One of the most effective ways to consistently gain MMR is to understand how to siege high ground in Dota 2. This is perhaps the game’s hardest objective, and many lower-ranked players throw their leads because they don’t understand that the offensive team is always less favored in these situations. 

In this article, we’ll discuss everything there is to know about high ground sieges in Dota 2. From mechanics and preparation to decision-making, we’ll make sieging a lot less stressful.

Editor’s Note: Owen Harsono is an Immortal-ranked (SEA #1,770) Dota 2 player with years of high-level experience. His insights come directly from playing the top skill bracket, incorporating deep knowledge with practical advice that any player can apply in their own matches.

What Is The High Ground In Dota 2?

In Dota 2, “high ground” refers to the deepest area of the enemy base.

Here, you’ll find Tier 3 towers, Barracks, Tier 4 towers, and the Ancient. You can’t skip it either—it’s required to win any Dota 2 game. As a result, it’s important to understand the concept of high ground, whether you’re attacking or defending. 

Still, no matter how large your gold lead is, high ground heavily favors the defending team, as there are multiple built-in advantages that make defending easier. This imbalance makes sieging naturally harder for attackers.

Dota 2 High Ground Mechanics To Understand Before Sieging

The concept of sieging the high ground is pretty simple. Teams that are ahead will be the ones pushing into an enemy team’s high ground. However, defenders have several advantages that allow them to become stronger when clinging to their base.

Here are the most important high ground siege mechanics you need to know in Dota 2:

High Ground Vision

Dota 2 features vision mechanics, where heroes on the low ground cannot see heroes on the high ground (unless they place a ward inside the enemy base). However, the opposite is true for the defenders. This naturally creates an imbalance in vision, making it harder for attackers on the low ground to make the first move. 

Low Ground Miss Chance

In addition to the vision imbalance, heroes attacking from low ground have a 25% chance to miss targets uphill. This means that ranged heroes will only land 75% of their attacks when sieging or attacking enemy heroes, heavily reducing their outgoing damage. 

Bonus Armor From Towers

Though the numbers may seem small, it’s still worth noting that Tier 3 and Tier 4 towers grant nearby allies a bonus of 5 armor and 3 HP regeneration. 

Buyback Positional Advantage

The most important and often overlooked advantage is buyback positioning. Defenders who die can buyback and immediately rejoin the defense within seconds. On the other hand, attackers do not have the same luxury.

If an attacker dies and buys back, the closest structure they can teleport to is the Outpost. It takes at least 10 seconds (usually much longer) to re-enter the fight—and by the time they arrive, the fight might be over already. 

When Should You Attempt To Push High Ground In Dota 2?

In lower-ranked Dota 2 games, the most common area where throws happen is on the enemy high ground. Most of the time, a simple gold advantage is not enough to break into the enemy team’s high ground, as it is not enough to overcome all the defensive advantages we’ve discussed earlier. 

Therefore, certain conditions have to be met before sieging high ground, and accomplishing them can heavily increase the chances of a successful push:

Have A Significant Lead

When you’re in the game, it’s difficult to judge how far ahead you are, since your net worth isn’t visible. So, one of the best ways to estimate your lead is to check experience levels instead. If your allies are around five or more levels ahead of their counterparts, your lead is probably big enough to attempt a siege. 

All Outer Towers Should Be Destroyed

A game of Dota 2 should generally be taken one step at a time. Before proceeding to Tier 3 towers, it is highly recommended to destroy all Tier 1 and Tier 2 towers first. Doing so will drastically improve your map control and make it easier to choke the enemy team out of their side of the map. 

Multiple Lanes Are Pushed In

When sieging high ground in Dota 2, it is incredibly important to have at least two lanes pushing into the enemy team’s base. This creates split pressure for the enemy team, as they are left scrambling to defend two sides. From this confusion, you can typically find an opportunity to get a good pickoff or deal heavy damage to one side. 

Roshan Advantage

The best way to maximize the chances of a successful high ground push is to take Roshan–the game’s most important objective. He drops items such as the Aegis of the Immortal and Roshan’s Banner, which can come in very handy during a siege. 

Key Item Timings Achieved

Before trying to breach the enemy high ground, make sure to finish item timings like Black King Bar or other damage or survivability items. Support items are also important, as Force Staff or Lotus Orb can make a world of difference for any carries caught off-guard.

Enemy Heroes Are Dead (With Buyback Status Known) 

High ground pushes naturally become easier if there are fewer heroes to defend. However, make educated assumptions about whether dead enemy heroes have buyback. If you suspect they have buybacks available, do not overextend and tread carefully. 

That said, remember that every game has different scenarios and states. Not all of these conditions have to be met, but having more will minimize the risk of a failed push. 

How To Prepare The Map Before A High Ground Siege In Dota 2

If you’ve met most of the conditions listed above and are ready to give the enemy high ground a crack, there’s still more to prepare. It’s important to take care of the map before initiating the siege.

Securing Roshan is typically the first step, but it is important NOT to rush the process. Remember, Aegis lasts 5 minutes, so you can spend the first 2 minutes getting ready with three to spare for the actual push. 

Make sure this checklist is cleared before you and the team gather to siege the enemy base:

Secure Roshan

The first step to a high ground siege should always be Roshan. Players below the Immortal rank in Dota 2 should make it a habit to always take Rosh before any high ground push. The Aegis and Roshan’s Banner heavily increase the chances of success. 

Clear All Outer Towers

Many players fail to understand that there is really no need to rush high ground.

If there are still Tier 1 and Tier 2 towers standing, there’s a good chance your team is not ready to take high ground in the first place. If you haven’t taken weaker towers, what makes you think you’re ready to take stronger ones?

Most games follow the same process: the first Aegis should be used to clear out all outer towers, while the second one is used for attempting the high ground. 

Fix the Lanes

Fixing the lanes is arguably the most important preparation for a high ground push.

To the uninitiated, “fixing” lanes refers to pushing them out closer to the enemy base. Ideally, you want the creeps to at least cross the bridge and have two of them shoved all the way in front of the enemy base. 

Many situations occur where attackers get split-pushed by enemy heroes. Then, an ally teleports back to defend, while the split-pusher can teleport back home to defend. This creates a numerical disadvantage for the attacking squad. 

Establish Deep Wards

Wards win games. If you’re in the lead, make sure to accompany your supports and help them place deep wards in the enemy jungle.

Even if the high ground siege fails, you will still have established deep vision in enemy territory. In the case where your entire team backs off, you can start picking off enemy heroes that go outside their base, thinking it is safe, then convert this successful pickoff to another high ground attempt. 

Pro Tip: Farming Aegis vs. Sieging Aegis

There are two ways to “use” the Aegis of the Immortal. One is to farm the map, and the other is to siege the enemy base. 

The “farming” method involves using the 5 minute window to completely control the map. This means clearing the enemy jungle camps and starving enemies of their safe farm. For every minute that passes, your team will be farming dozens more camps than the enemy team, extending the gold and XP lead.

The “sieging” method is self-explanatory and should only be used if the team is confident in their chances of winning a fight despite all the natural advantages defenders gain. 

This concept is why you will often see Tundra Esports and Team Falcons (two of the best Dota 2 teams in the world) claim the Aegis and “only farm the map.” While it might look like they’re wasting time, they are actually using the Aegis to minimize their chances of losing.

So, there really is no rush to break into the enemy high ground. There are other ways to increase your chances of winning without taking an enemy lane of Barracks. 

How To Execute A High Ground Siege Step by Step

Once the map is prepared and your team is ready to give the high ground a shot, the siege should be neat and tidy. Here are the steps you need to follow to keep a siege attempt controlled:

Best Heroes For Sieging High Ground In Dota 2

Some heroes are particularly good at hitting buildings in Dota 2. Here are some of the best siegers in the game:

Besides dealing damage to towers, there are other ways heroes can contribute to a siege.

• Batrider, Pudge, and Magnus can pick off defenders and get quick kills.
• Tidehunter and Centaur Warrunner can tank hits/spells and zone the enemies out.
• Invoker, Ogre Magi, and Io can buff the tower hitter with damage or attack speed. 

Itemization That Makes High Ground Sieges Easier

There are several items that help increase the chances of pushing high ground. These items include:

• Black King Bar: Allows carries to confidently hit towers without the fear of getting chain-stunned or burst from one hundred to zero. 
• Assault Cuirass / Desolator: Towers are difficult to bring down due to their high armor. These two items reduce armor, making it easier to deal damage. 
• Helm of the Overlord: Helm provides attack speed aura to nearby allies, and also gives a summoned creep to deal extra damage. 
• Aura Items (Pipe / Crimson / Greaves): These aura items place buffs on the entire team, helping them sustain enemy attacks and spells.
• Utility Items (Force Staff / Glimmer / Lotus / Solar Crest): Support items like these keep the team’s tower hitter safe and healthy. 

FAQs

How do you push high ground in Dota 2 safely?

To push high ground safely in Dota 2, you’ll need to claim the Aegis, hit your item timings, and ensure the map state is in your favor.

What does uphill miss chance do during a high ground siege?

In Dota 2, the uphill miss chance means ranged heroes have a 25% chance of missing their attacks. This slows down a push since fewer attacks connect.

When should you avoid sieging high ground in Dota 2?

When sieging high ground in Dota 2, the attacking team is at a natural disadvantage. The defenders have vision and an uphill advantage, which makes it harder for attackers to win engagements.

What heroes are best for breaking high ground defense?

Some of the best heroes for taking high ground in Dota 2 include Lone Druid, Tiny, Sniper, and Juggernaut.

Why is high ground so hard to push in Dota 2?

High ground is incredibly tough to push because attackers have less vision and unfavorable buyback positioning.

References

1. such is life Overview (DotaBuff)