This skill is very important in 3 things:

• Mana cost
• Estimating damage output
• Estimating cool downs

Being quick in calculations give you a lot of advantage and safety. Knowing if your mana pool will be enough to execute your combo won't get you in trouble and shout "F*ck! I ran out of Mana!" *, and then die. Be sure to be quick in calculations because one split unguarded moment can cause you to lose the battle. Damage output should also be considered to know how quick you can kill a hero or if it possible to kill certain heroes with your number. You shouldn't just go into battle without having the clash play in your mind. Cool downs are also important specially if your opponents have deadly ultimate skills. Use the long cool down of opponent's skills to your advantage. You can either initiate a clash or push if their skills aren't available. Doing more calculations than your opponents will give you huge advantages.

This skill is important in 3 things:

• Animation Cancelling
• Doing Combos and Micros
• Clicking heroes that are hard to click

Animation cancelling is important in playing DotA. There are a lot of heroes that have spells that have prolonged animations. You should cancel them to not waste time. Animation cancelling is also important in harassing heroes. You can move either forward or backward instead of waiting for the attack animation to stop. In this way you can harass more or be evading more damage. Combos require timing and shouldn't be interrupted by just having slow hands. Micro-ing is the term used to describe controlling more units which also requires quick hands. Heroes that are hard to click, like Venomancer, is also countered by having quick hands. You can search for the small icon of the hero in shorter period to be able to hit him thus not letting him escape just because he cannot be clicked.

Planning is essential in DotA as it is in war fares. As soon as the drafting starts until the game ends, several plans should be made. The team who came out to have great plans quicker would surely win.

Plan 4 steps ahead:

• 1st step: What you're going to do
• 2nd step: How your opponents will react
• 3rd step: What will be your response to their actions
• 4th step: Know who will have the advantage after

This skill is very important in 5 things:

• Map awareness
• Finding target
• Distance from team mates
• Number of opponents
• Spells used

Map awareness is very important. You shouldn't be prone to gank; you should know if your team mates need you, you should know where opponents are to kill or to be avoided, etc. Finding target in a clash is important. You shouldn't just cast all your spells on a hero you see. Pro players expect the back up. Reserve your spells for better uses. Distance from team mates should be considered.

This is a trick that will make you improve quickly. Rather than having a "Wow, he's so good!" mindset, think of it this way "I am this Shadow Fiend I am watching. This is my replay. I am currently farming and harassing at the same time. There might be gankers nearby, I should hide first." etc.

The point is you have to feel that you are the one who played that hero you're watching because this is the quickest way you could be playing like the real player. He may be Yaphets, Yamateh, 2009, or other great Shadow Fiend players but you should be the player in your imagination while watching the replay.

I've done this so many times and from my experience, after watching replays of good supports or gankers like 820, NS, and my favorite Vigoss, my decision making in that aspect of game (supporting) improved a lot. What happens is their experiences became my own experience. When they fail, I also failed so I know what to do next time. When they succeed, I also succeed so I knew what works. I don't have to play against popular teams to experience playing against them because I already did with this technique. 

Don't just say "Yeah! I won time to go!" or "Damn it! I lost". You’re won or lost games should all be watched. If you're aiming for perfection in your game you shouldn't be lazy to check out what are the errors you've done that needs to be corrected. May it be a simple last hitting problem or a huge turning point problem that caused your whole team to lose, you should be aware of the things you're not doing right for you to be able to correct them.

In team games, is very critical it is very critical to watch your replays. Almost every game there are failed executed combo. Sometimes you just won because the opposing team isn't that experienced yet but you still have someone dying. Yes it's not that easy to have a complete 5-0 sweep clash if you're facing good teams but there might be ways to make it happen. There might be a need to tweak your strategy or lineup.

I was lazy to watch my replays before but when I did, I discovered 1000 gallons of mistakes I was making. It was only then I changed it. After having a hobby of watching most of my replays after playing, I was amazed with my own improvement. If I only opened my mind earlier and have already done own replay watching session, I could have improved 2 years earlier but I'm not regretting any of my experiences. I learned from all of them. 

Have you ever wondered why your game is not as good as your other games playing different hero? Improving your game also comes from improving on how to use a hero. That's the reason why there are DotA-hero-guides spreading in the internet.

Playing a hero for 2 to 3 days will make you comfortable with the hero you want to master, you'll experience different things that may happen in real games making you prepared for them, and you'll know different strategies that will assure success in using that hero.

I played chen not only for 3 days but for 3 months. It's because I was still a newbie that time (my 1st year of playing DotA) who was used to playing carry. I discovered that Chen is the most used hero by professional teams that time. I don't want to demand this boring practice to any of my team mate so I switched my role to support and practiced Chen for months. Whenever they see Chen, he is like my twin already for I'm the first person to be in their minds. Good Chen players were always behind me laughing at how I micro my creeps. After 3 months of practice our team evolves from a noob team to a feared team in tournaments. Chen gave me a lot of Championship awards. You don't need 3 months because I assume you already have more experience in competitive games than I had before. 

You'll lose. So, what? If you're not too big to handle criticisms, you're to small to be praised. Playing against better players will make you realize your flaws and the things needed to be adjusted on your game. You'll also be inspired to surpass his skills, if you are optimistic enough (which you need to be).

We always lost before. I even offer free games for good teams to play with us. I lost my money and I still lost the game but I'd still invite them to play with us again. The feeling is not so good when losing but what happened was we leveled up. We watched our replay against them. We discovered their strategies and we formulated our own better than them. The time came when nobody can beat us anymore here in our place even the team we paying for. It's like a business. Investment and hard work first, then success will follow. 

Close your eyes. Think of what you want to achieve (may it be DotA or not *this is effective*)... Then if you have already thought of what you want to be, imagine that you are that person right now. Make your imagination realistic with all the specific elements included in your background. Relax and imagine you are that successful person you want to be. Believe it's happening now. After imagining your goals, open your eyes and believe that it really happened. It's a part of your experiences because you are already that successful person you want to be right now.

This exercise I made you to do is important because I want you to develop your confidence and optimism. You'll have more success if you're going to believe in it because your mind will develop a positive aura that makes you do everything to achieve your goal. 

Improve Button

Michael Jordan was cut of from high school varsity team but proved to be the best ever to play basketball. Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he lacked imagination and had no original ideas, but look at how every Disney films are loved and patronized by people of all ages until now. Bill Gates failed in his businesses before getting into Microsoft and became a billionaire. Even the best people on every field failed. Don't be afraid to fail. In fact, when someone would ask me how to have the best team in the world, I'd give a prescription of failing 3 times a day. You may experience a lot of trash talks and stuff, but so what? They can't hurt you without your consent. It's up to you if you would accept those words. You just have to believe in yourself no matter what. Have your goal on your mind and use your experience in reaching it. 

Don't analyze how bitter the feeling of the failure was; analyze all the factors that lead to failing. Failing alone won’t make you improve. Don't just fail and drink after because your failure would be useless. There are a lot to analyze why you lost. Lane controls, ganking, hero picks, team fights, map control. It is better to save your replays and watch it to see the errors clearly. Whenever I lose a game, I try to think of the best move I could have make instead of committing the certain error. I also watch enemy's point of view to know their strategy, so that we won’t lose to same strategy again. If you don't have any coach to give you DotA guides and strategies, you can rely on Mr. experience. He is the best coach you'll ever have. 

After analyzing your failures, decide what adjustments you’re going to make. Stick to this plan. Do your adjustments in your next games. Don't make the same errors and execute your new strategy. Chances are your games will improve. If ever you fail again, detect the errors and make the necessary adjustments again. After tons of failures and adjustments, I bet you are already one scary DotA beast. You will improve in anything not just in DotA if you always try new things and know if what works best. 

A lot of Professional DotA Replays are uploaded every day. Watch it very carefully and analyze every aspects of the game. Conclude on what should and not be done based from the replays you've watched. Don't just watch to get yourself entertained like what most people do. A lot of people are complaining after watching a replay that it was boring because the team turtled or played safe. What they do not understand is that the teams are just being careful because in DotA, you can lost in one wrong move.

DotA guides and strategies like this one are good to give you advice on how to improve your DotA games but nothing can ever beat experience. Fail, stand up and fight better. Don't ever give up. Giving up means end of everyone's career. If I gave up when I was still a noob, I'm sure there would be no itsme-gaming DotA website right now. I would just be another failure out there who didn't have the courage to fight. 

This is the most important thing I've learned that made me have a better DotA game. I was used into rushing. Rushing to push, rushing to gank, rushing to kill, resulting to rushing to the tavern and wait for my respawn. I was so impatient before that I even get pissed if my team mates are still farming. I want action and I want to dominate the game as early as 10 minutes. My impatience caused a lot of defeats. I always end up under leveled and I never had the chance to farm luxury items. 

I was used into playing lina in pub games where I always dominate by buying dagger before boots or other basic items. I would gank alone with my combo and go back to the fountain then gank again. It was pub game where my opponents would be troll, mortred, etc. When it comes to facing opponents with perfect team play, while Lina would be farming her dagger, the team may already be dominating and you are already feeding because of skipping the basics. Always remember to win at your lane. 

Looking at the mini map often made me quicker to respond. Once I see a red dot charging towards my team mates, I'll sure be there to back them up and turn the gank into our advantage. Thus when, opponents are not seen on the mini map, I can decide to either search for them or to play safe because a gank may be coming. My reactions become quicker because of having the habit of keeping my eyes on the mini map. 

Observer wards became my favorite item in this game because of its ability to give me a lot of 'W'. Observer wards are saviors of my hero's life. They also serve as an offensive tool for searching and trapping opponents. Before, I didn't want to buy wards because I feel like I'll be delayed in my items. I realized that my death costs more money than wards. If I bought wards, I'll be safe and I won’t lose farming time. 

Don't wait for anybody to buy this for you. Most invisible heroes have low hp and it is a waste if you don't abuse their big disadvantage. Buy sentry/dust and kill them. Buy gem if you are confident enough that you won’t die. Not killing invisible heroes early game will make them farm deadly items to finish you off on the latter part of the game. You'll lose and all your efforts will all be wasted if you don't take the initiative to buy these items. 

It's not the trash talking that you make to quarrel your opponents. This trash talk is useful if you are playing on lan. Trash talk serves two things. First, it gives confidence to your team mates. I tested this lot of times. My team mates played better when I trash talk. They become calmer and they can think better. 2nd thing, you can psych out your opponents when you trash talk. This will test their mental toughness. If they are affected by your trash talks, their game will greatly be affected. 

PlayDotA hero guides have good authors that give guides on their favorite heroes. They give detailed information on the do's and don'ts, item and skill build, strategy early to late game etc. After reading, apply them in your game and apply your original creativity. It will make you play the hero better. 

To improve more in playing certain heroes watch professional players play it. Use them as inspirations to your game in playing the certain hero.

Never have the quest "search for the noob". Always fight against players who inspire you. Don't play against weaker players just to make you feel good. If you really want to improve, beat players who are on top of you.

When you're sleepy, sleep (if you have nothing important to do). Then just play when you wake up. Forcing yourself to play when tired will result not having focus. You would also be emotional destroying your game totally.

Never stop planning. From early to late game you should be having plans. You should plan how you'd be stable on your lane, you should plan how to attack in ganking, you should plan how to fight in team clash, and more. That makes you have directions on your game.

Predict the deadliest thing the opponents can do and have the best counter for it. Your opponents may not think of it but you're ready whenever he does that. Moreover, you can easily counter them when they do weaker attacks on you, expecting them to be deadlier.

Keep in mind where you, your team and your heroes are good and bad at. It is always important to know yourself and your team totally. You would know which strategies can fit or not. You can have better plays if you maximize your strengths and you can do something to turn your weaknesses into strengths.

Aside from yourself, you should also know your opponents totally. You would be able to have a plan on countering their strengths like picking heroes or farming items to counter them. Most importantly, you can play by their weaknesses. Nothing is much easier than taking advantage of the opponents’ weaknesses. It's like playing other RPG games where the master usually has weak spots, most of the time it's their belly, foot, and mouth. You know that to beat that Master you should find a way to hit their weak spots that are often hidden.

You first need to know on what are your team mates' expectations that you should meet. If you're a support, they probably expect that you place wards on rune spots and to help the team have map control. If you're at solo lane, you're expected to be stable on your lane and hopefully dominate it. If you're in a trilane, you're expected to know the combo. There are a lot of default things that you're team mates are already expecting from you.

After knowing the expectations of your team mates from you, you now need to plan. You cannot rush into doing it at once. Plan... You need to plan the best possible way to meet these expectations. If you need to be stable at your lane you probably need to have proper balance of regeneration items, stats and damage. Dying a lot on your lane will be below their expectations.

Upgrade these expectations to the next level. If they are expecting you to be stable and survive your lane, upgrade to dominating your opponent in your lane totally. You now have an upgraded goal that you should meet. Meeting this goal is exceeding their expectations.

This won't happen if you don't believe that you can do it. Trust your ability to do it. Focus and give your best for that goal. Don't hesitate, just do it.

Anime characters taught me how to be precise in every move I'll make in DotA. They would often have a plan on how to attack the weak points of the opponents. Though faced in difficult situations, they have the ability to have a clear mind to think of the best next move. They wait if they should wait. They attack if the time is right. They prepare more if they can't go through. Watching Anime inspired me to do what I call 'Ninja moves' in DotA. It is the ability to fool your opponents because you already predicted what he's going to do next. Anime characters would always study their opponents carefully and won’t ever be baited by the opponent's made moves.

Weak anime protagonists often beat stronger opponents. This is my inspiration why I have this much confidence. I'd face anyone in tournaments. I know I can beat anyone though they may have more experience than me. Having confidence in you is the key to beat anyone. If you think you won’t win, then you won’t. Focus on beating them, not on your differences. Focus on your strengths and how to maximize them. 

The longer the series continues, the stronger they become. Protagonists would often start without any knowledge that they have powers to beat opponents who are already strong from the day the series started. But, in the end the protagonists would be incredibly strong to face the main opponent to beat them. I didn't stop practicing until I reached my goal. Like in anime stories, we managed to defeat the teams we worshiped before. 

The characters fight with a lot of concentration. I find it funny when they would shout the name of their skill before they actually do it. But, going deeper, they are showing how to be conscious of your actions. Most of the times, we die because we don't know that we are farming too far. Most of the time we lose a clash because we don't know that we are not yet capable of beating the opponent's early heroes in clash. Presence of mind is so important to be able to know what you are doing and be conscious of advantage and disadvantages. 

No matter what happens, the protagonists won’t die, they would just be injured if they faced strong opponents but they won’t actually die. At the end of the series they will be the one to succeed. This is obvious in Anime stories but this had a large effect on me. It inspired me not to give up. For no matter how many times I've been down, it's a fact that I'll be the one on top if I would work hard for it. 

Characters which don’t have any magical skills yet, would defeat opponents with powerful skills when they are together. They would use team work to do this. In DotA, you can still win the game though even how the opponent's are individually. The only thing you can fear in this game is perfect team work, for it requires a better-than-perfect team work to beat them. 

Anime characters know how to respect opponents no matter how evil they were in the series. This leads to not doing trash talks against my opponents after defeating them. I've learned to treat this game professionally. I trash talk some times but it's for the sake of psyching my opponents out. Making them grow arrogant and have a negative effect on their game. But, after winning the game, I would approach them like nothing happened.