N0tail hits back at Doublelift’s claim that Dota 2 is easier than LoL

Two-time The International champion Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein has denied Yiliang ‘Doublelift’ Peng’s claim that Dota 2 is easier than League of Legends, saying that he “sh*tstomped” his “first and only” League games.

The communities of League of Legends and Dota 2 have been at war for the better part of the decade. Players of the two biggest MOBAs in the world claim their respective game is superior to the other, with both communities often laying cheap shots against one another.

The debate between the two came to a head on December 23 when star Team Liquid AD carry Doublelift claimed that Dota 2 was easier than League. He laid into Dota by saying “there’s 0% chance that dota 2 has a higher mechanical skill ceiling than League.”

N0tail has hit back at Doublelift’s comments about Dota, roasting how easy League is.

“[It has] turn speed, built-in lag, not a lot of skill shots, dashes, or mobility. You do have more buttons, but they’re targeted so you don’t often need to display a high level of mechanical ability. It’s all game knowledge – meanwhile, League is really mechanically intensive.”

Doublelift also admitted that he’s played a bit of the game to back up his comments, saying that his eight years of playing allowed him to “stomp every pick-up-game” thanks to his game knowledge.

• Read more: Doublelift explains why League is harder than Dota

However, N0tail has hit back, saying that League is boring and un-interactive. “If on average pro games have 4-5 kills in 30 minutes, what are the critical objectives,” he asked.

“Is it like a mega extended laning phase where it’s all about last hits and harass?”

N0tail does have a point, given how vastly different League and Dota play out in the early game. League has a very passive laning phase, focused on not dying and scaling until your item breakpoints, while Dota is action right off the bat.

The two-time The International champion also claimed that he found League easy, saying that “I too went into my first and only League games and sh*tstomped them.”

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However, N0tail offered a truce. He decided to invite some players from the other side to sit down, have a chat about their respective games, and maybe settle the debate.

Doublelift might have the bigger mouth, but N0tail has the trophies.

“Ceb and I meet up with two achieved and well-spoken LoL players, discuss the pros and cons of each of our respective scenes, and follow-up with an in-depth discussion on our game’s differences,” he said.

Doublelift himself has a fair few accomplishments in League of Legends under his belt, including an MSI finals appearance and seven LCS titles, and would make for a perfect candidate for said podcast. 

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Players like Luka ‘Perkz’ Perkovic and Rasmus ‘Caps’ Winther would also make perfect candidates, with the MSI 2019 champions and Worlds 2019 runners-up being two of the most accomplished League players in the Western world.

Regardless of which game requires more skill, N0tail stated that at the end of the day, it’s up to what you enjoy. “Obviously both games are great, curious to which aspects are harder,” he said.

While such a discussion is unlikely to put the Dota vs. League rivalry to bed once and for all, it could help bridge the gap between the two communities. Otherwise, all it would do it make the divide bigger, and the rivalry fiercier, and maybe that’s what the two player bases want.