head to head
vs
Dota 2vsRise of Nations
Dota 2 leans Optimization (Grand Arena); Rise of Nations leans Optimization (Mind & Math).
Dota 2Rise of Nations
Axis by axis
Execution6 vs 5
Dota 2 leans harder on execution: Last-hits and spell timing demand precision.
Reads8 vs 7
Dota 2 leans harder on reads: Drafts and ganks revolve around adaptive opponents.
Variance4 vs 3
Dota 2 leans harder on variance: Crits, bashes, and bounty runes add noise.
Optimization9 vs 8
Dota 2 leans harder on optimization: Item builds, timings, and lane theory are deep.
Two games can score the same on an axis and still test it in very different ways - read each rationale, not just the number.