How do MMR and ranking work in Dota 2?
Dota 2 is one of the most competitive multiplayer games in the world. This has led to a profound ranking system that you need to take a look at. If you are just getting started in Dota, find out more about how the matchmaking rating system works.
The MMR system has been a staple of the Dota 2 experience for a long time. Dota 2 was one of the first games to implement a ranking system which has become commonplace around the industry.
It has become the metric that people use to gauge the best players in the world. If they have a high MMR, you will most likely see them in the Sportsbet markets playing for a top team. Now, let’s look at the factors that play into MMR and its impact on the game.
How players unlock ranked matchmaking
Before you start your Dota journey, you should know that you will have to reach a certain point to get the most out of the game. You will have to play 100 hours of Dota 2 first before you can unlock the ranked games. At the same time, you should also have a valid phone number so you can link that to your Steam account. You can change your number but that will require you to wait a few months so it can be functional.
You will have to play 10 calibration matches and after that, you will have your first medal and your MMR. Make sure to do your best in these calibration matches because they will be the biggest determining factor of where you will place in the MMR ladder. This has also played a massive role in esports in Japan, Southeast Asia, and many more regions.
What is MMR?
MMR stands for matchmaking rating but it goes deeper than just the raw numbers. It is the statistic that Dota uses to gauge your skills in the game. MMR can be elusive sometimes because some people have unfortunate winning streaks or harsh losing streaks. However, it is the best metric for gauging a player because it’s an objective perspective as most players will have to keep winning to get a higher number.
How players can get more MMR
It is clear that you just have to pile up wins to have a higher MMR.You are playing high-level matches while also getting the most out of the skills you are building up.
You should also know that there are many modes in Dota 2 including the classic ranked but you can also play ranked roles where you pick a specific role to play and you will have to adhere to that.
The rank medals
Aside from the numbers in MMR, there are medals to go along with them to have more of an easy-to-understand metric for players. There are various kinds of medals in Dota and every one of them is distinct from the others. Since your MMR will only be visible to you, these medals are what other people see when they see you playing ranked matches.
- Herald: This is the lowest-ranked medal in Dota 2 and it is represented by a diamond shaped-medal and a Tango. The Herald 1 medal will be given to the lowest MMR possible which is 0 and Herald 5 will be capped at 769 MMR. Herald is the lowest on the ranked ladder but there is always room for growth for players in this tier.
- Guardian: Starting at 770 with Guardian 1, this medal is inspired by the Buckler item. There are also 5 tiers to this medal as it starts from Guardian 1 and it ends with Guardian 5 at 1539 MMR points.
- Crusader: Inspired by the Ring of Aquila item, the Crusader rank starts with its first tier at 1540 MMR points. This will stretch up to 2309 MMR which is the maximum for Crusader 5.
- Archon: This is the medal where most of the Dota 2 player base is located. Inspired by the Eul’s Scepter of Divinity item, Archon starts at 2310 MMR and reaches up to 3079 MMR. This is the average tier for most Dota players and if you reach this, you are in the majority of players.
- Legend: Inspired by the Black King Bar’s design, this starts at 3080 MMR and ends at 3849 MMR points. This is the start of the above-average group of players and this is where you see some skilled players but they still make some silly mistakes at times.
- Ancient: Starting at 3850 MMR, Ancient is firmly a medal where some good players reside. Inspired by the Manta Style’s design, this medal has some good players that have the skills to become top players but haven’t cracked into the top rankings just yet as it ends at 4619 MMR points.
- Divine: This medal is inspired by the titular Divine Rapier and it starts at 4620 MMR and ends at a high 5420. The best players in the world regularly hold this medal and you can argue that they are pro-level players already except there is one more medal above them.
- Immortal: If you get more than 5420 MMR points, you can enter the Immortal tier. This is where the best of the best are placed and they will have a medal reminiscent of the Aegis of the Immortal’s design and joined by a number below the medal symbolising your place in the Immortal ladder. The medal will get even better as you ascend the rankings, especially if you’re in the Top 100, 10, or the very best.
How the double-down tokens help increase MMR
With a Dota Plus membership and during the seasonal Battle Pass, double-down tokens will be given to the players. These tokens function as a way to get more points from matches but when you lose those matches, you will lose double the points too.
It is important to have this kind of mechanic in Dota because it showcases that when people feel confident in their skills, they can use the double-down and win the match. They have to lock in their double-down during the first few seconds of the match because that is where the playing field is level.
What are the most reliable ways to win ranked games?
If you want to get more MMR, there are some reliable ways that you can win those ranked games. Those matches can be tough most of the time, but if you have a checklist of what to do, you might have a bigger chance of winning them reliably.
These are the factors you need to consider when you start to play ranked games:
Communicate properly with your teammates
Dota is a team game and you need to work well with your teammates to get the big win. While one player can carry the rest of his team at times, you should make sure that you establish consistency so you can win more MMR in the future. That comes in the form of communication which does not need to involve gameplay at all.
You just need to make sure that you are clear with the points that you want to make and keep it concise and respectful. For the game itself, you need to communicate enemy positioning, wards, Roshan timing, and many more. If you can keep doing that, it will lead you to success.
Play the needed role
There are five roles in Dota 2 and players are recommended to stay within those roles. Of course, there can be some unique spins on those roles but for the most part, you should stay within them so your team will stay organised. These are those roles:
- Carry
- Mid
- Offlane
- Soft support
- Hard support
Use the Observer Wards properly
Dota has an important in-game item with Observer Wards. These are essentially security cameras that can be planted across the map for a limited time. If you can place them properly, your team’s vision will be superior to the enemy. You can take advantage of that with solid positioning where you can catch your opponents off guard.
How role queue has changed ranked matchmaking
In the past, ranked matchmaking was a free-for-all where players could pick a hero in whatever role they wanted. That is still possible with ranked matchmaking but players now have Ranked Roles where they can queue exclusively for their preferred role.
Of course, this is not an unlimited feature because you have to build up the Role Queue tokens by playing vanilla Ranked. However, it has changed the complexion of the ranked experience because players are happier as they can play their preferred roles.
Players feel more comfortable
With the Role Queue mode, players will feel more comfortable because they do not have to force themselves into roles they don’t want. Of course, it is for a limited time because the Role Queue tokens are finite but that can be built up too.
How MMR and ranks affect the esports scene
Every month there is a player that reaches a new milestone be it 11,000 MMR or even 13,000 MMR. That has become the standard for the esports scene because they keep recruiting the most skilled players according to MMR.
This all started when Amer ‘Miracle-’ Al-Barkawi became a world-renowned player when he played for OG in 2015. He was the ‘pub star’ that people saw in high-profile ranked matches but he turned out to be a fantastic esports talent too, becoming one of the best players of all time.
Scouting the best players
Due to Miracle-’s rise, the Dota 2 esports world has followed up with some recruitment for the best players in the ranked ladder. This is important to know because most of the Dota 2 Pro Circuit consists of high-ranked players. There are a few outliers there that are prolific players but they tend to avoid the ranked matches like two-time champs Anathan ‘ana’ Pham and Jesse ‘JerAx’ Vainikka.
However, the MMR system is a good gauge of top-tier players because they won’t earn that kind of distinction if they are not skilled or worthy of that number. Dota 2 is a thriving esports title and it will only improve if the best players are maximised, and those names are seen in the ranked ladder and eventually, the Sports betting Japan markets you will see about the 2023 esports events.
Dota 2’s MMR system works well
The competitive video game industry is filled with ranking systems but sometimes, they are still not accurate. Dota 2 has managed to lock in a reliable ranking system. For the most part, it has been a massive success and it looks like there will be incremental improvements which have become the usual Valve move with Dota 2.
