We need wards! Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? – You found the right Dota 2 ward guide if that’s what you are looking for.
Dota 2 wards are fundamental skills to get right in a game of Dota 2, regardless of the rank you are in. Although, there is definitely a skill gap in warding in Dota 2, notably at advanced levels.
Dota 2 wards are synonymous with map vision. Vision provides you with crucial information to determine your best course of action in the game. For instance, you have a deep ward in the enemy jungle, and they are heading out for a smoke gank. Of course, the right course of action would be to either go to the other side of the map or flank your enemies if you know where they are heading.
In hindsight, Dota 2 wards and locations are fundamental skills to put into practice. Anyone can place a ward at any spot on the map, and if it provides reliable information, it’s already a good ward. We could go into the specifics about the ward types, namely the Observer and Sentry Wards.
The Observer provides vision, whereas the Sentry provides true sight, revealing invisible units in the area. As such, you can use a Sentry Ward to snitch out on enemy wards if you happen to know where it’s located.
Dota 2 ward spot on a cliff, indicated with a eye-vision tattoo.
We covered the technical segment on Dota 2 wards, but Dota 2 ward spots are crucial too. In most cases, the map already has various cliff spots, which are higher terrains reserved for Dota 2 wards. In fact, these spots are well-indicated by an eye-sight icon, so it’s a no-brainer in most cases. Not to mention that the cliff spots provide broader coverage too, so placing it on ground level just seems inefficient.
Well, that’s because we didn’t take into account of our enemies, who probably have the same goal to ‘deward’ and ward the typical spots. Oh, did I mention that destroying a ward actually gives you a generous 200 gold bounty?
Instead, some of Dota 2 best ward spots are often situational to the match itself. In a competitive match, you often see seasoned players put wards in the weirdest of locations and often do not provide much vision. However, their motive of these unconventional Dota 2 ward spots is to catch a mere glimpse of enemy movement. And even better, if the Dota 2 ward remained hidden for a long duration.
Frankly, some of the oldest tricks in the book won’t work twice, neither does the common Dota 2 ward spots. Since the Dota 2 Update 7.29, locations of outposts, rune spots and jungle camps have shifted to give the MOBA a fresh take. Furthermore, the range of wards has been decreased, meaning the placement is likely getting edgier and braver now. Well, we will leave it to the wise folks at GameLeap to share their take at Dota 2 warding in the 7.29 update.
Regardless, a good trick to know where to ward would be to hover your ward’s AOE to see how far it spans. Then, place your ward just at the edge of the usual ward spots. The idea is that your opponents will place sentries on these common Dota 2 ward placement, so you are acting counter-intuitively by predicting your opponents’ moves.
You may apply a similar motive when it comes to blocking jungle camps with your wards too. You aren’t just warding for the sake of vision but also for its longevity by ensuring it is placed at uncommon locations.
Dota 2 ward skins aren’t the most sought-after cosmetics in the game, but it’s always nice to have anything but the default. Fortunately, Valve hasn’t completely forgotten about Dota 2 ward skins as there’s always a new ward in the annual International Battle Passes.
Some more flashy than others, but more importantly is that you can get most Dota 2 wards skins at a bargain. Thus, you can really get nifty with your Dota 2 wards, especially if you are a dedicated hard support player.
If this handy Dota 2 warding guide was of great use, perhaps you might be interested in our in-depth Dota 2 Ranks guide too. Enjoy that juicy taste of victory now that you understood the way of Dota 2 warding.
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