RehabGNaked wins the ESL One Hamburg 2018 cosplay contest with her Ember Spirit. Photo copyright: ESL | Bart Oerbekke
Is anyone else struggling to put together a costume quickly?
Just me?
Fine.
I’m not, by any means, a crafty person. I often admire serious cosplay with equal parts awe, disbelief and envy. My best attempt at a Halloween costume was wrapping a giant cardboard box with purple fuzzy material and some black, construction paper circles; my best friend made one too, and we went as a pair of fuzzy dice.
That’s a far cry from the works of art we’ve been treated to at events throughout the season.
If you’re looking for an idea for Halloween, you’re much too late to attempt something like, for example, rehabGNaked’s ESL One Hamburg contest-winning Ember Spirit. You might, however, take some inspiration from some of the best examples of cosplay we’ve seen this year.
You may have some pieces in your wardrobe already that are perfect for a costume. Valve’s released a Lina shirt, a Windranger cloak, the Alchemist hat and other items that you can incorporate! But if you’re not fortunate enough to have one of these pre-made pieces, never fear! Here are some ideas for dressing up in a Dota 2-themed costume!
Treant Protector is basically a walking tree. Can you find a way to incorporate brown clothing, some branches or sticks, and maybe a few leaves in your hair? It won’t look anything like this gorgeous cosplay from The International 8 by Scorchd, but other Dota 2 fans might get what you were going for!
A heavily armored hero like Sven or Juggernaut is way too much for a last-minute costume. Well, unless you happen to have some armor just hanging around your closet. Still, any opportunity to appreciate gorgeous cosplay. Gaze on this shot of Tanakht in his TI8-winning Sven and recognize you’re not going to come close.
But! You could consider a less armor-heavy hero. Axe, for example, could be managed with a store-bought plastic axe, black boots, some red body paint and a belt worn across your body.
Obviously, the professionals are going to win at Halloween. But there’s one costume that every Dota 2 fan can put together last minute.
A Dota 2 player!
Grab a pair of headphones. If you’ve got a jersey or a team t-shirt, that’s perfect! If not, grab a plain t-shirt in your favorite team’s main color. Then, use fabric paint or permanent markers to try to approximate a team logo. Write your username on the back!
See what your favorite player wore to their last LAN – some players prefer sweatpants, a handful are known for their shorts or sandals.
Make your own event lanyard by attaching a length of ribbon to a rectangle of cardboard that you decorate to look like a player pass, as in this picture of coach Muriëlle "Kips" Huisman.
You may end up spending your Halloween party explaining the game of Dota 2 to everyone who asks what you’re dressed as—but doesn’t that sound like a pretty decent way to pass an evening?
Are you dressing up as something or someone from the Dota 2 universe? Let me know in the comments below!
