How to Play Position 5 Support: Full Guide by 10K MMR Coach

Introduction

This tutorial provides a comprehensive guide on how to effectively play as a Position 5 support in Dota 2, based on insights from a 10K MMR coach. Whether you're starting from a lower rank or aiming for higher tiers, this guide will equip you with essential strategies, hero choices, and gameplay mechanics to improve your support gameplay.

Step 1: Understand Your Hero Pool

• Choose a diverse range of heroes that can adapt to different game situations.
• Focus on heroes that excel at crowd control, healing, or initiation.
• Familiarize yourself with the strengths and weaknesses of your selected heroes.

Step 2: Master the Picking Phase

• Pay attention to the overall team composition and counter-picks.
• Prioritize heroes that can synergize with your team's picks.
• Avoid picking heroes that are countered by the enemy team.

Step 3: Identify Types of Supports

• Learn the three main types of supports:
  • Hard Support: Focuses on providing vision and utility.
  • Soft Support: Offers healing and damage but can also scale into the late game.
  • Roaming Support: Leaves the lane to assist other lanes or secure objectives.

Step 4: Secure the First Bounty Rune

• Coordinate with your team to secure the first bounty rune.
• This helps provide an early gold advantage.
• Position yourself to contest if needed and communicate with allies.

Step 5: Approach the Lane Effectively

• Choose an appropriate positioning strategy at the start of the game.
• Maintain vision around the lane to avoid ganks.
• Focus on harassing the enemy offlaner without compromising your safety.

Step 6: Use Spells Wisely and Reach Level 2

• Prioritize using spells that maximize harassment or secure last hits.
• Aim to hit Level 2 before your enemy to gain an advantage.
• Use abilities strategically to zone out the enemy.

Step 7: Manage Creep Aggro

• Learn to manipulate creep aggro to pull creeps towards you.
• This allows for better positioning and denies farm to the enemy.
• Practice pulling creeps to reset the lane equilibrium.

Step 8: Execute Blocking and Pulling

• Block the enemy creeps at the start of the game to deny them farm.
• Pull your lane creeps to neutral camps to control the lane flow.
• This technique helps maintain lane advantage and experience.

Step 9: Focus on Lane Itemization

• Purchase items that enhance your survivability and utility.
• Common items include:
  • Tango
  • Clarity
  • Magic Stick
  • Boots of Speed
• Adjust your item build based on the enemy's composition.

Step 10: Make Effective Rotations

• After securing a strong lane presence, rotate to assist other lanes.
• Use Smoke of Deceit to initiate ganks.
• Coordinate with teammates to secure kills or objectives.

Step 11: Optimize Your TP Usage

• Keep a Town Portal Scroll ready for quick responses to team fights.
• Use TP effectively to assist teammates in trouble or to secure objectives.
• Be aware of your positioning before using TP to avoid being caught.

Step 12: Secure the Wisdom Rune

• Be mindful of the Wisdom Rune and its timing.
• Coordinate with your team to secure these runes for experience.
• Use the advantage to push your lead in the game.

Step 13: Make Use of Smoke

• Utilize Smoke to initiate fights or surprise the enemy.
• Plan your smoke ganks to catch the enemy off-guard.
• Communicate with your team about smoke usages and targets.

Step 14: Approach Team Fights with Strategy

• Position yourself strategically in fights to provide vision and utility.
• Prioritize saving teammates and controlling enemy heroes.
• Understand your role in the team fight based on the hero you chose.

Step 15: Master Warding Techniques

• Place wards in key areas for vision and map control.
• Learn about common warding spots and their strategic importance.
• Remove enemy wards to deny vision and control the flow of the game.

Step 16: Navigate the Mid Game

• Focus on supporting your cores by securing objectives and vision.
• Keep track of enemy movements and communicate with your team.
• Transition your item build to accommodate mid-game needs.

Step 17: Plan for Late Game Items

• As the game progresses, build items that enhance your utility.
• Consider:
  • Glimmer Cape
  • Force Staff
  • Guardian Greaves
• Adapt item choices based on the game's state and team needs.

Step 18: Maintain a Positive Mentality

• Stay focused and maintain a positive attitude throughout the game.
• Encourage your teammates and avoid tilt.
• Reflect on your performance to learn and improve for future games.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can significantly improve your gameplay as a Position 5 support in Dota 2. Focus on mastering your hero pool, effective rotations, and team fight strategies. Continuously learn from each game, and you can climb the ranks from any starting point. Happy gaming!