BSJ explained how to farm correctly in the top lane in Dota 2
Analyst Brian “BSJ” Canavan explained in a YouTube video how to set priorities when playing in the first position and when it’s worth playing aggressively.
On playing a carry in the lane
But why do we do anything on the lane at all when playing a carry? What’s our main goal? Our goal is to farm creeps. That’s why every time I trade blows with an enemy offlaner or support, I do it solely so that I can then finish off as many creeps as possible. The only reason I interact with them at all is because they’re preventing me from farming.
On When to Push the Lane and When to Pull Back
Every time I approach a wave of minions, I ask myself one question: Should I push further up the map, or should I pull back? In other words, am I going to push the wave and continue playing aggressively by moving forward, or will I push it and then start farming in a safe direction by pulling back?
Which option to choose depends on many factors, but the most important one is the amount of information you have about what’s happening on the map. How many heroes from the enemy team can you see right now? And how engaged are they in other activities right now? <...> Usually, your teammates don’t explain these things very well, but if you’re playing alongside a carry, it can be very helpful to suggest that they, for example, take down a tower while the enemies are busy fighting.
If you’re playing as a carry yourself, it’s important to understand that your team might perceive this behavior as too passive. So, if you’re accused of being overly cautious, one of the most helpful things you can do is review your replays. Every time you approached a wave of creeps, pay attention to the information on the map and ask yourself: “Did it suggest I should push forward or, on the contrary, fall back?” This way, you’ll be able to spot obvious moments when you missed an opportunity to deal significant damage to a tower, invade the enemy jungle to take camps, or simply aggressively push a wave to gain extra farm.
On First-Position Aggression
You secure an important pick-off, win a small skirmish, and right after that, your allies start wondering: “Where’s our carry? What is he even doing?” In this situation, don’t think, “How can I get back to farming as soon as possible?” Instead, ask yourself: “Can I get even more out of this? Is there an opportunity to play more aggressively?”
When it comes to what aggression on the map actually means, for me it all boils down to one question: What level of power does a hero need to be at that point on the map? How many different heroes can take that route or farm that area without feeling seriously threatened?
For example, there’s a big difference between pushing the lane near your own Tier 2 tower and pushing the lane right under the enemy’s Tier 2 tower. This clearly illustrates just how strong and durable a hero needs to be to safely play that deep into the opponent’s territory.
Earlier, analyst Brian “BSJ” Canavan discussed how map changes have affected visual information gathering in the game, and also explained the concept of stealth pushing and ways to counter heroes who effectively clear creep waves.
Photo by Igor Bezborodov, EWC Foundation.
