MOBA noob

[Zenko]

Hi. I've never got into any moba games. I have nothing against them, just havn't really encountered them until recently. A buddy of mine wants me to try league of legends (probably just so he can own me).

Is this a good game to start off with and learn mechanics of the genre, or should I look elsewhere? I'd love to at least be a challenge for him within a reasonable time.

I apologize for any blatant ignorance ^^

[Zogarth]

I would start out with Dota 2. Not because it is easier in any way, but simply because there are no stupid unlocks, and days of played time grinding to even be a little viable with runes/masteries and stuff. If you want a dota 2 key just PM me, got plenty

[Pfeff]

Start any game. Most important thing is not die

[Volroth]

the 2 big moba games are league, and dota2. personally i prefer dota 2 over league by quite a bit, but league is not a bad game in any way. its slight differences that set them apart, league would be a good game to start off with, but at the same time id sign up for the dota 2 beta, so you get in line for a key, does not take too long to get one. play them both and see what one you like most, you cant go wrong with either one.

[Saegno]

I would start out with Dota 2. Not because it is easier in any way, but simply because there are no stupid unlocks, and days of played time grinding to even be a little viable with runes/masteries and stuff. If you want a dota 2 key just PM me, got plenty

As for runes, they make so little difference while leveling that it's trivial. All you have to do is save your IP until 30 then buy a basic set of T3 runes(Like flat ad red, flat armor yellow, scaling/flat mr blue and move speed quints. This works for jungle, adc or top lane).

@OP, Don't go spending a bunch of IP/Money on champs, while leveling it's good to play multiple champs and multiple roles to find what suits you best. I would save your IP till you are 30 or close to it and don't even bother with T1 runes at all(Some T2 runes are fine but even then I would wait to get them at 30 and get T3 instead.)
Focus on last hitting in lane, poking champs all day wont get you items and a kill is only worth about 10 creeps, so missing a bunch of last hits will hurt you more so in the late game.
Good starting picks are boots+3 hp pots, a dorans item or a flask+ward+pot.

[Pfeff]

As for runes, they make so little difference while leveling that it's trivial. All you have to do is save your IP until 30 then buy a basic set of T3 runes(Like flat ad red, flat armor yellow, scaling/flat mr blue and move speed quints. This works for jungle, adc or top lane).

You can use Tier 3s at Level 20, but before that don't waste IP on the lower ones

[Saegno]

You can use Tier 3s at Level 20, but before that don't waste IP on the lower ones

Ahh thank you, it's been so long since I had leveled up I wasn't sure if it was at 30 or sooner.

[Axethor]

League is much more forgiving than Dota 2 (and, imo, a little better designed). I've played LoL since release, I have issues just playing bots in Dota 2. The hero abilities are not as easy to figure out or straight forward, items are like a whole other game to learn, and denying is a pain in the ass.

Almost everything in LoL is very clear. It doesn't take long to learn what different champions do, even with 109 champions. It has many champions for beginners than can work on the level of those that require more skill to play. There is no denying CS. Also, camera movement is actually good (Dota 2 camera sucks and nothing I have done in options has made it work for me).

So yes, LoL is a great start for someone who has never touched the MOBA genre. If you have any RTS experience it will help you pick up the game mechanics even faster.

[Zogarth]

As for runes, they make so little difference while leveling that it's trivial. All you have to do is save your IP until 30 then buy a basic set of T3 runes(Like flat ad red, flat armor yellow, scaling/flat mr blue and move speed quints. This works for jungle, adc or top lane).

@OP, Don't go spending a bunch of IP/Money on champs, while leveling it's good to play multiple champs and multiple roles to find what suits you best. I would save your IP till you are 30 or close to it and don't even bother with T1 runes at all(Some T2 runes are fine but even then I would wait to get them at 30 and get T3 instead.)
Focus on last hitting in lane, poking champs all day wont get you items and a kill is only worth about 10 creeps, so missing a bunch of last hits will hurt you more so in the late game.
Good starting picks are boots+3 hp pots, a dorans item or a flask+ward+pot.

And in Dota 2, you will be as strong as everyone else the second you make an account. You got all heroes (Champions), and there is no unlocks, talents or anything like that. Only think you can get for real cash is cosmetic stuff and announcers.

[Farolok]

Having played both and still being fairly new to moba's myself I'd personally go with LoL before Dota2. Gameplay wise LoL is a lot more forgiving than Dota imo, however the people you play with may not be.

A lot of people are saying LoL is much more grind heavy than Dota is because of the need to unlock runes/champs but at low levels runes make no difference and you'll be unlocking the champs at the same rate as the people you're playing with. You're at no disadvantage unless the person decides to pay for the champs in real cash.

[NotValidAnymore]

And in Dota 2, you will be as strong as everyone else the second you make an account. You got all heroes (Champions), and there is no unlocks, talents or anything like that. Only think you can get for real cash is cosmetic stuff and announcers.

This is true. However, Dota 2 is the kind of game where everything was made OP and it balances out because of it, but to newer players, it's really unforgiving.

To learn, I would prefer LoL. Not only because it's more forgiving and just overall better at teaching you, you don't have that many difficult champions in LoL, while in Dota 2, there are quite a few heroes that should be played at an Intermediate level or above.

(Especially things like Invoker and Meepo. Circling between 10 spells or controlling up to 4 copies of yourself is ridiculously hard if you're a beginner.)

[Deleted]

Basically, LoL is just easymode of Dota.

[Zenko]

Sounds like DOTA 2 would be a good game to give a noob like me some perspective, but maybe after a few hours of some LoL games to warm up with.

Solid. Thanks for the insight =p

[Deleted]

Yeah, LoL is fine as a starter, it's mechanics are way more straight forward and simple. Also more consistent in hero design (some may say boring) and majority of items are just stat sticks. But the hero unlocking is a problem, since learning the heroes is a very important part of the game, and you can only really do that by playing them.

[StNimrod]

LoL is probably way to start, much easier to learn and get the hang of.
Dota 2 is a bit harder to approach, but if you have friends who play it (well) then you can start with it.

[Deleted]

Almost everything in LoL is very clear. It doesn't take long to learn what different champions do, even with 109 champions.

This is a good thing? That all the champions are so similar that you don't need to think about them too much? Or maybe just because of the grinding it will take to unlock even a fraction of them?

Also, camera movement is actually good (Dota 2 camera sucks and nothing I have done in options has made it work for me).

Well, no it doesn't. It works almost exactly the same as every RTS camera ever.

[Deleted]

While I prefer DotA / DotA2 instead of LoL, it is way easier to get a grip on and DotA has a _fuckin_ huge learning curve, it is quite easy to get frustrated with the game, yet going to be an addict for the rest of your life.

You should throw a coin, coins always know whats right and wrong. :P

[pucGG]

LoL sucks, that's pretty much all you need to know. Don't judge the genre based on that game, that would be a huge injustice to Dota 2. Yeah LoL is easier, but anyone who starts out with LoL will want to transition into Dota 2 (if they take any pride in what they're doing), so I would start with Dota 2. It's free and it doesn't have any of the stupid unlock-features.
Visually and all in all production quality is also 10 times better than that of LoL, if you're into all that jazz.

Additionally:
Be warned. You need to be mentally prepared for Dota, because everything that can go wrong will go wrong and it will all be your fault.
You have been warned.

[Mexa]

Sounds like DOTA 2 would be a good game to give a noob like me some perspective, but maybe after a few hours of some LoL games to warm up with.

Solid. Thanks for the insight =p

LoL wont make you better at dota. There is a much higher level of lane control in dota that is not in LoL (blocking, denying, pulling etc). Also, dota has fog of war, so juking in dota is a lot more different than juking in LoL, im not saying LoL doesnt have FoW, but it is less apparent, it has high grass that u get invis in though. If u want to be good at dota, play dota, if u want to be good at LoL, play that.


also LoL sucks, but thats another sotry

[Deleted]

LoL wont make you better at dota. There is a much higher level of lane control in dota that is not in LoL (blocking, denying, pulling etc). Also, dota has fog of war, so juking in dota is a lot more different than juking in LoL, im not saying LoL doesnt have FoW, but it is less apparent, it has high grass that u get invis in though. If u want to be good at dota, play dota, if u want to be good at LoL, play that.


also LoL sucks, but thats another sotry

It will make you better up to a point. If you've never played a game like this before, even concepts like last hitting seem unusual (why not just kill the bad guys as quickly as possible?). LoL will at least teach you what ganks, supports, lanes etc are. I agree that anything past the basics isn't particularly transferable, though.