Dota: Starting Items

[Dust]

I'll be starting a series of small guides like this one, mostly geared towards newer/weaker player, in order to improve the general level of play in Ent pubs. I have no idea how many I'll make, or at what frequency I will make them, but I should make a decent amount and they will cover many aspects of the game. This one will deal with starting items.

Now. What kind of goals should we be accomplishing with our starting items? Of course, the items we start with will vary depending on a variety of factors, such as: Our team's heroes and the hero we are playing, the opposing team heroes, the lane we'll take and the hero/heroes we will be facing in said lane. Part of being a good Dota player is adapting to all the different things we'll see from game to game, but let's go back to the main topic. As a general rule, starting items should accomplish the following goals:

-Give us the means to survive long enough in lane to farm up and get levels without having to go back to the fountain. In other word, we need a sufficient amount of regen items so as to not head back to the fountain early. Leaving the lane to heal is bad, because the walk from T1 tower to the base is long, and represent a big loss of xp and gold. If you leave mid for example, and the other mid stays in lane for the entirety of you walking to base and coming, he will likely have a level over you. This is also why having a courier at the start of the game is crucial, because you can ferry healing items while still earning gold and xp.

- Starting items should naturally follow the item build we'll be going in that particular game, for the purpose of efficiency. For example, if a hero is planning on getting drums early in the game, getting a gauntlet of strength in his starting items is a good thing to do.


- Finally, starting items should take into account the particular context of the game. If we are expecting to face a hero in lane who will harass us a lot, we should buy more regen to deal with his harassing.

Most players are aware of these goals and their starting items will reflect this, up to a point. The main errors that i see are players not being efficient with their starting items, and not getting enough regen to sustain themselves in lane. I will often see a Sniper going mid with blades of attack+tango, or a clinkz heading to lane with a sobi mask as a first item. These choices are generally bad, because they are not efficient. Here I will dress a list of items are are usually bad when bought as starting items.

- A full bracer, null talisman or wraith band, because getting the component + branches is more efficient, and the whole item is too expensive, which prevent you from getting enough regen.

- Blades of attack, getting branches + slipper, mantles or gauntlet is more efficient.

- Boots first, with exceptions, doesn't really do much for you in the early levels.

- Belt of Strength, boots of quelthalas, or robe of the magi, same idea as for the bracer/null/wraith band, except these are even less efficient and thus worse.

-Gloves first, doesn't do much for you in the early levels. Does not help cs.

-Bottle first, while getting a bottle first may seems good, it's very risky. It does give good regen, but it gives no last hitting power, and if you miss a rune you'll end up with nothing in your inventory.

- A full magic stick, too expensive, better to get the wand + other things.

- Stout shield or quelling blade on ranged heroes, for obvious reasons.

- Ring of regen or ring of health first (after waiting) these options are not bad in some situations, but against heavy harass they will not help you much.

- Sobi mask, and other mana regen items such as void stone that regens based on a percent. This is because items such as these regens your mana based on your intelligence, and that stat is obviously very low at the beginning, meaning you really won't regen much. Getting a basilius however, is good because it's a fixed amount.

Of course they are exceptions to this, Getting boots first is not a bad idea if you're a juggernaut laning with someone with a strong slow or stun. Likewise, if you're sniper going mid and you know you're going versus a hero that can't harass you much, getting a gloves first for a quick midas is not bad either. As with all things in Dota, players must learn to adapt to different contexts. However, this little guide should help newer/weaker players purchase better starting items.

[ForsakeMe]

I rly appreciate the effort which you want to put into our community.I wanna join you, if u like for sure. Gimme your skype id by pm, and we can set something up. Regards

[rEvErSeDaMaGe]

i always get a courier to being with, tangos/regen and sometimes quelling blade. this is if i am a carry/semi carry.

also having magic wand is very handy, saved my life many times.

[Frank]

Or better yet have nabo. pool you a bottle while you go mid with 2 null talisman.