Dota 2: How to Play

Getting Started with Dota 2

Dota 2 is one of the most difficult games for beginners, but this guide will help you take your first steps and learn the basics faster.

Step 1: Download and Installation

1. Open Steam
2. Find Dota 2 in the store
3. Click "Play for Free"
4. Wait for download to complete (about 40 GB)

Step 2: Complete the Tutorial

MANDATORY complete the built-in tutorial:

1. Launch the game
2. Select "Learn"
3. Complete all tutorials:
   • Movement and attack basics
   • Using abilities
   • Buying items
   • Basic strategy

This takes 30-60 minutes but provides necessary foundation.

Step 3: Understanding Basics

Game Objective

Main Goal: Destroy the enemy Ancient (main building at opponent's base)

How to Do It:

1. Farm gold and experience
2. Buy items to strengthen hero
3. Destroy enemy towers
4. Work as a team
5. Attack opponent's base

Map

Dota 2 map is divided into two halves:

• Radiant - bottom left side
• Dire - top right side

Three Lanes:

• Safe Lane - easiest for farming
• Mid Lane - 1v1, fast experience
• Off Lane - most dangerous

Jungle:

• Neutral monsters for farming
• Power runes every 2 minutes
• Ward spots

Step 4: Choosing a Hero

Heroes for Beginners

Easy Heroes to Start:

Carry:

• Wraith King - one active ability, hard to die
• Juggernaut - simple, strong at all game stages
• Sniper - attacks from long range

Support:

• Lich - simple abilities, helps team
• Ogre Magi - tanky, simple abilities
• Crystal Maiden - classic support

Midlaner:

• Viper - simple, strong in lane
• Zeus - magic damage, easy to farm

Offlaner:

• Bristleback - very tanky
• Centaur Warrunner - simple, durable

Hero Roles

Position 1 (Carry):

• Plays Safe Lane
• Needs lots of farm
• Weak early, strong late
• Main damage dealer

Position 2 (Midlaner):

• Plays Mid Lane
• Gains levels quickly
• Strong mid game
• Often initiates fights

Position 3 (Offlaner):

• Plays Off Lane
• Creates space for team
• Durable, hard to kill
• Initiator or tank

Position 4 (Soft Support):

• Helps Offlaner
• Roams around map
• Places wards
• Initiates fights

Position 5 (Hard Support):

• Helps Carry
• Buys all wards and support items
• Least gold
• Protects team

Step 5: Basic Mechanics

Last Hit

Most important mechanic for farming:

• Kill creep with last hit
• Only way to get gold
• Practice attack timing
• Use abilities for last hit (careful with mana)

Tips:

• Watch creep HP
• Account for attack projectile time
• Don't push lane without reason

Deny

Killing your own creeps:

• When your creep has less than 50% HP, you can kill it
• Press A + click on your creep
• Enemy gets less experience
• You control lane position

Warding

Observer Ward:

• Gives vision on map
• Place in key positions
• Helps avoid ganks
• Restocks every 2:30 minutes

Sentry Ward:

• Reveals invisible enemies
• Reveals enemy wards
• Used for dewarding

Where to Place Wards:

• Near runes
• On approaches to lane
• Near Roshan
• On high ground

Stacking

Increasing neutral creep count:

1. Approach neutral camp
2. At :53-:55 minute mark, attack them
3. Lead away from camp
4. New creeps spawn with old ones

Why:

• More gold and experience
• Faster farm for carry
• Jungle control

Pulling

Pulling lane creeps:

1. Attack neutral camp near lane
2. Bring neutrals to your creeps
3. Creeps will fight neutrals

Why:

• Lane position control
• Extra farm for support
• Safety for carry

Step 6: Items

Starting Items

For Carry:

• Tango (healing)
• Healing Salve (quick heal)
• Iron Branch (cheap stats)
• Slippers of Agility / Gauntlets of Strength

For Support:

• Observer Ward
• Tango
• Clarity (mana restore)
• Iron Branch
• Smoke of Deceit (for ganks)

Basic Items

For Everyone:

• Magic Stick/Wand - emergency heal
• Boots - movement speed
• Town Portal Scroll - teleportation (ALWAYS carry!)

For Carry:

• Power Treads / Phase Boots
• Wraith Band / Bracer
• Magic Wand

For Support:

• Tranquil Boots / Arcane Boots
• Magic Wand
• Wind Lace

Core Items

For Carry:

• Black King Bar (BKB) - magic immunity
• Battle Fury - fast farming
• Desolator - increased damage
• Butterfly - evasion and damage

For Support:

• Glimmer Cape - invisibility for ally
• Force Staff - displacement
• Mekansm - team heal
• Aether Lens - increased ability range

Step 7: Game Strategy

Early Game (0-10 minutes)

Carry:

• Focus on last hitting
• Don't die
• Ask support for help

Support:

• Protect carry
• Place wards
• Harass enemies
• Stack and pull

Midlaner:

• Win lane
• Control runes
• Gank other lanes after level 6

Mid Game (10-30 minutes)

• Group for team fights
• Destroy towers
• Control Roshan
• Farm efficiently

Late Game (30+ minutes)

• Don't die without reason (long respawn)
• Play carefully
• Buy Buyback
• One fight can decide game

Step 8: Team Play

Communication

Use chat and voice:

• Report missing enemies
• Coordinate ganks
• Plan team fights
• Be polite

Useful Phrases:

• "Missing mid" - enemy disappeared from mid lane
• "Gank top" - let's gank top lane
• "Push mid" - let's push mid
• "Roshan" - let's kill Roshan

Team Fights

Positioning:

• Carry - back, safe position
• Support - front, ready to use abilities
• Initiator - looking for opportunity to start fight
• Tank - takes damage

Focus:

• Kill enemy supports first
• Then carry
• Use abilities wisely
• Don't waste everything on one target

Step 9: Improvement Tips

General Tips

1. Play one-two heroes - better to know them well
2. Watch replays - analyze mistakes
3. Learn from professionals - watch streams and tournaments
4. Play with friends - easier to learn together
5. Be patient - Dota 2 is complex, progress comes with time

Common Beginner Mistakes

❌ Don't buy TP Scroll - always carry teleport! ❌ Push lane without reason - it's dangerous ❌ Don't watch minimap - missing important information ❌ Play solo - Dota 2 is team game ❌ Don't buy wards (for supports) - team is blind ❌ Chase too long - wasting time ❌ Don't use items - buy but forget to activate

What to Do Right

✅ Always carry TP Scroll ✅ Watch minimap every 5 seconds ✅ Communicate with team ✅ Farm efficiently - don't stand idle ✅ Buy right items - check guides ✅ Play your role - don't try to do everything ✅ Learn from mistakes - analyze what went wrong

Step 10: Learning Resources

Useful Websites

• Dotabuff - player and match statistics
• OpenDota - detailed analytics
• Dota 2 Wiki - hero and item information
• Liquipedia - tournament and team information

YouTube Channels

• Purge - detailed beginner guides
• BSJ (BananaSlamJamma) - carry training
• Jenkins - professional match analysis
• GameLeap - quick tips and tricks

Streamers

Watch professional players on Twitch:

• Learn their decisions
• Watch how they farm
• Study positioning
• Ask in chat

Conclusion

Dota 2 is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't expect to become an expert in a week or even a month. Even after thousands of hours, there's always something to learn.

Key Points to Remember:

1. Practice last hitting - foundation of farming
2. Always carry TP - saves lives
3. Watch map - information = victory
4. Play as team - Dota 2 is not for solo players
5. Be positive - toxicity hurts everyone
6. Learn constantly - game constantly changes

Start with simple heroes, play against bots, then move to normal matches. Don't be afraid to make mistakes - it's part of learning. Good luck on the battlefield! 🎮 ```