2+4+6 = Ownage

On the first game, we were brought to school…

The second was a humiliation…

The third made us realize how puny we are against them…

It was the final nail to our coffin…

It was too much, an overk*ll…

A RUDE AWAKENING

(scene in wave effect)

3 hours before the match started. Flashback…

“How do these guys fare in DotA?”, I asked my friend.

“They are really not that good. Sometimes they get rattled. They play it safe.”, he replied.

Fast forward. In the middle of our second game…

“You lied to me man!”

We were eradicated, we got our as*es kicked, we got owned big time. The score was 3-0, not a close-fought 3-0 but an in your face, NOOB 3-0 beating.

Our group, I can say, were no pushovers. We were composed of an expert gamer in my boss Jeeds, Kim (he too got mad skillz), a good contender in Dingdans, and I can confidently say that I am 7.5 if I rate myself from 1 to 10. The only drawback we had was Noob, a newbie in this world of team gaming but hearing what my friend said before we started busting it out, I thought it's going to be fun.

IT WAS NOT.

The opposition showed us how DotA should be played in the big leagues. It was a display of hero skill synergy, perfect team coordination, and total a*s whoopin’. Imagine five of you getting into battle in the forest for following the other team’s bait, unprepared and unaware that the other four are just there, lurking behind the trees, and then…

Tidehunter uses his Ravage, stunned and damaged, comes Magnataur drawing everyone with his Reverse Polarity, and adding insult to injury, Lich releases his Chain Frost. If by any luckiest luck you’re still breathing, Puck and Enchantress are there to finish you up. 5 of us were wiped out, the opponents nada. 5 of us were shaking our heads in disbelief, the opponents laughing for Lich got another triple k*ll.

That was the story the whole afternoon. We were AIs to them, sitting ducks, walking stashes of gold…we were absolutely nothing. However, to get beat up like that enlightened me these 15 things:

1. DotA is a team game.

2. No matter how good you are individually, it all goes down to team chemistry and coordination.

3. AOE skill combos rock in team plays.

4. Wards, wards, and wards. Buying these expendable item changes the game.

5. Jah’rakal, no doubt, is a hero hunter late game but that fact makes the opposition lockdown their firepower on him.

6. Practice really makes perfect.

7. Nothing is constant. There will always be gamers who are way better than you.

8. “Paper” heroes should stay at the back. At the back I repeat.

9. Roaming heroes are baits and lure you into ganks. DO NOT follow them, if you can’t help it then expect an ambush hiding in the fog.

10. Battles happen in lanes. Wars are engaged in forests.

11. Don’t believe everything your friends say.

12. Getting killed over and over again really s*cks.

13. Paying 55 pesos after getting pummeled in 3 straight games s*cks more.

14. Getting your tail whipped by a girl s*cks the most.

(Sigh)

It was indeed a humbling experience. It made us realize that we still have a lot to learn and that we need more practice. Before leaving after the match, I said goodbye to one of our opponents as a sign of respect and to show that we’re cool even after getting blown up by them.

Oh, here’s number 15…

I’m retiring.