Just like most of the competitive online multiplayer games in the world, Dota 2 also has its own ranking system. This ranking system is integrated into the game’s matchmaking queue, something which has given birth to ranked matches. These ranked matches basically put players into a number of different competitive tiers. These tiers are represented in the form of leagues and their medals.
Leagues and Medals
The medals and their associated league names can be seen on the profile of every player. There are around eight leagues in Dota 2, that are Herald, Guardian, Crusader, Archon, Legend, Ancient, Divine, and Immortal. Right under the medal icon, there is a percentage bar which reveals the player’s progress towards the next level. This percentage is increased whenever a player wins a match, and reaching 100 percent takes the player to a new level.
Once a player reaches the next level, he is then placed into the next tier with a one-star medal. The best thing about this system is that once you reach a certain rank, you will not get demoted regardless of how many games you lose. This means that every rank is going to be a representation of how much you have achieved throughout the season.
Players who want to get ranked must complete a string of ten ranked matchmaking games. This is something necessary. Once you complete these ten matches, you will be assigned with a league based on how many matches you lost and won. If you want to get in a good league, we will suggest you keep winning a priority.
Ranks Change with Every Season
One important thing to keep in mind is that your rank will change with every season, meaning that it will not last forever. For those who don’t know, every competitive season runs for around six months. After a season is over and a new one begins, your medals and leagues will reset. If you want to be ranked again, you will have to again go through the process of completing a string of 10 ranked matchmaking games.
Some Important Requirements
Valve has made sure that nothing ruins the competitive environment of ranked matchmaking. This is why they have set a few requirements in order to prevent players from making new accounts to reset their MMR. The requirements are:
- Player must have a valid phone number linked to his Steam account.
- The account must have 25 games played in unranked matchmaking.
- After you complete the second requirement, the matchmaking system will automatically set a random number of matches for your account. These can be anywhere between 0 to 100. You will have to play these matches before ranked matchmaking is unlocked for your account.
MMR is another important thing when it comes to Dota 2. The Matchmaking Rating, or MMR, is basically the exact value of your skills. Unlike medals, the MMR value can go down if you lose. If you win a match, your MMR value will go up 25 points. However, if you lose a match, the value will go down 25 points.
To help you get familiar with the ranking system of Dota 2, we are going to briefly explain each league. This will help you understand what each league offers. Keep in mind that the following MMR is just an estimate based on what most of the community has observed.
Dota 2 Leagues
Herald – 0 to 720 MMR
Players who belong to the Herald tier are relatively new to the game. They don’t have a lot of knowledge about how things work. Herald players are those who have just started playing the game or those who don’t spend a lot of time in this game.
These players usually don’t understand how to play. They don’t know when to launch an attack or retreat from one. Most of them also are not familiar with the abilities their characters have. Experienced players claim that it takes a lot of dedication and patience to get out of this rank.
Guardian – 840 to 1560 MMR
Players in the Guardian are not much different from those in the previous rank, but they have more knowledge about the game. They are those who are improving their game by learning how things work. These players are also aware of the last hitting rewards gold, something which is really important in Dota 2.
The only downside about the Guardian players is that they lack mechanical skill. Although they are slowly making improvements to their mechanical skills, they still need to improve a lot. In short, they are taking baby steps towards improving their game.
Crusader – 1680 to 2400 MMR
This is the tier in which new players start playing properly. These players have decent knowledge about the game as they have played matches games till this point. Crusaders basically start showing their interest in the game and start learning more about it from different sources. They are also aware of wards and their importance.
As Crusaders know about the existence of Observer and Sentry Wards, something which is an integral part of Dota 2, they start choosing spots more carefully. Most of them also know about the jungle as an alternative source of Gold.
Archon – 2520 to 3240 Gold
This is the tier in which things start getting a little more serious. This is the tier right before the global average. Players who belong to this tier have spent a few hundred hours in the game, and their game sense has improved a lot. Archons also start using items such as Infused Raindrops and Smoke of Deceit, something which is not common in the previous tiers.
The mechanical skills of Archon players are also better. They start learning the importance of mechanics that improve overall efficiency. Archon players also tend to communicate with their teammates more often since they know that communication is key.
Legend – 3360 to 4080 MMR
If you’ve made it to this tier, then you probably have years of experience in the game. Legend tier is the global average, and this is when things get real. Players belonging to this tier have a lot of in-game knowledge, and they know about all of the proper adjustments of items and skill builds. They know how to deal with almost every situation.
Despite their vast knowledge, Legend players still tend to make a lot of mistakes because of their poor decision making. Legend players also sometimes have bad habits that they are currently trying to get rid of.
Ancient – 4200 to 4920 MMR
Players who have a great game sense and good mechanical skills make it to this tier. They display advanced tactics and make decisions better than those belonging to the Legend tier. Role versatility also becomes common in this tier, and players freely switch from positions 1 to 5. This allows players to fulfill multiple roles with worrying about crippling themselves.
In any case, making it to the Ancient tier from the previous task is still something challenging. You will have to learn more about the game in order to make it to this tier.
Divine – 5040 to 5760 MMR
The Divine tier is where things become dead serious. The players belonging to this tier are those who have complete in-depth knowledge about the game. Most of them are able to carry their teammates singlehandedly, meaning that they don’t need to rely on anyone to win the game. In addition to this, players who belong to this tier are those who will soon step into the big leagues.
Divine players are those who have devoted a lot of their time to Dota 2. Their mechanical skills are really amazing, and they prove it during the battle.
Immortal – 6000+ MMR
If you’ve made it to the Immortal tier, then you have to pat yourself on the back because you’ve done a really amazing job. Players belonging to the Immortal tier are the elite and are considered as the best of the best. These players know every bit of the game and they are absolutely amazing. They display amazing mechanical skills and high-level in-game sense.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RHq6lfuCpc
Immortal players basically understand Dota 2 better than anyone else. Majority of the professional players and popular streamers play with each other in this tier. In any case, making it to the Immortal tier is extremely difficult and time-consuming. However, it is still something that can be achieved with proper dedication and commitment.
