[Misc] Wardposition Guide

Eumellein · 07-02-2009, 02:47 PM

Table of contents

Introduction
Ward basics
Marked mainmap
Wardspots
Gameplay Walkthrough
Counterwarding
Final words

Click on the chapter you want to visit.

Introduction

The basic idea of this guide is to provide an easy access to the art of warding as well to improve mediocre players. There are already many good and even better wardguides out there nevertheless I will try to provide a quick overview with a marked mainmap. One of my goals while creating this was to focus on wards you can always use. This means there are probably better wardspots as soon as a tower has fallen. It also includes many points with nearly the same vision and purpose. Here it is up to you to find out which spot you prefer. It will not include a list with heroes who should buy the wards through the different stages of the game. Anyhow most of the time the support/gang heroes should get them but those can vary each game. Besides even typical carry players should know at least the basic wardspots.

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Ward basics

To mark the start here are the basics just for the sake of completeness:

Observer Ward 200 Sentry Ward 200
Lasts 6 minutes Lasts 3 minutes
Contains 2 charges Contains 2 charges
Maximum stock of 2 in store
Store stock takes 6 minutes to replenish
Stacks with itself in inventory Stacks with itself in inventory
Observer Ward has 1600 vision, 200 HP, and is invisible Sentry Ward has 70 vision, 950 AoE True Sight, 200 HP, and is invisible

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Marked mainmap

Wards with runesight
Wards to block creepcamps
Wards to discover important places
Wards with basesight

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Wardspots

Let's have a closer look how much vision each ward will provide.

Top Rune

Bottom Rune

Scourge Jungle

Sentinel Jungle

Vision Bottom Lane

Vision Mid Lane

Vision Top Lane

Basevision Scourge Base

Basevision Sentinel Base

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Gameplay Walkthrough

Now to the probably hardest part when you should use which spot mentioned. Unfortunately there won't be an explicit answer for this. You have to be able to read in which direction the game is going to change for the next 6 minutes. For example you won't benefit from a ward in the enemy forest if there is no one farming because they put pressure on your base. Neither it won't help you to ward only rune spots if they are turteling and won't go near the river anyway. To provide an informative basis this could help you but you should not cramp on it at all costs.

Early Game

Block pullcamps, vision for runes

It is always helpful to prevent the enemies from pulling creeps. Also to prevent typical forest heroes from free farming for instance blocking the 3 camps with 2 wards on the sentinel side. This might force the enemy hero to go on a lane, buy sentry wards, or start creeping in your own jungle where he is way more vulnerable.
Having vision on runes is also never wrong most of the time the (carry) hero in mid will get a bottle and benefit most from it. Those wards work great against gangs for both your lane and his as well since you get vision of the river which is the mostly used path to gang in this stage of the game.

Mid Game

Vision for runes, Roshan, behind towers, ambush areas

In this stage of game it's still very useful to have vision of the river. Most of the gangs are done in Mid Game that is why you might even want to consider to ward behind the enemy tower. With this vision you can pretty invulnerably push them down since you always know if the enemy team ported already or will run across the river. On the other side if your team didn't do that well in early game your wards can turn the tide. Just try to set them more defensive and allow your team mates the safe required farming.

End Game

Roshan, ambush areas, Base

Basically you should keep using the same spots like in Mid Game but with a much higher attention to your current situation. There should always be a ward near roshan up so you even know before the enemy team started attacking him what they are trying. You might even ward their jungle similar to the early stage of the game with the difference not to block the spots since you want to get one of them alone preferably not full hp. For warding the enemy base I would advise to only do it if you got some scary AoE ultis in your team or you are pushing against someone with dagger and need to spot him as early as possible.

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Counterwarding

Of course it is helpful having vision of particular parts of the map but it would be even better if your enemies would have no vision at all. Remember Observer Wards stock takes 6 minutes to replenish while Sentry Wards are available all the time. This is one of the most important parts to get real mapcontrol against your opponents. It is crucial to know when and where they put up their wards. The easiest way to achieve the necessary knowledge is placing observer wards before your opponents put theirs up. Otherwise you blow 200 gold away for 200 vision (read none). This is the main reason why I put so many optional places into my guide. Placing them all the time just on the BEST spot allows your enemy to counter them pretty easily. You aim to analyze your enemy as fast as possible and use his behaviors to your advantage.
Basically you want to cover with one Sentry Ward at least 2 potential wardspots if you didn't see the enemy placing them. If you plan to counterward in your own jungle you also don't want to block one of your creepcamps from spawning (visit this link for more information about spawning areas).

Commonly used Sentry Wardspots

I added an overlay to each picture which is supposed to show the 800 true sight AoE. I tried to make it as accurate as possible but there might be a small difference between the real 800 AoE and the one I used.

Other items/skills with true sight

Gem of True Sight 700
Assured the best way to counter Wards. To destroy wards on cliffs you might want to use your Flying Courier simply right click on your and it will follow you. Only downside is if your hero dies the Gem is dropped.

Necronomicon LVL3 5200
After upgrading Necronomicon to LVL3 your Necronomicon Warrior has a 1000 AoE True Sight. Those little summons can spot and kill wards alone. Allowing your hero to stay rather safe in the background. Downside here is apparently the high price and you won't be able to summon them for 90 seconds.

Lightning Bolt
Very situational usage to spot Wards since it gives true sight within 900 range for 3 seconds.

Thundergod's Wrath
Not very useful to spot wards just mentioned for the sake of completeness.

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Final words

Feedback, missing info, constructive criticism all welcome.

Credits to:

Zan for posting the blown up map
Everyone who suggested additional Wardspots in the comments/helped to improve the guide
Icons taken from playdota

Changelog:

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gwho · 07-05-2009, 05:22 AM

+ 9000! comprehensive is how i like it =]

Corsair July · 07-06-2009, 03:44 PM

Great guide with great information. Can't wait to see it when its done.

Lycan · 07-06-2009, 08:08 PM

good map however there are some minor flaws that i've spotted,

you always ward the top rune spot on the scourge Mountain, and the lower runespot are always on the sentinel side. Since these places give better vision, more viable vision that is.

And the highhill imbaward spots for lategame jungle should be highlighted a bit more imho.

it's better to show the BEST wards spots than to show good ward spots.

or at least make the colours differ

Eumellein · 07-06-2009, 09:21 PM

I agree that those spots give better vision but they are also pretty easy to counter if you always use the them the entire game. Going to add a bit more about this in the upcoming counterwarding section. My Motivation while creating this guide was to inspire people and hopefully expand their horizon. This is the main reason why I included so many options instead of just the bests.
Concerning the highhill spots I will try to demonstrate their usage a bit more in the Late Game section.

kawumm · 07-06-2009, 11:26 PM

nice guide! especially the pictures are priceless. much better than long-ass descriptions like "near the sentinel ancient spawn but make sure that blabla..."

off-topic: do u happen to play on northrend with the account "Eumeldibeumel"?

Eumellein · 07-07-2009, 09:21 AM

I play on northrend but as Eumellein also I remember this "Eumeldibeumel" nick and he got raped badly in a fw.

Lycan · 07-07-2009, 05:31 PM

I'm wondering if you found a way for this, but i'm still working on a way for it. But it would be awsome to be able to show, the true vision of the wards in the map. I've tried something like warding the entire map in a few seconds -wtf qop, after that i've used iseedeadpeople twice, so everything was seen once, and than only the fog remained but i'm still trying a way to block the sight of creeps..... since my creeps give vision as well....

you get my point ?

~Lycan

4saken.Infinity · 07-07-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lycan

I'm wondering if you found a way for this, but i'm still working on a way for it. But it would be awsome to be able to show, the true vision of the wards in the map. I've tried something like warding the entire map in a few seconds -wtf qop, after that i've used iseedeadpeople twice, so everything was seen once, and than only the fog remained but i'm still trying a way to block the sight of creeps..... since my creeps give vision as well....

you get my point ?

~Lycan

Maybe put -nbntnm? No creeps spawn then.

Lycan · 07-07-2009, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abijit

Maybe put -nbntnm? No creeps spawn then.

Dude !!! <3 (not gaylike) but you know :P

edit: ow sorry this will be called spam right ? if you want me to empty up lemme know

Baoz · 07-09-2009, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abijit

Maybe put -nbntnm? No creeps spawn then.

Or -nmom (shorter command :P)

Anyway great guide! Especially the blown-up map.

seamutt · 07-15-2009, 10:41 PM

I can't see the pictures.. weird.

Vindicate · 07-15-2009, 11:18 PM

I think icefrog changed the double block spawn spots since 6.61
I tried it in 2 games and I failed, then i did it in -test, put 4 wards around the same area and it failed to block the bottom

Thoughts?

Eumellein · 07-16-2009, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seamutt

I can't see the pictures.. weird.

Are they working now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vindicate

I think icefrog changed the double block spawn spots since 6.61
I tried it in 2 games and I failed, then i did it in -test, put 4 wards around the same area and it failed to block the bottom

Thoughts?

No idea just tried it and its working fine for me, make sure you place the ward right under the bush.

Vindicate · 07-16-2009, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eumellein

No idea just tried it and its working fine for me, make sure you place the ward right under the bush.

I will try it later tonight again. I didn't wanna keep buying and trying failing wards. lol

Also, you sent me a picture of warding scourge, where you can see 2 paths and the rune. I think Icefrog edited the terrain since then. In pro replays, I haven't seen it at all, and they just put the ward around 400 units north of the spot nowadays.

Eumellein · 07-16-2009, 03:41 PM

The one more north blocks the easy pull camp thats why they use this one instead.

pipser · 07-23-2009, 09:12 PM

In the bottom rune spot I'm quite sure you can sentry 3 observer ward places if you place it a little to the left

Eumellein · 07-24-2009, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pipser

In the bottom rune spot I'm quite sure you can sentry 3 observer ward places if you place it a little to the left

Tested this already, as soon as you place one of the two Observer Wards on the right side of the cliff you won't be able to see them.
Might going to change it nevertheless since most of the time it should work to spot all three.

Tested it again and it is working fine for all 3 wards no idea what I did wrong before. Changed it of course also minor tweaked some other positions.

gwho · 07-30-2009, 03:11 AM

u can mention wrath not as a counter to warding, but as for vision itself, since observer wards is for that purpose.

also spectre's haunt is pretty much the same as wrath. u might as well list other moves too.

UTDC.Justin · 07-30-2009, 04:44 PM

Congratulations on Spotlight! For some reason the guide page is showing your guide as a Clockwerk one instead of misc, so I'll contact someone immediately.

Nice work.

07-05-2009, 05:22 AM	#2
gwho Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,211 Blog Entries: 1	Re: Wardposition Guide + 9000! comprehensive is how i like it =] __________________ Viper Guide Murloc Hero! The Oracle-Sibylla

07-06-2009, 03:44 PM	#3
Corsair July Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 366	Re: Wardposition Guide Great guide with great information. Can't wait to see it when its done. __________________ http://afellowlinguist.tumblr.com/ OUT OF DATE

07-06-2009, 09:21 PM	#5
Eumellein Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 164	Re: Wardposition Guide I agree that those spots give better vision but they are also pretty easy to counter if you always use the them the entire game. Going to add a bit more about this in the upcoming counterwarding section. My Motivation while creating this guide was to inspire people and hopefully expand their horizon. This is the main reason why I included so many options instead of just the bests. Concerning the highhill spots I will try to demonstrate their usage a bit more in the Late Game section. __________________ Diablo III Sig DotA 2 Avatar

Last edited by Eumellein; 07-06-2009 at 09:28 PM.

07-06-2009, 11:26 PM	#6
kawumm Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Back in good ole Germany Posts: 5,590	Re: Wardposition Guide nice guide! especially the pictures are priceless. much better than long-ass descriptions like "near the sentinel ancient spawn but make sure that blabla..." off-topic: do u happen to play on northrend with the account "Eumeldibeumel"?

07-07-2009, 09:21 AM	#7
Eumellein Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 164	Re: Wardposition Guide I play on northrend but as Eumellein also I remember this "Eumeldibeumel" nick and he got raped badly in a fw. __________________ Diablo III Sig DotA 2 Avatar

07-15-2009, 10:41 PM	#12
seamutt Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1	Re: Wardposition Guide I can't see the pictures.. weird.

07-15-2009, 11:18 PM	#13
Vindicate Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 465	Re: Wardposition Guide I think icefrog changed the double block spawn spots since 6.61 I tried it in 2 games and I failed, then i did it in -test, put 4 wards around the same area and it failed to block the bottom Thoughts? __________________ Darchrow - The Enigma Guide Abaddon - Lord of Avernus Guide Misc. Guide - Competitive Heroes in Post 6.60 era (Draft)

07-16-2009, 03:41 PM	#16
Eumellein Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 164	Re: Wardposition Guide The one more north blocks the easy pull camp thats why they use this one instead. __________________ Diablo III Sig DotA 2 Avatar

07-23-2009, 09:12 PM	#17
pipser Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,222	New Comment In the bottom rune spot I'm quite sure you can sentry 3 observer ward places if you place it a little to the left

07-30-2009, 03:11 AM	#19
gwho Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 1,211 Blog Entries: 1	New Comment u can mention wrath not as a counter to warding, but as for vision itself, since observer wards is for that purpose. also spectre's haunt is pretty much the same as wrath. u might as well list other moves too.

07-30-2009, 04:44 PM	#20
UTDC.Justin Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,677	New Comment Congratulations on Spotlight! For some reason the guide page is showing your guide as a Clockwerk one instead of misc, so I'll contact someone immediately. Nice work.