There’s always a way back into a Dota 2 game.
Never say Never. If every Dota 2 player accepted this mantra, we would see a lot less griefing in pub matches. A game in Dota 2 can have many ups and downs, but there is almost always an opportunity for a comeback. Professional teams may get out-drafted but are always looking for the win condition. A different item, a new strategy, targeting a specific hero or just avoiding fights till you get the farm are just some of the ways players try to win.
But pubs are a different beast altogether. It is rare to see the coordination and synergy required to mount a comeback in public matchmaking. It is even rarer to see a team bounce back from a 0% win probability to win the game in a pub. But that's exactly what happened for Redditor /u/Resont. He was playing the Kunkka when his team did the impossible and he played a big role in the comeback.
How did the Dota 2 team win with 0% probability?
The Radiant side was down 19k in net worth. They had lost two sets of barracks and were without their Position 1 hero. When the Anti-mage bought back and died again, things looked impossible for the Radiant squad. Anti-Mage blinked in on the enemy Tiny, got tossed, Sinister Gazed and was suddenly facing five opponents hitting him from all directions. After he died, Dire's Monkey King even called out a preemptive GG.
Because how can a team win without their Position 1 Anti-Mage? Right? … Right!?
The in-game client also believed in a 0% chance for a Dire comeback. When Valve loses belief in you, you know its a near-lost game. But the Radiant team had different plans. They were also helped by the Dire players constantly poking near the fountain, trying to score that extra kill.
Kunkka’s Tidal Wave pushed the enemy Tiny into the Radiant fountain. One death was still salvageable, but as is the case, fountain farming is fun. Monkey King started closing in on the fountain and then got swapped in and Doom'ed. Even though he had the Aegis of Immortal, the Radiant had enough control and lockdown to kill him once more.
The win-probability was 0%. But ‘never say never’ right? The string of individual kills allowed Radiant enough time for their Anti-Mage to Spawn.
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The Radiant squad eventually won the game after a couple more teamfights. It was an exciting series of events and one of the rare occasions when Kunkka’s Aghanim’s Shard came in handy. The Tidal wave continuously put the Dire heroes out of position, pushing them into the fountain.
The game turned on its head at the 39-minute mark. All Dire heroes died one by one and allowed Radiant a way back into the game. And it was all possible due to the fact that the Radiant members were not ready to give up.
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What does Kunkka’s Aghanim Shard do?
Releases a Tidal Wave that spawns behind Kunkka. Deals 250 damage and drags enemies along it for 600 distance. Enemies cannot attack while being dragged.
With a 1400 cast range, the Tidal Wave also disarms and knocks backs opponents. With a 12 second cooldown, the Tidal Wave can become one of the best teamfight abilities in the game.
Dota 2 is a game of figuring out the best possible win-condition. Players often give up early, but this match shows us that it's never too late to mount a massive Dota 2 comeback. Even without the Anti-mage, the radiant team was able to use their resources to their advantage and win the game.
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