Many players claim that Dota2 is a very difficult game. We agree that the game is brutal. But that is only true to a specific point – when you have spent hours of your precious time and turned from a beginner to a player who can actually play Dota2! This game also lives up to its reputation of being one of the most exciting and competitive games ever, so much so that Dota2 players are addicted to it.
If you are a beginner wondering how to start playing Dota2, we have some tips for you in this guide.
First things first, since Dota2 is an online game, make sure you have a reliable internet connection to play. Whether it’s 5 Mbps or 1 Gbps, it doesn’t matter as long as the connection is clear and you are connected to the server closest to you. Comcast internet is offering reliable connections at faster speeds and and affordable rates.
Now that you have the internet covered, you can check out the following tips on how to perfect your Dota2 skills. Do keep in mind that you won’t immediately become a pro, Dota2 requires constant dedication and pretty much most of your days. Nevertheless, by following the tips you can still polish your skills:
Think Strategically
Dota2 matches are fun to play.
You rush to bounty in hopes of stealing most of them so your opponents don’t get the chance to grab any. Maybe even gather near the bounty collection for an ambush to get the first kill. Or you kill a few creeps along the way.
These are fun and all but there’s always a purpose behind them. Stealing bounty helps your team and deprives your opponents of any gold. Getting the first kill strengthens all hero players that were involved in it. Getting the last hits when killing creeps can also give you points.
All these activities are not meaningless. Whatever you do in a Dota2 match is for a reason. There’s no hurry in getting to the Ancient as long as you’re strengthening yourself and your team along the way.
Learn About the Dota2 Map
As a beginner, you need to familiarize yourself with the map and its layout.
You must learn the names of objects you come across in Dota2 and remember where they are all positioned. That’s not possible in one go; in every match, you get an idea of your personal role in the game and how to carry out the best team strategies.
Dota2 matches aren’t about quickly taking over your opponents, rather you need to coin clever ruses and outsmart them in the match. Hence, learning about the Dota2 map brings you a step forward in understanding all the possible strategies you can carry out yourself and with your team.
Choose Hero Wisely
Contrary to popular belief, you can’t choose a random hero in Dota2 matches. Sure, the game has a lot of characters that you can try and practice on. But choosing one hero that you play must complement the other heroes that your team is picking.
Dota2 heroes are designed in such a way that one hero complements the other. For instance, Crystal Maiden always goes well with Ursa because they complement each other in a lane i.e. when they strategically play together, the result can mostly work out in their favor. If your opponent is choosing Phantom Lancer, someone in your team needs to choose Earthshaker because that hero is the only one who can get rid of Phantom Lancer’s attack.
You learn all these counters as you continue playing. Start with an easy hero, practice on it, learn their skills, and carry on to the bigger, complex heroes.
Know About Match Cycles
Each Dota2 hero is different. Each of them has a different set of skills and they grow differently throughout the game. These heroes are divided into categories:
Carry
Mid Core
Offlaner
Semi-Support
Main Support
Keep in mind that Mid Core heroes are the ones that are made for the middle lane. If other heroes take over the middle lane, they won’t play as well as the Mid Core heroes and may even fail mid-lane for the whole game. Hence, each hero has his own role to play in the game and has his own lane to over.
Just like learning which hero complements the other, your job here is to understand the function of each hero and where it functions best.
Practice a Lot
This doesn’t get said enough: practice, practice, and practice!
That’s the reason Dota2 is keeping count of the hundreds of hours you spend playing Dota2 before you call yourself a slightly good player! You need to find the hero that suits you and that you play best, and then you need to practice on that hero and develop your skills in the game!
That’s how you understand what hero works for you. To become good in Dota2, you need to be brave enough to experiment with heroes and then ultimately find the one that you’re good at playing.
The purpose of playing Dota2 is to find your own unique way of playing Dota2.
Final Thoughts
We can all agree that Dota2 is more than just a game. For some, it’s a passion that they love following through.
If you are interested in learning Dota2 and not afraid to spend a few hours of your day investing in this game, you will enjoy being a part of the Dota2 community.
