The midlane is the heart of every match in Dota 2. It controls the game’s pace, allowing players to farm effectively and exert pressure across the map. However, even experienced players often overlook essential fundamentals, which can hinder their ability to climb the rankings. In this article, the Blix team will break down the critical aspects of playing in the midlane to help you improve your skills and become a more efficient player.
Contents
Vision Control: Placing an Observer Ward
Dota 2: Art Wards
One of the basic rules for midlane players is to place your wards properly. There are nuances behind Radiant and Dire that affect success:
- Radiant: They arrive at the line more quickly, allowing you to position your warp in favorable areas. The most effective locations are on high ground near the middle or close to the line.
- Dire: On the Dire side, it takes longer to reach the center line, making it more difficult to place the ward in a favorable position. The likelihood of the enemy’s support destroying it is quite high. Here’s a clear solution for what to do in this situation:
- Delay placing the ward until 30 seconds have passed.
- The alternative is to place it outside standard positions or to refuse setup, preventing the enemy from destroying it and gaining extra gold.
The Role of the First Wave of Creeps
Dota 2: Creeps
The first wave of creeps determines a lot of things:
- The main goal: To last-hit a ranged creep, as it gives more experience.
- Tip: To alleviate pressure from the enemy mid-laner, lure out the melee creeps toward the range creep.
Beginner’s mistake: Standing idle on runes risks giving away First Blood, providing the enemy with a significant advantage of approximately 300 gold.
Bottle and Runes: The Key to Resources
Dota 2: Runes
The mid-game focuses on resource management, aiming to acquire a Bottle before the 2nd minute to collect water runes.
- Without Bottle: You will lose mana and health points (HP) rapidly, which will restrict your ability to be aggressive.
- Rune Control: Ask your teammates to help control active runes like DD and Haste. This makes it easier to gank effectively.
Creep Manipulation: Avoid Leading the Creep Wave Under the Tower.
Dota 2: Tower
Highly skilled mid lane players seldom permit creeps to reach the tower.
- Why it’s important: Last-hitting creeps under the tower is more challenging, causing the lane to become neutral again.
- Tactics: Keep creeps on high ground or closer to your tower. This creates a danger zone for the enemy and allows you to harass him.
Glyph and Runes
Dota 2: Glyph
Using glyphs is a crucial strategy for managing resources effectively.
- Example: The enemy wants to push a lane quickly and take the rune. By pressing the glyph, you prevent them from doing so, creating an opportunity for a counterattack.
Ganks and Macro Plays
Successful ganking involves not just taking down opponents but also using resources wisely.
- Direction: Ganking the enemy offlaner is more effective than ganking the enemy carry because it is harder for the enemy team to come to their aid quickly.
- Tip: After killing creeps in the mid, farm the nearest camps or look for kills on other lanes.
Pushing the High Ground: Avoid Mistakes
Dota 2: Art
Pushing to the high ground is critical:
- Rule: Target a key opponent, such as the enemy midlaner or carry, before pushing high ground. Eliminating a support typically offers little advantage.
- Common mistake: Aggression without a clear plan can lead to prolonged gameplay. A small mistake may cause the game to last 30-40 minutes.
Conclusion
Midlane focuses on mechanical skill, macro play, resource control, and decision-making. By learning the fundamentals and avoiding common mistakes, you can improve your rank and become a valuable player for your team. Good luck in midlane! We also recommend visiting the Reddit thread for more Dota 2 content.
