Know the game’s mechanics

There is no shortcut to getting better at Dota 2, and it gets especially difficult when you are unaware of how the game works. The simple knowledge of drawing Creeps Aggro (AI agression) will determine whether you will lose or win a lane.

Creeps and towers have an automated system of prioritising their targets and this mechanics can be exploited by the players in their favour while choosing to push or get pushed in the lane.

Get familiar with the effectiveness of armours, magic resistance and  movement speed of different heroes and how different spells work in conjunction with other spells from your  allies. You might lose the lane to a familiar hero whom you have defeated in the past, countless times, just because of that three armour his ring of protection provided him. And I’m sure you’ve come across the moment when you got killed by a tower while you were aiming to land a death blow on an opponent hero who just happened to use his magic wand with eight charges in it.

Simple things like these always make a huge difference. But if you are negligent about using these techniques, then your Dota 2 learning cliff will only get steeper.

Keep calm

One of the most natural things to happen while playing Dota 2 is the discussions—or quarrels—you get into. And most often, it is not the opponents, but your team mates who trigger the exchange of nasty comments and play the blame-game. Irrespective of how good a player is, she or he will have to take the blame if the team is losing. Some in your clan will point out your mistake  while others will ask you to uninstall the game and kill yourself. But always be a good sport and take comments positively. Even if they are useless, keep calm. Mute the abusive player if you have to, and if you are one of them, then try and improve your behaviour. It is not just the question of morals, since problems within a team can put the future of the team in jeopardy—you simply can’t win without the support of your team. So live and let live.

Timing

Timing—for Dota 2 and virtually any other game—is everything. Every millisecond matters and should be used wisely. In order to be good at this game, you should know when it is time to farm, when to regroup for gank, check roshan, push the lanes and take towers. Check the cooldown of your spells and use them wisely. And don’t forget to check how long it will take for your allies to have their ultimate skill off cooldown. Know how long it will take for other teams to have their vital spells ready and if they have fortification available or not. Wait for the spawn of Siege Creeps to push the lane and deal more damage to the tower and keep your eyes on the clock to secure runes and stack creeps whenever you are near the camp. All these measures will make a huge difference to your success and failure in team duels and in gaining gold and experience.

Timing also affects the spell-cast animations and their effects. The stun that disables you for 5 seconds, the cast animation of 0.5 second on the opposing hero’s ult that you can disrupt, the hero’s animation of 0.2 seconds before he can attack again; every spell and every other twitch the creeps and heroes make brings about  vital differences on the outcome of a battle and that knowledge will give you an edge over your foes.

Communicate with your team

Dota 2 is a team game and you have four other players joining forces with you. It is best to keep yourself updated on what the others are up to. Communication can make or break a teamfight.

Know thy hero

Yes, if you want to master a hero, there is no other way but to play it over and over again. Remember, you are trying to learn and get better at playing a hero and the more you face tough games, the more your knowledge of the heroes’ abilities and vulnerabilities will expand. You will never find a good player who chooses his heroes randomly. In case you wondered how AdmiralBulldog was able to play those Syllabear and Nature’s Prophet to perfection, he practiced about 300 games continuously with each hero before he got scouted for his skills by Dendi in a pub game. So, practice and practice some more. Experiment with your hero and try to figure out what works and what does not. It is also important to find out why certain things do not work while playing a certain hero.

Know your role

Every hero is different and there are different ways to play them. They can be used differently to make the best out of what role you are playing for your team. You can either go mid-lane with your Windranger and max Powershot with just level-one Shackle Shot for pushing lane, or you could play a support Windranger with max shackle shot for being more useful in ganks early on. There are different approaches one can make to contribute to the team and this includes preferring certain skills and items over others. It is perfectly okay to have three slots on a support Wraith King within 20 minutes of the game, no matter how much others try to bring you down for it. So, always know what you are meant to do for the team: gank, support, push or carry. Let your game inventory and skill upgrading pattern support that decision as well.

Map awareness

Always check the minimap after every few seconds. Keep track of heros’ positions and the movements of your teammates and opponents as well. A successful gank, counter gank, push or counter-push along with predictions on coming ganks on your own hero can all be achieved with map awareness.

Learn from your losses

Perhaps the most vital aspect of improving in Dota 2 is learning from lost battles. A loss is more important than a win for anyone who is trying to improve and get better, rather than just preferring an easy victory. There is always one good reason, if not more, for losing a game—you can make fun of those who call you a noob later.

We all remember those games, in which we owned six slotted carries but still lost them because someone thought that 150 gold was not worth it for an observer ward. There is  always a room for improvement, if you are able to figure out what

went wrong and what should have been done to avert the loss. With a little common sense and a whole lot of observation, you can expect to know a lot more about the game in comparison to others who just frown on losses and jump with joy on wins.

Confidence

Sanjay Shrestha alias a.k.a3cY, who is a member of the Nepal-reigning 3c4sr, says, “Confidence in your own ability is very important. There are times when you are part of the losing side and this might sadden you.  But have confidence in yourself and try not to repeat the same mistake .”