DOTA 2

[BusbyBerkeley]

Jakiro is who I go to when I've been on a losing streak. He's pretty strong in a dual or tri lane, and he wins your team so many fights with his crazy aoe damage. Plus hitting people with ice path is one of the only things in dota that I'm good at.

 

Jakiro is a great time. Ice path is a HUGE aoe stun that stuns people when they walk into it, so it's very forgiving. Such a good feeling closing off an escape route and liquid fire is really great now that you can manually cast it. It even has a longer range than your autoattack. Great for harrassing in lane and for pushing towers. Plus he combos so well with a lot of other guys. He was one of the first dudes I felt pretty ok with.

[taterdactyl]

The bf and I do a Tusk/Centaur combo that's beyond fun. As soon as we hit level 2, he rolls us in, I stomp, get a hit or two, double edge, d-e-d dead. And if they try to run, ice shards then d-e-d dead. We usually get a lot of early kills, so I'm nice and farmed up and get tanky as f*ck. Then I sit and laugh maniacally as they try to kill me late game. Our friend usually plays sniper with this combo so he can sit back and blast them while we have them occupied in team fights. Makes me smile just thinking about it.

[Henroid]

The bf and I do a Tusk/Centaur combo that's beyond fun. As soon as we hit level 2, he rolls us in, I stomp, get a hit or two, double edge, d-e-d dead. And if they try to run, ice shards then d-e-d dead. We usually get a lot of early kills, so I'm nice and farmed up and get tanky as f*ck. Then I sit and laugh maniacally as they try to kill me late game. Our friend usually plays sniper with this combo so he can sit back and blast them while we have them occupied in team fights. Makes me smile just thinking about it.

This is the sorta thing I'm missing out on when I play the game. Because of my current schedule in life I can't play with all my friends very often, so the planned-out combos thing is rare for me to execute on.

[undermind9]

i'd have to list Omniknight up on the top of my losing streak breaker.  it used to be chaos knight, but there feels like so many ways to keep his illusions down that actually snow-balling is much more difficult these days

 

As for Omni in a full support role i can often keep the rest of the team alive long enough to win, and when opportunity arises a Mask of Madness can shift him to a very dangerous position of damage dealing.  and since repel doesnt remove guardian anymore, much more comfortable giving people a 10-12 sec immunity

[Forbin]

I think they could solve this with an all-in mechanic. Something that isn't as simple as a "we give up" vote, but actually gives the losing team a powerful push that they can rally behind. Like a massive creep wave that will blow up all your barracks. If you fail your push the enemy creeps will win the game in short order.

[BusbyBerkeley]

I think they could solve this with an all-in mechanic. Something that isn't as simple as a "we give up" vote, but actually gives the losing team a powerful push that they can rally behind. Like a massive creep wave that will blow up all your barracks. If you fail your push the enemy creeps will win the game in short order.

 

That would absolutely not work. I think a nice alternative could come in the form of custom game modes though. For when you want to play around with dota stuff but don't want to commit to a full game. Then you can add in goofy/fun stuff like this to your hearts content. The actual game of Dota probably couldn't handle such a nutso mechanic being added like that. It's a very finely balanced thing as it is.

[Forbin]

I get the resistance to ideas like that, it's kind of why I think nothing should be done at all.  I can't count the number of games I've seen somebody give up on and we've turned around and won.  If they had the option to start a vote to stop the game they would be even worse.

 

But I don't think what I was suggesting would be all that radical really.  If it could only be done when you're down to your T3 towers, and after a certain time has elapsed, it's basically a concede button with a small glimmer of hope.   It's probably too much for people to be interested in, but I think if Valve just put it in the game people wouldn't take that long to get over the idea.  The reason I suggested it is that they seem to be interested in balancing for late game comebacks, and I think something in that spirit rather than "abandon all hope" is more likely to fit with their direction.

[BusbyBerkeley]

I get the resistance to ideas like that, it's kind of why I think nothing should be done at all.  I can't count the number of games I've seen somebody give up on and we've turned around and won.  If they had the option to start a vote to stop the game they would be even worse.

 

But I don't think what I was suggesting would be all that radical really.  If it could only be done when you're down to your T3 towers, and after a certain time has elapsed, it's basically a concede button with a small glimmer of hope.   It's probably too much for people to be interested in, but I think if Valve just put it in the game people wouldn't take that long to get over the idea.  The reason I suggested it is that they seem to be interested in balancing for late game comebacks, and I think something in that spirit rather than "abandon all hope" is more likely to fit with their direction.

 

In what you're describing it sounds like the team voting to concede gets a big push of their own creeps towards the enemy (winning team) ancient? That sounds like it would seriously change the balance around and could be cheesed and result in a lot of wins that should really have been losses.

 

Also, damn does this game get into me. I want more time to play Dota. There are SO MANY guys I want to git gud with. 

[taterdactyl]

Also, damn does this game get into me. I want more time to play Dota. There are SO MANY guys I want to git gud with. 

I think that's what keeps me coming back for more. I'm really good with a handful of lords, can hold my own with lots more, but then there are some that just intimidate the piss out of me. So I find myself falling back on the same lords just because I know I'm good with them and we have a better chance of winning. I need to play more All Random or Single Draft matches to mix things up a bit. As you can see, Necro and WD are my current go-tos...

[Twig]

do the a to z and hate yourself as you approach the end because you want so desperately to be done but you know you've got at least 20-30 games left

 

it's fuuuuuuun

 

..

.

[Jutranjo]

Wouldn't it make more sense to wait till the stretch goal is met that'll give rewards? Might be a few weeks but the challenge takes a few months anyway.

[Twig]

1) I started before the international started.

2) It won't be implemented for a long while.

3) I really could not care less about some arbitrary cosmetic item rewards.

 

Unless you're proposing that taterdactyl waits, in which case I wasn't seriously suggesting it, starting A to Z is the worst decision I've ever made IN MY ENTIRE LIFE MAKE IT END OH GOD.

[Jutranjo]

I'm just saying, if you were going to do it, you might as well wait for some arbitrary rewards for your arbitrary personal challenge.

[Twig]

But what if I wanted to do it now! I mean, the feature might not even be ready for a month or more, at this point! 

 

(DON'T DO IT EVER IT'S THE WORST.)

[Henroid]

do the a to z and hate yourself as you approach the end because you want so desperately to be done but you know you've got at least 20-30 games left

 

it's fuuuuuuun

 

..

.

Frankly teh "A to Z" thing is arbitrary and does the opposite of helping people to learn the game. It's frustrating.

 

People should be getting comfortable with the lords one at a time at their own pace. I got better with this lord, then that, then that, then went back to the first to try some new things, and this all keeps steamrolling into picking up on how to play every character. My first attempt to play a support was an arbitrary decision and I chose Disruptor. Big mistake playing a hard support. But later I played some supports that were similar to other lords I'd played, and bammo, I had way more success. And from there I transition into doing better with Disruptor.

[undermind9]

Ive been on a lone druid tear. Much like mention above I used to try top hard and end up not being able to fill any role...now I just take the lane given and push to the well.

The other day I even took on a tri-lane vs solo and got out with a tower and a kill...meanwhile bottom got 2 towers and several kills.

Im still unsure best build for bear vs guy items. Its been lately phase, venom slow, stout and quelling on bear with wand and heal boots on guy. First item hyperstone on bear and get the plate/chain mail on guy. After I finish ac usually spirals to luxury while trashing the base

Anyone have thoughts to bear vs guy builds or item choice? I think radiance is crazy cakes and never build it

[Henroid]

Reading your post I decided to bot match to see what the Lone Druid is capable of if geared up. Holy shit.

 

I played a match a week or two ago with some friends and there was a Lone Druid; a couple of my friends dedicated themselves to shutting down LD's farm. I knew it was to prevent him from becoming strong but I didn't realize to what extent the measure helped us win 'til just now. Cripes.

 

As for item builds, it's like gearing for two characters and is tough. You can't neglect LD himself, but Bear needs priority. Phase boots on the bear definitely works, since it can't benefit from the treads. Orb of Venom I question. Maybe at the low levels but don't keep it around. Stout and Quelling on the start on the bear also works. I'm a fan of the idea of getting a Basher, because the stun works in tandem with the vines you get on the bear. And you don't need a full out Mjolliner on the bear for attack speed because you can hit the cap easily with other means (namely the LD buff), so you get some grace on funds spent.

 

Here's the first question to ask yourself when playing LD - Hand of Midas, to get or not? I guess that depends on if you're jungling, which is really easy on him. I personally can't stand Midas, the wait to get it is too critical I feel. All I know is when you use the item's ability, give it to LD himself, because on the bear you won't get the XP. Gotta do some swapping every couple minutes.

 

As for Radiance, yeah, it feels like you can do yourself more of a favor going for other items. But I mean it does have a +damage component to it. A guide I read says if you can get it before 18 minutes in you can get plenty of damage in on enemy heroes through its aura.

[Henroid]

Guides for Legion Commander need to update, because the whole "jungling" thing is false as shit and was based on a bug that was fixed back in January. LC can "jungle" in the same sense that any lord can jungle - get to like level 10 and you can take things out with little danger.

 

I just played with someone who insisted they jungle as LC. I was Lycan, and couldn't get a word in edge wise with them. So we lost, because both of us were crippled by not being able to appropriately farm.

[Twig]

Um I jungle with LC fine, and I don't need to be level ten. Like most "jungle" characters, she's much better in lane but her jungling is quite easy. One of the easier junglers I think.

Lycan's also fine in lane. He definitely doesn't need jungle to farm properly.

[Henroid]

Lycan jungling kinda puts him at his best though. There's a steady flow of income and survivability from the start of the match. LC jungling is not as good as Lycan. And when LC hits level 6 she should be out trying to get kills for her ult.

[BusbyBerkeley]

Lycan is actually way better in lane. His lvl 1 wolves are made of tissue paper now so he has to take the brunt of jungle creeps damage, but they make last hitting/harassing a breeze in lane. Also, you can get a lot more out of a lane than the jungle. Generally if you're a right clicky guy and there's a lane open you should go there to get farm. 

 

The thing about most lords that people take into the jungle because they have lifesteal is that sure, they CAN do it but if the enemy team is even remotely aware of the game they should drop a ward in the jungle and gank the heck out of you. Granted, I realize this mostly doesn't happen in regular matches unless you're pretty high up in the ranks, but that's the theory. Mostly you can just do whatever will get you the win.

[Jutranjo]

Jungle farming is less money than farming in a lane. Lycan can get fucked in jungle easily if anyone blocks your camps, moves to the jungle to kill you a few times or a bounty delaying your everything by a long time by killing your wolves or whatever. In jungle anyone looks at him and he dies since he can't sit on full HP until he has a vlads.

 

There's few heroes that are actually better in the jungle than a lane. Chen and enchantress are obviously better to start in jungle and you can either gank or farm more from there. Enigma is pretty great in jungle since he's so fast at killing camps. Sand king, dark seer, bat can farm big stacks easily. 

 

Lycan laning can go howl since he doesn't need wolves on every cooldown so he has mana, the damage helps any team fights your team has even if you aren't there.

 

Lone druid and furion are pretty similar for jungle or lane I think. I haven't gotten to try furion lane in a pub and I haven't tried it in 5 stacks since I've never tried it before. 

 

There's this video of the ice cubed just fucking over an entire lane with furion http://www.twitch.tv/iceiceice/c/2786008 it's long but also takes a lot of effort.

 

Lone druid can fuck over a lot of duo lanes. The bear can pull creeps to you from behind the tower while the druid is in complete safety. Once you hit 5 you are so scary. Bear roots anything that doesn't have 1k HP you're killing it or atleast hurting it so bad it needs to salve or run to base.

 

You don't need to gear the druid, tranquils is good so you're full HP and some armor. Your ulti gives you so much HP and armor so you don't need items while you leash around the bear. The bear also doesn't need any defence to start with. Druid's probably the best hero to get radiance on if you aren't coordinating with your team so you aren't relying on them to not lose the game while your radiance pays for itself from farming. Bear has HP, he gets the burning sword and runs around in teamfights without dying.

 

You can go for the safer play if you aren't keen on farming 3.8k gold for the relic. Boots, OOV, Phase boots, maelstrom, hyperstone, AC, basher into more items.

 

OOV is probably worth it even if you are going radi since the root isn't an orb effect anymore and it makes the bear chase even better. Every hit the bear makes should have you scared. If it gets a root on you, that'll mean you die. But you need a few levels since naked bear at level 1 isn't good for autoattacking but it's good enough to somehow get the creep wave to your tower.

 

A bear in the jungle is just sad. It slowly eats whatever it finds unless it's an ursa camp which he must skip. You need to burn the bear summon cooldown to not have to stop which is pretty risky since the cooldown is like 3 minutes at level 1. If you die you can't do much. LD is just so much better in lane than in jungle, even more so than lifestealer.

 

I'd say get a midas if you're free farming in a lane or somehow jungling. If you're free farming you should get the radi at a decent timing despite the midas and it'll give you faster levels. If you're in the jungle it's whatever, you're jungling LD, just go double midas. If you go double midas you'll be in the hole till minute 35. You can't juggle em for more exp either. The 2nd midas is you giving out a loan to the shopkeeper.

 

Vlads is a bit better on LD than on most carries since he has enough slots to not care about carrying a 2k item. It also helps the team push towers which the level 4 bear does really well.

[Twig]

I'm glad other people disagreed with the "Lycan is best jungling" sentiment because I was afraid I might be crazy.

[Henroid]

Don't worry, I'm taking someone's advice and am uninstalling because I haven't won a match in a week and damn near all of them have been against 4-person pre-made groups.

 

The match making system is fucking stupid and lame for not taking that into consideration. 5 randomly thrown together people are less likely to coordinate / listen to one another than a group of 3, 4, or 5 people. They have the inherent advantage. Sick of this shit.

 

Anyway my crazy "I dunno how to really play the game" posts won't happen anymore. gg

[Twig]

Aw but I like your posts. They make me think about things I otherwise take for granted. ):

 

I hope you come back after a while. Sometimes I need to just take a break, too, but I always feel better when I come back. Also I don't solo queue!!