How Dota 2 tournaments have changed: from small competitions to mega-events

Beginners in Dota 2 are confronted not only with the game, but with an entire system. Unknown mechanics, more than 120 heroes, dozens of roles and objects, hundreds of combinations, three lanes, the fog of war, a 0.5-second dynamic. A mistake in choosing the starting character slows down progress. Under these circumstances, the characters determine the comfort of the first 100 games for a beginner in Dota 2, their resistance to mistakes and the ability to focus on the basics.

Wraith King: the unsinkable commander on the front line

Wraith King exhibits a perfect balance between attack and survival. The hero operates on the front line, constantly dealing damage and returning to battle after death thanks to his ultimate ability. The list of characters for beginners in Dota 2 includes Wraith King because of his minimal mechanical actions and maximum usability in battle.

Initial effectiveness

His abilities allow him to maintain control without micromanaging: stunning a target, passive aura over skeletons, automatic health regeneration. For the carry role, Wraith King simplifies item synchronisation: three slots are enough to dominate the mid-game. A positioning mistake does not lead to instant death, making the hero ideal for beginners.

Sniper: ranged damage with simple controls

With Sniper, you can focus on aiming and positioning without having to engage in close combat. This makes him one of the best heroes in Dota 2 for beginners, especially in the mid lane. His playstyle is based on dealing damage from a safe distance. At the same time, you work on your map awareness, choosing the right moment to attack and understanding the line of sight. Sniper helps beginners master the mechanics of the mid lane, feel the rhythm of farming, assess risks and use items such as Dragon Lance or Hurricane Pike correctly.

Crystal Maiden: control and support without strain

Crystal Maiden provides control over the battlefield and support for the team. Her ultimate ability deals damage within a certain radius, her slow blocks the movements of enemies, and her passive ability restores the mana of allies. In low-ranked team play conditions, the hero helps to stabilise team fights.

The list of characters for beginners in Dota 2 includes Crystal Maiden thanks to her predictable position, her clear function, and the ease with which her abilities can be executed. The hero is ideal for learning to support: placing wards, helping at the right moment, managing resources.

Dragon Knight: stability and versatility

Dragon Knight holds any line, maintains the initiative in battle, and easily adapts to any playstyle. He has a high armour index, regeneration, fire breath for farming, and transformation into a dragon for pushing. His resistance to magic allows him to stay in battle longer.

As one of the best heroes for beginners, Dragon Knight reinforces understanding of the map, teaches you how to position yourself in the line, and familiarises you with push times. The clear logic of the items (Power Treads, Blink Dagger, Black King Bar) and the versatility of functions make him an easy character to master.

Riki: stealth as training in patience

Despite his invisibility from the first levels, Riki requires a precise understanding of the map. This hero stimulates awareness, intuition, reaction to objects, and develops tactical thinking. If you make a mistake, punishment follows immediately, but if you play well, you control the enemy’s rear. Lists of characters for beginners in Dota 2 rarely include Riki, but in the right hands, he helps develop crucial skills: choosing the target, the moment of attack, the correct retreat. The hero is suitable for those who want to learn to play aggressively but accurately.

Learn quickly by playing: list of characters for beginners in Dota

The initial stages of learning Dota 2 determine the speed and quality of further growth. An incorrect choice of hero at the beginning makes it difficult to understand the basic mechanics, reduces interest, and complicates team play. Complex characters with active abilities that require precise timing and quick reactions overload the mind. For example, heroes with various transformations or delayed spells require an accurate assessment of the situation, something a beginner cannot do in their first 20-30 games.

In contrast, simple characters offer a more accessible format: simple controls, understandable roles, and predictable skill responses. The beginning of the game becomes a learning zone, where new rules are explained every minute: the line is not just a direction, but a place to calculate position, assess enemy pressure, and work with resources. Understanding these elements comes faster when there is no mechanical overload and the logic of the skills is clear.

In addition, the first victories with these characters reinforce motivation. Every team fight won, every successful ultimate, every correctly chosen item tree creates a cause-and-effect relationship.

Systematic approach

Structured learning is based on roles. Each character for beginners in Dota 2 has a specific area of responsibility and forms an independent set of skills. For example:

1. Carry requires skilled farming, assessing threats, timing to come out of the forest, and purchasing important artefacts before the 20th minute. This teaches the player to save, not to be greedy, and to avoid excessive aggression without items. Once he senses the right moment for battle, Carry begins to set the pace for the entire team.
2. The support learns to analyse the situation globally: seeing where an ally is struggling, when to place vision, how to defend against a gank, when to sacrifice yourself to save others. Here, team discipline, understanding of the macro game, and initiative are important. Especially with heroes who can change the outcome of a fight with a single spell. Support strengthens observation reflexes and prioritisation of actions.
3. Mid laners develop the habit of thinking ahead. Control over runes, rotations, the constant threat of the enemy jungler, the need to balance farming and pressure: all of this promotes flexibility, mobility and the ability to read the map. The role of the mid laner teaches the player to analyse when to come to the rescue and when to put pressure on the towers.

Each position develops certain muscle and tactical reflexes. At the same time, the tips for beginners in the game always contain the same principle: simplify your thinking. Don’t jump into complex combinations, don’t try to repeat e-sports moves, don’t strive for statistics. It is much more important to remember 4-5 behaviour patterns of the hero, learn two starting configurations and respect the frequency of use of the skills.

Direct link between the decision and the result

Dota 2 is based on choices: where you position yourself, who you attack, when you retreat, what you buy, who you ignore. Every action has consequences. The number of decisions in a battle is limited by your attention span. A beginner with an overloaded mind chooses slowly and makes mistakes more often. Gradual learning creates an environment in which fewer decisions are made, but those decisions are of higher quality. By reducing the density of actions, accuracy increases and reflexes are strengthened. This is where the characters for beginners in Dota 2 come in handy: they limit the number of possible mistakes.

Example: a hero with only one active skill only has to make one decision: to use it or not. A character with three active skills that require direction, range and timing creates dozens of combinations. Without a solid foundation, the beginner simply loses the rhythm of the battle. Instead of focusing on the mini-map and the positions of the enemies, the player focuses on the buttons and loses. And losing without understanding the reasons is demotivating.

Beginner characters in Dota 2 as a stepping stone to understanding the game

A hero in Dota 2 is not just a damage model. It is a tool to develop your thinking skills. A wrong choice excludes you, a right choice opens up the game. The characters for beginners in Dota 2 make the game more accessible, form a stable game logic and explain the mechanics without overwhelming you. In highly competitive environments with complex objectives, players who choose a solid foundation progress to the next level more quickly.

Gambling as a profession? Ten years ago it seemed absurd. Today, cyber-athletes not only live their dream, but earn millions of dollars from it. How is it possible that people who spend long hours behind a screen have joined the ranks of the highest paid professionals? We tell you who turned the idea of earning money on its head and became the richest cyber-athletes of our time.

10: Topson, the player who surprised everyone

Topias ‘Topson’ Taavitsainen is a cyber-athlete whose story proves that courage and creativity can lead to millions. He started playing in computer clubs in Finland and proved to the world that even a small-town boy can become a world star. The early years of Topson’s career were not very successful. He remained in the shadow of better-known players, but in 2018 everything changed.

Prize money in eSports tournaments became his main goal, and with OG he achieved incredible success by winning The International twice in a row. Topson has become a symbol of an unconventional approach. In addition to awards, he has signed several lucrative contracts with sponsors, including giants such as Red Bull and Secretlab.

8 and 9: The brotherhood of gamers and their incredible merits – s1mple and FalleN

Alexander ‘s1mple’ Kostylev is the true embodiment of skill and hard work in the world of CS. His skills and aggressive play style have led the Natus Vincere team to victory in countless tournaments. s1mple is a phenomenon that inspires generations of young players.

A list of the richest CS cyber-athletes would not be possible without him. His income includes prize money from tournaments as well as multi-million dollar contracts with sponsors. His partners include Logitech, G2A and various streaming platforms where he regularly attracts tens of thousands of viewers.

FalleN is a legend in Brazil

Gabriel ‘FalleN’ Toledo is a key figure in the development of Brazilian eSports. Thanks to his successes with teams SK Gaming and MIBR, he has built up a veritable army of fans. FalleN is also a mentor to many young players who want to emulate his success. FalleN’s main income comes from prize money, contracts and his own Fallen Store brand, making him one of the richest eSports players in the world.

7 and 6: The true titans of eSports Olympus – Miracle and Puppey

Amer ‘Miracle’ Al-Barkawi is a player who is spoken of with admiration not only by fans, but also by his peers. His career started with a simple passion for Dota 2, which grew into a world-class career. In 2015, Miracle became the first member to achieve a record MMR score, which immediately drew attention to his talent. As a member of Team Liquid, he won The International 2017. The world’s richest cybersport players could not exist without legends like this.

Miracle- Known for his impeccable strategies and ability to turn the game in his team’s favour in even the most difficult situations. His financial achievements include not only prize money, but also countless advertising contracts. Red Bull, Alienware and other companies are doing everything they can to get their hands on the cybersports star’s name.

Puppey is an experienced captain

Klement ‘Puppey’ Ivanov is a man whose name is familiar to all Dota 2 fans. He is one of the few who has participated in every The International since the very beginning. His career started in 2007 and since then he has always been among the elite of global eSports. Puppey’s success is a story of leadership, tactics and the ability to lead a team to victory.

As a member of Team Secret, Puppey has won numerous tournaments, including the DreamLeague and ESL. Wealthy eSports players realise that financial success in eSports is not only about prize money, but also about sponsorship deals, streaming and long-term investments. Puppey actively collaborates with brands such as Corsair and Monster Energy.

5 and 4: commercial winners N0tail and JerAx

Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein is a cyber-athlete who has become a true leader of his team and an inspiration to millions of fans. He started his career in Heroes of Newerth, but later moved to Dota 2, where he became captain of OG. Under his leadership, the team won two The Internationals in a row, making him not only a legend, but also a multi-millionaire – one of the richest cyber athletes.

Over the course of his career, N0tail has earned more than $7 million in prize money alone. His influence goes beyond a single session: streaming broadcasts, sponsorship deals, content creation and even involvement in the launch of his own brand. Johan has partnered with companies such as Red Bull and Secretlab, helping him to remain financially stable and continue to grow.

JerAx is a master of support

Jesse ‘JerAx’ Winicka is known for his incredible support skills. He is the man behind the success of the entire team’s actions and ensures victory at critical moments. His contribution to the Olympic Games, where he won two international matches, cannot be overstated.

The list of the best cybersport players by major victories would not be complete without JerAx. His international tournament victories have earned him millions of dollars and his skill has made him one of the most recognisable players on the world stage. Even after his career, JerAx continues to earn money through sponsorship deals and investments. His portfolio includes companies such as Nike and Monster Energy.

3: Greatness perfected – Dendi

Danil ‘Dendi’ Ishutin is one of the most famous players in Dota 2 history. Dendi became the face of Team Na’Vi and a symbol of early success in The International. His unique approach to training and constant pursuit of perfection made him a management icon. He earned millions from sponsorship deals, advertising campaigns and regular streamings and entered the rankings of the richest cyber-athletes.

2: The golden line of success – KuroKy

Kuro ‘KuroKy’ Salehi Tahasomi is one of the most experienced and respected representatives of Dota 2. KuroKy has been competing in The International since the beginning and was the captain of the Liquid team that won the tournament in 2017. His experience and leadership skills have helped him remain at the top of cybersport’s Olympus. His contributions to Liquid and other teams have made him one of the most successful and wealthy players in history.

1: The ultimate eSports champion is Faker

Lee ‘Faker’ Sang-hyuk is a legendary League of Legends player who won the world championship three times with Team T1. Faker is known for his incredible skill and flexibility, which has kept him undefeated over the years. His successful career and loyalty to a team have made him one of the richest cyber athletes. Faker has been in the business for more than 10 years and has earned millions of dollars.

What eSports revenues depend on

E-sports revenue depends on many factors: the level of play, sponsors, tournament success and even popularity on social media. How much do professional gamers earn?

League of Legends’ Lee “Faker” Sang Hyuk earns $5-6 million a year, including salary, sponsorships and streaming. Dota 2’s Daniel “Dendi” Ishutin earned over $1 million from tournaments, with an estimated total income of $2-3 million. At the peak of their careers, players like s1mple in CS earn between $1.5 and $2 million a year, including salaries, sponsorships and streaming.

Dreams, games and millions on the books

Each of these gamers started as a mere amateur and has now become a leader who inspires millions. The richest eSports players are shining examples of how gaming can become not just a hobby, but a career that generates millions.