DotA experience question

If I never played DotA should I go back and play the first one, while waiting for the second one?

Reason I ask this is, will I be at a huge disadvantage not knowing the heroes or items from DotA, or will it not really matter much? I have a lot of experience in League of Legends and HoN (I learned HoN very quick and do better than average) and I do decent in League (Level 30, 400 wins.. etc)

What do you suggest? I worry because I hear DotA is much harder than League, but nearly the same as HoN.. Will my HoN skills suffice enough for DotA2?

Getting tired of League of Legend's trolling playerbase, hoping DotA2's won't be as bad.

;) Thanks!

EDIT: This might belong in the "New Player" thread. Sorry if its misplaced.

Go try out HoN, it's free and it's probably the closest you can get to gaining experience in DOTA 2. I don't think Heroes or Items will be much of a trouble, however mechanics and tactics will, just try it out and get DOTA 2 as it comes out, you will be fine.

Well, I said I played HoN better than average XD

Then you'll probably do well then, since there sought of similar

If you already got wc3. Go nuts. I recomend using Garena ;).

Not really worth buying it if you already got HoN experience.

Alrighty, thanks guys! :D

Learn where and the recipe for each item, since in Dota 1 there are several shops instead of 1

Knowing what each hero does is vital in every Moba game

HoN is fine, since it is almost the same as Dota

I didn't play DotA much myself either..
But when I found LoL I started playing..

So Dota2 will be new for me As well.. Oh well.. Can't wait! :D

Well, I installed Dota and played around with it a bit. I can learn the hero's pretty fast and found out which heroes are direct copies in HoN. That makes things a little easier. Only issue now is the item structure in Dota. Does anybody know if Dota2 will have just 1 shopkeeper or multiple as in Dota1?

from the looks of the beta, i think it will be only one since the fountain area only had the fountain in it