Idle at base. How to stop wasting time in Dota 2: idling at base
Idle time means that in a five-minute stretch you spent a quarter of the time or more at base and bought nothing during the whole stretch. The first 90 seconds of the match do not count.
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How to fix “idle at base”?
- 1Decide what you buy before you teleport to base, not at the shop.
- 2Teleport back to a lane as soon as you are healed instead of walking across the map.
- 3Instead of walking back for mana, buy a Bottle, Magic Wand or regen items.
- 4After respawning, walk straight to the nearest wave or camp.
How common at each rank
share of matches with the mistake- Herald—
- Guardian2%
- Crusader0%
- Archon0%
- Legend2%
- Ancient5%
- Divine3%
- —Herald
- 2%Guardian
- 0%Crusader
- 0%Archon
- 2%Legend
- 5%Ancient
- 3%Divine
Most common on heroes
How the coach counts it
What is “idle at base” in Dota 2?
You were alive but standing at base: waiting to heal, thinking about a purchase or refilling mana with no plan to come back. That time is not farm, not a fight and not map pressure.
How does the coach find this mistake?
The coach splits the game into 5-minute windows and counts the seconds you stood alive at your base. A quarter of the window or more with no purchase in that window is idle time; half the window or more is severe.
Why does “idle at base” cost games?
A minute at base in the midgame costs one or two waves and a camp. Over a game those minutes add up to an item you will not have.
How it differs from similar mistakes
- Slow farm
Slow farm: you were farming, but income fell below about 60 % of your best stretch. Idle time: you spent a quarter of the stretch in base and bought nothing.