a hot pick: "Her Go Away! Skill makes her a pain to gank.” She can reposition while dealing consistent damage to enemies."
- Fanny (Assassin): Fanny’s the ultimate solo carry. If you’re good at using her, you won’t ever need a team. You control the game.
- Ling (Assassin): Another high-mobility assassin (one of the best) who can split-push and pick off enemies with ease.
Best Team/ Squad Play Heroes
- Beatrix (Marksman): Versatility makes her a great team asset. She can easily adapt to any team’s needs.
- Belerick (Tank/Support): Soaks damage, disrupts fights, and has solid CC for setting up kills.
- Mathilda (Support): "Great mobility, can help teammates escape or engage fights with her shields, which make her a game-changing ultimate," according to Abba.
In a nutshell, if you're playing solo, go for high mobility and self-sufficient heroes. For team play, on the other hand, pick heroes that set up fights/ plays and support teammates.
What Separates High-Rank vs. Low-Rank Hero Picks
- High-Rank Strategy: Counter-picking is everything. "If your opponent picks a certain hero, you choose another to counter/ shut them down," says Abba. That’s why you see heroes like Fanny, Ling, Dyroth, Hayabusa, and Harith in high-rank lobbies. These heroes have high skill ceilings and can change the course of a game if played well.
- Low-Rank Strategy: Players tend to pick easy-to-use, high-damage heroes like Layla, Eudora, and Yin, heroes that don’t require crazy mechanics but can still win fights.
"Some heroes like Estes and Yin work well in low-rank games but become nearly useless in higher ranks," Opemipo adds. What does this mean? If you want to rank up fast, start thinking about counter-picking and get comfortable with high-skill heroes.
Who’s The Hardest MLBB Hero to Master In 2025?
If you want to challenge yourself with a difficult hero to main, there’s only one answer: Fanny. And it’s no surprise.
If you’re wondering why, it’s because "she’s the only hero that requires serious mechanics and hours of practice," according to Opemipo. "But if you master her, you become a game-changer."
Abba leans towards another hero: Ling. "Another high-mobility assassin that can take over games when played well.” Once mastered, he’s one of the deadliest assassins in the game. These are the heroes to master if you want to become a monster in ranked.
Buffs & Nerfs—Who’s Getting Adjustments?
Every season, some heroes receive boosts while others get nerfed. Here are the pros’ insights on who’s gotten stronger and who’s been taken down a notch.
Abba predicts Miya, Cecilion, Suyou, Harith, Badang, Granger, and Zhuxin will get nerfed since they’re performing too well. On the other hand, potential buffs could go to Selena, Helcurt, Thamuz, Hanzo, and Cici since they have low pick rates.
Opemipo agrees and also believes Esmeralda and Hanabi might get buffed, making them much stronger picks in future patches.
If You Had to Main One Hero All Year…
We asked the pros one out-of-the-box question: if you could only play one hero in 2025, who would it be?
Abba went for Gatotkaca, saying, "It’s a no-brainer; I’d [be happy to] play him all the time." Opemipo’s pick landed on heroes Sun or Joy. His reason? "Both have insane mobility and sustain, and they can dominate in the right hands." That should be a tip if you’re ever faced with a situation where you can only pick one hero all year.
Want Skins, Diamonds & MLBB Top-Ups?
Winning is one thing, winning in style is another. If you need to top up MLBB Diamonds for skins, emblems, and battle effects, the safest way is through the Carry1st shop. No stress, no scams, just instant top-ups so you can get all you need to perfect your game.
Special Thanks to Our Experts
A huge shoutout to Abba, Opemipo and the Gaming Hub crew for their insights. If you’re an African gamer looking for serious competition, tournaments, and a squad to grind with, the Gaming Hub is where it’s at.
Now, your turn—who’s your main for 2025?
MLBB Glossary
You may have come across some MLBB terms in this article that need some explaining. We’ve got you covered:
- Ban/Banned Hero – A hero that is removed from selection in ranked matches, usually because they are too strong in the current meta.
- Buff – An improvement to a hero’s stats, skills, or abilities in a game update.
- Carry – A hero that deals most of the team’s damage and is responsible for securing kills, usually a marksman or assassin.
- Counter-picking – Selecting a hero specifically to neutralize an enemy hero’s strengths (e.g., picking Chou to counter Fanny).
- Crowd Control (CC) – Abilities that disable or slow down enemies, including stuns, silences, knock-ups, and roots.
- Early Game – The first few minutes of a match, where heroes focus on farming, laning, and gaining small advantages.
- Gank – When multiple heroes ambush an opponent, usually to secure a kill.
- Jungle/Jungler – The area between lanes filled with neutral monsters, or the hero who focuses on farming these monsters to level up faster.
- Late Game – The final stage of a match when heroes reach full builds and team fights decide the game’s outcome.
- Mechanics – A player’s ability to control their hero with precision, including movement, skill combos, and reaction time.
- Meta – The most effective heroes and strategies based on game balance updates and professional play trends.
- Micro Play – Individual skill execution, such as dodging skills, landing skill shots, and maximizing damage output.
- Mobility – A hero’s ability to move quickly across the map, dodge attacks, or reposition in fights.
- Nerf – A reduction in a hero’s power or abilities to balance the game.
- Permaban – A hero that is almost always banned in ranked matches due to being overpowered.
- Pick Rate – The percentage of games in which a hero is chosen, indicating their popularity in the meta.
.svg)