One of the most important aspects of Dota 2 gameplay is communication and teamwork. Playing at high ratings, and even at low ratings, you will always hear the phrase that you rarely win in solo. The whole game is based on the interaction of all players, each of whom has a role that they fulfill to some extent to achieve a common goal.

Establishing a connection

The whole future match will be built on the beginning of your interaction and the tone of communication with the team. If from the first seconds of the game the players do not share a position or begin to express themselves toxic, this is the first sign that your team is on the way to losing. In a team with a bad atmosphere, you can get into a state of tilt, when any negative event in the game will cost you in a good mood, which will lead to irritation, more mistakes, a reverse negative reaction to a communication stimulus, etc.

Behavior rating

That is why the game has introduced a behavioral system that, depending on your behavioral rating, will restrict or open access to certain functions in the game, as well as throw you into the same type of player. That is, if you constantly exhibit toxic and unsportsmanlike behavior, other players will file complaints against you. If the verification reveals and confirms violations, your rating will fall over time, which means you will encounter the same negative players and the functionality of some communication actions will be limited.

However, it works the other way around. If you play well and players give you praise, your behavior rating increases, and you will have access to more communication elements (voice and written chat, the ability to send notifications to your team about the status of spells and items, etc.)

The importance of communication

Communication and teamwork are the keys to victory. By discussing tactics and reaching a consensus, you can solve the main tasks for the current game, especially if it is an unrated match. With the team, you should discuss your roles, who you plan to take, which hero will be better against enemy characters, and what is your current plan of action at a particular stage of the game.

Voice chat is more convenient for communication, as you can instantly convey the necessary information about your needs or the state of affairs on the map, which will be useful to other players. This can be information about the movement of an enemy hero from one line to another, a request to bring a mana or health regeneration item for your carry, an attack strategy against the enemy, etc. This can also be done via chat, but it is not always comfortable, especially if the pace of the game is dynamic.

If you are a beginner player, then with proper communication with the team, you can get the necessary information about game mechanics: which ability to use and when, which item and against which hero is better to buy, where to go, and what to do to benefit the team. However, you should be prepared for unreasonable criticism and rude remarks in your direction, as some players are inadequate for no reason, and you will not get anything but dismay from them.

In such situations, it is sometimes better to sacrifice communication and still rely only on yourself or on adequate allies. The absolute toxic behavior of another player or several players in any scenario will not give you anything, no matter how hard you try to establish contact with them. However, you should not forget that not all players have poor communication skills. There will be those who will help you and tell you what's what, and with whom you can coordinate during the game to win.

Real-time information

As already mentioned, an important element is the correct and timely provision of information about the current state of players and situations in the game. If you are playing on the middle line, when an enemy hero disappears from the map, it is better to notify other players about it, either in voice chat or by indicating it through interface interaction with the enemy's portrait. The same applies to other lines, this minimizes the possibility that the enemy will be able to kill someone from your team.

Also, keep an eye on the actions of others and report the situation: maybe the enemy support has set up wards or is planning an ambush with someone, or maybe there is an item that will be dangerous against you. If your abilities are recovering, or you are running low on resources, it is also important to mention this so that your allies don't ask why you didn't help, use a particular ability, teleport on time, etc.

In general, it is important to provide any important information related to micro or macro moments of the gameplay, as many factors in Dota 2 can be decisive for the victory.

Strategic coordination

If someone from the team is planning to implement a strategic move, it is worth mentioning it. If it's a campaign against Roshan, then the support team will have information about placing guards near the lair so that enemies don't attack you unexpectedly. You can also discuss your priority goals: which of the enemy heroes should be killed first, who poses the greatest danger to your team, who controls whom, what abilities they use, and when they use them. Each such detail will give your allies more awareness of what you plan to do. Forewarned is forearmed.

Adaptability

During the game, its pace and strategy can change repeatedly, depending on the current situation. Perhaps the enemies have made a mistake, so you need to determine and say what you plan to do: go to Roshan, push the line, or enter the enemy base. If the game is in a "swing" state, you should inform the team what you should prepare for defense, offense, or counter-attack. Sometimes the death of one of your heroes can be a defeat. So listen to your allies and their plan of action, don't give in if they ask you to play it safe or go to the team's aid if they are struggling.

Morale and psychological support

Adequate communication can be a "cure" for player tilt. Sometimes, fun communication and talking about different things can dispel the negative mood of the team or its individual members, which raises the overall morale and, with it, the performance of the game. 

Constructive criticism and calm communication about mistakes in the team are also necessary to clearly convey what exactly caused the defeat in the current situation and how to prevent it in the future. After that, the player will be more familiar with the mechanics and work on the mistakes.

Conclusion

Communication and teamplay are inseparable attributes of Dota 2 that are extremely important for the ability to win. Coordination of participants actions and timely information about specific situations on the map become crucial for gaining an advantage over the opponent.