In this post, I will share my thoughts on how to identify the end of your lane as Position 5. Even though there are multiple cases, I will try to cover the general ones to help you make that decision easier.

So when does the lane end? When am I allowed to rotate? When should I stick to my carry?

In a moment, I will try to simplify the thought process so you can make this decision accordingly. But before that, let me ask you a question: Do you think level matters in this decision?

If you said yes, then you are wrong. Well, not completely wrong, but not completely right either.

You see, although levels are a big deal in Dota, your level as a Pos5 is not what determines the end of your lane. There are other aspects you have to consider to determine the end of your lane.

Here are a couple of cases associated with the decision that your lane is over:

• Is it safe enough for my carry to play solo? Or do I need to babysit him more?
• When can my carry start jungling?
• If I leave, where am I needed?
• Is my hero good for ganking, stacking, or taking enemy towers?

Obviously, answering these questions will help you make a better decision in your next game. So let’s discuss these 4 questions more in depth.

• Is it safe enough for my carry to play solo? Or do I need to babysit him more?

Certainly some carries are stronger than others in lane; however, to answer this question, you gotta understand enemy heroes too. For example, Slark is a natural counter to TideHunter, but if Tide is paired with Sky, Slark can’t stand in lane solo nor touch a creep. So to consider leaving or babysitting, you have to give this a good thought.

• When can my carry start jungling?

In the same example, even though Slark Can jungle since level 5–6, It really hurts to see him kick off his lane against a hero he counters. Some other heroes, like Luna, are okay to leave the lane as they can flash-farm the jungle. But even in that case, it’s better to stand in the lane and protect the tower, or even take the enemy’s tower if your presence enables that.

• If I leave, where am I needed?

If you can ask this question and answer it every game, I assure you, you will make better decisions than you used to. It looks simple, but to tell you the truth, this is the hardest question to answer as Pos5. Most players just go with the flow, not actively thinking about the reason behind their moves. So to be one step ahead of your enemies, just try to answer that question every game before you decide to leave your lane.

• Is my hero good for ganking, stacking, or taking enemy towers?

Now to the final point: If you decided to leave already, you gotta understand your hero’s power and have good reasoning to do one of the three. Either gank to help another lane or my other lanes are doing well and my hero can stack double camps easily? Do I have tower damage, or does one of my allies have tower damage, and with my help, we could take an early tower?

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s not easy to decide when the lane is over for a support; in addition, there are many other aspects to consider before making that decision next time you play. If you are a carry player, try to understand why it’s hard for your support and don’t make it even harder. Of course, there are other deep things to consider, but let’s keep it at that in this post. I don’t want to overwhelm you with many thoughts at once. Try to keep it simple to master it faster.

In this post, I have shared with you a simplified thought process to help you improve as a Pos5 player. Consider it the start of a new Dota mindset.

If you are a Pos5 player or you know someone who can relate, feel free to share the post and share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you still feel lost or want further help, feel free to join my Discord community for more free content from my Reddit profile bio or DM me on Discord at MKS#0011 or mks98.

Thank you for reading, and happy gaming! 😊