Laning Tips for Dota 2: Master the Early Game
Laning in Dota 2 may seem simple, focusing on last-hitting creeps for gold. However, there’s more to it than meets the eye. Understanding the underlying elements of the game can give you an advantage, preventing your opponents from contributing to their team and bringing you closer to victory.
The laning stage and early game are crucial in Dota 2, often more important than any other phase. This period sets the tone for decision-making, item choices, and farming patterns for heroes on the map. It can even lead some players to abandon their team in moments of turmoil.
Your hero selection at the start of a Dota 2 match significantly impacts the game’s direction. While being countered during the picking stage can make it challenging to utilize your hero’s abilities, it doesn’t always have to be the case.
In this article, we’ll provide you with valuable insights on how to improve your laning in Dota 2.
1. Learn from the Pros
Playing Dota 2 is not always the best way to improve. Imagine if the first humans had a tutor from the future teaching them the basics. They would progress through the Stone Age much faster. Similarly, you can accelerate your learning by watching professional or high-ranked players who excel in your preferred role. Download their replays or find them on YouTube. Pay attention to their laning strategies and take notes on surprising moments and their decision-making.
After analyzing their gameplay, try to replicate their strategies in your next match. This exercise will enhance your understanding of the laning stage and improve your decision-making in microgame situations, vital for success in the laning phase.
2. Don’t Follow Recommended Starting Items Blindly
While the guides in Dota 2 provide useful guidance, thinking critically about your item choices can give you an advantage. Consider the heroes you’ll be laning against and tailor your items accordingly. Prioritize regeneration and stat items to increase your damage, but adjust your choices based on your opponents. If you anticipate an aggressive lane, invest more in regeneration to sustain yourself.
When facing heroes like Bristleback, Skywrath Mage, or Zeus who spam spells, consider buying a Magic Stick early on to boost your laning presence.
Although Magic Wand is generally a must-have item, against heroes with fewer spells, you can delay purchasing it in favor of other impactful items. Getting boots early can help with rotations and securing kills in other lanes, enabling your teammates to gain an advantage over their opponents.
3. Develop Your Laning Mentality and Focus on Small Objectives
Most players enter their lanes without considering their opponents. Establishing a pre-laning routine can guide your item choices and play style. In many lanes, players alternate between being aggressors and defenders. Defenders should know when to apply pressure, while aggressors must recognize when to play defensively. For example, a lane with Crystal Maiden and Juggernaut may begin defensively due to Crystal Maiden’s fragility. As Crystal Maiden levels up, the duo can gradually become more aggressive, especially after Juggernaut reaches level six.
Even if your opponents have stronger heroes during the laning stage, you can still harass them by exploiting the creeps’ positioning. Whenever a hero attacks a creep, they become immobilized while performing their attack animation. Use this opportunity to harass them and lower their health.
While toppling your opponent’s tower is the ultimate objective, focus on securing range creeps in the early game. Range creeps grant the most XP and gold, allowing you to out-level your opponents. As a support or core hero, utilize neutral creep pulling to deny your enemies XP. Aggro the neutral creeps at the right time to maintain lane equilibrium and hinder your enemy’s progress.
4. Capitalize on Bounty and Power-Up Runes
Every five minutes, four bounty runes appear on the map, granting extra gold to teams. Aim to secure at least two of them, if not more. If an enemy is vying for a bounty rune, use it as an opportunity to put pressure on their laning partner.
Power-up runes spawn every two minutes and can shift the momentum of a mid lane matchup. Runes like Haste, Invisibility, or Double Damage can be used to secure kills on the map. As a support, getting these runes can also benefit your mid laner. Communicate with them and offer your assistance when picking up power-up runes.
5. Play Around Timings and Power Spikes
Rune timings are not the only opportunities to make plays on the map. Recognize the power spikes during the laning stage, triggered by level or item advantages. Identifying these moments can catch your enemies off guard, granting you an advantage. For example, if you have boots before your opponent, you gain a movement speed advantage. Level advantages can also unlock powerful spells, giving you temporary superiority.
6. Coordinate with Your Lane Partner and Avoid Stacking Stuns
Using up all your mana on spells can leave you vulnerable, but conserving it aimlessly is not ideal either. Use your spells strategically and avoid stacking stuns with your lane partner. Timing is crucial. When your partner stuns an enemy, cast your stun when their stun timer is close to ending. This prolongs the overall stun duration, allowing you to deal more auto-attack damage.
7. Master Pulling and Jungle Switching
In the current Dota 2 map, every hero can find a nearby jungle camp, ensuring consistent farming. In side lanes, when you push the wave too far, pull the allied wave to the closest neutral camp. This both denies your opponents XP and brings the lane equilibrium in your favor. You have two chances to do this per minute, so pay attention to the creep positions. Guides and pro player replays can help you master this technique. Mid laners can also farm neutral camps between creep waves when pushing the lane under the enemy tower.
8. Utilize Town Portal Scrolls (TP)
At the start of a Dota 2 match, you receive three Town Portal Scrolls (TP). These scrolls allow you to make free rotations across the map, greatly increasing your team’s chances of success. If you spot enemies diving under a tower, use your TP and secure easy kills. Consider farming the jungle before returning to your lane from the other side of the map. Note that this strategy is more viable for core heroes, as supports may struggle with early game jungle farming.
Watching replays from professional players can enhance your Dota 2 skills. However, if you’re struggling to apply what you’ve learned, consider seeking guidance from high-ranked coaches. Immortal-tier coaches possess extensive knowledge of the game and can pinpoint your weaknesses. Through personalized replay analyses, these coaches can provide valuable insights and help you improve your gameplay, accelerating your climb up the ranks.
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