Gold is primarily obtained by killing enemy heroes , destroying enemy structures , and killing creeps , the latter act being called " farming " . Only the hero that land the killing blow on a creep obtain gold from it , an act called " last hitting " , but all nearby allies receive gold when an enemy hero die . Players are also able to " deny " allied units and structures by destroying them , which then prevent their opponents from getting full experience . Gold is then spent on items that provide unique active and passive abilities , in addition to attribute enhancements to their wearer , depending on the item . The player also receive a small , continuous stream of gold over the course of a match .