Courier usage

Hi all, after getting into DoTA for about a month or so now, I want to get into the details of using a courier. I know how to select, transfer and boost speed with the courier to my hero but never really got to understand how to use courier when it's your turn. The reason I'm asking this is because after watching many of those international DoTA games, they seem to have a queuing system with the courier.

I'm not 100% sure whether it is really an automated queuing system where you get your items after the previous person has obtain theirs, but at least to me that is what it looks like.

Can someone explain if there really is this system with the courier, and if not, how to utilise the courier as a team properly.

Thank you.

There is no such system. If you're new, you probably encounter a lot of games where people just use the courier when they want to.

The reason there seems to be a said system on professional games is they can actually cooperate and know that they shouldn't use the courier when someone is using it.

I agree with Samukobo. You see, in professional games, they know who needs the courier more and how to share it. The mid lane or the hard carry will have a more priority of the courier and the support have a lower one. However, they also "share" the courier. Like the courier will grab both the mid lane and the support items, sent to the mid first than the support takes over the courier to deliver his items. This saves more time then going back to the fountain for another run.

The main thing is about communication, actually.

Something else to remember is that the courier can go to the secret shop to buy items for you. Just remember to hide it in the trees behind the shop rather than leaving it in the open.

Having multiple peoples items on the courier so it only needs to make one trip is almost soly dependant on communication. In my pubs, generally what happens is I'll call the courier for myself, then someone else will take it over before it's left the base and call it for themselves. If they're nice they'll let you know that they're "borrowing" your courier run, best thing to do is let it give them their items, then call the courier yourself again to get yours.

And remember, if someone else has called the flying courier, but hasn't boosted it's speed, you can trigger that without disrupting their delivery. My general rule is "if the courier is moving, it's speed boost should be on cooldown", but I'm sure there are situations where that's not quite right.

Generally I speed boost when the courier is near to dangerous areas, to help it get in and out faster.

There is no automated queuing for the courier, it comes to down to communication in your team as to who gets the courier or not.

In my mind, for the first 5mins the courier is dedicated to whoever's mid. They will probably be going for a Bottle, and they don't have a side shop, so they get courier. Theirs nothing more annoying than having a bottle in your stash but cant get it because the courier is halfway down the safelane with your support's Ring of Protection.
If I'm the support and want to use the courier early game, I ask if anyone else needs it before I call it.

Depending on your MMR level, calling the courier whenever you need it it is acceptable. If someone else has already, if the courier has yet to leave base I think its acceptable to hijack it to pick up your items. Just tell whoever called it first to re-call, otherwise they wont realize its not coming before its already halfway back after delivering your stuff.