As Our Heroes Learn, Episode 2

When we last left our heroes, we were still struggling to put together some semblance of an understanding of how to play Dota 2. In our previous episode, we discussed why we might choose Dota 2 over other MOBAs like League of Legends, as well as how to get the game for free and which heroes to stay away from at first.

Today, we’ll discuss the what, when, where, how and why of Dota 2.

What?

So, what do we start doing in Dota 2? No one will stop you from diving headfirst into All Pick all by your lonesome (solo queue), which allows you to select any hero you wish. I’ve found this method to be baptism by fire. It’s a bit overwhelming to choose only one hero out of the nearly 100 available for play when we don’t even know what they do.

I’ve personally found more success in Single Draft, in which the game will pick three heroes for each player randomly and allow them to choose from that small pool. Random Draft also works well for this reason, although you’re still likely to find yourself playing a hero not necessarily ideal for new players. Captain’s Mode is also great, because it gives you the time to communicate with other players before the game, make them aware of your noobliness, and proceed accordingly. Least Played is relatively useless to us noobdoodles until later on, as every hero is my least played hero. All Random is exactly that, and although Gaben himself has said that the best way to learn new heroes is to be given one randomly, I’ve found that it’s better (at first, at least) to find a hero you can be comfortable with in order to learn the mechanics of the game itself (ganking, last hitting, map awareness, things we’ll get into in Episode 3).

Additionally, you can go to Create Lobby or Find a Lobby to join many different types of games, including Mid Only, which restricts play to only the center lane, alongside Reverse Captain’s Mode, which is the same as Captain’s Mode, except your Captain picks heroes for the other team instead of your own. Many of these custom game types are great places to practice, as it’s usually less about winning and more about fun and challenging play.

Next, what role do we choose? Wait, what’s a role? Here is a fantastic breakdown of what roles exist, although this structure is quite loose, based on your team’s composition and the items you want to build. Many different heroes can fill many different roles.

Well then, let’s find your playstyle first. Are you a carry, a glass cannon waiting to cull the enemy ranks once your team initiates? Do you better understand how to tank damage for your allies than to deal it? Do you prefer a healer, a utility hero, a support? Do you work better alone than with a teammate? Alone, are you better 1v1 in the middle lane or as a jungler (or in a side lane if your team already has a jungler)? On this, I can give you no advice. Each player has their own style, their own approach, their own strategies, their own goals. That’s what makes each game so interesting and different!

Who?

Myself, I’ve always enjoyed the role of medic, healer or support. I’ve just always found that while I can sometimes manage to play the role of a carry, I’m not the best initiator or ganker. In general, my expertise seems to lie in knowing when to provide back up, when to get back or when to follow, when to blow those big invulnerability or healing spells, who to disable, etc. As such, I’ve had great success playing with Dazzle, Enchantress, Omniknight, Nature’s Prophet, and Witch Doctor. I try to branch out to learn more and more with new heroes, as sticking only to what you know will immediately limit your ability to learn.

So who fits you best? Besides browsing the link above covering roles in the game, which will provide suggestions on good heroes for each role, the best way to find out is to try. How you do that it up to you, but the best part of Dota 2 (as it seems to this noob) is that these roles and hero choices can be incredibly flexible.

In Episode 1, we suggested that beginners should stay away from certain heroes as their kits are very difficult to understand and play. If only there was a very readable and educational wiki that has a complex ranking system for hero difficulty, listing which heroes are ideal for new players to try out when learning the game.

Two words: Tobi Wan, that’s who. This guy has been my absolute best friend in learning Dota 2. While a lot of the lingo flies over my head, I’ve found that watching his casting can provide valuable insight not necessarily on how to build or what to do when, but on the past of these heroes in professional play, why certain picks and bans are made, and why each hero works (or doesn’t work) in each situation. Tobi Wan does a fantastic job of breaking down the thought processes and behavior of the pros into something tangible that I can wrap my head around, which has certainly helped me get one step closer to success.

You can also find a great array of pro and amateur players streaming online; some are more entertaining while others can be more educational. The Watch tab in game is also a great place to find tournaments, streams and live games. Spectating games is also a great way to watch the action up close, especially when you spectate directly from one player’s perspective which allows you to see where they click, how they play, everything.

When?

Timing is everything in Dota 2, and I don’t just mean timing your ganks or ults. I’d love to find some clear metrics on when toxic players come out to ruin our games, but in general I’ve found that there are certain times during the week and on weekends when I experience generally fewer toxic players. Of course, many people have a limited window of time in which to play, so take it when you can get it.

When friends can play, play. Unless it’s a custom game where every hero is controlled by the AI except yourself, you will always be playing with others. It’s always best to make sure that the people you’ll be learning with understand that you’re learning. My rate of success seems to go up exponentially when I can party with players I know, players who are there to have fun, players who most importantly won’t flip out on you when you build an item you shouldn’t have or made a play that got you and another killed.

Playing with friends who are also learning the game can be just as educational as playing with friendly veterans, if not more so. In doing this, you don’t necessarily have to play the hero to know what they do and how. Learning how heroes work together to form an effective strategy through team comp(osition) is equally as important as knowing what you have to do, and friendly vocal communication is the best way to accomplish this.

Where?

For the most part, all the information you’ll need to learn the ropes is right in the game. Under the Learn tab, you can find all the heroes and their abilities, with several search filters, along with all the items you can build, as well as in-game hero builds that will serve as a handy guide while you play. Guides are very useful, but never take them as more than mere suggestion. You have to understand the why of what you’re doing, as well as the how. All too often, I see new players make the mistake of searching, “dota 2 venomancer guide” online and assume that the first link is the gospel truth on how that hero should be built and played. So much of this information is entirely situational, to the point that any given hero can (and does) have a dozen completely viable guides.

Dota 2 shines in this regard, as it’s on you. You must decide what your team needs, what you’re best at, what build for a hero works best (not in general, but for you). Some guides are flawless for that particular situation. Most of the time, unfortunately, you’re not going to be in that particular situation.

How?

I am so glad I was wrong on this point! Dota 2, as above the beginning of March, now has an in-game tutorial! This short introduction comes in the rather exciting form of Dota 2’s new Quest mode. Once in the Quests menu under the Play tab, we’re greeted with a map of the world (what is this world called anyway?). Enter in and find yourself in control of Dave, the Dragon Knight. He’s a fantastic choice for a first time player, and the first quest will walk you through all the basics: last hitting, buying from the store and how items build on each other, dealing and avoiding damage, using abilities, interacting with other heroes, and so on.

Right after the tutorial is complete, we’re greeted with the chance to go straight into a practice games versus bots, or we can head to the forums. Valve seems keen on making sure that player input is of the utmost importance, and hopes to expand their tutorial based on your feedback (especially as a noob, as that’s who this tutorial is being made for).

From the Dota 2 blog: “This [tutorial] is just the first step, and we felt it was important to ship it so that you could help us figure out the right next step. Bringing new players into Dota is something we’ll be doing in collaboration with you, combining single player tutorial adventures with features like the recently released Hero Guides.”

I really hope they expand this mode into something grand. Here’s hoping we can see the tutorial progress into something exciting, maybe even some challenging PvE content.

Why?

Ugh. Why indeed. So far, Dota 2 has been trial after tribulation. A brick wall to lovingly bang your head against. The matchmaking system seems capable enough, although I still find myself facing incredibly experienced players on new accounts stomping my face. So many items are so powerful, and I’m still struggling to remember them all, much less remembering to use them in battle along with my hero’s kit. I’ve fully accepted that I suck, which has honestly made things more fun when I stop getting down on myself and just treat this like what it is: a recreational video game. To many, myself included at times, it ceases to be a game and starts resembling a fight for my next breath.  It’s tough, rage inducing, ego deflating, finger numbing, fist clenching, and might just harm your relationships…

…but I’ve never played anything like Dota 2 in my life, and I’m in love. Similarly to Dark Souls, because it’s been such a challenge to become capable in this game, the payoff is that much greater. The first game where I made plays, found myself in the right place at the right time with the right items and the right timing on the right spells, where I knew what I was doing and did it, I was practically on my knees crying in joy. What a feeling! To find yourself scared of feeding, unsure what to do, hugging your tower like past games, hoping someone carries our team to victory, and then it clicks. You find your opening and you and your teammates strike, you get that kill, you keep farming, you get that lead. Even if you died, it’s progress. And then: victory. This is absolutely exquisite.

I’m very much beginning to understand why BDSM aficionados do what they do…

Post-script: While I’ve yet to break down and buy some keys for these treasure chests, the $10 I spent on the Bastion announcer for Dota 2 has been all too worth it. Highly recommended.