Ultimate Guide to Vision and Warding in Dota 2

Dota 2 is a game of information, and vision is one of the most powerful tools you can control. Knowing where your enemies are and what they’re up to makes it infinitely easier for you to plan your next move. 

This is where warding in Dota 2 comes in – Observer and Sentry Wards are the key to map awareness. Mastering knowing how, where, and when to place them is the easiest way to gain MMR as a support player. 

What are Wards in Dota 2?

Wards in Dota 2 are special, consumable items that grant vision and reveal parts of the map that would otherwise be hidden by the fog of war. They can be placed defensively to track enemy movements and avoid incoming ganks, or offensively to secure objectives like Roshan or towers. 

However, vision control isn’t just about placing wards – it’s also about “dewarding.” Players can remove enemy wards and deny vision, making strategic warding extremely important.

Understanding the Types of Wards in Dota 2

There are two main types of wards in Dota 2: Observer Wards and Sentry Wards, each serving unique purposes in vision control:

Observer Wards

Observer Wards, colored yellow, provide vision of an area for six minutes. Their vision is considered team vision and is not bound to the player who placed the ward. Observers reveal enemy movements and surroundings, but do not detect invisible units.

Once placed, Observer Wards remain invisible to the enemy team, unless revealed through a Sentry Ward, Gem of True Sight or certain hero abilities. 

Here are some details about the Observer Ward:

• Provide a vision radius of 1600 units.
• Lasts for 360 seconds unless dewarded.
• Does not cost any gold.
• Restocks in the shop every 135 seconds. 

Sentry Wards

Sentry Wards, on the other hand, are only used to reveal invisible units within a small radius. This includes detecting enemy Observer Wards and Sentry Wards, too. They cost gold, and are vital for dewarding enemy vision and spotting pesky invisible heroes like Riki or Clinkz. 

Similar to Observer Wards, Sentry Wards remain invisible unless detected through another Sentry Ward or Gem of True Sight. 

Here are some details about the Sentry Ward:

• Detects nearby invisible enemy units and wards around a 150-unit radius.
• Lasts for 420 seconds unless dewarded.
• Costs 50 gold each.
• Restocks every 70 seconds. 

Who Should Buy Wards in the Team?

In general, supports are responsible for buying and placing wards – this is the support’s main job in Dota 2. They play a vital role in maintaining vision control, which is why they spend their limited gold to purchase Sentry Wards to keep the team safe. 

That said, cores can – and should – help with warding, too. Observer Wards are free and cost no gold, so cores can purchase and place them while farming. This is especially prevalent for mid-laners in the early game – they can plant their river wards themselves. 

It’s also worth noting that destroying an enemy Observer Ward grants a gold bounty that continues to increase as the game goes on. This makes it profitable to deward an Observer Ward using a Sentry Ward. If you’re a core hero and suspect an enemy ward, spending 50 gold on a Sentry Ward can earn you more than double that amount when you destroy it. 

Placing Observer Wards

In Dota 2, vision and fog of war are heavily influenced by terrain elevation. The game’s map features both high ground and low ground areas. Units and wards placed on a higher elevation can see enemies on lower terrain, but the reverse isn’t true – heroes and wards on the low ground do not have vision above them. 

As a result, placing Observer Wards on cliffs, hills, or ramps takes advantage of this, granting maximum vision coverage. In short, it is often wiser to place wards in elevations to get the most out of them. 

Cliff Wards

The Dota 2 map is designed with specific cliff spots that are perfect for placing Observer Wards. These cliffs are elevated areas that are shaped to provide maximum vision coverage, as they sit at the highest points on the map. Placing a cliff ward essentially gives your team a clear view of everything around it – multiple paths, jungle entrances, and more. 

Though they provide the most vision, cliff wards are often ineffective. Their predictability is also their weakness, because these cliffs are commonly used by players. Enemies often check and deward them with Sentry Wards. 

The best support players in Dota 2 usually alternate between standard cliff placements and other placements that provide less coverage but are harder to detect. 

Ramp and Stair Wards

Placing wards by ramps and stairs strikes the perfect balance between solid vision and subtle placement. These wards are still on elevated angles, giving a clear line of sight, but they are also less predictable, making them harder for enemies to deward. 

The best ramp wards are placed at key chokepoints, such as jungle entrances, rune spots, or around Roshan’s pit. Think of areas that see frequent traffic to give you the most information possible. 

Deep Wards

Deep wards are placed inside enemy territory, usually in their jungle or farming areas. These wards are incredibly effective, as they gain vision over where enemy cores are most likely farming. 

Deep wards are perfect for setting up ambushes or planning ganks on high-value targets like the enemy carry or mid-laner. When successful, catching such heroes off guard can swing the game’s momentum and open opportunities for towers or Roshan. 

Though the payoff is huge, deep warding comes with a lot of risk. To place them, you’ll have to venture far into enemy territory. To minimize danger, use a Smoke of Deceit to move undetected, or attempt to ward during night time, when vision is reduced. 

As a support player who has climbed into the Top 1000, I can tell you that deep warding is one of the most effective ways to gain MMR as a support. A single successful pickoff set up through a well-placed deep ward can completely blow a game wide open. 

Placing Sentry Wards

Though Sentry Wards do not grant vision like Observer Wards do, they are just as important. They are mainly used for control and denial, revealing invisible units and exposing enemy Observer Wards. 

Sentry Wards for Dewarding

The most common and reliable use of Sentry Wards is for dewarding. As a result, they should be placed in high-traffic areas where enemies typically ward, such as cliffs, rune spots, or jungle entrances.

Unlike Observer Wards, Sentry Wards are not affected by high- or low-ground vision, so they don’t necessarily need to be placed on cliffs. On the contrary, it’s actually best to place Sentry Wards on the floor to cover more ground.

When you’re looking to check for an enemy Observer Ward on the cliff, place your Sentry on the ground, just far enough so its reveal radius comfortably covers the cliff. This way, if the Observer isn’t actually on the cliff, the same Sentry still has a chance to catch a ward nearby. 

However, you won’t have uphill vision to check for the Observer Ward on the cliff, which is why you typically need to send your courier to check. Supports that have vision-granting abilities, such as Disruptor’s Kinetic Field or Jakiro’s Ice Path, can be used to gain vision. 

Sentry Wards for Detection and Fights

Beyond defending, Sentry Wards are also crucial in team fights and chokepoints (like jungle entrances) to reveal invisible heroes. They counter heroes with built-in invisibility (e.g. Riki and Nyx) and common items like Glimmer Cape or Shadow Blade. 

Many invisible heroes fall under the wrong perception that they’re safe and sneaking up on you – but a well-placed Sentry can turn their surprise attack against them. 

Pro tip: When a teamfight is about to break out, place down a Sentry immediately – even if it’s not the perfect spot. Supports often die early in fights, and spamming Sentry Wards on the ground before you go down can make a huge difference by revealing heroes for your team. 

Offensive vs. Defensive Warding

Generally, there are two primary approaches to warding in Dota 2 – offensive and defensive. Knowing when to use each depends on your team’s current position in the game. You must adapt your warding strategies based on whether you’re dominating when playing from behind. 

Offensive Warding

Offensive wards are placed in enemy territory, usually around their jungle, triangle, or typical farming zones. These wards help your team spot cores farming and set up easy ganks. They are best used when your team has the momentum or lots of map control. These wards are a great way to snowball your advantage and turn pickoffs into Dota 2 objectives. 

Defensive Warding

Defensive wards, on the other hand, are used when your team is behind or looking to farm. They are placed closer to your base and jungle entrances to protect your cores and prevent them from getting ganked. 

Sometimes, defensive wards aren’t necessarily used when your team is in a losing position. For example, your carry might be 2000 gold off Black King Bar, and would like to play passively for the next few minutes. In this case, a defensive ward could help them finish their item without dying.