Learning more details about Dota 2 maps will allow players to have a better understanding of the game. That’s why this article will cover everything about the Dota 2 map you need to know.
As most of you probably know, before the arrival of Dota 2, this was a custom game on WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne. However, after it became extremely popular, Valve contacted Ice Frog and gave us access to Dota 2 maps.
Despite the fact that the game is more than 10 years old now, it continues to be the world’s leading MOBA. However, some people do not know much about the Dota 2 map and how to make the most of it. Consequently, we’re about to reveal how it works and what to do if you want to be more successful.
Dota 2 Maps Overview
One of the important things we need to mention is that the Dota 2 map before 2023 was different than the one we have today. There was a big update that brought tons of Dota 2 map changes and made it bigger than before.
For starters, all Dota 2 maps (we’ll discuss the look-alikes in a bit) have three different lanes:
- Top Lane
- Mid Lane
- Safe Lane
Each hero has to choose one of those lanes, go there, try to kill creeps and get gold and experience. Although the rules are not set in stone, certain positions in Dota 2 always choose a specific lane, but more about it in a bit.
Each lane on the Dota 2 map has three towers. Teams can’t destroy the second tower and then go back to the first one, meaning players have to destroy the first, then the second, and then the 3rd tower.
Dota 2 Map – Other Things It Has
Aside from the lanes themselves, Dota 2 maps 2023 also have the so-called “jungles”. There is one for the Radiant and Dire, and each jungle contains Neutral Camps which you can farm for gold and experience. There are also bounty runes, as well as the following objectives (as of 2023):
- Twin Gates – There are 2 of those things in the corner of the map that allow plates to teleport from one side to the other.
- Lotus Pools – Players can find 2 Lotus Pools on the map near the river that spawn a healing 1 healing lotus every 3 minutes. This thing is stackable and can be used to give 125 HP and mana when used.
- Tormentors – Those things on the Dota 2 map spawn 20 minutes after the start of the game. You can attack them, and they can’t attack back but have a shield that reflects 70% of the damage received to all heroes within a 1200 radius. Once the tournament is destroyed, the team will receive an Aghanim’s Shard to one of the two heroes with the lowest net worth. If all heroes have this item, the Tormentor will grant gold and experience.
- Watchers – There are 8 of them in total, and you can activate them after 1.5s. Doing this will grant 800 vision over the given area for 7 minutes.
- Outposts
- Roshan – Roshan is the strongest non-hero unit in Dota 2 that (usually) requires the entire team to be killed. He will always drop the Aegis of the Immortal upon death, but he can drop other items as time goes on. For example, killing him for the second time will give a Cheese that restores HP and mana, whereas killing him for the 3rd time on will grant an Aghanim’s Scepter or a Refresher Orb, depending on whether he is in the Radiant Pit or Dire Pit.
Dota 2 Maps Runes
When discussing Dota 2 Maps 2023, we also need to mention the runes. Even though there were only a few options to choose from, currently, there are many different runes:
- Wisdom Runes – Each Wisdom Rune grants 280 EXP when 7 minutes have passed (it stacks, so each 7th minute, the experience grows).
- Shield Rune – Grants a barrier equal to 50% of the hero’s HP.
- Bounty Rune – It gives bonus gold.
- Regeneration Rune – Restores 6% of the target’s mana and HP per second for the 30s.
- Invisibility – Makes the hero invisible for 45s.
- Illusion – Grants 2 illusions when used.
- Haste – Gives the hero 550 movement speed for 22 seconds.
- Double Damage – Grants the hero 100% bonus attack damage for 45s.
- Arcane Rune – Reduces the cooldown of abilities and their mana cost by 30%
- Water Rune – Grants 40 HP and 80 mana
Whether you’re playing Dota 2 maps for WarCraft 3 or something else, the runes will spawn in different areas around the map. You can also get a rune with Neutral Items like Trusty Shovel and Pirate Hat. Also, some runes become available after a given time.
Dota 2 Maps and Lanes – Where each position goes to
Once you complete the Dota 2 maps download process and get what you want, you will notice that there are different positions in the game. We can split them into the following:
- Hard Support (position 5)
- Soft Support (position 4)
- Offlane (position 3)
- Mildlane (position 2)
- Safelane/carry (position 1)
Depending on the setup, one of the two supports takes the Safe lane, whereas the other one goes to the offlane or assists the safe lane and ganks mid. The carry is also in the safe lane, and his job is to get the last hits. As for the rest, as their name implies, Midlaners take the mid lane, and offlaners take the offlane.
The Dota 2 map for the Dire and Radiant have an offlane and safalen. Usually, the Radiant’s bottom lane is considered the “safelane” for them and the offlane for the rest. Likewise, the offlane for the Radiant is the safelane for the Dire.
Similar options to The Dota 2 Map
Considering that Dota 2 is a game based on a custom game in WarCraft III, it’s no surprise that there have been many other games based on it. Of course, League of Legends is the first thing that comes to mind. Even though the game is technically older than Dota 2, it is based on DotA.We can also add options like Heroes of the Storm, Heroes of Newerth, and more.
Dota 2 Maps Tips
When it comes down to playing, the Dota 2 map is a lot more complicated than it seems. Many small things about it make it special, and you usually learn about them by watching some of the best players in action.
If you don’t have enough time to follow live streams and other similar things, you can also watch video guides. There is tons of content online about the Dota 2 map and how to make the most of it.
It’s also worth knowing that Valve changes a lot of elements about it all the time. Therefore, you should always stay up to date with everything new.
