During The International 2022 championship, Skiter’s incredible performance as a Carry for the Tundra Esports had us all drop our jaws to the floor. It also taught us how crucial a properly farmed Carry is for victory. So, there’s no surprise many beginners would want to learn how to farm like a pro in Dota 2.
If seeing all the pro players farm the lanes and jungle without breaking a sweat has made you question your farming abilities, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, we explain everything you need to know about farming in Dota 2 and explore some farming tips that are essential for pro-level farming. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
How To Farm Like Pros In Dota 2?
If there’s one mechanic in Dota 2 that alone has the potential to turn any match around, it’s farming in the game. Especially when you’re playing a hard Carry role, your game’s lifeline revolves around your farming potential. A well-farmed Carry is almost invulnerable by the late game and can take the match in any direction.
With that, let’s break down the requirements and general tips for farming in Dota 2, that are necessary to achieve a high MMR demeanor and attitude in the game.
Best Farming Heroes In Dota 2
Before we begin our understanding of Dota 2 lane and jungle farming, let’s take a quick look at what type of heroes are the best for farming. As a general rule of thumb, the position 1 hero playing the Carry role should have substantial farm potential. As Carry players are the most farm-dependent, you should always prioritize that from the early-to-mid game.
That said, a Carry shouldn’t be the only one focused on farming Gold and XP. If your hero is dependent on slotting all the core items as early as possible, you should dedicate significant game time to clear out creep waves. Offlaner Support heroes usually benefit highly from solid farming early on.
Let’s take a look at some of the abilities and mechanics that separate a naturally good Carry hero from others:
Good Mobility
One of the most important factors to consider while farming is your hero’s mobility. Highly mobile heroes like Anti-Mage, Lycan, and Dark Seer fit this role perfectly due to their ability to push lanes quickly, take towers, and escape gank fights whenever needed.
Waves Clearing
The 2nd most important factor while farming is the potential of your hero to clear our waves of creep. Hence, heroes with massive AoE abilities like Tinker, Queen of Pain, and Sven can benefit significantly in this position. It gives you a better chance of last hitting the enemies and securing the needed Gold.
Illusions
Finally, due credit should be given to the heroes who can wield illusions during the battle. So, heroes like Naga Siren, Terrorblade, and Chaos Knight can take advantage of their illusions and push into multiple creep waves at a time.
How To Farm Efficiently In The Laning Phase?
In a typical match of Dota 2, most of the farming is done during the first 10 minutes of the game, usually known as the Laning phase. As a Carry, you will be playing in the Safelane during this phase. While laning, there are several things you need to focus on for efficient farming, as we have described below:
Lane Equilibrium
For efficient farming in the lane, it is important for you to manipulate the equilibrium in your lane, controlling where the two opposing creep waves collide with each other. Usually, in the mid lane, the halfway point is the safe bet.
You want to prevent enemy waves near your towers, giving the opponents a chance to force you out of the lane. At the same time, you want to be in a position to safely push or pull from the lane to secure the most last hits.
Lane Positioning
Your positioning in the lane can be the key difference between a life and death situation. If you’re a Carry, you’d most likely be safe in the middle lane, with an ally always behind you for support. However, the side lanes are surely more dangerous territories, so make sure you have an escape plan and high ability while playing in them to avoid harassment from enemy heroes.
Lane Pushing
Pushing lanes and taking space is important for completing objectives, taking tier 1 and tier 2 towers, and forcing out rotations from the enemy. However, the key to effective pushing is knowing how and when to do it. It is ideal to have your boots upgraded for increased mobility before you push the safe lane and start farming camps.
Once you have solid mobility, you can shift between farming camps and lanes for maximum gold. Furthermore, you can trick the enemy to rotate to the Safelane while you escape into the jungle for farming.
Farming In The Jungle
After you have effectively farmed the lanes, as a Carry, your priority should be to secure enemy stacks in the jungle and farm as many creeps there as possible.
Know Which Camps To Farm First In The Jungle
The better you utilize your time in the jungle, the more efficient your farming will be. Therefore, you should understand the map’s dynamic and hit the key camps first. As long as your tier 1 tower is standing, the camps around it will be the easiest to hit first. We recommend moving to the camps farther away in the main jungle once you lose your tower, or you are waiting for mid-camps to re-spawn.
Judge The Situation To Avoid Getting Killed In The Jungle
Depending on the enemies’ positioning, jungling can be extremely difficult, causing you to come out with an inefficient farm, putting you at a disadvantage against the enemy counterpart. Make sure you have an escape plan in case the enemies rotate to your position. Furthermore, do not farm the jungle without Blink Dagger, Boot of Travel, or some ability to help you re-position.
Jungle Warding
One of the best ways to avoid getting ganked and dying in the jungle, if you have no means of escape is via jungle warding. In this regard, you need a good vision of the jungle, so you don’t get caught off-guard. You should have solid communication with your team’s Support player, who can ward the jungle with the sentry wards, making it safer for you to farm the jungle.
5 Tips For Farming Like Pros In Dota 2
Now that you understand the dynamic of farming in the game, let’s look at some quick and reliable tips that will help you farm like a pro in Dota 2.
- Securing Kills And Last Hits
The best farming technique you can master is securing kills and last hits on enemies. If you have projectiles, utilize them to kill fleeing enemies. If you have teleportation skills, make use of it to effectively engage and disengage into combat. Don’t forget to last hit towers for increased gold.
- Stacking Camps
As a Carry, make sure you’re constantly stacking camps in the jungle with the help of your Support player. Choose a safe camp in the jungle and start stacking it as the neutral creeps re-spawn for maximum farming in a limited time.
- Keep Moving Around The Map
Make sure you are efficiently moving around the map to farm much quicker. It’s important to switch between lanes and jungle while farming creeps. Furthermore, be aware of your enemies’ positioning and trick them into rotating away from you.
- Push Enemies Out Of The Lane When Possible
If you have good teammates in the side lanes, they can help harass enemy players, pushing them out of the lane. It significantly increases your chances of getting maximum gold during the Laning phase.
- Bounty Rune Control
As runes spawn at both ends of the game, it is vital for you to take control of them for much quicker farming. Make sure you find out the bounty rune out of the two and exploit its increased gold to your advantage.
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it, a complete pro-level farming guide with tips that are used in nail-biting tournament matches, where stakes are much higher. If you follow all the tips mentioned here, there’s nothing standing in your way to becoming a total menace for your enemies. If you found this article helpful, be sure to check out more Dota 2 guides on our page!