Replays are an essential part of the journey to become a better player. The same way NBA stars watch tapes to get better, Dota players watch replays to increase their skill, knowledge, and MMR.
The hunger to become better and learn will lead you to your goals.And to watch replays...
Importance of Watching Dota 2 Replays to Improve
Watching replays is not a new thing or thing unique only to Dota or any other esports game, in classical sports like Basketball and Football, it's a pretty common thing for the coach to watch tapes from the opposing teams, their own team, a better team, and closely analyze their playstyle to either adapt to it, steal it, or just have more knowledge into them about the certain sport.
Watching our own replays closely, makes us realize our mistakes so we don't repeat them in the future.
Watching pro players replays, gives us more insight about how players above our league play, and fills our skillset up with new tricks, builds, ways of playing, and just generally getting better.
How to Properly Analyze a Dota 2 Replay?
To be able to analyze your own replays and spot your own mistakes, you first need to fill your head with pieces of information on how to properly play the game, and what your game plan should be, and which actions you should be taking in the given circumstances.
When you watch a replay from someone that is x2/x3 your MMR, you will find a lot of things complicated and things hard to understand, and you will think that these players planed their move a lot earlier than when they acted, but in reality, all that they do is automatic and out of instinct, or simply said quick thinking because their understanding of the game is at a high level and they are focused while playing, and that should be your goal on the road to improve.
It's good to note the important things and moves that you see the player did, like for example, TP-ing as a Terrorblade on the enemy safe lane when the catapult is up to use your Meta and take the tower, is usually a good play that makes you an active carry early and gives more space on the map for you.
Dota 2 Replays: Helpful Tools
Your Go-To tools to find the up-to-date replays from pro players will be dotaprotracker, dotabuff, or opendota.
Picked Enigma by mistake, but have no idea what the current meta build is? - Just write enigma in the search tab on any of these websites and u will find recent Enigma games from players in the top 000.1% percentile and you will know what to do.
Committed players usually watch 2 to 3 replays per day before starting their ranked marathon session while only playing the heroes they've been analyzing lately from replays.
Practicing what you've learned will help you remember the things you previously saw/learned and will improve your overall performance in the game.
Don't forget to flex on your friends with your newly learned Weaver gameplay after watching 3 Mason replays :).
Benefits of Watching Dota 2 Replays
The feeling of ranking up all by yourself a feeling very unique and rewarding, climbing the medals, winning, makes our mood more positive, and gives us more joy while playing the game.
By watching replays of pub stars or pro players regularly, you will:
- always know the correct item build
- you will learn the hero matchups even though u haven't played them
- improve your farming patterns
- pick the right heroes
- outsmart your opponent more often
- lastly, you will always be better then enemy role matchup
READ MORE:
- Dota 2 Item Guide: Helm of the Dominator
- DOTA Dragon’s Blood: Everything We Know So Far! (UPDATED)
- The Dota 2 Tutorial Is So Bad That the Community Is Crowdfunding A New One
For more Dota 2 news and everything else gaming or esports stay with EarlyGame. Make your own MyEarlyGame account to customize the content you wish to see on our website and enter exclusive giveaways.