DotA 2 Guide: Ax Jungle and Offlane

Ax is a strong early game offlaner who can also start in the jungle and can therefore assist the carry. In this DotA-2 guide, we show you how to best play Ax in that position to quickly gain experience and overpower your opponents.

Farm with DotA-2 hero Ax in the jungle

With his passive ability "Counter Helix", Ax in DotA 2 already succeeds in stacking creep camps from level 1 and then taking plenty of experience and gold. Start in the jungle with a "Stout Shield", a "Ring of Protection" and a set "Tangos". To make it easier to get started, you can also buy two "iron branches" - you will need one later for your "Crimson Guard".

1. First ask your Safelane supporter whether you can besiege the small creep camp at the beginning. Otherwise, you may get into trouble with your team. In any case, first skill the "Counter Helix" ability. Then decide for yourself whether you would like to upgrade the "Berserker's Call" or "Battle Hunger". It is important, however, that you assign a skill point for "Counter Helix" whenever possible (level 1, 3, 5, 7).
2. If your supporter agrees, wait for the first creeps in the camp near the lane. Do not attack these creeps at first. Instead, wait until the timer is at 0:53 to stack the creep camp.
3. Then empty the camp by attacking one of the creeps. Ax overwhelmed all units in the area with its "Counter Helix".
4. Then fight against other camps. Prefer those camps where mud golems, trolls or satyr demons appear. Consume a tango once you've lost more than a third of your life. Don't save on tangos - dying carelessly in a jungle can ruin the game.
5. As soon as you have enough gold for a "Ring of Regeneration" and the "Boots of Speed", buy them. Depending on how low your health is, run to the fountain and get the items. Otherwise you can also call the courier. With the resulting "Tranquil Boots" your regeneration increases drastically. Place the boots in front of a creep camp before attacking it. This will prevent the cooldown from being activated. After killing the creeps, you can pick up your boots and walk to the next camp. But be careful: if you die, your boots will stay at the camp and can be destroyed by enemies.
6. Keep an eye on the Safelane near your jungle to storm out of the jungle and help your carry against the offlane hero. With "Battle Hunger" and "Berserker's Call" you provide yourself and your allies with important seconds in which the enemy cannot escape.

DotA-2 Heroes Guide: Play Ax on the Offlane

Ideally, your team will choose two supporters. One of them can help you on the off-lane. The best choice would be a healing ranged supporter, for example Warlock, Witch Doctor, Dazzle or Necrophos. But you can also make your opponents sweat alone on the off-lane.

• At the beginning, buy yourself a "Stout Shield", a "Ring of Protection" and a set "Tangos". If necessary, ask a supporter for one or two more tangos - so you can play even more aggressively. At level 1, award your first Counter Helix skill point to push the lane early. Then decide for yourself in which order you upgrade "Battle Hunger" and "Berserker's Call". However, it is important that you improve "Counter Helix" at levels 1, 3, 5 and 7.
• Try to bag the bounty rune at the start of the game. If your midlaner wants the rune, you should let him go first.
• Charge your opponents with your creeps. Do not block the creeps, but push the lane with Counter Helix as early as possible. If the enemy creeps don't attack Ax, right-click on an enemy hero briefly to draw the units' aggression.
• When your creeps reach the tower, run through the forest behind the enemy tower and catch the next wave of creep. Remember to consume a tango early to regenerate your life. If an enemy hero attacks you, try approaching him to hit him with Counter Helix. If you are attacked by several heroes, retreat through the jungle and follow your next creep wave. If you have a supporter with you, you should signal that you are always close to Ax. The opponents then have no choice but to leave the creeps defenseless or to go into a very risky fight.
• Buy a "Ring of Regeneration" and the "Boots of Speed" as soon as you have enough gold. You can get both items in the sideshop directly on your lane. With the resulting "Tranquil Boots" you can heal yourself permanently. Simply avoid attacking and being attacked for 13 seconds. Your regeneration will skyrocket. Afterwards you save for Vanguard, from which you later build a "Crimsons Guard". From now on you save on a "Blink Dagger" to get into fights from a distance. If you have completed the Blink Dagger, you can buy a "Blademail". Your last item should be a "Heart of Terasque".
• Try to destroy the Offlane tower as quickly as possible. You can then switch to Mid and Safelane and help your allies kill enemies.
• Always keep in mind that the job of the offlaner is to stop the enemy from farming. Do not steal your allies' last hits and risk fighting all the attacks in "Berserker's Call" battles. If Ax dies while your team defeats the opponent's carry, this is a clear win for your team.

If you would like to learn more about DotA, we have collected the seven best beginner tips for you. You can find out what is important in the latest DotA 2 patch in the overview of the DotA 2 patch 6.84.