• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 00:44
CEST 06:44
KST 13:44
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Finals Preview: Sweet Victory!9[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5
Community News
[$1250] International ShieldBattery League14Weekly Cups (October 5-11): Farewell to 5.0.162Rollback Netcode in Brood War1165.0.17 Patch Notes - October 7, 202624Weekly Cups Results (Sep 28-Oct 4)0
StarCraft 2
General
Server Blocker How do you feel about the mass reverts in the 5.0.17 PTR? Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners SCII needs to put more weight on strategy and tact Stellar Fest 2 Replay Pack
Tourneys
Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) $3,500 WardiTV Not-Summer Championship Stellar Fest TWO the Moon (Dec 16-20) ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
[G] How to playtest arcade maps [A] Nemrods 1/4 players [M] (2) Sweltering Sands [M] (2) Frigid Storage
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 547 Temple Of Terror Mutation # 546 Catch the Train Mutation # 545 And Drops and Rifts
Brood War
General
[Recap] Hive ZvZ in MonstarZ vs Dreams [ASL22] Finals Preview: Sweet Victory! Rollback Netcode in Brood War [Megathread] Daily Funny Videos Bot on ladder
Tourneys
[ASL22] Grand Finals [$1250] International ShieldBattery League 2v2v2v2 Tournament Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy) Simple Questions, Simple Answers Replay Review Process - What do you do?
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Dawn of War IV General RTS Discussion Thread Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Artificial Intelligence Thread The Chess Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
Serral Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Movie Discussion! Diablo Animated Series on Netflix
Sports
MLB/Baseball 2023 Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
The Link Between Gaming and …
TrAiDoS
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
38 yo Retired SWE loo…
PurE)Rabbit-SF
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
[meme] I finally understa…
LUCKY_NOOB
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 8026 users

The Art of Support - Official E-Book Release

Forum Index > Dota 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
1 2 3 Next All
Ler
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
Germany543 Posts
October 29 2014 13:12 GMT
#1
Hello Liquiddota,

some time has passed since the last part of #ArtofSupport has been released. For now, it has been read over 200k times and I can say that people liked the work.

Now it is time to hand out the last missing piece, the whole 4 part series as an E-Book in form of a PDF document.


Table of Contents
+ Show Spoiler +
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter I : Introduction
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      1.1 Short Biography 1
      1.2 Competitive History 1
      1.3 Motivation behind the Guide 1
      1.4 Guide Overview 1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter II : Basic Concepts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      2.1 Position Model 2
      2.2 Two different Support types 2
      2.3 Understanding your Position 2
      2.4 Different kind of Supports 3
      2.4.1 The "Greedy" term 3
      2.4.2 Greedy Supports 3
      2.4.3 Aggressive Supports 3
      2.4.4 Defensive Supports 4
      2.5 Tactical Concepts 4
      2.5.1 Push 4
      2.5.2 Four-Protect-One 4
      2.5.3 Two Core 4
      2.5.4 Tri Core 5
      2.5.5 Gank 5
      2.5.6 One-Protect-Four 5
      2.6 Correlation: Tactical Concepts and Early-Game-Impact 5
      2.6.1 Limited Decisions 5
      2.7 Lanes 6
      2.7.1 Defensive Tri-Lane 6
      2.7.2 Aggressive Tri-Lane 6
      2.7.3 Dual-Lanes 6
      2.8 Rotation 7
      2.8.1 Reason behind Rotations 7
      2.8.2 Effects of Rotations 7
      2.8.3 Rotations - Conclusion 7
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter III : Support Concepts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      3.1. Possible Support Duos 8
      3.2 Support Duo Breakdowns 9
      3.2.1 Defensive, Defensive 9
      3.2.2 Defensive, Greedy 9
      3.2.3 Defensive, Aggressive 9
      3.2.4 Aggressive, Greedy 10
      3.2.5 Aggressive, Aggressive 10
      3.2.6 Greedy, Greedy 10
      3.3 Role Determination 10
      3.4 Position 5: Hard Support 11
      3.4.1 Tasks 11
      3.4.2 Items 11
      3.5 Position 4: Semi Support 12
      3.5.1 Tasks 12
      3.5.2 Items 12
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter IV: Supports enter the Battlefield
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      4.1 General Advice 13
      4.2 Chicken and Wards, Sentries and Smoke 13
      4.2.1 When to skip Sentries? 13
      4.2.2 When to Skip Smoke? 13
      4.3 A new Battle begins 14
      4.4 Defensive Tri-Lane Pattern 14
      4.4.1 Safe-Lane: Movement Paths and Zone-Corridor 15
      4.5 Aggressive Tri-Lane Pattern 16
      4.5.1 Off-Lane: Movement Paths and Zone Corridor 17
      4.6. Dual-Lane Mid 18
      4.7 Dual-Lane Mid Pattern 18
      4.7.1 Supports as a Duo 18
      4.7.2 Supports on their own 18
      4.7.2 Middle-Lane: Movement Paths and Zone-Corridor 19
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter V: The Mind of a Support
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      5.1 Game of Patience 20
      5.2 Lane Decisions 20
      5.2.1 Neutral Pull Effects 20
      5.2.2 Objectives of Neutral Pulls 21
      5.2.3 Efficient Harassment 21
      5.2.4 Skill-Builds 21
      5.2.4 Experience and Farm leech 22
      5.2.5 Effects of Pushing 22
      5.2.6 Objectives of Pushing 23
      5.3 Different Forms of Rotations 23
      5.3.1 Gank Rotation 24
      5.3.2 Pressure Rotation 24
      5.3.3 Defensive Rotation 25
      5.3.4 Trade Rotation 25
      5.3.5 Rotations conclusion 25
      5.4 Rune Control 26
      5.4.1 Impactful Runes 26
      5.4.2 Who should control the Rune? 26
      5.4.3 The Rune Trap 26
      5.5 Stacking Neutrals 27
      5.5.1 Priority of Stacking Neutrals 27
      5.5.2 Farming Neutrals 27
      5.5.3 Neutral Pull Timings 27
      5.6 General Fight Behavior 28
      5.6.1 Safe Positioning 28
      5.6.2 Skill Priorities 28
      5.6.3 Skill and movement Pattern 28
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter VI: Warding Concepts 29
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      6.1 Idea of efficient Warding 29
      6.1.1 Efficient Wards 29
      6.1.2 Good and Bad Wards 29
      6.1.2 Deward Prevention 29
      6.2 Warding Objectives 30
      6.2.1 Defensive Warding 30
      6.2.2 Aggressive Warding 31
      6.2.3 Push related Warding 32
      6.2.4 Rosh-Pit Warding 33
      6.2.5 Neutral Warding 34
      6.4 Rune Ward 35
      6.4.1 Why Rune Wards should be avoided 35
      6.5.2 Rune Ward Conclusion 35
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter VII: Epilogue
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Image Contents


The Art of Support E-Book:
The Art of Support E-Book - Hosted on Dropbox.com

The Art of Support HTML:
The Art of Support Part I
The Art of Support Part II
The Art of Support Part III
The Art of Support Part IV


Special thanks to the Liquiddota staff for hosting my work. Also shout outs to Heyoka and Nixer for their amazing editing and graphics.

If you like my work, feel free to follow me on twitter @Ler_GG to receive updates on my current projects.

That's it from my side,

Ler
Twitter: @Ler_GG | Facebook: lergg | youtube: lerlolgg | Twitch.tv/gg_nore | #ArtOfSupport
Ler
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
Germany543 Posts
October 29 2014 13:17 GMT
#2
reserved
Twitter: @Ler_GG | Facebook: lergg | youtube: lerlolgg | Twitch.tv/gg_nore | #ArtOfSupport
westpfelia
Profile Joined November 2010
United States38 Posts
October 29 2014 14:11 GMT
#3
Thanks man! This is great stuff!
HammerKick
Profile Blog Joined May 2013
France6190 Posts
October 29 2014 15:42 GMT
#4
That guide is so good...

You should get paid for this :D

Excellent job!
Well, it's high noon somewhere in the world
Half the Sky
Profile Joined May 2014
Germany9029 Posts
October 29 2014 16:29 GMT
#5
Thank you, thank you for all this. Extremely helpful.
The phoenix must burn to emerge. - Janet Fitch
Sen17
Profile Joined October 2014
1 Post
October 29 2014 16:53 GMT
#6
I fucking love you, though i downloaded it in case you want to actually sell it. You could.
Kittan
Profile Joined April 2012
Poland3999 Posts
October 29 2014 19:54 GMT
#7
Thank you for this masterpiece, this will help a lot many many people.

Kudos!
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=81288 <--- How I fell in love with a man, a team, a game and a website in a single day... | "There are no false gods, there is only the Emperor, and Choi Yun Sung is his prophet." -> Zona 40k
d00mlordhaxxor
Profile Joined October 2014
1 Post
October 29 2014 23:14 GMT
#8
great work! Will it be updated regarding wards around roshan etc?
Beezleking
Profile Joined November 2011
Canada91 Posts
October 30 2014 00:35 GMT
#9
I love Ler <3
Birdie
Profile Blog Joined August 2007
New Zealand4438 Posts
October 30 2014 03:40 GMT
#10
Very nice read, I don't play support that often but it helped a lot even just for learning about team compositions and higher-level ideas on strategy and drafting, as well as thoughts about efficiency and map movement.
Red classic | A butterfly dreamed he was Zhuangzi | 4.5k, heading to 5k as support!
Bisu-Fan
Profile Joined January 2010
Russian Federation3339 Posts
October 30 2014 03:58 GMT
#11
This game me so much insight into not only playing as a support (which obviously it did and I had a time where I insta-locked a lot of supports), but what to watch out for as a carry, offlaner, mid, jungler. It's so helpful in just understanding the game Thanks so much!
The Revolutionist Shall Rise Again! No. 1 Kim Taek Yong Fan 어헣↗ GO JAEDONG!!!!!!! GO ACE!!! 태연 <3 윤아 <3 승연 <3
Latham
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
9593 Posts
October 30 2014 10:12 GMT
#12
I love you so much for a complete release. Just yesterday I had 3 tabs open thinking "man, I wish this was complied into 1 big file so I can read it whenever I want" :D
For the curse of life is the curse of want. PC = https://be.pcpartpicker.com/user/LathamTK/builds/#view=CrqmP6
tanbarthez
Profile Joined October 2014
Vietnam1 Post
October 30 2014 10:22 GMT
#13
Ler, can i download and translate it into my native language (Vietnamese)?
Liquid`Nazgul
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
22427 Posts
October 30 2014 15:40 GMT
#14
Beast.
Administrator
Skypikz
Profile Joined October 2014
Australia10 Posts
November 06 2014 00:16 GMT
#15
Thanks man this is great!
Support is my job!
icystorage
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Jollibee19350 Posts
November 06 2014 02:15 GMT
#16
I'm gonna probably print this and make a booklet out of it :D
LiquidDota StaffAre you ready for a Miracle-? We are! The International 2017 Champions!
Ler
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
Germany543 Posts
November 06 2014 03:42 GMT
#17
On November 06 2014 11:15 icystorage wrote:
I'm gonna probably print this and make a booklet out of it :D


1. Release updated flawless version
2. ???
3. Amazon -> Profit
Twitter: @Ler_GG | Facebook: lergg | youtube: lerlolgg | Twitch.tv/gg_nore | #ArtOfSupport
icystorage
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
Jollibee19350 Posts
November 06 2014 03:46 GMT
#18
*personal booklet thanks ler!
LiquidDota StaffAre you ready for a Miracle-? We are! The International 2017 Champions!
westpfelia
Profile Joined November 2010
United States38 Posts
November 07 2014 20:21 GMT
#19
On November 06 2014 12:42 Ler wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 06 2014 11:15 icystorage wrote:
I'm gonna probably print this and make a booklet out of it :D


1. Release updated flawless version
2. ???
3. Amazon -> Profit


Are you going to release it on amazon? I'd "buy" it :p
Ler
Profile Blog Joined August 2012
Germany543 Posts
November 08 2014 00:47 GMT
#20
On November 08 2014 05:21 westpfelia wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 06 2014 12:42 Ler wrote:
On November 06 2014 11:15 icystorage wrote:
I'm gonna probably print this and make a booklet out of it :D


1. Release updated flawless version
2. ???
3. Amazon -> Profit


Are you going to release it on amazon? I'd "buy" it :p


Wont be able to host a release there since my lobby is not big enough
but if you want to donate some you can head to my stream o: ( i am not sure if i am allowed to write that on LD.com)
Twitter: @Ler_GG | Facebook: lergg | youtube: lerlolgg | Twitch.tv/gg_nore | #ArtOfSupport
1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Korean StarCraft League
12:00
KSL Week 92
davetesta59
Liquipedia
PSISTORM Gaming Misc
09:00
FSL draft
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RuFF_SC2 237
ProTech120
StarCraft: Brood War
Rain 2759
ZergMaN 31
Sexy 21
Noble 13
Terrorterran 9
Icarus 8
Dota 2
NeuroSwarm231
League of Legends
JimRising 712
Super Smash Bros
amsayoshi88
Other Games
summit1g7287
WinterStarcraft495
C9.Mang0257
Livibee161
Liquid`Ken12
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick901
StarCraft 2
IntoTheiNu 462
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• EnkiAlexander 48
• Nickrosys9
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• Azhi_Dahaki15
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Other Games
• Shiphtur578
Upcoming Events
Afreeca Starleague
1h 16m
Rush vs Soulkey
CranKy Ducklings
5h 16m
WardiTV Invitational
6h 16m
AI Arena Tournament
11h 16m
BSL Open Qualifier
14h 16m
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1d 5h
OSC
1d 8h
IPSL
1d 11h
BSL Open Qualifier
1d 14h
WardiTV Weekly
2 days
[ Show More ]
IntoTheTV X SOOP
3 days
PiGosaur Cup
3 days
The PondCast
4 days
Kung Fu Cup
4 days
IntoTheTV X SOOP
5 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Super Anchor Qualifying S3
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Copium Cup

Ongoing

ASL Season 22
Acropolis #5
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 4
Acropolis #5 - GSC
HCC Season 3
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026

Upcoming

BSL Season 23
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
IEM Beijing 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
eXTREMESLAND '26: SEA 4th Place
1win Private Club #2
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.