Aggro

Aggro is the targeting attention of AI-controlled units: when creeps, neutral creeps, towers, or similar units choose a unit to attack, that unit has aggro.

What is Aggro in Dota 2?

In Dota 2, aggro describes which target an AI-controlled unit is currently trying to attack. Players use the term for lane creeps, neutral creeps, towers, and other units whose target selection follows game rules rather than direct player control. A hero can "draw aggro" by performing an action that causes nearby units to switch their attention, or can "drop aggro" when those units stop prioritizing that hero.

Aggro is especially important during the laning stage because it can be manipulated to change where creeps stand and which units they attack. The exact targeting rules differ between lane creeps, neutral creeps, and towers, so aggro is a general concept rather than one universal targeting formula.

How Aggro is used in a match

Players deliberately manipulate aggro to control positioning. On a lane, drawing enemy creep aggro can pull melee creeps toward your hero and shift the wave to a more convenient spot. In the jungle, neutral creep aggro is used for pulling and stacking. During a tower dive, understanding which hero the tower is targeting can determine whether the dive is safe enough to continue.

A typical lane situation is to briefly draw enemy creeps toward your side, then move back so the wave settles closer to a safer position. The goal is not necessarily to take damage; it is to influence where the creeps move and what they attack.

Do not confuse Aggro with...

Aggro is not the same as initiation or simply dealing damage. A unit can change targets because of its targeting rules even before an attack lands. Pulling is a separate technique that uses aggro to move neutral creeps toward a lane.