The Dota 2 meta is currently in a great place, with many viable heroes for competitive play. However, there are still ways to improve teamwork and gameplay even further. Instead of focusing on statistics, let’s examine the strategic concepts that successful teams have utilized during recent tournaments. By learning and implementing these strategies, you can climb the ranks and improve your own performance.

Attack First: The First Move Advantage

In Dota 2, there is a “first move advantage” that can significantly impact the outcome of a battle between equally farmed cores. When two cores clash, the one who initiates the attack first generally has better chances of winning. For this reason, many carry players are now taking charge and setting the tempo themselves. Similar to the strategies used by CDEC and Agressif in the past, rotating with your ultimate ability to the opposing lane can prove to be a smart move. With Twin Gates, you don’t even need to use a Town Portal Scroll for this maneuver. You can quickly return to farming after making the move. If you’re playing heroes like Faceless Void, Monkey King, Juggernaut, or any hero with a strong setup or damage potential, don’t hesitate to make a move at the right moment. This will not only net you more gold, but also disrupt and frustrate the enemy carry.

Midlane Dominance

The same move can also be made in the midlane with the help of a Town Portal Scroll. However, this tactic is usually riskier, as you’ll be facing a mid hero who may have a level advantage over you. That being said, pairing Faceless Void with a ranged DPS core in the midlane can create a formidable combo. While not all mid heroes can take advantage of this strategy, it’s something to consider for many position two cores in the current meta, such as Snapfire, Puck, and the spirits.

Exploit Early Game Advantage

Take advantage of your knowledge about the enemy support’s habits. You know that they will likely go for the 7-minute Wisdom rune in their offlane. Use this knowledge to your advantage and capitalize on it. Not only will this give you a boost in your own game, but it will also create an advantage for your team’s supports over the enemy supports. The earlier level six powerspike will benefit your team and potentially snowball into a strong midgame. Supports are already incentivized to check the Wisdom runes, so having a numerical advantage in a small skirmish can lead to a kill and bonus XP for your team. Additionally, such an invasion can refill your bottle and give you a chance to scout potential Ancient stacks in the enemy triangle and Tormentor area. Make sure to give your bottle to your support during this invasion so they can gain XP from the Wisdom rune refill.

A Shift Towards Tri-Core

Recently, it seems that many stronger teams are favoring a tri-core strategy. This involves having three damage-dealing cores in all three lanes, supported by heroes like Clockwerk, Spirit Breaker, or Elder Titan, who excel at initiating fights. The role of offlane heroes remains relatively unchanged: jump in and eliminate enemy supports. However, this task is now often assigned to heroes like Lycan, Broodmother, and Legion Commander. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to be somewhat greedy in this patch. Focus on taking towers when possible, but avoid risky Smoke ganks that involve wandering through enemy territory in search of kills. Instead, focus on obtaining the next item, pushing the lane, and applying tower pressure. Punish the defenders if the opportunity arises. Meandering Smokes are less effective on the larger map. Utilize objective-based gameplay and farming efficiency during the post-laning stage for better results. However, keep in mind that there are specific Wisdom rune timings (14 and 21 minutes) where a quick support kill is possible, providing bonus team XP and an opportunity to farm the Ancient camp.

The Babysitter Mentality: Being a Support

As a support player, you’re essentially a babysitter to three capricious cores. Unlike real parents, though, you’ll need to pick a favorite if you want to secure a victory. In most cases, this favorite should be either the midlaner or the offlaner. Their success is crucial for the team’s overall performance. With this in mind, prioritize Twin Gate rotations from the safe lane to the offlane. This approach is not only easier but also allows for sandwiching the enemy. Additionally, control Active and Water Runes to benefit your midlaner. It’s usually the safelane support who should rotate and assist the midlane. Make sure you communicate your intentions and let your carry know that you’re leaving the lane. If the carry dies in your absence, the responsibility lies with them. Remember, they don’t need to be overly greedy.

Continued Exploration in the New Patch

The recent patch is still being explored by players and teams, with new strategies and concepts continually emerging. Despite the short gap between the Bali Major and Riyadh Masters, many innovative ideas were conceived, tested, and successfully implemented at the highest level of play. We can expect to see more of this in the future, especially with The International rapidly approaching.