How buybacks changed the course of crucial matches at The International

A buyback is one of the most strategically important weapons in Dota 2 League’s arsenal which can swing the tide of any game. Death is not the end for a player, thanks to the buyback, where the player comes back to the fight instantaneously, and this line often forces change at The International, the premier Dota 2 tournament. However, during these years, this tactical move has helped particularly in completing the teams’ victories in a losing situation. In this article, we will look into the most effective buybacks whose impact was felt at the International between the years 2011 and 2023.

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What is a Buyback in Dota 2?

A buyback is implementing a hero in a Dota 2 match after being dead once or more while in game, by dying the player forfeits all responsibility to the hero used. It is often used by players in order not to waste time and stay alive to take action even when the battle gets intense towards the latter part of the game. How much a buyback is, varies with the level of the hero and cumulatively increases, dependent on its frequency of exercise, hence making this mechanic of great significance and delicate.

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How Can a Buyback Affect the Game?

Using a buyback can either save the game or ruin a team's chances of victory.

One benefit of a buyback is that a team can rush back into action when under attack or when there’s a critical battle to be won. When such a buyback is carefully timed, it may be used to stage a counterattack, defend base, or obtain an important advantage. For instance, imagine that one of the team’s core heroes equipped with important items and using a buyback, rejoins the battle – this can turn the tide in favor of one team and cause a certain victory. Buybacks also can save the team when there is an enemy push at the end of the game when the opposing team is trying to break the last defenses of the base.

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Explanation Article Each member of the team's performance is measured through evaluations of various indicators as well as through evaluation of all indicators showered against the game. This is done using payments or bonusswink292. It is rather common that the parents do not know that their unemployed child cost the state an average wage.

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Thus, a buyback is a risky decision that requires a clear understanding of the situation and team coordination. Poor use of a buyback can cost the team the game, while a well-executed one can drastically turn the game in the team's favor.

Why Are Buybacks Important at The International?

Each buyback at The International is of utmost strategic importance. A wrong decision of a buyback often turns out to be a deciding factor in which the team is unable to defend their ancient, but, on the other hand, a well-timed buyback is a deciding factor that leads to victory. At The International when every tiny bit of error may cost dollars running into millions in prize money, buyback becomes one of those great turning moments in the entire series. A correctly executed buyback at the given competition can entail not only a virtue of winning a battle but all the championship courtesies as well.

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The most epic buybacks in the history of The International

The International 2018: The Great Comeback of OG Against PSG.LGD

Among the most popular and discussed buybacks at The International, there was one in the finals of the 2018 tournament featuring OG versus PSG.LGD. In the decisive fifth game in which the championship was won, OG was at the brink of losing the game and had already lost several of its key players one of whom Ana was on Ember Spirit. PSG.LGD had already begun to siege the middle lane and were ready to end the game and win the tournament.

But, now it was Ana’s buyback that was very instrumental. He came back into the action almost immediately and let the OG defend against the attack and the hunt for the base went on. As the game progressed, the team was able to take advantage of the holes within PSG.LGD and the game was turned on its head. With a number of impressive moves, OG completed a comeback and were crowned champions of The International 2018. Ana’s buyback is not just another move of an overpowered hero. It stands as one of the best Dota 2 comebacks of all time.

The International 2013: LodA’s Legendary Buyback on Puck Against Na’Vi

Yet, another moment still hotly debated within the community, took place in the 2013 finals of the - Na’VI vs Alliance match. This match had to be one of the fiercest in the dotes history with game fifth being a lesson on how to do it.

In the clutch, as always, Na’Vi was fleeing back to the base when LodA, Alliance captain who played Puck, decided that it was a good time to buy back. He came back to the fray and helpless rivals into his Dream Coil – an ultimate spell which allowed Na’Vi to continue being aggressive instead of recalling back to base and defending it. Because of that Alliance had some time to prepare and finally make the last push that brought them the win and the hot trophy. Later this moment was refered to as the ‘Million Dollar Dream Coil’ by many members of the Dota 2 community because this play essentially gave them the first prize of the tournament.

PSG.LGD and T1: Two-Minute Fight with Ten Buybacks at The International 2021

One of the best moments and craziness during The International 2021 came with a team clash between PSG.LGD versus T1 where in two minutes there were ten buybacks seen. This memorable clash happened in the second map of the upper bracket match where the two teams books the top 6 of the tournament.

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PSG.LGD was in quite the trouble, nearly down by 30K gold, with T1 leading all the way. Even in these circumstances, the Chinese team did not yield easily and after a very aggressive exchange of the team managed to gain back about 4K gold. But regardless of such hardy efforts from PSG.LGD along with a lot of buybacks, they were unable to snatch the game back in their favor. Taking advantage of this, T1 outwent Wang "Ame" Chunyu's PSG.LGD in the upper bracket as the second team to do so in this tournament.

This sequence is noted as one of the most exasperating and strategically complicated ones throughout The International 2021 history, which accentuates the importance of buybacks at the highest echelons of competition.

Short documentary "The International Archives – The Buyback"

The International Archives – The Buyback’ depicts the history of Dota 2 buybacks and their importance through invocations of other instances of The International. It describes various encounters which resulted in the heroes being brought back into the fight several times changing the outcome of not just individual games but whole series. The film makes it clear that buybacks is not about playing again but trying to win while playing again. They are also a tactical decision that can be made at the expense of teamwork and game understanding.

Ana going back in Ember Spirit in the final of The International 2018 and the moment when his buyback was fully worth it, is one such instance that makes one of the highlights of the film. The film also makes it understood that buying back is an imperative step that requires the reason to be in the stance to buy back according to the early state of the game, the economy state and how helpful coming back would be.

Conclusion

Such examples from the Dota 2 The International tournaments from 2011 to 2023 only go a long way to support the view that Dota 2 is a very resourceful game not just where heroes do battles on the fields, but a game of risk, strategy, and skill. Buybacks are still amongst the most used mechanics with great talents known in capitalising on the mechanics at the best time possible getting their sides closer to being champions.