Even though there are a lot of game modes in DotA, the aim of the game remains unchanged, while the dynamics change a lot. In order to select the game mode, the following commands have to be typed by the blue player (usually the host) within the first 15 seconds of the game.
-ap
All Pick Mode. Player may pick a hero from both the teams’ taverns.
-ar
All Random Mode. All players start off with a random hero chosen out of both taverns.
-np
No Power ups mode. There will be no runes spawning.
-du
Duplicate Mode. More than one copy of the same hero may be selected by different players.
-mm
Mirror Mode. Players may choose a hero as normal, but after a given period of time, the teams will be randomized according to the heroes chosen by both sides and corresponding players will be given the same hero. The resulting teams will be identical, hence the name of the mode (5v5 game = 5 pairs of heroes chosen from 10 possible ones).
-sc
Super Creep Mode. Random super creeps are spawned every 15 minutes. Both sides will spawn super creeps at the same time, and the type of super creep (Golem/ Ancient Hydra/ Scary Fish) depends on how strong the teams are i.e. if your hero levels are reasonably high and you have destroyed a few towers, you’ll have Scary Fish instead of Golem.
-sm
Short Mode. Building and tower hit points are reduced, with a higher rate of hero experience and gold accumulation.
-dm
Death Match Mode. If a player’s hero dies, that hero type is removed from game play and the player chooses a new hero from the remaining selection. When a team has thirty-six deaths, it is defeated.
These game modes can also be combined.
-dm -ap
Death match + All pick mode. You have the option to choose another hero if you die.
-dm -ar
Death match Mode + All random Mode. Heroes are randomly picked at the start and every time you die.
-id
Item Drop Mode. Enables random items to be dropped upon death instead of losing money.
-lm
League Mode. This mode is for serious matches. Every player can only pick his/ her hero within a limited time frame with a particular order, so that one team cannot choose heroes just to counter heroes of the other team. Specifically, it has the following constraints and features:
1. It only works for 5v5s;
2. You cannot random in -lm mode;
3. The pick order is as follows:
Blue,
Pink & Light Blue (both have to pick during 20 seconds),
Teal & Purple (both have to pick during 20 seconds),
Grey & Green (both have to pick during 20 seconds),
Yellow & Orange (both have to pick during 20 seconds),
Brown
Commands available to all players
-repick
Gives you a new, random hero if you’re in an -ar game and want to change your hero (costs 400 gold). There is a limited time window for repicking (the maximum number of “repicks” is one).
-random
Selects a random hero from your side. You can repick another random hero by typing -repick, but it’ll cost you 150g.
-ms
Displays current move speed.
-recreate
For heroes that have the ability to undergo a metamorphosis namely Dragon Knight, Lycanthropy, Lifestealer, and Soul Keeper, where there are occasional problems with losing control of the unit. This is resolved by bringing the unit back to the ‘fountain’ area and typing this command. The command has a 200 second channeling time, to prevent abuses.
-unstuck
Transports your hero to the fountain after 50 seconds. It’s used when you are stuck in an unmovable place (e.g. trapped in an area of trees) as you cannot move while transporting.
-ma
Displays the enemy players’ alias along with the hero they currently control.
-disablehelp/ -enablehelp
These two commands are designed to prevent abuses of Chen’s Test of Faith. If you type -disablehelp at the beginning of the game, Chen’s Test of Faith will not work on you. If you type -enablehelp later on, Chen’s spell will work on you.
Pro Tips and Tricks
The biggest tip any pro will give you is to learn the game thoroughly. You need to know all the heroes and items inside out. In order to defeat your opponent, you should be able to predict his next move. Having extensive knowledge of the game makes this prediction a lot easier.
To refresh your memory, we once again present you the two lists of heroes from Sentinel and Scourge that you can select from:
You can also check their description and their special abilities there
Here are two lists of items:
Mastering all the heroes and items will take some time as the game has a steep learning curve.
Game Tricks
When, you kill a creep on the last hit, you receive gold so make sure you some how manage to give only the last hit. This way, you’re assured of gold and a better chance of survival in battles. Pressing ALT button shows the health bar of all the units in the screen including the opponents.
Don’t try too hard to kill the opponent’s heroes as he can lead you into an ambush. You’d be better off if you concentrate on pushing your army up the lane.
When playing 5 on 5, the game’s result depends upon the team’s co ordination so make sure you maintain communication with your team mates at all times.
Here is a list of heroes you should start with as they are easy to control:
Lich
Venomancer
Crystal Maiden
Lion
Slayer
Lycon
Remember to start of with a Ring of Regeneration and then move on to a Sobi Mask and to the Boots of speed. Also, make sure you’re continuously using Health and Mana Flasks.
Now for some basic tactics:
Early game – Try to stay out of the fight, and be content with farming. When you’re hurt heal yourself and don’t forget to run whenever you see more than one enemy Hero coming for you. This will ensure your basic survival on the field.
Countering casters – Early in the game there’s nothing you can do about them except avoiding them. Mid game, try to get the black king bar as it nullifies all their skills. Later on laugh at them as they try to damage you with their ~500dmg spells.
Countering Melee – Use Blade mail disablers like bash.
Countering Invisible Heroes – They are a real pain in the ass but True Sight Wards or Gems render them useless. If you think you’re going to die anyway, do not buy Gems; go for Wards.
Switching lanes – This is something most beginners tend to forget. When you can’t deal with an enemy’s hero on your lane, switch with a teammate who’s got a hero better suited for the job. Remember, co ordination and team work is the key to victory.
Ambushing – Be careful of ambushes half way through the game as you’ll rarely have a chance to fight 1 on 1. Stick together with your team at all times and be ready to run at any sign of enemy.
Even though many of these tricks may seem small or insignificant, they will help you immensely during big battles.