Dota 2 is a challenging game with many strategic layers. One of the key aspects that sets players apart is how they build items. Knowing what to buy and when to buy it is crucial. This guide thoroughly explains the fundamental principles of item builds for beginners. It will cover what items to focus on, how to adapt based on the game, and how to maximize your hero's potential. These tips offer essential guidance for building items in Dota 2. It is a solid foundation for beginners. Yet, they are the basics. Players must experiment and adapt their item choices. Over time, experimenting will help refine decision-making skills. Thus, you will make more effective item builds and improve performance.
Understanding the Basics of Item Builds
Items in Dota 2 enhance a hero's abilities. They offer stats, mobility, utility, and power. Each hero has a set of recommended items, but these are suggestions. A player's goal is to tailor their build based on the game situation. This means understanding which items complement the hero and counter the enemy.
There are six main item slots for every hero. Players must decide which items to fill those slots as the game progresses. Some items are cheap and provide early advantages. Others are more expensive but can change the course of the game. Knowing how to balance early and late-game items is vital for success.
Early Game Items: Securing the Lane
The early game is all about gaining an advantage in your lane. The proper starting items can help a hero survive and thrive. Some every day starting items include Tango, Healing Salve, Iron Branch, and Enchanted Mango. These items provide health regeneration and stats.
Tango and Healing Salve
Tango and Healing Salve are crucial for lane sustainability. Tango gives gradual health regeneration by consuming trees. But Healing Salve provides a big health boost over a few seconds. Use these items wisely to stay in the lane longer.
Iron Branch
Iron Branch is a cheap item that provides a slight stat boost. It is also flexible. Players can later upgrade it into a Magic Wand or plant it with Tango for extra healing.
Enchanted Mango
Enchanted Mango provides a small amount of health regeneration. It can also be consumed for an instant mana boost. This can be useful in clutch situations where a player must quickly cast a spell.
Boots of Speed
After securing some farm, players should aim to buy Boots of Speed. This item increases movement speed. That helps to chase enemies or escape danger. Upgrading boots later into Power Treads, Phase Boots, or Arcane Boots depends on the hero's needs.
Mid-Game Items: Power Spikes and Adaptation
Mid-game is when team fights and skirmishes become more frequent. Players should focus on two moments: taking items that enhance their hero's strengths or countering the enemy team. This is also when item choices can diverge significantly based on the game's flow.
Magic Wand
Magic Wand is an upgraded version of the Magic Stick. It gives a small burst of health and mana whenever nearby enemies use spells. This can be a lifesaver in tight situations. It also provides some basic stats, making it a valuable early item.
Drum of Endurance
Drum of Endurance is an excellent mid-game item. It provides stats, movement speed, and an active ability that boosts attack and movement speed for the team. This item is handy for heroes who enjoy early aggression.
Blink Dagger
Blink Dagger is a critical item for many heroes. It allows for instant repositioning, which can initiate fights or escape from danger. This item is a must-buy for heroes like Axe, Earthshaker, and Queen of Pain.
Eul's Scepter of Divinity
Eul's Scepter of Divinity offers many benefits. Mainly, it provides movement speed mana regeneration. Plus - the ability to cyclone an enemy or yourself. This item can set up kills, escape ganks, or dodge spells.
Force Staff
Force Staff gives mobility to heroes who need it. It provides health regeneration and the ability to push a unit in the direction it is facing. This can be used to escape, chase, or save an ally in danger.
Black King Bar (BKB)
Black King Bar is essential in many games. It provides short-term magic immunity. That is crucial against teams with heavy magic damage or crowd control. Timing the use of BKB is vital; using it too early or too late can change the outcome of a fight.
Armlet of Mordiggian
Armlet of Mordiggian is an item that gives a strong stat boost when activated. It provides attack damage, armor, and health regeneration. Yet, it also drains health while active. This item is excellent for strength heroes who want to increase their damage output.
Late-Game Items: Securing Victory
Decisions become even more critical in the late game. The wrong item choice can lead to a lost fight and, potentially, the game. Players should focus on high-impact items through damage, defense, or utility.
Assault Cuirass
Assault Cuirass is a powerful item that boosts armor and attack speed. It also has an aura that reduces the armor of nearby enemies. This item is excellent for tanky heroes or those who want to increase their team's physical damage output.
Scythe of Vyse
Scythe of Vyse, commonly known as "Sheepstick," is one of the best late-game items. It provides a large amount of mana regeneration and stats. Its active ability hexes an enemy, turning them into a harmless critter. This is invaluable for disabling key enemy heroes.
Heart of Tarrasque
Heart of Tarrasque provides massive health and regeneration. It is ideal for heroes who need to stay alive in long fights. The health regeneration effect is paused if the hero takes damage from an enemy hero. So, it's best used by heroes who can withstand some punishment.
Aghanim's Scepter
Aghanim's Scepter upgrades one of the hero's abilities or adds a new one. The upgrade varies for each hero, making this item very versatile. Players should consider buying Aghanim's Scepter. The criteria is if the upgrade improves their hero's effectiveness.
Satanic
Satanic is a lifesteal item with a powerful active ability. It provides health, damage, and armor. The active ability dramatically increases the lifestyle for a short duration. This item can turn the tide of a fight by allowing a hero to regain massive health during combat.
Divine Rapier
Divine Rapier is a high-risk, high-reward item. It provides an enormous amount of attack damage. But, if the hero carrying it dies, the Rapier drops and can be picked up by any player. This item is usually a last resort when a team is desperate for damage.
Refresher Orb
Refresher Orb allows a hero to reset the cooldowns of all their abilities and items. This can be game-changing for heroes. Especially - with strong ultimates or critical items like Black King Bar. Yet, it is expensive. Buy it only if it becomes handy.
Itemization by Role
Each hero in Dota 2 usually fits into one of five roles: carry, mid, offlane, support, or roaming support. The role dictates the hero's item build to some extent. Understanding your role's needs will help you decide which items to focus on.
Carry
Carries are responsible for dealing damage in the late game. They typically farm for big items like Manta Style, Butterfly, and Monkey King Bar. These items increase damage, attack speed, and survivability. Carries should also consider items like Black King Bar or Satanic to survive in fights.
Mid
Mid-heroes need to balance farming with fighting. They often go for items like Blink Dagger, Eul's Scepter of Divinity, or Orchid Malevolence. These items help them control the tempo of the game and secure kills.
Offlane
Offlane heroes are usually tanky or disruptive. They prioritize items like Pipe of Insight, Crimson Guard, and Guardian Greaves. These items provide durability and team support. Offlaners might also pick up initiation tools like Blink Dagger or Force Staff.
Support
Supports need to provide utility and vision. Their items are generally cheaper but impactful. Everyday support items include Glimmer Cape, Force Staff, and Aether Lens. Supports should also invest in Observer Wards and Sentry Wards. They help maintain map control.
Roaming Support
Roaming supports focus on ganking and map presence. They often start with Boots of Speed and upgrade to items like Urn of Shadows, Spirit Vessel, and Solar Crest. These items help secure kills and apply pressure across the map.
Situational Items
Some items in Dota 2 don't fit into a standard build but can be extremely useful in specific scenarios. These are known as situational items. Recognizing when to buy these items can make a big difference in the game.
Lotus Orb
Lotus Orb reflects targeted spells back to the caster. It also provides armor and regeneration. This item is helpful against heroes with single-target solid spells. Take Lion or Bane. For example, e
Heaven's Halberd
Heaven's Halberd disarms an enemy, preventing them from attacking for a short duration. It's helpful against right-click-heavy carries. It also provides evasion and health, making it a great defensive option.
Ghost Scepter
Ghost Scepter makes the hero immune to physical attacks for a short period. Yet it increases magic damage taken. This item is perfect against heroes who rely on right-click damage, like Phantom Assassin or Sven. Players can later upgrade it to Ethereal Blade for offensive purposes.
Glimmer Cape
Glimmer Cape provides invisibility and magic resistance. It's excellent for supports who must save themselves or allies from danger. The invisibility can also be used to escape or initiate surprise attacks.
Nullifier
The nullifier removes buffs and slows down the target. It's particularly effective against items like Ghost Scepter or Eul's Scepter. This item is a counter to defensive plays and can secure kills on slippery heroes.
Monkey King Bar (MKB)
Monkey King Bar is essential when facing evading heroes. Examples are Phantom Assassin or Windranger. It provides true strike, ensuring attacks do not miss, and increases damage output. This item can differentiate between winning or losing against high-evasion heroes.