What is Cheese in Dota 2? It’s more than just an item

Updated on September 29, 3:45 p.m. (GMT+8): Improved relevancy.

One of the most iconic and beloved items in-game, the Cheese has graced Dota 2 matches for as long as we can remember.

From its humble beginnings as an in-game consumable, to a timeless icon at TI, it is truly a work of wonder.

But what exactly makes this Dota 2 consumable so special?

How to get Cheese in Dota 2?

Dota 2’s Cheese is an in-game item that can only be obtained by slaying the ferocious beast, Roshan.

Once claimed, it can either be consumed instantly to restore a large chunk of health and mana, sold for a small sum of gold, or as of patch 7.33, be turned into a Block of Cheese — where combining three Great Healing Lotuses and Cheese creates a permanent damage barrier for an ally.

In the grand scheme of things, players holding this consumable would have a big advantage over the competition.

It has some lore tied to it too!

Before you get any weird ideas, Roshan doesn’t 100% “make” the Cheese.

This consumable is actually made from the milk of a long-lost Furbolg vendor.

Furbolg is the old name for Hellbears! Only old-school Dota players will remember that the Hellbear camp used to be called the Furbolg camp.

As such, he probably only helps with the aging of the Cheese, but to be honest, who really knows?

The International’s all-star Cheese

Besides being an in-game item, it also has a history at The International alongside the coveted Aegis.

Since The International 4 in 2014, it has been awarded to the winning team of the all-star match, a community-driven event where players are voted into all-star teams by the fans to play some fun matches.

The TI Cheese has many memories and history associated with it

Some iconic moments featuring the all-star Cheese include the time Malaysian TI champion Wong “ChuaN” Hock Chuan boldly claimed he would eat it rather than simply take it home, a statement that went straight into Dota 2’s history books.

Of course, we can’t forget Dota 2 legend Danil “Dendi” Ishutin stealing the Cheese from the Chinese panel at TI9.

Some may see these moments as simple shenanigans, but they’re a part of esports history that long-time Dota fans won’t easily forget, and that tradition should continue for years to come.

Most people see the Cheese as a funny prize, maybe even a joke, but would something more epic and unique like the Divine Rapier really make sense?

The all-star Cheese is symbolic of everything that makes Dota 2 great

It is more than just a trophy.

You can’t buy it in a regular match of Dota 2. To get it, you need to work together with your teammates to take down Roshan whilst also fending off the enemy team.

It’s also one of the few completely sharable items in the game, and a team can only be successful if they’re willing to be there for each other no matter what.

Finally, it also represents all the fun times we have playing Dota 2 because if we hated it as much as we say we do, we wouldn’t be playing the game anymore.

And that’s the cheesy truth.

Hungry for more Dota 2? Check out the Heroes of the Game documentary presented by foodpanda.

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