Lotus Orb
Shiva's Guard
Assault Cuirass
Platemail in Dota 2: who buys it, when it wins and what it costs
Kevin · Dota2Arena · updated Oct 28, 2026 · numbers live from our scannerPlatemail costs 1,400 gold and shows up in 9% of ranked matches. Players holding it at the end win 39.2% of their games across 189,927 inventories, most often on Pudge and Tidehunter. It wins most in the early game (75.8%) and least in the late game (33.2%).
What Platemail does
In numbers: +10 armor.
Who buys Platemail
The share says how many games of a hero end with Platemail in the inventory, the win rate is that hero's win rate in exactly those games. A high share with an average win rate means the item is standard on the hero; a low share with a high win rate means it is a situational pick that works when it is needed.
| Hero | Share of games | Win rate with it | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pudge | 3% | 43.7% | 16,489 |
| Tidehunter | 4% | 37.3% | 9,808 |
| Necrophos | 3% | 32.0% | 9,735 |
| Axe | 2% | 37.1% | 7,671 |
| Undying | 3% | 43.3% | 7,481 |
| Dragon Knight | 2% | 37.9% | 7,117 |
| Dawnbreaker | 3% | 41.3% | 6,449 |
| Legion Commander | 2% | 40.7% | 5,911 |
When to buy it
Win rate by match length tells you in which kind of game the item pays off. Items that win short games are usually bought early and snowball; items that win long games are late-game purchases or things you buy when the game is already going well, so read the number as "games with this item at this length" rather than as advice to rush it.
| Phase | Match length | Win rate | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early game | under 25 min | 75.8% | 1,666 |
| Mid game | 25–40 min | 44.5% | 94,092 |
| Late game | over 40 min | 33.2% | 94,303 |
What to combine it with
These items sit in the same final inventory as Platemail most often (based on every 4th match). Boots and other staples appear on almost every list; the interesting entries are the ones specific to this item.
| Item | In the same inventory | Cost |
|---|---|---|
 Blink Dagger | 46% | 2,250 |
 Phase Boots | 36% | 1,450 |
 Black King Bar | 33% | 4,050 |
 Aghanim's Scepter | 28% | 4,200 |
 Bracer | 17% | 505 |
 Power Treads | 17% | 1,400 |
 Blade Mail | 17% | 2,400 |
 Arcane Boots | 14% | 1,500 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Platemail good right now?
In our window Platemail ends up in winning inventories 39.2% of the time across 189,927 ranked games, below the 50 % mark. It does best in the early game (75.8%) and worst in the late game (33.2%).
Which heroes buy Platemail?
Pudge (3% of games), Tidehunter (4% of games), Necrophos (3% of games), Axe (2% of games), Undying (3% of games). The highest win rate with it belongs to Spirit Breaker at 45.9%.
How much does Platemail cost?
Platemail costs 1,400 gold and has no recipe; it is bought directly from the secret shop section of the shop.
What does Platemail build into?
Platemail is a component of Lotus Orb (3,850), Shiva's Guard (4,500), Assault Cuirass (5,125).