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Learn how to get started with the new Dota Auto Chess
Dota Auto Chess is a great new strategy game based inside Valve's MOBA, but it comes with a steep learning curve. Here are some quick tips to help get you started.
Drodo Studio's Dota Auto Chess is becoming one of the hottest games at the moment, and it’s not actually even its own game. It's actually a custom map for Dota 2, but with over six million players to date, that hasn't stopped anyone from getting in on the strategic action, and it's still growing.
There's plenty of buzz for the custom map, and you've probably seen it played on streams, or heard friends talk about it. You might have even tried a couple of games. The thing is, though, the game is as difficult as it is fun. Don't worry however, we've got a guide to help you out if you're just getting started.
Getting Dota Auto Chess started
Dota Auto Chess has elements of card, board, and simulation games – it's not quite chess, nor is it quite like Dota. It's difficult to place the game in a known genre, simply because it’s so unique.
The premise of the game is simply to survive the longest. Every time you lose, the remaining chess pieces (chesses, as the community class them) deal damage to your life total. Once your life total hits zero, you're out. To defend your life total, you buy chess pieces based on existing Dota heroes, which fight for you on your chess board.
Different chess pieces have different attributes. Some have more HP than others; some deal more damage than others; some are ranged. Every unique chess piece comes with traits (or tribes). For example, Tiny comes with Warrior and Elemental. If you have three Warriors on your chess board, they all get +3 armor. So you want to synergise these chess pieces with the right attributes in order to maximise their effectiveness. However, with so many combinations to choose from, it can get overwhelming.
That's not to mention that you can also upgrade chess pieces. If you have three of the exact same chess pieces of the same level, you can upgrade them to Level 2. With three Level 2 chess pieces, you can then max them out to Level 3. That's it for the basics, but there's a lot more to the game than meets the eye – it's not as simple as the name of the mod implies.
Playing the economy
In order to buy all those high level pieces, you'll need cash. There are a couple of ways to get cash: either you win a lot, or you lose a lot.
Winning or losing different rounds in a row grants you a winning or losing streak. If you pass 10 gold, you also get 10 percent interest on the gold left in your bank after a round ends. To maximise your income, it's smart to make sure that you keep winning – or losing. Since the first three rounds are against AI, and easy to win, it's important that you win the fourth round, because that will set you up well for the early game. You can do this by investing in good early game tribes, like Goblin/Mech, Warriors, or Druids.
Money is one of the most important parts of the game
© Drodo Studio
The problem with this strategy is that we're not the only ones that know this. You'll see that everyone tries to get their hands on chess pieces from those three tribes. So, you might lose the fourth round, but that's still fine. Just make sure that you lose the next few rounds too, and earn yourself a streak. Since your opponents won't have that many units anyway, your life total won't really drop that much.
Having a stable economy in the mid-game (between rounds 10–20) can win you games. 50 gold is the sweet spot, since you'll maximise your gold interest at five per round. Make sure to upgrade your courier every round after you've hit 50 gold, so that you can get more units on the field once the late-game hits after round 20. Beginners often make the mistake of spending all their gold in the mid-game, but then don't have anything left for the later stages of the game.
Reading the board
Once you get to know the chess pieces a bit more, it's important to look at the state of the game. Most beginners only focus on their chess board, and when the time comes to buy new pieces, they keep rolling to find the pieces they need. The problem with this is that it costs a lot of money, and it's often not a good idea to roll over and over in the early and mid-game, since you'll put yourself really far behind.
For example, if it's Round 10, and you see two or three other players going for Druids and Goblin/Mech, it's probably not a good idea to invest in those pieces anymore, since the shop's inventory is finite. Instead, look for compositions that people aren't using. If you’ve seen a lot of Knights come by, then it's a smart idea to start investing in that tribe.
Another idea is to start countering the players that are on the top of the standings. For example, if the top player is going for mages, it's a good idea to pick up some early Nagas in order to counter their magic damage.
Good unit compositions
The best thing about Dota Auto Chess is the variety of options you have in order to win. A lot of different tribes mesh really well together. Some good examples are Knights together with Trolls, and a Healer. Another good idea is Warriors, Orcs, and Nagas.
Once you're in the later stages of the game, and you've got enough money in the bank, it's not a bad idea to reroll for the pieces you're looking for. Just remember that you should always invest into upgrading your courier if you have the cash, as more units means more damage and health.
Knights paired with Trolls do great in the mid and late game
© Drodo Studio
Auto Chess can be really daunting when you first start off, but once you get your first win, it's a really difficult game to put down – onwards and upwards, right?
