Dota 2 Guide for Newbies

Preface: this text will be useful for those who have just started taking their first steps in Dota 2. All the tips may seem obvious, boring or you just may not like them, but without them entering the game will be more difficult. Therefore, here you definitely will not see the guide on Brewmaster, will not know how to raise the MMR and will not get the answer to the question “how to get into eSports”. There will be only those things that you need to pay attention to in the first place.

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”

Key Bindings

Seriously, bind your keys. YouTube has not been banned yet(sorry China), so you can easily find a lot of tutorials about how you can do this. The adjustment should be made for each character, for the courier, for the usage of the glyph, for the management of summoned pets, clones, and in general for everything. On some skills use ordinary casts, and Quickcasts (quick use of the ability) on others, this will save you precious milliseconds.

Learn all the possible actions of the characters, and how they affect the game. Thanks to the proper use of shortcuts a lot of Pros not only save their time, but also demonstrate witty ways to dominate the opponent.

"Speed is weight. Have you ever been kicked at lightspeed?" 

The Devil is in the Detail

Study the characteristics of the characters, use your brain and think about how these characters can be used, and then — to battle! Stumble and realize that many things had already been invented before you came here.

Get familiar with guides and tips that will help you understand different mechanics of the game and the interaction between characters better. Keep track of how professionals play and what they do in certain situations. Try not to repeat other’s mistakes.

 “The little details are by far the most important.”

I Play the Role of a Man That Everyone Hates

Unfortunately, Dota 2 developers, unlike League of Legends’, do not bother much about the normal and healthy interaction of the community within the game. Rude, boorish and inadequate behaviour will follow players absolutely everywhere.

Many find it very difficult to continue playing due to the flood in voice and text chats. From the very beginning, you should be prepared to get diagnosed with cancer, your relatives will be loved in various sophisticated poses, and the gypsy curses will flow in abundance.

No need to be upset though, because there is a great function of blocking messages from individual players. Just don’t pay attention.  

 “You have the grand gift of silence. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion.”

Keep calm and…

Do not forget that you too can get mute for naughty statements spat in a fit of anger. So always keep in mind that you need to talk calmly with allies. Swearing and accusations will never solve the problem, but rather only worsen the situation.

All your teammates are people just like you and are also exposed to the destructive influence of words on morale and fighting spirit. Dysmoral leads to more mistakes, which will result in inevitable defeat.

“For every minute you are angry you lose sixty seconds of happiness.”

Red Pill and Blue Pill

If you want to spend your time in some kind of online game with a large selection of characters, you need to decide on what style you’d like to play. There are 5 positions in Dota 2, and each has its own pros and cons, and you have to be ready for them. First, try playing all the characters, and then make your choice. Choose the character which you find the most interesting, the most convenient to control and the most comfortable to play.

“Funny how sometimes you just find things.”

If you want to win, you have to limit yourself to a small number of characters, as it is easier to perform incredible stunts on a well-trained hero. Remember the story of Admiral Bulldog, who became well-known, thanks to a pair of characters, and eventually achieved a lot.

Welcome to Bikini Bottom

Sooner or later you will want to play ranked matchmaking, and get your first rank. You need to be prepared for the fact that it will not be as high as you expect. Therefore, as soon as such an opportunity arises, you should not rush. First, prepare a hero pool that you can use on any line, if you do not want to buy Dota Plus, otherwise, a search by roles solves the problem of choice. Only after you feel confident in the game, go to rank-battles, in other cases, you will have to start from the very bottom, and you will suffer.

“Rule #32 – Enjoy the Little Things.”

Do not Rush

We hope that you have read our advice to the end and will make the right, well-considered choice. There will be a rough beginning, but it is in your interest to overcome the difficulties. Practice more, learn new things, and you will become better than many. And the most important - don’t let anybody stop you!. We wish you success in Dota 2!