Strafe Recommends: zzADRiANzz

Strafe Recommends is back with zzADRiANzz and his amazing collection of educational Dota 2 videos. Adrian dives deeper into the details of statuses, hero mechanics and overall Dota mechanics in his videos.

His official YouTube channel (@zzadrianzz) is still modest but has a lot of potential. Since his content is very detailed, his videos tend to come out every 15 days, which helps if you don't want an endless influx of new uploads.

Pseudo Random Explained

One of the most frustrating mechanics in Dota 2 has turned into the “17% of the time, all the time” meme. Randomness can be very frustrating to some players, and zzADRiANzz explains how Dota uses Pseudo Random Distribution in detail.

To summarize, Random means that your ability or item has a fixed chance to proc without taking previous instances into consideration. Which might cause long streaks either way (i.e. bash or no bash).

Pseudo Random starts with a lower chance than the one shown in tooltips, builds up every time it does not proc, and resets every time you successfully trigger it. Take a look at the video for a more complete explanation.

Not All Heroes Are Created Equal

Some heroes are harder to understand than others and for some of the most complex ones, zzADRiANzz has videos explaining how they work. The most recent example in this category is his Largo video, released shortly after the hero.

He provides a great guide on how Largo's abilities work, how to take better advantage of them and which items are better suited for specific abilities.

If you need to get a better grasp of how Largo works, whether to play as him or against him in your pubs, the video below is a great source of relevant information.

Knowledge That Sets You Apart From Others

Some more elaborate abilities, such as Elder Titan's Natural Order, deserve a dedicated video. This one explains how his aura is centered around two different sources, as the armor aura stays around his body while the magic resistance aura stays around his spirit.

He also touches on his Deconstruction facet, which improves his aura by making it affect bonus armor and bonus magic resistance, which are gained from items.

In addition to explaining Natural Order, the video also provides a quick explanation of armor, magic resistance, and suggestions on how to use the ability more effectively.

Self Improvement is Just as Important

Sometimes, knowing the game is not enough. You also need to understand yourself and identify how you need to improve in order to make a conscious effort toward a specific skill. This demands a lot of PMA and patience, which do not come easily to everyone.

In the “How To Finally Get Better At The Games You Love” video, Adrian explores this topic in depth. While the advice is aimed at Dota players, it can easily transfer to any game and even to real life.

Dota has a tendency to bring out the worst in people and he offers simple, objective tips to become a better player and, by extension, a better person. Take a look at the video below.

The Best Item in Dota 2

Finally, we have one of my favorite videos on zzADRiANzz's channel, discussing the best item in Dota 2. Everyone has a favorite item they consider the best, but most players do not give much attention to the Magic Stick.

This item serves not only as the focus of the video but also as a tool in your Dota 2 journey, tying into the habit stacking mentioned earlier. Magic Stick helps you get used to checking enemy inventories, managing vision, trading better in lane, and playing closer to your limits.

If you want to become a Magic Stick enjoyer, try buying it every match, even when it’s not strictly necessary, just so that you get used to the mechanics surrounding it. Check out how to make better use of the item in the video below.

Closing Thoughts

Dota 2 is a game that incentivizes and rewards constant learning. Improving on your own by rewatching replays and correcting bad habits is great, but watching zzADRiANzz’s videos gives you an edge that should not be underestimated.

Adrian has a very calm personality and a gift for explaining intricate mechanics in a simple and engaging way. His videos are also relatively short, considering the amount of information they deliver in around 10 minutes.

Dota 2 is always changing and we move along with the tide, working hard, getting stronger, stacking habits and learning more. If you want to check out our Dota 2 coverage for the ESL One Birmingham and future recommendations, join us in the news section on the Strafe website!

 

Featured Image Source: YouTube (@zzadrianzz)