Heroes with Greatest Stat Gains (6.86)

Highest Average Stat Gain (top 10)

Silencer

Venge

OD

Invoker

Centaur

Ogre

Winter Wyvern

Treant

Naga

Dazzle

Highest Average Starting Stats (top 10)

OD

Meepo

Bane

Winter Wyvern

Riki

PL

Leshrac

Bloodseeker

Tusk

Storm Spirit

Highest Starting Primary Stat (greater than 25)

Riki (34 Ag)

PL (29 Ag)

Spirit Breaker (29 Str)

Jakiro (28 Int)

Tinker/Skywrath/Silencer/Rubick/Lina/Dazzle (27 Int)

Venge (27 Ag)

Juggernaut/Drow (26 Ag)

OD/Leshrac/Pugna (26 Int)

Tiny/Legion/Doom (26 Str)

Conclusions:

These stat rankings show how a hero might have “an edge” in the current patch, but his abilities and role in the meta play a larger part.  However, stats provide a useful perspective in terms of which heroes might become popular in a new meta (I predicted Slardar’s re-appearance in 6.84 because of his excellent stat gain and other buffs he received).

One of the reasons that OD is considered top-tier right now, is that both his starting stats and stat gain are excellent (in addition to his useful laning abilities and AOE ultimate).

Similarly, Winter Wyvern is a popular support in part because he’s not that squishy and has useful abilities, including a BKB-piercing ult and a heal.

Stats don’t paint the whole picture!  For example, while it would seem that Riki’s starting damage should be massive, based on high Agility, it’s actually very low (40 avg).  He actually needs about 10 levels before he even catches up (stat-wise) to other heroes’ average damage! (of course, he does have abilities to make up damage in other ways).