The Dota 2 Role Mastery guide will show you how to play mid-lane in Dota 2. Let’s begin our Dota 2 midlane guide.

Every position in Dota 2 is important, but one of them almost always gets more attention. The mid-lane is where most people can show off their individual skills to the fullest because they are (usually) in a 1v1 scenario. 

After we’ve learned how to play support, offlane, and carry, it’s time to conclude this series with the Dota 2 mid lane. Let’s dive in.

Dota 2 Mid Lane Guide – What Types of Midders are there?

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When talking about the Dota 2 mid lane, this is the so-called “Position 2”, in other words, the second-most-important hero in the game. The mid laner is the person responsible for organizing the team (depending on the hero). However, he can also be the second carry or the team’s frontline (again, depending on the hero).

When talking about the Dota 2 mid lane heroes, they can be divided into several groups:

• Right-Clickers
• Nukers
• Hybrids
• Tempo Controllers

The right-clickers are usually the team’s second carry, so their squad has to make sure they get enough farm. These heroes do a lot of physical damage and rely on the snowball effect to be effective. A good example here is Templar Assassin, one of the best right-clicking midders.

Nukers are those types of heroes that rely on their spell damage. They are usually much stronger in the mid-game than other heroes, so teams rely on them to end the game faster. Good examples include Tinker and Zeus.

The Hybrid Dota 2 mid-lane heroes do both physical and magical damage. Shadow Fiend and Invoker are good options here, although the latter is usually considered a nuker.

Lastly, we have Tempo Controllers. These Dota 2 midders need levels that allow them to dominate the other lanes and the game, thus controlling its tempo. Ember Spirit and Puck are some of the best examples. 

Dota 2 Midders – How to Pick Them – Tips 

Whether you check the Reddit Dota 2 mid lane tips or somewhere else, choosing a midder is more difficult than other heroes. In fact, there are a lot of things you need to consider:

• What is the enemy midder and the other heroes?
• Does your team follow a specific strategy?
• Who is going to support you, and can you expect help? 
• What’s your overall plan?

A lot of people only analyze the Dota 2 mid lane matchups, which is a step in the right direction, but it is not enough. Nevertheless, you should pick a hero who can lane well against your opponent if you want to have a good game.

If your team does not have a specific strategy (meaning you don’t have to pick a specific hero), you must analyze your supports. Some midders are squishy but really effective when someone is helping them. On the other hand, there are self-sufficient midders that can do well even if there is no one to help.

Speaking of picking the right hero, many Dota 2 mid players also pay special attention to the other heroes from the enemy team. If they see that there are loads of gankers or stunners, they will pick something that is not squishy and not that vulnerable against disables.

Dota 2 Role Mastery – Mid Lane Itemization

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Checking the Dota 2 mid lane tier list before choosing a hero is important, but this won’t help you unless you get the right items. Sadly, this is easier said than done when playing mid, especially in PUBs.

Something to keep in mind in this Dota 2 mid guide is that certain heroes will need specific items regardless of the situation. Templar Assassin, for example, needs that Desolator, and she needs to get it on time. Speaking of the devil, timings are also crucial when playing any core Dota 2 hero, especially mid. Not getting a given item on time is not good because it will make it less effective.

Besides getting the must-have hero-specific items, you must also adapt to the specific game. For example, you will almost always need a defensive item like a Black King Bar, but it may not be enough. Sometimes, the team may focus on a pushing strategy, which will require you to get unorthodox items, such as Mekansm.

Think very carefully about the items you need before purchasing something. Getting the wrong item as a Dota 2 midder is dangerous, and it could cause you to lose the game.

Early, Mid & Late Game – What To Do

If you analyze the top Dota 2 mid players, you will see that a lot of them do the same thing. In the early game, a mid-laner’s job is to try and outplay the enemy midder while doing everything possible to farm and not die. We believe this is the most interesting part of being a midder because you can outplay your opponents with denies, last hits, nukes, and more.

Once the mid-game arrives, the Position 2 hero becomes the most important unit in the team. Depending on the hero and the combos, the team should play around the midder and try taking team fights, securing objectives, and more. Of course, some midders are also great at getting solo kills. Storm Spirit is a perfect example.

The late game is where things get really serious. Most of the Dota2 mid tips you will find will suggest you be very careful because the death of a midder can be enough to lose the game. The things you have to do depend entirely on the hero you are playing with, so there is no universal formula.

Final Thoughts 

We suggest taking a look at the Dota 2 mid tier list to see which are the best midders in the given patch before you start playing. Unlike being a support, midders are more specific, so you need to pick heroes that work well in the given meta. You can check this by analyzing the heroes’ pick and win rates and see how they perform in the current patch.

Another thing to consider when playing a mid-laner is that this will be the most contested position in PUBs. Besides the fact that you will have to wait a lot until you find a game, even then, it is possible for someone to take it. The “Mid or Feed” quote is popular for a reason, so you have to be prepared for it.

Another thing you should be prepared for is for people to blame you. Regardless of the Dota 2 mid meta, PUB players almost always flame the midder when the team loses, so you have to be able to cope with the stress. After all, Dota 2 is not famous for being the most friendly game.