Getting better at Underhollow
Underhollow, a game mode available to Battle Pass owners, is an interesting take on Battle Royale genre. It combines elements of Dota and games like PUBG and Fortnite to create intense 15-minute matches and was received well by the community, bar constant technical issues.
With most Dota mechanics intact, it is also considerably more complex, compared to the usual Battle Royale third-person shooters. There are more things to take into account and constantly keep in mind and a higher variety of game situations players are presented with.
Draft Appropriately
Perhaps the most important advice is to draft appropriate heroes. Typical hard support heroes are generally irrelevant in this game mode: Net Worth growth is more balanced and a lot more rapid, hence the moment where your typical support starts falling off comes a lot faster.
Instead, concentrate on heavy utility heroes: heroes with a good spread of disables and damage are exceptionally good in the Underhollow, especially if said disables are on a short cooldown.
At least one hero like Axe or Underlord, who can clear creeps fast and has high damage and utility in teamfights is a must for any lineup. You want to move through rooms as quickly as possible, while having answers to enemy heroes in engagements.
Having a nuker is also a good idea: if you can start a teamfight with a quick pick-off, chances are you’ve already won it. After all, compared to a game of regular Dota, a single pick-off is one-third of the enemy team, rather that one fifth.
Finally, always have a carry that is not completely irrelevant in the early game. Medusa might sound good on paper, but her progression through NPC rooms is going to be so slow that she will enter her first engagement underleveled and underfarmed. Going for heroes like Luna or Gyrocopter is preferable.
Itemize smartly
Almost every single team encountered in the Underhollow will itemize in a way they would itemize in a regular game of Dota and it is a massive mistake. Don’t got for items that are considered staple on the hero you are playing: go for counters to heroes still in the game.
Enemy has Bristleback? Get a Silver Edge, even if you are playing Luna. Playing against Tidehunter? Get that BKB or you will get rolled over. By the time you are in the second or third ring of the Underhollow, money stops becoming an issue, but you still need to use it wisely. And in most cases, just by looking at what heroes the enemy has, you can predict what items they went for and what you can do about it, before you even see them for the first time.
Fight or Flight
For some reason teams in Underhollow tend to unnecessarily all-in: even if they see the enemy being stronger and having a better lineup at this point in time, they still engage and die. Don’t do that, instead use your escape potions, backtrack and try to farm up. Chances are, the enemy team will push forward, instead of chasing after you.
Another good option is to fake your escape and then initiate on the enemy’s main damage dealer with full force. Aggressive use of the escape potion is very undervalued and can salvage a bad start even against a team one or two levels above you. Get rid of the enemy carry and then chew through the remaining two thirds of the enemy team with a numbers advantage.
Revive Your Teammates
Do that whenever you have an opportunity. Enemy team initiated on your DPS, but used all their disables? Revive them, while disable are still on cooldown, preferably after using your own disables on the opponent. Being one man down generally means a lost fight, but there are ways to salvage it.
Be extra persistent in getting your teammate up, if he didn’t get a chance to use his potential teamfight-turning ultimate before dying. Committing all resources to kill Luna before Eclipse and still getting destroyed by it can be extremely painful for the enemy.
Play with Friends
Solo Underhollow is not the best experience and can be very disenchanting: some people are only there to get their BP levels and don’t care enough to actually go for the win. This makes the game mode less enjoyable for everyone else, especially their own team. As a result, many players now have a poor first impression of the Underhollow and don’t think they can enjoy it.
It all changes when you are playing with a group of friends, coordinating, making team decisions and trying your best to win. Underhollow is a very enjoyable experience, if experienced properly.
first``
My favourite drafts are mostly :
1 tank, 1 semi tank (utility) and 1 full carry.
Or just pick zeus, riki and wk and auto win the shit out of everyone
My favourtie strategy : try to hear any available fight. Also kill them while they're weak.
axe, pit and any dps.
ez win
Abaddon or Wraith King +
Drow Ranger (better) or Sniper +
Troll Warlord (better) or Lina
Nice article, but game mode itself isn't worth to tryhard so much. Rewards are meh and usually wins a team with Zeus/Tide/Cent/Axe etc. It's fun to play 2-3 times a week though for points.
Well? We all hated it. Check your polls if you have any
It's a kick in the pants and I guess it would be more enjoyable with a well rounded and coordinated team but honestly since you can't legitimately be expected to know what's around the next corner it doesn't feel nearly as rewarding. That's fine because it's still a kick in the pants.
Step 1: Pick Zeus
Step 2: Pick a tank (Axe, Underlord, Centaur, etc).
Step 3: ??? (Probably more wave clear to get through npc rooms faster)
Step 4: Victory.
Slardar + TA is my fav combo by far when I'm playing with my friend in Underhollow.Ta's High early game damage with wave clear and Slardar's tankiness and amp damage for the bosses and team fights + TA's Meld strike and reflaction destroys everything.
was expecting more....it's like a random arcade game....nothing fancy...all the other battlepass modes were far superior.
Dont buy battlepass. Dont buy anything and just play. They come out with all kinds of gimmicks as they are desperate for money.
This mode wouldn't make it in the top 999 of Arcade for sure... u gotta wait for 23 other players to accept the thing, then pray so each of them will also connect in time, then half of them will dc anyway... for no real action, no story at all wahtsoever. Shame, all special modes before this were actually much much more enjoyable.
I agree with Sandman. The biggest problem with underhollow is that you have to queue at least 3 times before you get a match where everyone loads in. And then half the time you get DC’d right when everyone loads in to game after draft. Should have made the NPC rooms more difficult and just had 12 players. NPC rooms are ridiculously easy in all the rings.
wow, everyone's hating on UH. I connect and finish games 4/5 times i que and really enjoy it. these folks must've lost a lot of games to be this salty xD