GAMEPLAY

Defense of the Ancients pits two teams of players against each other: the Sentinel and the Scourge. Players on the Sentinel team are based at the southwest corner of the map, and those on the Scourge team are based at the northeast corner. Each base is defended by towers and waves of units which guard the main paths leading to their base. In the center of each base is the “Ancient”, a building that must be destroyed to win the game.
Each human player controls one Hero, a powerful unit with unique abilities. In Allstars, players on each side choose one of ninety-five heroes, each with different abilities and tactical advantages over other heroes. The scenario is highly team-oriented; it is difficult for one player to carry the team to victory alone. Nevertheless, some heroes, given enough time, can change the outcome single-handedly, while countering the opposing team’s heroes. Defense of the Ancients allows up to ten players in a five versus five format and an additional two slots for referees or observers, often with an equal number of players on each side.
Because the gameplay revolves around strengthening individual heroes, it does not require one to focus on resource management and base-building, as in most traditional real-time strategy games. Killing computer-controlled or neutral units earns the player experience points; when enough experience is accumulated, the player gains a level. Leveling up improves the hero’s toughness and the damage it can inflict, and allows players to upgrade their spells or skills. In addition to accumulating experience, players also manage a single resource: gold. The typical resource gathering of Warcraft III is replaced by a combat-oriented money system; in addition to a small periodic income, heroes earn gold by killing hostile units, base structures, and enemy heroes.This gives rise to a technique called last hitting, which is when the player attacks a hostile unit when “its hit points are low enough to kill it with one blow”. Using gold, players buy items to strengthen their hero and gain abilities. Certain items can be combined with recipes to create more powerful items. Buying items that suit one’s hero is an important tactical element of the scenario
Allstars offers a variety of game modes, selected by the game host at the beginning of the match. The game modes dictate the difficulty of the scenario, as well as whether people can choose their hero or are assigned one randomly. Many game modes can be combined (for example, an easy difficulty level and a random hero pick), allowing more flexible options

Defense of the Ancients is a team-oriented game with two opposing sides. Unlike regular Warcraft III games, in which many units are controlled by the player, in DotA each player must choose a single hero - with its own skills, strengths, and weaknesses, and control only this hero in order to achieve victory. The objective here is to destroy the opposing team’s main structure (the “Ancient”), thus giving rise to the game name. To reach the Ancient, each hero must defeat waves of units, structures and enemy heroes. Along the way, the player may upgrade his or her hero by defeating enemies in combat, which supplies gold and experience points. These are both necessary in order to purchase upgrades either from shops or the hero’s ability list.

Each hero can learn three “standard” abilities, and a special “ultimate” ability in all versions. The heroes are split into three classes, each emphasizing one of the three parameters: strength, agility, and intelligence.

DotA has been developed by many different authors. The original DotA map was created by a player named Eul.[citation needed] There is an item in the current DotA Allstars which gives credit to Eul (Eul’s Scepter of Divinity). Eul has long since abandoned DotA, and his original map has inspired many variants, including the well known DotA Allstars. At one point, Guinsoo (who is also honored by a game item called the “Guinsoo’s Scythe of Vyse”) worked on it. However, another member from Clan Kali, Buriza, worked on it as well. Buriza is honored with his own item called the Buriza-do Kyanon, a reference to a Diablo II item that speaks of its imbalance. Currently, IceFrog is the one who is leading the developers of DotA Allstars.