Dota 2 Beginners Tips For First Timer

My warmest greetings to those who have just set their foot in the world of DOTA 2. I am sure you are going to be amazed by the gameplay experience and the never-ending thrill it offers. Even those who have returned to experience the thrill during this lockdown have found that the gameplay and meta have changed by a mile.

So, I’m here to guide you with the gameplay and give some important tips that you must always remember in order to excel in this game. Initially, we will be providing some tips so that you can rise up to 2300 and get you to Archon 1 star. Yes, you are right! These tips are for those players who are still struggling in Herald, Guardian, and Crusader and want to get promoted to Archon 1.

The Gameplay

I’ve been on the professional scenario since Dota 1 and started playing the game in a cyber café way back in 2011. Back then the gameplay was far more different. No talent tree, heroes could only reach up to level 25, and some of them were simply overpowered like Lifestealer (more popular as “N’aix” back then) and Faceless Void (more popular as “Dark Terror A.K.A DT” back then). Any of these heroes, when used properly, could kill all 5 opponents, even without the need of casting your spells. 

I have witnessed heroes like Windrunner, Kunnka, Timbersaw, Legion Commander, Skymage getting introduced, and some other more getting nerfed over time.

With the introduction of Dota 2, gameplay became much user-friendly, and hence easier. Earlier, it would not show the channeling bar or the stun duration bar. So getting a blink epicenter back those days would easily get you a Rampage. However, if you imitate that today, you’ll get shredded and your opponents wouldn’t even lose a significant number of hitpoints. Why? It’s because new items have now been introduced, like Pipe of Insight, Arcane Boots, and Guardian Greaves, and many more.

Back in the day, most heroes used to make a Dagon to instantly obliterate an opponent. Now, the opponent will send a tank to absorb most of your inflicted damages and will patiently wait to jump back, once your spells are exhausted.

So, here are some tips that you should always remember in order to be more effective during gameplay. Once you start doing them correctly, reaching 2300 will be just a matter of time.

The Last Hits – One Of The Most Important Parts Of Dota 2

DOTA 2 is not just about killing waves of creeps or neutral camps. It’s the ‘Defense Of The Ancients’, and you must understand that. The creeps are just there to support you, but you have to win the game by going after the enemy throne while defeating five enemy heroes – but that’s not going to be easy. And of course, the creeps won’t impact much unless you get them to Super Mega creeps and your opponents are underfarmed. 

So, here is what you need to keep in mind. Kill the opponent creeps, but do it in a smart way. Prioritize the ones with the lowest hitpoints, then land a final strike to kill it. It requires a full focus in order not to miss on your finishing hits.

If you are hitting a creep, make sure you are getting the gold. Otherwise, it would be a waste. Earning gold to get items in the least possible time during the early game is vital. And those creeps are the means to help you get them fast. If you are throwing away free gold, you are throwing away the game.

Map Awareness – A Must For Dota 2 Players

This is something that actually makes a huge difference and decides the fate of the game in the lower bracket. While in-game, you will see a minimap in the bottom left corner of your screen. That’s the entire map that you have to keep an eye on at all times. Remember, the game is not going on in your lane only.

Sometimes, there are unexpected enemy carries. If a mid sees 5 opponents appearing in front of them and they might start to blame the team for miscalls. In this bracket, you will even find a player shouting at you asking for help, even when, for instance, your teleportation is still on cooldown. Everyone can reach this kind of frustration because no one wants to get killed. But then again, if you could just look down in the minimap, you’ll be aware of some heroes are not in their respective lanes. If that happens your best move is to back off for a bit. It’s what makes the difference between winning and losing.

Backing off from the lane, going to the neutral camps to farm, or just patiently waiting near your tower, actually creates space for your other lanes which are beneficial for your team as a whole. It might also make enemies waste their time by hiding in the jungle waiting for you, while you get the entire farm you want, instead of getting killed.

Game Awareness

This is another important factor for deciding the fate of a match. What you need to know is the capability of your heroes and what it can do. You might get harassed at the start and that’s quite expected because the opponents will try to halt you. That’s why you have to be aware of how much damage your hero can deal and how much it can get in return. 

Oftentimes, you will see a low hp Tiny being chased by a full hp Lina, which turns back and kills it with a Toss Avalanche combo. You have to be aware of these kinds of situations as well. You have to know where you can ambush your opponents and plan an escape route.  This can only be done if you understand two (2) things:

1. By reading the skills and memorizing the damage they deal in each different level.
2. If that seems too tough, just spam the hero, and you will know what it can do.

Once you know that your hero is ready to fight the enemies don’t hesitate in doing it, in order to help your teammates and prevent your opponents to counter your farm. Using Smoke of Deceit, or teleporting to your teammate who is getting attacked, are the best snowballing techniques to pushing and owning your opponents.

A Small Demonstration To Help You Understand

Look at this gameplay, where Axe is waiting to get his dagger. Once he has farmed it, he immediately teleports to save his teammate.

In spite of being an observer ward there, he managed to teleport in the fog. And as you can see, he was able to turn the entire game in his team’s favor.

Two of the enemies died, while one had to teleport back base. This not only changed the score from 6-7 to 8-7 but also gave them the much needed gold advantage.

Try to keep the pressure on them to gain as much map control as possible. Because the more area control you gain, the larger your farming radius becomes. Similarly, it limits the farming areas of your opponents while reducing the chances of getting countered.

Items

This is something that is going to win the game. And to be frank, there are no particular items that you should build with a hero. It all depends on the game, and what hero you are facing against the opponent. Seeing a Faceless Void making a mask of madness, or an Earthshaker getting a dagger in almost all the games can sometimes make you confused.

However, if you watch the professional matches you will see a hero getting particular items that he needs to counter the opponent. If you are looking for examples, there are countless guides that you can find online. Yet the most recent one I remember is Topson getting a ‘Diffusal blade’ on Gyrocopter to counter the Bristleback in the finals of the International 9. That actually won them the game, the tournament, and its 34-million US dollar prize pool.

Who knew, a Diffusal blade will be worth 34 million US Dollars eh?

Guys, stay tuned, as I will be back with more tips, guides, and strategies to boost your MMR as you climb up to Archon 1 in Dota 2. Feel free to comment, ask any concern you have, or any tips that you might want to share and we will be more than happy to help you out.

Still have questions about DOTA 2 or want other gaming guides? Contact us at [email protected]