Dota 2 Ranks and Ranking System Explained (Latest Patch)

Dota 2 mmr system, Dota 2 ranking system
Dota 2's Ranking System explained


How Does the Ranking System Work?

Ranks in Dota 2 are a reflection of a player’s skill that is based upon your win rate ratio, ensuring that less skilled players do not get matched with higher ranked players. Dota 2 has 36 ranks in total with each rank having a direct medal corresponding to a numeric value called MatchMaking Ranking (MMR). 

In this article, we will explain all the Ranks and the Ranking System as it is of the latest patch in Dota 2. 

What is MMR?

MMR or Matchmaking Rating is the direct numeric value that is used to dictate which medal or league you are to be placed in. It is a tool used to rank players' skills and partly to ensure fair play amongst players. When you win a match of Dota 2, you will gain a number of MMR points depending on the ranks of your fellow teammates as well as the ranks of your opponents. The general rule of thumb is that a player gains or loses 30 MMR for every solo win or loss and 20 MMR for every win or loss when playing as part of a party. This number is usually a flat rate, meaning that your kill death ratio is not taken into account once your MMR has been calibrated. 

How is MMR Calibrated?

As a beginner, you must first play 100 hours of Dota 2 before they can play Ranked matches and begin earning their valuable MMR. This is mainly to ensure that players do not create new accounts for the sake of versing easier players in the game, though this is still a major issue in the game as with most competitive ranked games. 

Once players have played their first 100 hours, they can then play ranked Dota matches where they will need to complete a series of 10 calibration matches to obtain their MMR. These calibration matches are relatively important as they dictate which league you will be placed into. Their kill death ratio is also probably taken into account, though the exact logistics of the calibration formula is kept secret by the people at valve. The maximum league a player may achieve is Ancient 5 even if they do win all their games with reasonable Kill Death Ratios. 

Players may also choose to request a recalibration to adjust their rank. In this case, players may gain or lose MMR at double the rate for the next 10 matches. This may only be done once every year. To do this, navigate to the Options in the Dota 2 main screen and then to the Account Tab. Here you will find the MMR re-calibration section. Do note that once you have activated this, it cannot be undone. 

The Ranking System

Players are placed into leagues depending on their MMR. A list of the following ranks can be found below, with a deeper and more detailed breakdown of each medal following. Almost all medals within the ranking system contain up to five stars, with each separation between the stars being around 150 MMR. 

Herald ranks: - 0-769 MMR

Guardian ranks: - 770-1539 MMR

Crusader ranks: - 1540-2309 MMR

Archon ranks: - 2310-3079 MMR

Legend ranks: - 3080-3849 MMR

Ancient ranks: - 3850-4619 MMR

Divine ranks: - 4620-5420+ MMR

Immortal ranks: at about 6000 MMR

Below is a breakdown of the amount of MMR it will take to obtain certain levels of stars to progress your rank in Dota. There will also be a breakdown of the percentile for each medal to see where you fall under compared to the rest of the Dota 2 population. As an example, if you are ranked as an Guardian 2, you will be in the bottom 6 to 18% of the players in the game. 

At around the 0 - 5% Percentile

At around the 6 - 18% Percentile

At around the 19 - 38% Percentile

At around the 39 - 62% Percentile

At around the 63 - 82% Percentile

At around the 83 - 93% Percentile

At around the 94 - 98% Percentile

At around the 99 - 100% Percentile

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Daniel of the Eastern Provinces is a multi-skilled squire. Scribing works for multi-faceted titles, one can usually find this oracle in the eternal struggle of the ancients.
Gamer Since: 2005
Favorite Genre: MOBA
Currently Playing: Rust
Top 3 Favorite Games:DOTA 2, Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void, The Forest


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