Have you ever come across abusive players when playing Dota 2? It is common to see that kind of users in this game. Of course, there are professional and courteous players. On the other side of the coin, there are those who behave badly, such as practicing BM (bad manners) or flaming other players.
While you can just ignore them and go on with your game, there are actions or situations that are worth reporting. Especially if what they are doing has become too abusive, causes you to lose MMR (matchmaking rating), or puts the whole Dota community in a negative light.
To prevent this kind of behavior, Valve has developed a reporting system that justifiably metes out punishment to offensive users and raises the chances of other users having a good time when playing the game. In this article, I will show you how to report in Dota 2.
How to Report a Player
If you have a toxic experience that you think that needs to be reported, you will have to wait until the end of the match to do so. At this point, the match summary page will appear wherein each player is listed.
Above each name are two options: Commend and Report. The first selection allows you to give a good review of any player on either side if you found them friendly, forgiving, as a great teacher, or as a great leader.
On the other hand, the Report button will let you give negative feedback on a player, whether they are a teammate or on the opposing team. Clicking the button will open a popup window, where you can choose which among the types of misbehaviors you want to report. There will also be a text box where you can write more information or the specific misdeeds of the user you are reporting.
The Different Types of Reporting
Communication abuse
Trash talks have always been an essential part of Dota 2. Even past The International (TI) champions use playful or aggressive banter in all chat to try to tilt their opponents and swing the game in their favor.
However, there are some lines that should never be crossed. If any of the players resort to spamming or use derogatory or discriminatory remarks, do not hesitate to report the offending party for communication abuse.
Matchmaking abuse
Since it was released, Dota 2 has tried to make the game fair for users by matching them up with and against other players of similar skills or level. However, there are some who try to abuse the system so that they get to play versus less proficient users.
If you encounter such a player during your match, you can report them for matchmaking abuse. In early 2020, Valve banned more than 40,000 users for abusing the matchmaking system.
Smurfing or Account Buying
Smurfing is the act of creating a secondary account in order to get matched up against lower-skilled players. Meanwhile, there are highly proficient users who sell their accounts to gain quick cash. And the one who bought the account will likely play outside of the account’s perceived skill level.
If you come across such a player, you can report it. Those are bannable offenses because it ruins the matchmaking system.
How to Make a Good Report
It is not enough to just click on the report button and hope for the best. To make sure the report in Dota 2 is acted upon, it must be noticed by the game developer.
Because the reporting system is automated, multiple reports made on a single player stack up and can lead to the offender getting penalties.
But in the event that you cannot get other users to make a valid report, it is important to write a detailed description of the misconduct in your report. This can help make the report more noticeable. Make sure your message is respectful and write in such a way that you are not creating a report out of spite.
Below is an example of a good report:
[Player ID] was griefing me during the game. He was abusive in the chat and spammed a lot of insulting messages toward me and my teammates at different instances in the match. You can confirm this report by checking [time stamps] in the game replay. You will see why he needs to be penalized. Thank you.
Punishments for Reported Players
The level of punishment depends on how many times they have been reported for valid reasons. Below are the penalties that will be imposed on an offending party:
1. First-degree punishment
This is the most basic punishment and is given to those who have been reported at least three times in a short period. They will be required to win one to three low-priority matches with other reported players and cannot play any ranked games until completing the penalty.
2. Second-degree punishment
If a player keeps getting reported, the penalty will become harsher. A second offense means the user has to win more low-priority matches — usually up to five — before being able to play ranked games.
3. Third-degree punishment
The third tier is where things get spicy as the guilty party cannot play any matches at all for 24 hours, not even low-priority games.
4. Fourth-degree punishment
The next level of penalty involves a one-week ban from any Dota 2 matches.
5. Fifth-degree punishment
The harshest penalty in Dota 2 for non-professional gamers is a six-month ban from playing any matches.
What are Low-Priority Matches?
Low-priority matches are games where you are teamed up with and matched up against other players who have also been penalized. They are those who have been reported multiple times or have abandoned several games before.
These matches are limited only to the Single Draft mode, where a player can only select from three random heroes. Low-priority games are loathed by countless Dota 2 players. It is for this reason that players should refrain from interacting negatively with other users in the community so they will not get reported.
Final Thoughts
While the game’s reporting system has earned the ire of some users, it has generally served its purpose well of making the Dota 2 community a pleasant one. The danger of being reported has also caused countless players to behave properly.
Additionally, report only when necessary. Valve has actually devised a means of ensuring that reports should only be done for valid reasons by limiting a user’s ability to report to three to five every week. If the developer finds out that you have been reporting for unjustified bases, your behavior score could decrease.
Repeated unnecessary reporting can result lower your behavior score. Being reported several times can also negatively impact your rating. Remember to check behavior score in Dota 2 from time to time to know know how your account has been evaluated in terms of in-game conduct.
Most importantly, when playing Dota 2, just make sure to enjoy the game and in engaging with the community.
