So you've given it a go and tried your first game of DotA 2. Assuming you're not already a pro at MOBA games like 'Heroes of Newerth,' or, 'League of Legends,' here are a few quick tips for all you noobs out there just starting to get into this game.
1. Pick an easy first hero
DotA 2 is a really intricate game, with a lot of facets to its gameplay that takes loads of experience to fully grasp. Make it a little easier on yourself by choosing a low maintenance hero with not a lot of skills and combinations required to be effective.
Generally you should choose agility-type heroes that come with passive skills like Sniper, Razor, Viper, or Bloodseeker.
These heroes only have one or two skills you need to cast to be effective, the rest of the skills are self-subservient.
You want your first hero to focus on building items rather than allocating your skill points correctly, so you can get a quicker grasp of the hundreds of item combinations in the game.
2. Read your hero's skill descriptions!
More often than not, new players jump right into games and pick the coolest looking hero they can find, only to not read their skill descriptions and what each skill does. This is of course, the easiest way to piss off your teammates.
The key to understanding your hero is to read your hero's skill descriptions. This way, you can understand when and where to use each skill. By simply doing this, you can help save lives and avert certain death.
You may even get a kill or two.
3. Stay in lane and watch out for ambushes
When you're just starting out with DotA 2, don't worry about ganking or jungling or warding and all that fun stuff. The best way to help out your teammates (and to get good quickly) is to hold down your lane and defend it.
Stick to your lane's tower like glue, and never venture off too far from it. The tower will protect you from any enemy heroes and will also help you finish off creep waves as well while you lay back and gain experience points.
If you can win your lane every match, it will definitely help your team later on in the game.
4. Don't mind what others say
Sadly, there are some really nasty people playing DotA 2. They will berate you, belittle you, call your mom some nasty names and try to make you cry, in English or in some foreign language. It doesn't matter, just don't listen to them.
Focus on your game. When you've got your game locked down, and when you've proven the naysayers wrong, that's the time to return fire on the trashtalk. No one likes a teammate who talks big in the early going but can't really back it up when push comes to shove.
So lay back, mind your own business, and when you start to slay, that's when you make them pay.
5. Defense wins games
Make sure you defend your side's buildings, most especially your towers.
When the enemy team is on the attack, rush back to wherever the are attacking with a Town Portal (TP) scroll and hold down the fort.
This game isn't called "Defense of the Ancients" for nothing. Defense is a major part of the game.
So make sure you're always prepared to got to bat with your team when the going gets rough. It's excruciatingly difficult to see a teammate wandering around the map aimlessly while the rest of you are trying not to lose the game.