Off Lane
The short lane: soak XP, cut waves, and do not feed the enemy carry.
Offlane is the short lane — top for Radiant, bottom for Dire. Position 3 lives here, often with a 4. You are not trying to out-farm their carry. You are trying to not die, to soak levels, and to make their safelane uncomfortable with cuts, pulls, and pressure. If you go 0–6 by minute eight, the game is already on a timer. Call the large camp, the cut path behind their T1, and the river bounty.
- Who lives here
- Pos 3 ± pos 4
- Win condition
- Levels + a usable ultimate, not CS equal to the carry
- Fail state
- Feeding the pos 1 two kills before 6
Key spots
Large camp
Block it with a ward if you are the 5. Unblock it if you are the 3 who needs a pull.
Behind T1 cut
Catch the wave so their carry has nothing. Do this when you will not die to their 4 and 5.
Tier 1 offlane tower
Yours is expendable compared to the safelane T1. Do not die defending it 1v3.
Jungle between lanes
Where you recover if the lane is impossible. Stack once; do not jungle for ten minutes as Tidehunter.
Bounty rune
The 4 contests this. The 3 should not walk into fog for 40 gold at 3:00.
Play notes
- Soak the range creep XP even if you cannot last-hit. Levels on offlane heroes are the item.
- If their 5 is pulling constantly, you are allowed to crash the wave and walk to the pull camp.
- Buy a cheap regen and a stick if they have spells. Fancy cores wait until you have a real level advantage.