In the event you’ve performed Dota at a excessive sufficient stage, you’ve most likely seen apparent account patrons. Questionable match historical past, excessive win charge, suspicious hero choice on the account and absolute cluelessness in the course of the match. These days, it’s a lot rarer than it was, however every such encounter left me with a single, lingering thought: “what precisely are you making an attempt to realize right here?”.
Successful a sport as somebody far under the foyer’s common is actually out of the query. There isn’t lots of enjoyable in dying repeatedly both. The one pseudo-positive I can personally consider is that increased stage lobbies expedite the training course of. Although, to be sincere, there isn’t a complete lot of studying happening for the account purchaser, in my view. Often, the distinction within the understanding of Dota is sufficiently big to make studying any form of classes just about not possible.
That is the elemental situation with studying Dota usually: as it’s an extremely complicated and deep sport, there are such a lot of shifting elements to maintain monitor and pay attention to, that almost all people will probably be overwhelmed if they fight to soak up all of it on the identical time.
That is the explanation stats web sites like Dotabuff exist. They combination data from tons of assorted matches to offer a fast overview of what we find yourself calling “the meta”. Nonetheless, utilizing this data effectively and really bettering by way of it’s a studying course of by itself.
One of many massive, latest occasions within the Dota-world was that stats web sites misplaced entry to the very best stage knowledge. The knowledge from the highest 0.5% participant lobbies is not obtainable to us and regardless of the way you spin it, it’s an data loss.
Whether or not this data was in any manner related to the overwhelming majority of the playerbase is a unique query altogether. For my part, copying the highest stage builds and hero picks was not essentially useful when it got here to studying Dota and typically even detrimental to the method.
When a median participant takes a shortcut by copying a ability or merchandise construct from the skilled scene, there’s a excessive likelihood they inadvertently exhibit the identical behaviour, because the aforementioned account purchaser. They don’t absolutely perceive why it really works, and why it is perhaps vital for the gamers within the excessive stage lobbies to make selections they make, they merely copy the builds, anticipating constructive outcomes.
Typically it really works, reinforcing their perception within the energy of this method. And when it doesn’t, there are at all times teammates responsible: in spite of everything, you’re enjoying a top-level construct that wins 55% of the sport in 10k lobbies, certainly you’ll be able to’t be the issue in a 3k common sport, proper?
Right here lies the issue: 1k common, 3k common, 5k common and 10k common gamers are enjoying basically completely different video games. As a broad stroke instance: a Magnus in 1k must be preoccupied with merely executing a good Blink + Reverse Polarity combo onto a number of targets. A 3k one can begin studying the Harpoon + Skewer combo. At 5k they need to pay attention to on the spot hexes or silences on the enemy staff and preemptively begin utilizing Black King Bar if vital, earlier than leaping in, for the reason that enemies are prone to react in time or pre-cast their disables if Magnus is in imaginative and prescient.
In 10k+ this could all mix into an exquisite bundle the place a Magnus can bounce into one group of enemies, Horn Toss and Skewer them into one other group of enemies for a large RP, beginning off with Shadow Blade off-screen to stop pre-casting hex potential and utilizing BKB in the course of the Horn Toss animation on the enemy CC heroes, whereas they’re nonetheless within the air, to maximise BKB effectiveness with out getting disabled. Then do the identical factor once more after utilizing Refresher Orb.
Striving to try this in 1k common foyer can be admirable, however there’s a excessive likelihood executing this entire sequence is already going to be overwhelming to a brand new participant. Furthermore, there are going to be lots of redundancies when it comes to construct as effectively: this Magnus in 1k doesn’t want Shadow Blade, since it’s unlikely the enemy goes to pre-hex them and even have imaginative and prescient. They received’t must press BKB earlier than leaping in, as enemies are unlikely to react in the course of the Reverse Polarity forged level. They most likely received’t want a second spherical of spells, for the reason that enemies are going to be clumped up regardless. And there are a lot of, many extra such small intricacies I’m personally not conscious of, since I’m not a 10k Magnus participant myself.
The principle level nonetheless stands, although: merely copying a excessive stage construct in your common sport will lead to pointless, expensive inefficiencies. And they’ll value you video games in consequence. Taking a look at what works finest at your specific stage, understanding why it really works and what the potential counterplays are, is what’s going to make you a greater, extra educated participant. Whenever you begin gaining MMR, utilizing this data to adapt to more and more harder circumstances will probably be a lot simpler as effectively.
Copying builds is, by definition, a really inflexible method. There are undoubtedly key gadgets on sure heroes which can be just too good of a match, however even they aren’t necessary, if the a bizarre sport you end up in is looking for one thing completely different.
People are additionally extremely numerous and in a multi-faceted sport of Dota, this implies there are a lot of completely different, profitable methods of self-expression. Forcing your self to repeat particular playstyles goes to stifle your personal progress, whereas doubtlessly decreasing your enjoyment of the sport.
On the highest stage of play the decision-space is actually extra restricted, as some small construct inefficiencies and excessive ranges of greed are very punishable, however even then, there may be room for creativity. Most of us will keep in mind Topson constructing Diffusal Blade on Gyrocopter in TI Grand Finals and this form of choice isn’t made by statistics and copying the most well-liked builds, it’s made by having a really strong, deep understanding of Dota.
Most of us don’t have time to sit down and experiment for the entire day, however all of us wish to win and have our MMR go up. Statistics can assist us determine developments and provides a fast overview of what usually works within the present meta, however it will possibly’t win you video games. Bettering as a participant is the one option to get a better ranking. And bettering as a participant means analysing your personal errors, being real looking in regards to the stage you’re enjoying at and figuring out what might be finished to win extra video games in your specific circumstances; not by copying what works for gamers who’re enjoying a really completely different sport.
Copying “what works” is not the identical as understanding “why it really works”. That does not imply it is best to go utterly off-meta: every patch will certainly have its share of stronger than common heroes and gadgets, however even when selecting a “sturdy meta hero” ensure you are actively analysing why they’re sturdy in your bracket and what limitations they could have if you end up in a better one. You shouldn’t use statistics to search out definitive solutions. It’s best to use statistics to ask the right questions.
