Upcoming Dota 2 events and tournaments in 2022

Dota 2 fans continue to rally behind in support of their favorite game as it endures the impact of the global health crisis. Valve responds to the fans by organizing tournaments that give pro players all around the world a chance to prove themselves worthy of being called the best.

The tournaments facilitated by Valve are spread in different regions and are held in the grandest stage of Dota 2 esports, The International (TI). Each region has already started their respective tournaments before 2021 ended, but here are the remaining events to look forward to in 2022:

DPC SEA Tours 2 and 3

The Dota Pro Circuit is the first stage for teams who want a shot at being in The International. Winners of this tournament gain points that will help them get closer to their goal. The first entry on this list focuses on Southeast Asia where most of the players are from Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Tour 1 ended on January 20, 2022 with division winners BOOM Esports and Polaris Esports. Tour 2 will take place on March 14 with 8 out of 12 teams already revealed. Meanwhile, Tour 3 will be on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000.

DPC SA Tours 2 and 3

DPC SA is the South American leg of the tournament with most of its players coming from Brazil and Peru. Tour 1 ended on January 21, 2022 but with second division winners Thunder Predator, Infinity, and Balrogs.

Tour 2 will begin on March 14 with eight out of 16 teams already revealed. Meanwhile, Tour 3 will begin on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000.

DPC CN Tours 1, 2, and 3

China has its own regional tournament but some of its teams have imported players from Malaysia. Tour 1 already took place on January 23 and already had second division winners: Xtreme Gaming and Team MagMa.

Meanwhile, Tour 2 will begin on March 14 with 15 teams already revealed. Tour 3 will begin on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000.

DPC EU Tours 2 and 3

The European leg of the Dota Pro Circuit is divided into the West and East Europe tournaments. Most of the players in this tournament are from the northern parts of the continent. Tour 1 of the WEU ended on January 21 with first division winners Team Liquid and Team Tickles.

On the other hand, the DPC EU Tour 2 will begin on March 14 with 15 teams already revealed. Tour 3 will begin on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000. 

Note: Only the WEU teams will participate in the DPC EU Tours since the EEU teams will compete in the CIS Tours instead.

DPC CIS Tours 2 and 3

As previously mentioned, there is no Tour 1 named after the Commonwealth of Independent States region as it is labelled as the Eastern Europe leg of the DPC. Most of the players from this tournament are from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. Tour 1 of the EEU ended on January 21 with first division winners Team Spirit and PuckChamp.

Tour 2 will begin on March 14 with eight out of 16 teams already revealed. Meanwhile, Tour 3 will begin on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000.

DPC NA Tours 2 and 3

The North American leg of the DPC has players coming mostly from the US and Canada. Its Tour 1 ended on January 20 with division winners Quincy Crew, Team Undying, Evil Geniuses, 4 Zoomers, and The Cut.

Tour 2 will begin on March 14 with 11 out of 16 teams already revealed. Meanwhile, Tour 3 will begin on June 6. The prize pool for each tour is $280,000.

DPC 2022 Majors 2 and 3

The Majors are the penultimate stage to becoming the best Dota 2 team in the world. Qualifying teams from all DPC tournaments will duke it out in this event. DPC points will still be awarded in these tournaments with the teams having the highest number of points qualifying for The International.

Tour 1 of the DPC Majors has been cancelled due to the emergence of a new COVID-19 variant. The points to be won from the cancelled event will be redistributed to the winners of the next two majors.

DPC Major 2 will start on May 11 while Major 3 will begin on August 4. Each Major will have a prize pool of $500,000.

The 2022 Asian Games

The 2022 Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China on September 10. Dota 2 is one of the games included in its esports category. However, it is still not known which or how many teams will participate in the event.

The International XI

This is the biggest stage of Dota 2 esports. In fact, this year marks the eleventh edition of The International where 18 of the best teams in the world battle it out for global supremacy.

The 18 teams participating in The International (TI) are determined by the 12 teams with the highest number of DPC points plus one team from each of the six DPC regions: North America, South America, Europe, CIS, China, and Southeast Asia.

The International XI will begin on October 7 and has a prize pool of $1.6 million.
Dota 2 fans are jam-packed every year with upcoming events. With this, pro players are on the run to shake up their respective regional tournaments by introducing new meta-defining plays and presenting a real challenge for veterans who are also looking to further their legacy in the Dota 2 scene.

What you need to know and improve in MMR

Dota 2 for newbies: What you need to know and improve in MMR

Dota 2 is widely regarded as the most challenging multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game to master. Developed and published by Valve Corporation, it was a community-created mod for Blizzard Entertainment’s Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. It is where matches between two teams of five players battle each other’s heroes in player vs player (PvP) combat to defend their respective bases on the map.

Over the years of brilliant Dota 2 gameplay among players across the world — in particular to competitions played in prestigious esports tournaments like The International (TI) — it is no wonder that the game is divided into casual play and ranked matches. This is where the Elo rating-based matchmaking system called ‘matchmaking rating’ (MMR) comes into play. Learn what it is, and why it is one of the most coveted stats. 

MMR (matchmaking rating) explained

The Matchmaking Rating, or MMR, is a number that defines each player’s skill level, where winning a game raises a player’s MMR, but losing lowers it. In Dota 2, players may obtain seasonal ranking medals depending on their MMR using Ranked Matchmaking. On the global Leaderboards, the players with the highest ratings are listed.

Understanding Dota 2’s bracket system/medals

Each level and tier that a player achieves earns them a medal. They are eight in total, each of which is divided into five tiers. Even if players with medium to low ratings are not found on the global Leaderboards, everyone can still see your precise ability level because medals are always visible on profiles. They are as follows: 

1. Herald 

• ~0 MMR
• ~154 MMR
• ~308 MMR
• ~462 MMR
• ~616 MMR

2. Guardian

• ~770 MMR
• ~924 MMR
• ~1078 MMR
• 1232 MMR
• ~1386 MMR

3. Crusader

• ~1540 MMR
• ~1694 MMR
• ~1848 MMR
• ~2002 MMR
• ~2156 MM4

4. Archon

• ~2310 MMR
• ~2464 MMR
• ~2618 MMR
• ~2772 MMR
• ~2926 MMR

5. Legend

• ~3080 MMR
• ~3234 MMR
• ~3388 MMR
• ~3542 MMR
• ~3696 MMR

6. Ancient

• 3850 MMR
• ~4004 MMR
• ~4158 MMR
• ~4312 MMR
• ~4466 MMR

7. Divine

• ~4620 MMR
• ~4820 MMR
• ~5020 MMR
• ~5220 MMR
• ~5420 MMR

8. Immortal

• Placed
• Top 1,000
• Top 100
• Top 10
• Top 1

How does MMR calibration work?

When rated matches are already on, the system allows players to calibrate their account by playing 10 games. Once completed, a medal is awarded and the MMR is calculated. Before you get adjusted, here are some tips to keep in mind: 

1. Choose only heroes who can do a lot of damage and kill many opponents.

2. If you have trouble choosing, you can make it easier by picking heroes like Dragon Knight, Wraith King, and Viper, among others.

3. Winning a match is a critical component in achieving a high MMR value. So, follow your teammates’ lead, because well-organized collaboration is crucial to Dota 2 victory. 

The importance of Dota 2 Leaderboards

Dota 2 leaderboards ranks players who have climbed into the Immortal league. The top 5,000 or so come from each of the four major areas represented: Europe, North and South America, China, and Southeast Asia. In order to become as such, you must meet the following standards that are as follows:

1. Become a top solo MMR in the region where you play. 
2. You must have played a total of 300 matchmaking games.
3. You must achieve 100 solo rated games in a lifetime.
4. In the previous 21 days, you must have created at least 14 single rated games in the same league.

Tips to help improve your MMR

MMR is a measurement of a player’s Dota 2 ability, and it goes up and down by 25 points with each victory or defeat. So, if you are looking for ways to increase your rating, keep reading for some useful advice.

1. Focus on improving your skills

Since MMR is a representation of your abilities, it’s best to concentrate on improving your game rather than worrying about your rating.

2. Keep in mind the bracket system

If you have carefully assessed the bracket system above, you must know by now that its spacing gets less as you move upwards. The difference between a player in the 6k bracket and one in the 7k bracket, for example, is that the latter can perform the identical tasks three seconds quicker.

3. Work well with your team

It is easy to become sidetracked towards achieving a higher MMR. Players who think they should be in higher brackets frequently blame their teammates for losses and being held back. Even if the outcomes aren’t good, it is vital to give encouraging remarks because repeatedly criticising them will erode their confidence, resulting only in further defeats. Remember that the dream can only come true if everyone works together.

4. Keep up-to-date with Valve’s frequent Dota 2 updates

Dota 2 is an ever-changing sophisticated game with a lot of elements affecting every battle in different ways. In other words, the longer you play, the more you can absorb these aspects and incorporate them into your gameplay. 

When learning a new hero, for example, you must concentrate on last hitting, the best regions of the map for that hero, things to equip, and how the opponent might damage you. Staying focused while learning new components of the game will expand your learning curve and help you become a better player.

5. Learn new skills from the best of the best

Dota 2 is a game in which watching other people play is equally as crucial as playing itself. Try to learn from anybody who is doing well, whether they be broadcasters, content providers, and professional gamers. In fact, the world’s biggest and richest-funded Dota 2 esports tournament The International is a terrific place to start this practice. 

6. Losses are part of the process

The sensation of being rated can be distressing. You’ll frequently find yourself in circumstances when you or your teammates aren’t performing than expected or practised, the enemy team is unstoppable, or you are just stuck in an unwinnable predicament for most of the game. Meaning to say, it is better to embrace as early as now that losses are part of the process.

Summing up

The supremacy of Dota 2 lies in its global influence, sophisticated gameplay, and frequent updates. It is a fast-paced and highly competitive video game where there is always someone or some team somewhere in the world doing impressive feats. They are so significant that they redefine the game’s meta and global esports tournaments.

What are runes?

Dota 2: What are runes?

Many players around the world are fond of playing Dota 2, a popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game that requires a lot of strategies to win. To enjoy this game, players would have to know every single detail that makes the game more interesting. 

Aside from learning the gameplay, it is also important for players to learn strategies that can help them win the game. This includes knowing the power ups that are available in the game. With the help of these powerups, players can maximize their chances and learn how to have an advantage against their opponents. 

One of the powerups that players can use in Dota 2 is runes. To know more about these and how they can elevate a player’s Dota 2 gaming experience, here is a better understanding of it. 

What are runes? 

Runes are unique power ups that appear at one of two places along the river. There are two categories of runes: Powerup Runes and Bounty Runes. 

Powerup Runes spawn every 2 minutes, although not at the beginning of the game, but at the 2:00 minute mark. After two minutes, if a Powerup Rune is not picked up, it will vanish and be replaced by a different rune. After the 40:00 minute mark, Powerup Runes spawn different runes on both sides of the river.

There are four sites in the jungle where Bounty Runes can be found. The river does not spawn Bounty Runes. Instead, they start spawning in the jungle at 0:00 game time (first creep spawn). Keep in mind that the runes respawn every 2 minutes.

Bottling 

There are several key points that players must know about bottling and how it relates to runes. Here are some of them. 

• Taking the rune while carrying a Bottle will cause it to be stored in the bottle rather than used.
• By activating the bottle, the rune can be used at any moment.
• A rune that has been bottled will not prevent a new one from spawning.
• If the rune is not consumed within two minutes after being picked up, it will automatically activate.
• The bottle is refilled to maximum charges after utilizing a stored Powerup Rune. Bottling a bounty rune only restores 2 bottle charges, leaving the rune uncapped. 
• The Courier is unable to bottle runes, and bottles containing a stored rune cannot be shared or dropped.

Powerup runes 

As mentioned, one of the two rune categories is a powerup rune. There are several types of powerup runes and each of them can provide a powerful effect for a short time. Also, the buffs created by these runes can be dispelled. 

Double damage rune 

When this rune is activated, it can increase base attack damage. This only affects base damage. Once activated, this buff is applied to the user’s controlled illusions within the 500 range. The electric blue visual effect of this rune is visible to enemies. This rune is also dispellable.

• Targeting: No target 
• Affects: Self
• Bonus damage: 100%
• Duration: 45

Haste rune

When activated, this dispellable rune can increase movement speed to maximum and apply haste, making the player immune to slows. The red trailing visual effect of this rune is also visible to enemies. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Movement speed: 550
• Duration: 22

Illusion rune

This rune simply creates controllable illusions for heroes. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Split time: 0.1
• Number of illusions: 2
• Illusion damage dealt: 35%
• Melee illusion damage taken: 200%
• Ranged illusion damage taken: 300%
• Duration: 75

Regeneration rune

This rune grants HP and mana regeneration based on the percentage of a user’s maximum values. Its effect ends when the hero replenishes all health and mana or when they receive damage from an enemy player or Roshan. This is dispellable. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Max HP regen per second: 6%
• Max Mana regen per second: 6%
• Duration: 30

Invisibility rune

Once this rune is activated, this can turn the user invisible after a short fade time. This is dispellable. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Fade time: 2
• Duration: 45

Arcane rune

Activating this dispellable rune will cause all spell and item cooldowns as well as mana costs to be reduced. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Cooldown reduction: 30%
• Mana cost/ loss reduction: 30%
• Duration: 50

Bounty rune

The other type of rune that players will encounter in the game are bounty runes. There is one of these in each of the four jungles throughout the map. Therefore, this grants a gold bonus for all allied heroes once it is picked up. A bottled bounty rune will grant gold to the players once activated and not when it is bottled. 

Using a stored bounty rune will only grant players 2 charges. Also, an overhead text will show up to show how much gold was given to players. This figure is not visible to enemies. However, it is when a player gains gold from a bounty rune that a small golden particle effect visible to everyone will burst from the player. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Base gold: 40
• Bonus gold per interval: 9
• Interval: 5 minutes 

Water rune

This type of rune is known for being able to instantly restore a part of health and mana. When bottling a water rune, only 2 charges are granted. These runes spawn at the 2:00 and the 4:00 minute mark at both rune spots in the river. After that, they don’t spawn anymore. 

• Targeting: No target
• Affects: Self
• Health restored: 40
• Mana restored: 80 

These are just some of the runes that every player should know whenever they play Dota 2. By knowing the advantages that these runes bring, players will be more confident about their playstyles and be strategic enough to win. Also, learning how these can be spawned will make it easier for players to learn what runes are perfect for every game situation they may encounter!

A player’s quick guide to Dota 2 towers

Developed by Valve, Dota 2 is known as one of the leading games in the esports industry. By falling under the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, players of this game need to master the art of camaraderie to win their games. Learning it also makes the game more fun and exciting to play. 

This game is played between two teams, each of which has five players. Each of them takes on the role of a hero, tasked with defending their base while attacking the enemy’s main base. On their path are different towers that make up their path against their enemies’ bases. These towers are not just simple infrastructures as they are also significant in the progression of the game. 

When playing Dota 2, players must be aware of these towers and what they are for. Here’s what you need to know about the towers of Dota 2: 

What are towers? 

Towers are each teams’ main line of defense. These towers attack any non-neutral enemy that comes within their range. Both factions have three towers guarding each of the three lanes. In addition, each faction’s Ancient has two towers. There are a total of eleven towers per faction. Each tower is also classified into four different tiers.

During the day, all towers have a visual range of 1900 meters. Tier 1 towers have a night vision range of 600 meters, while higher tier towers have a range of 1100 meters. All towers also have True Sight in a 700-foot radius surrounding them, as well as one defensive and one supportive ability. Towers can assault neighbouring neutral creeps, but they never attack them.

Towers award a gold bounty to the last hitmaker, as well as a team bounty to the entire squad. Both teams receive half of the team bounty if they are denied.

Four main towers 

As mentioned, there are four main towers in the game. These are: 

Tower (Tier 1) 

This tower increases armour and health regeneration of nearby allied heroes by 60. This tower doesn’t allow the stacking of multiple instances of tower protection. This means that when teleporting from a tier 2/3/4 tower to a tier 1 tower or vice versa, the players’ armour and health regen bonuses will update after the linger time. 

Tier 1 towers only affect allied heroes, creep heroes, and illusions but they don’t affect any other allied units. Moreover, they can affect the invulnerable heroes who aren’t hidden. These towers also provide the whole area with an actual vision that is fully unobstructed. 

Towers (Tier 2/3/4) 

This structure takes reduced damage and quickly regenerates any damage that has been taken while there are no enemy creeps nearby. With backdoor protection, all buildings that fall under this tier have a search radius of 900 centred on them. All of these base buildings depend on the Ancient’s search radius of 4000 centred on them. This means that they can lose protection altogether.  

The unit detection it uses is aura-based. This means that if an enemy lane creep gets within the search of the tower or ancient’s radius, the protection is lost. This aura effect only lasts for 0.5 seconds so the total reactivation delay for this is effectively around 15.5 seconds. If a backdoor-protected building is damaged by an enemy, they immediately start to heal back. 

Aside from backdoor protection, tier 2/3/4 towers also have abilities like tower protection and true sight. Tower protection increases armour and health regeneration of nearby allied heroes. With this skill, the aura’s buff lingers for 0.5 seconds. These towers can regenerate up to 180 health in one minute. 

True sight, on the other hand, is provided within the whole area to provide players with a clear unobstructed vision of the area. This skill cannot detect units under the effect of Shadow Dance, Smoke of Deceit, and Techies’ traps and mines. 

Attack priority 

Towers use standard auto-attacking when numerous adversaries engage and will naturally target the first adversary that comes inside its attack range. It also stays with its target until it can’t be attacked anymore (it dies, gets out of attack range or becomes attack immune). After that, it uses the following prioritization system to select the next attack target: 

• The enemy unit closest to the tower is attacking it.
• The tower’s closest enemy unit is attacking one of its allies.
• Enemy unit closest to you

It makes no difference whether the unit is a hero or not because they are both handled equally. Wards and siege creeps are two units that are treated differently. These units are always the last to be attacked. If a tower targets one of these units and then comes within range of another unit or hero, the tower switches to the new unit. Siege creeps take precedence over wards.

Tower skins

Custom towers alter the appearance of the towers. Here are some of the legendary tower skins every player should know. 

• Declaration of the Divine Light Radiant Towers: This is awarded to players who levelled The International 10 Battle Pass to 200. 

• Declaration of the Divine Shadow Dire Towers: ​​This is awarded to players who levelled The International 10 Battle Pass to 200.

• Guardians of the Lost Path Dire Towers: This is awarded to players who levelled The International 2019 Battle Pass to 335.

• Guardians of the Lost Path Radiant Towers: This is awarded to players who levelled The International 2019 Battle Pass to 335.

These are just some of the basic information that players should know about Dota 2 towers and the role they play in a game. By keeping this in mind, players can have a more worthwhile experience as they know how each element matters in Dota 2 gameplay. 

Popular South Korean Dota 2 teams to check out

Dota 2 is one of the most popular games in the world. As a multiplayer online mobile arena (MOBA) game, players can enjoy playing with their teammates and strategizing to win. With the popularity of this genre, there are several countries where this game is most known.

With its engaging gameplay, several Asian countries embraced its competitive side to the point where it is now considered one of the biggest games in the esports industry. One of the countries that have active Dota 2 players is South Korea. 

Although the game may not be as popular in the country compared to League of Legends (LoL), there are still a lot of players who are fond of playing Dota 2. The reason behind this is that the game was just made available in South Korea just in 2014, a time when there were already a lot of LoL players in the country. 

Even though it may not be as massive as the other popular MOBA games, there is a competition called the Korean Dota League. It is held for their local Dota 2 players and esports teams who excel in the game. Here is a closer look at some of the countries’ finest Dota 2 teams. 

T1 

T1, formerly known as SK Telecom T1, is a professional esports team founded in 2002. Aside from Dota 2, they are also known for being active on other games like StarCraft, League of Legends, and several other games. They announced their entry into the Dota 2 scene by signing Forev. This makes them the second KespA organization to open a Dota division and the first Korean organization to do this after the disbandment of TI6. 

Their active roster of players includes:

• 23savage – Nueng Nara Teramahanon
• Karl – Karl Baldovino
• Whitemon – Matthew Filemon
• Xepher – Kenny Deo
• Kuku – Carlo Palad

Team Jinesbrus

Team Jinesbrus, also known as TJMM, is another popular Dota 2 team in the country that was founded in 2019. Aside from being popular in Korea, they are also a recognized team on the international level. They are currently an inactive team after suffering from their two-loss streak in their most recent games. 

Some of the recent players they had on their roster include: 

• Forev – Sang-don Lee
• Milan – Milan Kozomara
• Benhur – Benhur Lawis
• Chu – Evgeniy Makarov
• Xemistry – James Lee

Team Secret

Team Secret is a professional Dota 2 team based in Europe that is spearheaded by Korean coach Lee Seung Gon more commonly known as Heen. Before his coaching stint with Team Secret, he also used to be an active Dota 2 player too. With his impressive handling of the team, he was awarded as the Esports Coach of the Year in the Esports Awards 2020. 

Here’s a list of Team Secret’s active players:

• Nisha – Michal Jankowski
• YapzOr – Yazied Jaradat 
• iceiceice – Daryl Koh Pei Xiang
• Puppey – Clement Ivanov
• SumaiL – Sumail Hassan

Pokerface

This team was also known as Bird Gang and StarTale when they were first launched in 2014. They used to be a Tier 1 Dota 2 team that was solely based in South Korea. They played their first official match in the Korean Dota 2 League where they placed 2nd in Tier 2. The following year, the team disbanded. 

Here are the names of the players who once played for this team. 

• JyU – Kang Tae-young
• 4885 – Kim Sung-hoon
• Febby – Kim Yong-min
• Sky – Park Yong-kyu
• MP – Pyo Noa

Zephyr

Zephyr is another Dota 2 team that was established in 2014. They took part in several matches, in which they secured impressive placements. Before they officially disbanded in 2015, they earned a total of more than $130,000 during their career. 

Here are some of the players who were once known as members of this team. 

• Corey – Corey Wright
• Eosin – Steven Cheng 
• xFreedom – Nicholas Kelvin Ileto Lim
• Blitz – William Lee
• sLiCKz – Trent Tucker

MVP Phoenix

MVP Phoenix is a sub-branch of Team MVP, an established Korean multi-gaming team. They entered the Dota 2 scene in September 2013 at the same time. The team became active for several years and had several achievements during their career. They were able to earn around $2.8 million before they disbanded in January 2017.

Here are the names of the players who actively took part in their former roster. 

• Forev – Lee Sang-don
• DuBu – Kim Doo-young
• QO – Kim Seon-yeob
• Febby – Kim Yong-min
• Reisen – Lee Jun-yeong 
• Velo – Kim Tae-sung

Eyes of Tiger

Also known as Team EoT or EoT Hammer, this team is known for consisting mostly of the former members of Mineski.kor. This team played in the Nexon Starter League and finished the match as the runner-up of the tournament. Currently, the team is sponsored by Xenics. 

These are the current players that make up their roster. 

• pYung – Pyeong Kwon 
• Ryo – Ryo Hasegawa
• Cast – Mark Pillar
• Jeyo – Jio Madayag 
• Chrissy – Djardel Jicko Mampusti

Monkey Spanner

This team is another established Korean Dota 2 team who has been in every season of the Korean Dota 2 League. During the first season of the tournament, they placed second in Tier 2 but were unable to get promoted to Tier 1. This was an impressive feat as it was their first time to compete officially. They had the same results in season 2. 

Here are the names of the players who previously played with them. 

• Tenbird – Jeffrey Yi
• Nace – Han Jeong Hun
• Lana – Oh Sung Hyun
• SevenStar – Park Gap Yeol 
• JesusSt1ck – Park Yoon Soo

These are just some of the teams that are widely recognized in the South Korean Dota 2 scene. Though the majority of these teams may not be that active anymore, their stunning performances during their careers make it known that they too can pour their best efforts into the game. 

Given that some members of the disbanded teams are still playing for other teams, there remains a chance that Dota 2 can someday be known as a popular game in South Korea too!

Ten easiest heroes to use in Dota 2

Dota 2 took the world by storm when it was first released in 2013, giving experienced Dota players a fresher look into the battlefield and heroes that dominate the gaming world. Even today, Dota 2 remains to be one of the most popular PC games With its history of hosting major tournaments and the consistent growth of its player base.

Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) wherein the objective is to destroy the opponent’s base that is found on the other side of the map. It can be done by getting rid of all the towers in at least any of the battlefield’s three lanes so players and their accompanying minions can better infiltrate the base. Of course, players should also be able to defend their base from being attacked by becoming stronger and trying to kill the opponents.

Players of Dota 2 use characters called ‘heroes’ who they can control to fulfill their objectives. These heroes possess different attributes and weapons which help them destroy towers and kill enemy units. They also have different skill caps, meaning some heroes are easy to use while some will take quite some time to master. This article focuses on the easiest heroes to use in Dota 2. If you are new to the game, here are some of the highly recommended heroes::

Ogre Magi

Ogre Magi is a hero who specializes in dealing burst damage towards enemies using its flammable chemicals and his fire. He shines the best in team fights where he can nuke enemies and boost his teammates’ movement speed and attack speed. Ogre Magi is also quite beefy which is why you don’t have to worry about evasive maneuvers too much when using him.

Sven

Similar to Ogre King, Sven is a melee hero who can dish out ample amounts of damage even in the early stages of the game or when he doesn’t have enough items yet. This is because of his ultimate God Strength, his innate ability, that makes him physically stronger. Sven can also support his teammates in skirmishes using his Warcry which boosts allies’ toughness and movement speed.

Tidehunter

Tidehunter is a durable hero who can be played as an offlaner or support due to his high survivability and decent damage output. His abilities do not cost much mana, either, making him a beginner-friendly hero who always does his best in securing lanes and keeping his squishy teammates safe.

Crystal Maiden

Crystal Maiden could be one of those Dota 2 heroes who believe that attack is the best defense. She isn’t durable on her own but can deal significant damage to anyone who tries to come nearby either freezing them or slowing them down while reducing their HP. Crystal Maiden also has a support mechanism for team fights with her Arcane Aura.

Lion

Lion is generally played as support even if he isn’t that durable. His ability to back teammates up in team fights stems from his ability to deal massive amounts of damage through special combos. If Lion is in the right place at the right time, he can nuke opponents down through his ultimate, Finger of Death. There’s no need to worry about mana costs for combos either as he can steal mana from enemies.

Lich

Lich has a decent support mechanism for teammates as his crowd control abilities can buff allies and debuff enemies at the same time. He also uses ice magic, like Crystal Maiden, and can slow enemies down or conjure an ice shield. Lich’s Sinister Gaze is his repositioning ability and can reduce the mana of an enemy hero who engages in eye contact with him.

Wraith King

Wraith King is a well-balanced hero in terms of offense and defense. His abilities are a mixed bag of spells that deal damage and keep him alive on the battlefield. Wraith King’s Mortal Strike adds bonus damage from his abilities while Wraithfire Blast inflicts lingering damage. Aside from the stun it gives the target, his Vampiric Spirit heals him up a bit. But if he dies, his Reincarnation will get him back in the game in no time.

Sniper

True to his name, Sniper is a hero who deals significant damage from a distance. He can help out his teammates by slowing the effect of his Shrapnel and the repositioning from his Concussive Grenade. Sniper can also deal with enemies that can close the distance to him by knocking them back with his Headshot.

Phantom Assassin

Phantom Assassin is one of the best Dota 2 heroes in terms of critical damage output due to her ultimate, Coup de Grace. She shines best in the later stages of the game especially when she is well-fed because her Stifling Dagger deals bonus damage. Moreover, her Phantom Strike can either serve as an initiate or escape mechanism while her Blur can surprise enemies with her quick attacks.

Zeus

Zeus specializes in nuking enemies wherever they are on the map. His lightning attacks provide vision on his enemies which greatly helps in strategizing or uncovering ganks. His Arc Lightning is also helpful in full-on battles. However, its damage can be boosted further with his Static Field. Zeus’ Nimbus and Thundergod’s Wrath are his signature combo pieces that can be triggered at any time.
Dota 2 is a challenging game to learn but once you learn the basics of its gameplay as well as the roles and different secondary objectives in-game, you are on your way to winning a match. Remember to look for tutorials and practice in bot matches first so you can learn as much as you can about powerful abilities and items.

A player’s quick guide to warding in Dota 2

Dota 2, developed by Valve, is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game wherein the players need to work with their teammates in hopes of conquering the bases of their opponents. The interesting gameplay of Dota 2 allows players to strategize with their teammates so they can win. Among these strategies is by knowing the different roles and skills needed in the game. 

By knowing the roles to be played, the players will have an idea on how to move around the battlefield. In fact, some players may need wards, regardless of what rank they may be in. 

Warding is an important skill in Dota 2 which the players must learn how they can use this to their advantage. To have a better advantage than the opposing team, here’s what you need to know about warding:

What are wards? 

Each Dota 2 hero has a peripheral vision that allows them to see everything around them. With this, players can see everything around their teammates’ heroes, including friendly creeps, towers, commanded troops, and summons, via shared vision. However, the rest of the map is obscured by the fog of war, which means they can’t see what’s going on in the other locations.

Wards are the most effective means of obtaining vision because they are permanent artefacts that can be placed in most areas of the map to see a glimpse of a certain region. This also allows players to spot opposing heroes as they pass by. 

The enemy cannot see these valuable artefacts, and when placed right, they might be even difficult to detect. They not only help with vision but can also be used to block neutral camps.

Two types of wards 

Learning more about Dota 2 wards is a fundamental skill that improves gaming quality and experience. Any player can place a ward on any spot on the map. As long as it provides good information, it is considered a good ward. There are two ward types players should know. These are the observer and sentry wards. 

Observer wards 

Observer wards have a 1,400-point radius of view around them but are unable to detect unseen units. Their vision may be hindered unless they are elevated. Observer wards become invisible after being placed, but the opponent can identify them using a variety of detecting skills and items. Once detected, they can be destroyed. 

Players can easily have this ward type as each team begins the game with two observer wards and can have up to four at any moment. One ward replenishes every 135 seconds. Observer wards are completely free to purchase and share. They last for six minutes or until they are destroyed after being put.

Sentry wards

Sentry wards provide visibility on enemy wards and invisible troops. However, they don’t have vision on their own. They can also be only destroyed in the same way as observer wards can. 

A team begins with three sentry wards and can have up to ten at any given time. One sentry ward replenishes every 85 seconds. They may be purchased for 75 gold each and last for eight minutes once installed.

Stages of warding

Timing is an important element that should be considered when learning this skill. Here are two stages of warding that players should keep in mind:

Early game

In the first two minutes of the game, players should have a good vision as it allows them to see what they can expect from the map. Each player will start the game with 2 wards — one for the offlaner and the last one for the midlaner. 

• To ward on the midlane: Midlaners need an amazing ward to have a clear vision of the power-up runes and the high ground of the mid lane. 
• To ward on the offline: This is harder to ward because there are more objectives. To block a camp, players must grant some vision for killing the couriers or have a vision on their enemy support movements.
• To ward on the safelane: Players can get a ward in the first few minutes of the games in case they are laning against heroes that benefit from the fog of war. 

On the first night 

Upon reaching the 5:00 minute mark, bounty runes are spawned and the environment gets darker. It is the perfect time to make rotations, get bounties, and start warding around the areas. 

Tactical types of warding 

The type of warding depends on the current situation of a match. Here are the three major tactical types of warding in Dota 2:

Objective 

When players want to achieve a specific goal such as obtaining a tower, controlling runes, or murdering a courier, they use the objective type. If the entire team is going to take down a tower, players need to save at least two wards to see if the enemy is planning to defend or just let the tower fall.

Defensive

Players who are having a difficult time as the opposing team takes control of the map needs to defend their region, such as the jungle. They’ll need their heroes to farm safely and quickly as possible. These wards are in place to avoid serious team battles and pickoffs that can be detrimental to the squad.

Aggressive 

Players who are having a good time may require wards to increase pressure on the enemy map with the goal to keep the opponents from farming anywhere. This will make them feel very uncomfortable and they will be frightened to leave their base. Therefore, they will not get any items. 
These are just some basic information that Dota 2 players need to know about warding skill. By knowing its importance and its proper use, players will have a better vision of the game. With a clear vision, the players can easily come up with better strategies that will help them win!

Understanding Dota 2 roles : Jungler

Several games are now played in the professional gaming scene to the point where some stood out from the rest. Even though there is a wide variety of genres to choose from, a lot of players grew fond of the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games such as Defence of the Ancients (Dota) 2 as it promotes teamwork. 

Valve’s Dota 2 is one of the leading games in the esports industry wherein players need to learn how the game is played to join casually or competitively. This means that each player should understand the roles and the skills needed to dominate the battlefield. 

Even though there are several roles available, each is important in achieving victory against the opposing teams. One of the important roles players can try in Dota 2 is the jungler role. Here is a better understanding of what jungling is all about. 

What is jungling? 

Jungling, also known as bushing, is a skill that requires players to focus on killing the neutral creeps during the game. This also refers to the Forests or Jungles between the lanes on either side where the neutral creeps are usually spawned. 

Neutral creeps will spawn in jungle camps within 60 seconds into the game and will respawn every minute unless the camp is eradicated. There must be no units inside a camp to clear it, including neutral creeps, heroes, and/or wards (lane creeps do not block camps). Creeps can be enticed away from a camp, but they will return after a while. 

When creep stacking, effective junglers can wipe creeps out of the camp during respawn time, allowing a second wave to appear while the first is still alive. Players can also persuade creeps to follow them into their lane, where their lane creeps will engage in combat when creep pulling.

Jungling allows a hero to earn Experience and Gold without having to deal with hostile heroes or dividing Experience with allies. Compared to laning, jungling makes last-hitting considerably easier and provides higher total results. 

Keep in mind that a jungling hero cannot be in the lane and requires a team to add another solo lane. Having more solo lanes makes another hero susceptible, especially because the other team does not have to make as many sacrifices to impose pressure on them. However, jungling can be difficult for new players and mastering it takes a lot of practice.

Jungler skills 

Jungler heroes have an impressive skill set that gives them an advantage whenever they play. Here are some of them: 

Lifesteal

Heroes with this skill can jungle Mana-independently and be equipped with a consistent source of Health Regeneration. However, in the early game, the amount of lifesteal they have may not be enough resulting in their slow jungling speed making them more useful in the lane. This may also cause users to distribute their ability points unsuccessfully.

Creep stacking 

Creep stacking is a skill wherein a hero lures neutral creeps away from their camp, causing them to flee before a new wave of creeps respawns. It also allows players to greatly increase the number of creeps in a camp while giving the stacker a 35% payout. However, it is only allowed if the creep camp is removed by the teammates.

Creep pulling

A hero can ‘pull’ a group of neutral creeps towards their lane forcing them to attack the creeps. This is done by attracting the attention of the closest creep camp to the lane and timing it with the lane creeps’ spawns. Creep pulling also allows heroes to dodge damage from neutral creeps and cool down their activities..

Jungler heroes 

There are several heroes who are well-equipped with the jungler skill. Here are some of them: 

Axe 

Axe, also known as Mogul Khan, is a melee strength hero popular for creating chaos in battle and thriving off of it. This hero is usually played as an initiator since his potent disables can disrupt an enemy’s formation and open fights for his team.

Crystal Maiden 

Rylai is a Crystal Maiden and ranged intelligence hero who wields frost and ice to incapacitate and dispatch her enemies. She is a slow and vulnerable support who gains strength in her battery of powerful nukes, disables, and slows.

Lycan 

Banehallow is a Lycan melee strength hero who is capable of causing huge physical damage. He also moves rapidly, pushes buildings, and enhances his team’s damage and health. He can summon wolves who are powerful sources of damage and objective control.

Enchantress 

Aiushtha, the Enchantress, is a ranged intelligence hero who can push through lanes and gank with reasonable ease thanks to her skills. Aiushtha is a good early game jungler since she maximizes the usefulness of her Enchant ability. She can also harass enemies in lane with Impetus, which delivers damage according to how far away her victim is.

Ursa 

Ulfsaar, the Ursa Warrior, is a melee agility hero whose abilities primarily focus on increasing attack damage and enabling some of the game’s most spectacular sustained damage. He also specializes in inflicting damage against his target, attacks at nearly maximum speed, and gains additional damage for each consecutive hit.

Other heroes 

Here are other popular jungler heroes every Dota 2 player should know:  

• Batrider
• Bloodseeker
• Chen
• Dark Seer
• Enigma
• Keeper of the Light
• Lifestealer
• Lone Druid
• Nature’s Prophet
• Sand King

Mentioned above are just some of the basic information every Dota 2 player must know about the jungler skill. By learning more about how this skill is used, players will have a superb gaming experience with better chances of winning victory. They may also use this skill to know their place in the team so that they can contribute better to their respective teams! 

Knowing about support role and the top 7 best soft support heroes

Knowing about support role and the top 7 best soft support heroes

Dota 2 players may often pick the carry roles, but everybody can agree that the support role is the essential part of the game. Heroes that take on this role are versatile when it comes to assisting in team fights and saving their allies. 

Read on to know more about the support role, its two different types, and the seven best support heroes.

Support Roles 

The two teams who battle it out to destroy each other’s Nexus are composed of 5 heroes each. These heroes correspond to 5 roles or positions. The support roles are positions 4 and 5; the soft and hard supports. 

• Position 4 (Soft support) – They are also known as junglers in Dota 2. They poke their heads into lanes to provide ganks and are in charge of pulling jungle creeps. The soft support also helps with lane control in the carry’s safe lane whenever possible. Soft supports have higher farm priority and are designed to be more item-dependent than hard supports. This is because items like Pipe of Insight, Blink Dagger, Force Staff, and others can drastically enhance their kits. 
• Position 5 (Hard supports) – They are heroes who are the least farm-dependent in the team. This role is often the team’s backbone, pooling resources by acquiring consumables for the carries and maintaining map control through warding and counter warding. 

Hard supports play a critical role when it comes to planning the outcome of fights and the entire game.

7 best soft support heroes

An excellent soft support must torment the enemy carry, make great plays in the mid-game, and help set their offlaner up for success. A good position-four player who can do all that while still scaling into a late-game threat can bring the team to victory. Here are the seven best soft support heroes that you can use in the game.

Chen

Chen is a jungling support who does not rely too much on items to make an impact on the game. His potential is immediately evident as he converts a neutral creep and goes first blood on an enemy who is unfamiliar with Chen’s skills.

Chen is an amazing support hero that can provide health regeneration to the whole team when it comes to sticky situations. He is a great initiator, and his versatility comes from his abilities that provide a significant amount of damage to opponents.

Disruptor

Intense spamming abilities make Disruptor a formidable opponent to face. His ultimate can provide him with some silence and burst damage that is effective when an enemy hero has crucial spells. 

Disruptor’s skill, Glimpse, is a game-changer used at the right moment by targeting an enemy hero who teleported to join in the fight. Glimpse is a spell that is all about timing. When timed right, it can make Disruptor the star of the game.

Dazzle

Another Dota 2 hero is great at lane pushing, team healing, and damage amplification. Dazzle allows the team’s carry to be more laidback when farming by providing passive and aggressive gameplay support. His other ability, Shallow Grave, affects dying companions’ health to last a few more seconds. This can turn the tides of the game, especially in crucial situations. 

This Dota 2 hero can be easily mastered but needs good timing when casting his Shallow Grace skill. Overall, Dazzle is a versatile support who does not rely much on items. 

Lion

Lion is a Dota 2 hero who can be a babysitter for the team carry but at the same time harass the other lanes. Although Lion is a hero who does not rely too much on items, he can still inflict burst damage, and good disables. 

His spell Mana Drain can deplete an enemy hero’s mana pool, making them ineffective in team fights. This also provides Lion with extra mana that can be used to amplify his abilities. His abilities also allow him to be a roaming support who can duo with another support from the team and create deadly roaming combinations. 

Earthshaker

One of Dota 2’s heroes who can impact the game, even on level one. With the proper positioning, Earthshaker can easily gank on opponents, and his skill ‘echo slam’ enables him to help spam abilities that deal continuous damage to enemy heroes. Other support players can maximise Earthshaker’s abilities to gank and seal an easy kill on the opposite team.

He is an excellent pick not only because his skills are not item-dependent but also because he can also provide a chain of stuns. 

Crystal Maiden

Crystal Maiden is one of the heroes who can replenish mana for herself and her comrades. Her two other skills are both disablers and damage dealers. Frozen Field allows her to slow down enemies long enough to turn the game in your team’s favour.

Overall, Crystal Maiden is a support-jungler who excels in both and can also be used as a semi-carry. 

Rubick

This Dota 2 hero is so versatile that he can literally copy an enemy hero’s ability. The highlight of Rubick’s ability is her ultimate Spell Steal, which can copy the target enemy’s casted spell. This skill allows her to adapt in fights, making her an effective support.

Basic tips of playing support

Now that we have covered the 7 best soft support heroes, here are a few tips to help you be more effective in the role:

• Pull when necessary – Pulling neutral creep camps so that they wind up cutting your oncoming creeps is the best way to provide your lane partner solo experience. When you pull, it aids in the re-establishment of creep equilibrium. It can be difficult for your core to score creep kills if your creep wave is pushed too far towards the opposing tier 1 tower.
• Keep an eagle eye – Keep an eye on sentry and observer wards because they are extremely important in Dota 2, and you cannot survive without them. Observer wards replenish every two minutes and 15 seconds. Sentry wards are replenished after 85 seconds. In the latest updates of the game, wards are now made free, so there is no excuse to not get them.
• Babysit your carry – Support roles must provide opportunities for other heroes to develop their characters and farm the items they need. The number one rule of support roles is to not take away gold and experience from your carry or mid-laner. In the first 20 to 30 minutes of the game, they need those things more. These carry heroes most of the time need babysitting because they cannot stand up to enemies alone, especially in the early game. Remember to always be by their side. 
• Torment your enemies – Support heroes cannot kill an opposing team’s core. What you can do is to make their jungling stressful by pulling the jungle creeps, stealing runes, and non-stop attacking. Doing this will delay their items and gold.
• Observe the timings – as a support role in Dota 2, you have more time in your hands to roam around the map and keep an eye on the enemy’s movements, especially on the laning stage. 

Factors like runes, shrines, camps of neutral creeps, and wards, etc., are all completed by the support. Take note of the things that are happening around you and keep your members updated on the events happening in the game through the allied chat.

Types of roles and the 5 best hard support heroes

The number of heroes available in Dota 2 is abundant. There are also various roles or positions that players can choose from. This article will discuss one of the roles known as hard support. Before we get into what hard support is, let us first find out the five roles or positions in Dota 2.

Types of roles

Every position requires its own set of responsibilities. There are factors expected of every role during the game and specific qualities and skills that you must possess when playing them. In order to contribute to the game, it is important to have basic knowledge of the positions played. Below is your guide in League of Legends’ gameplay roles.

Role 1 – The hard carry

In the team, the hard carry has the highest farm priority. This position is always present in a tri-lane in Dota 2 competitive games, with two allied heroes nearby to support and secure the hard carry’s early game farm. Hard carry heroes are more gold dependent than level-dependent due to the frequency of tri-lanes.

Usually, position 1 is filled by hard carry heroes unless the team implements a very aggressive pushing strategy. The hard carry’s goal is to stay alive and control the game’s flow in the early parts while securing as much farm as possible and then make smart decisions in the late game to survive and dominate fights.

Some heroes that fill this role are Phantom Lancer, Luna, and Lifestealer.

Role 2 – The solo, ganker or the semi-carry

A versatile position in terms of the role played for the team is role 2. They are usually seen in the middle lane. Heroes in this position are mainly gold and level-dependent. They are chosen for their mobility, ability to thrive in 1v1 situations, and ability to have a massive effect on other lanes via ganking or fast scaling into the mid-game.

The main goal of role 2 is to outlane the enemy team’s solo mid, allowing their team to gain an advantage in the mid-game through ganking and rune control or early solo farming to build a strong mid-game hero.

Examples of heroes that take on this position are Templar Assassin, Queen of Pain, Puck, Batrider, Magnus, and Brewmaster.

Role 3 – The offlaner or suicide solo

Often referred to as the suicide solo, this role can be played in two primary ways. The first is to go solo in the hard lane against an enemy’s defensive tri-lane. As the name suggests, going up one versus three in the hard lane is challenging, as the name implies. Therefore, the main goal in this situation is to survive, get experience, and farm whenever possible. 

In the early game, this position’s primary role is to avoid dying. Therefore heroes in this role are more level reliant than gold dependent. Heroes in this role usually have a strong set of escape or tank abilities, allowing them to survive in the harsh environment they are placed in. 

The second way to play role 3, commonly known as farming offlane, is to go solo in the safe lane against the hard lane of the other team while using an aggressive tri-lane. In this case, the heroes played in this role tend to match the position of semi-carry and benefit from a good farm.

A few of the heroes who can fill in the ‘suicide solo’ role are Clockwerk, Dark Seer, Bounty Hunter, Dark Seer, and Tidehunter.

Role 4  – The soft support or jungler

Role 4 takes on the jungle and roam the map to occasionally poke their head into lanes to perform ganks. Whenever possible, this role is also tasked to pull jungle creeps in order to maintain lane control in the carry’s lane. Role 4 players are more likely to execute kills in the early game and they are usually the key heroes who put pressure on the other team’s towers.

Some notable heroes that play as the soft support or jungler are Keeper of the Light, Nyx Assassin, Enigma, and Enchantress.

Role 5 – The hard support

An underrated but complex role, position 5 is the least farm-dependent role on the team. The position 5 player is often the team’s backbone, pooling resources by acquiring consumables for the carries and maintaining map control through warding and counter warding. In addition, out of all the roles in the early game, the heroes in positions 4 and 5 have the most impact. 

When it comes to planning the outcome of fights and the entire game, hard support, or position 5, plays a critical role. Furthermore, heroes who fit the hard support role are often capable of making a significant contribution to team fights or even protecting their allies.

5 best hard support heroes

Whether you’re playing in the depths of Herald Hell or the best of Dota 2 universe, you will find these finest hard supports at every rating. Below are the 5 best hard support heroes.

Lion

This hero is one of the most popular hard support choices in the game for one reason: he can make your laning phase a living nightmare. His arsenal transitions well into the mid-game, and he has a knack for the early game, setting up kills and bursting squishy targets.

Vengeful Spirit

Vengeful is a flexible hero who can fill almost any role, but her support gameplay is quite basic. Her magic missile is a dependable nuke that can be utilised to set up kills, thanks to its long stun duration. The wave of terror is a powerful early-game spell that makes dealing blows with opponent heroes a lot easier. Vengeful Spirit’s ultimate Nether Swap is beneficial for starting fights or rescuing teammates from dangerous situations, although it frequently results in sacrificing Venge’s life.

Grimstroke

Grimstroke is one of the best utility-heavy supports in Dota 2. He has a silence, a stun, and a slow in his arsenal. This hero has an ultimate ability that makes him a strong combination with any hero that has unit-target abilities. 

Warlock

Warlock is one of the more straightforward heroes to master in Dota 2. Although he lacks the lane dominance of some of the other heroes on this list, his early game sustain and team fight-oriented kit more than make up for it. Warlock’s Shadow Word is by far the strongest early-game sustain spell, and it can also be used offensively against opponents.

Warlock is a good fit for both pushing and team fight compositions since he is the easiest hero on the list to master and has one of the best initiation spells in the game.

Jakiro

This hero is a jack-of-all-trades. His dual breath is one of the finest early game nukes, in which he can push opponents out of the lane. Liquid Fire is another powerful spell in his arsenal, which he can utilise to annoy enemies and demolish towers quickly.Jakiro can control the tempo of team fights using stun Ice Path and his ultimate Macropyre, in addition to his excellent laning presence. Overall, Jakiro is a fantastic hero in Dota 2 who can fit into most lineups because of his versatility.