DOTA (Defense of the Ancients) is a multiplayer third person action strategy. The game it stems from is a real person strategy with a base and various unit building structures. In the regular game there are heroes but they are accompanied by the army that you build using the resources you harvest. Defense of the Ancients is a different game altogether. It is Strictly hero based with auto armies that spawn for both teams.
Each team consists of up to five players. Most competitive DOTA matches are five vs. five. Each team has a base with three entrances (mid, top, and bottom). At each entrance spawns of armies called 'creeps' are created and sent toward the enemy base. Your hero then follows and the idea is to gain entry into the enemies base and destroy it. These are the basics of the game but there is much more that can be done throughout the game.
At the beginning of each game, the host can choose the game mode. There are many game modes, the most common being allpick or allrandom. There are over 90 heroes to choose from in DOTA, allowing for many different combinations of teams. Each hero has a unique set of skills that can be leveled up throughout the game by gaining experience. One of the best components of DOTA is the amount of different hero combinations and weapons that you can buy. Each hero has a certain class: Strength, Agility, and Intelligence and the amount of stat points in each category will vary from hero to hero. The possibilities are virtually endless for trying out new heroes with different weapons.
Dota is a very competitive game and is great for anyone that wishes to get involved in a game that is fast paced, and loaded with different possibilities each team you play. I personally have logged 200+ hours with this game over the last couple of years. All you have to do is purchase "Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos" and then purchases the expansion pack "The Frozen Throne."