In Dota 2, the jungle serves as a critical area for players seeking to gain an advantage through farming neutral camps. These camps, vital for both gold and experience accumulation, are classified by their location and difficulty level. Below is a detailed overview of the neutral camps, their locations on both sides of the map, and the newly introduced camp types from recent patches, particularly patch 7.38 and beyond.

Neutral Camp Locations:

Radiant Side:
– Above the Radiant Safe Lane Jungle:
– Total: 6 neutral camps
– Below the Radiant Safe Lane (Near Roshan Pit):
– Total: 5 neutral camps
– Radiant Top Lane / Triangle Area:
– Total: 3 neutral camps

Dire Side:
– Above the Dire Safe Lane (Top Lane):
– Total: 5 neutral camps
– Below the Dire Safe Lane Jungle:
– Total: 6 neutral camps
– Dire Offlane / Bottom Lane Triangle:
– Total: 3 neutral camps

Categories of Neutral Camps by Difficulty:

1. Small Camps:
– Description: Contain the easiest neutral creeps, which have low health and damage outputs.
– Ideal For: Early game farming by weaker heroes.

2. Medium Camps:
– Description: Offer stronger creeps than small camps, providing better gold and experience rewards.
– Ideal For: Heroes looking to farm in the mid-game with moderate tools.

3. Large Camps:
– Description: Home to some of the game’s tougher neutral creeps, rewarding players with higher yields.
– Ideal For: Stronger heroes or those with proper itemization to handle more difficult foes.

4. Ancient Camps:
– Description: The toughest neutral creeps on the map, these camps offer the highest gold and experience rewards.
– Ideal For: High-level heroes with specific items or spells that aid in clearing these challenging foes effectively.

New Neutral Camp Types in Patch 7.38 and Beyond:

A significant update introduced new strategic elements to the jungle with the addition of Flooded Camps and specific amphibious neutral creeps:

– Pollywogs:
– Level: 2 neutral creeps
– Health: Moderate
– Abilities: They come with passive bonuses but remain manageable for early-game heroes seeking income.

– Boglets:
– Abilities: Possess a stun ability and grant an aura that increases movement speed and damage.

– Marshmage Apprentices:
– Description: These appear in some camps and pose a moderate challenge with their abilities, encouraging adaptive farming strategies.

Neutral Camp Mechanics:

– Respawn Timings: Neutral camps respawn at regular intervals, which can be strategically accounted for in hero farming plans.
– Neutral Access: As neutral creeps are categorized as neutral, both teams have the opportunity to farm from these camps, impacting the overall game strategy.
– Ability/Aura Effects: Some camps have unique abilities or auras influencing farming strategies. For example, camps with Boglets may require players to adapt their approach to mitigate the effects of their aura.

Conclusion

The structure and dynamics of the jungle have evolved significantly throughout Dota 2’s patches. Understanding the layout and mechanics of neutral camps, along with the recent changes introduced in patch 7.38, allows players to optimize their farming strategies and gain advantages over opponents. Players are encouraged to integrate these camps into their gameplay, adapting their hero choices and playstyles to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in the jungle.