Dota 2 is an RTS-styled MOBA-type competitive team game with RPG elements between two competing teams (Radiant and Dire), consisting of five players each.
The main objective in Dota 2 is to destroy the enemy Ancient inside their stronghold. These strongholds are protected by multiple towers down 3 lanes.
Instead of building armies of units like in classical RTS games, each player controls a single Hero, a strategically-powerful unit with unique abilities and characteristics which can be improved over the course of the game.
Experience is earned when nearby creeps and heroes die, and once collecting enough experience, the hero gains a level, which increases the hero’s stats, and at most levels the hero gains a skill point which can be spent to unlock or upgrade one of the hero’s abilities.
Alongside a hero’s fixed abilities, each hero has 6 inventory slots which can be filled with Items which provide various benefits and abilities. To purchase these items, Gold is gained passively over time, by killing creeps, by killing enemy heroes and by destroying buildings.