Farming as a support in Dota 2 is about balance. While your primary role is to provide vision, protect cores, and manage resources, a well-farmed support with impactful items can change the game. Below is a structured approach to farming efficiently as a support without neglecting your essential duties.
Key Objectives for Support Farming
- Prioritize Core Heroes: Avoid competing with your cores for resources. Take farm only when it doesn’t interfere with their progress.
- Use Opportunities Wisely: Identify safe moments and areas where you can pick up gold without abandoning your primary duties.
- Minimize Risk: Focus on safe and efficient farming methods, especially when the enemy team is off-map.
When and Where to Farm
a. Lane Pulls and Stacks (Early Game)
- Lane Pulling: Pulling neutral camps into the lane denies the enemy experience while giving you gold and XP.
- Stacking: Stacking neutral camps by timing pulls around :53 creates a future gold source for your team. Your cores will often benefit from these stacks, but if they’re occupied, you can take them.
b. Between Team Fights
Farm jungle camps or push out a wave near your towers if the enemy team is recovering or you’ve won a team fight. Use these gaps to safely pick up gold without leaving a core unsupported.
c. Pushing “Dead Lanes”
The “dead lane” is usually the offlane and is a low-priority farming spot that’s far from current team activity. Farm here only when you have vision or the enemy team is accounted for, then retreat quickly.
Farming Techniques
a. Farming with Spells
Heroes like Crystal Maiden or Lion can use spells like Crystal Nova and Earth Spike to clear creep waves or jungle camps. Use these spells to farm when:
- You have mana to spare.
- Cores are elsewhere.
- You’re in a safe position with vision.
b. Collecting Bounty Runes and Outposts
Bounty runes provide an easy source of gold for supports and can be safely picked up every five minutes. Taking control of outposts grants XP, which helps you scale into the mid-game without needing additional farm.
c. Securing Last Hits Near Cores
When playing near a core, take safe last hits on creeps they miss or ignore. Ranged creeps, siege units, or any creep they’re likely to skip are good targets for you.
Recommended Farming Items for Supports
These items help improve farming efficiency and survivability without requiring you to stray from your support role:
- Arcane Boots: Sustain mana to farm with spells.
- Tranquil Boots: High health regeneration allows you to sustain while jungling or pushing lanes.
- Glimmer Cape / Force Staff: Provides both utility in fights and a way to escape risky farming situations.
- Aether Lens: Extends spell range and adds mana, allowing you to farm from a safe distance.
- Veil of Discord: Great for supports who rely on magic damage, helping clear creeps faster.
Adapting Your Farm Strategy for the Mid-to-Late Game
As the game progresses, farm priorities for supports change. Here’s how to maximize impact as a support in the mid-to-late game:
a. Invest in Defensive Items
Survival items like Aeon Disk, Lotus Orb, and Ghost Scepter let you stay alive longer in fights, increasing your effectiveness. These items are especially useful when farming in riskier areas.
b. Push Out Side Lanes
When your team is focused on another objective, pushing out side lanes helps prevent the enemy from controlling the map. It’s best to do this only when you’re sure the enemy isn’t nearby.
c. Prioritize Key Farm Opportunistically
When cores are dead or occupied, don’t hesitate to take a creep wave or jungle camp to complete an essential item that benefits the team.
Map Awareness and Vision for Safe Farming
Staying safe while farming is crucial for supports who lack escape abilities:
a. Use Wards for Vision
Place wards around areas where you plan to farm. Vision control helps prevent surprise ganks and lets you farm with confidence.
b. Check Enemy Positioning
Keep an eye on the minimap. If several enemies are missing, avoid risky areas and stay near allies or towers.
c. Position on the Outskirts
When farming a jungle camp or lane, stay on the edge of the area. This positioning allows for faster reactions if enemies show up unexpectedly.
Communication and Coordination
To ensure farm efficiency and team safety, practice clear communication:
- Inform Your Team: Let teammates know when you’re taking a camp or wave. They’ll appreciate knowing your location and can adjust accordingly.
- Request Backup if Needed: If farming in a risky area, ask cores or teammates to be ready to support or teleport if enemies show up.
- Coordinate Farm with Cores: If you need farm for a game-changing item, communicate with your cores to avoid overlap.
Support Heroes with Strong Farming Potential
Certain support heroes farm more efficiently due to their abilities. Here are a few examples:
- Crystal Maiden: Crystal Nova and Frostbite clear camps quickly.
- Enchantress: Impetus combined with neutral creeps enables effective farming.
- Snapfire: Scatterblast and Lil’ Shredder offer good wave-clear potential.
- Dark Willow: Cursed Crown and Bramble Maze provide safe farming with AoE control.
Takeaway
Farming efficiently as a support empowers you to buy critical items that increase your impact in fights and on the map. By balancing farm opportunities with your primary support responsibilities and prioritizing safety, you can amplify your contributions throughout the game. Mastering these strategies will not only make you a more effective support player but will also make your team stronger as a whole.
