Getting into the game fast: a plan for the first weeks

A short plan that saves dozens of hours: what to do in the first days, what to focus on and how to learn from your own games.

Week 1: the basics

• Finish the tutorial and play a few games against bots of different difficulty.
• Pick one role — say, carry or support — and three heroes for it.
• Spend 10 minutes a day in Demo Hero mode practising last hits: it is the key skill of the early game.
• Learn what to buy at the start: consumables (healing, mana), boots, Magic Wand.

Last hits — the key skill

• Gold for a creep goes to whoever lands the killing blow. Wait until the creep's health drops below your attack damage and strike at that moment. Last-hitting your own creeps (denying) takes gold and part of the experience away from the enemy.

Week 2: people and habits

• Play unranked games against people with the same heroes.
• Glance at the minimap every few seconds — this habit separates experienced players more than anything.
• Always carry a Town Portal Scroll.
• After a loss, watch the replay: where you died and why.

How to keep learning

• Watch pro players and streamers on your heroes: note their items and where they stand on the map.
• Play with friends — voice chat makes fights much easier.
• Try new heroes in Turbo before taking them into normal games.
• Before a game, check My heroes and Strategies on this site: what changed in the patch and who the hero plays best with.
• My heroes
• Strategies