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Game Modes

From Liquipedia Dota 2 Wiki
Nothing beats the fray!

Game Modes are options which apply a set of rules to a match of Dota 2. They can be used to vary the style of hero selection, hero availability, and gameplay.

Hero Picking[edit]

Heroes are given 600 gold at start.

Daily Bonus Hero[edit]

Every day 12 heroes are randomly selected. Bonus items are granted depending on how the hero was chosen:

The bonus items cannot be sold.


Random[edit]

Random chooses from the pool of 12 daily bonus heroes. When random is selected, the player cannot repick a different hero. (The player can only repick if they directly choose a hero.)


Captains Mode[edit]

The standard mode for competitive play. Each team's captain bans and chooses heroes for the team.

The captains go through phases of banning heroes from the pool and picking heroes for their team. After all 10 heroes are selected, each team's players pick their hero from the five their captain had chosen. Each captain has 30 seconds to make a pick and 35 seconds to select a ban (first ban phase is 15 seconds) when it is their turn. Each team's allotted 130 second reserve time depletes any time their captain takes longer than allotted to make a pick or ban. If reserve time runs out before a pick, a random hero will be selected. If it runs out before a ban, no hero will be banned. One team will get to choose between first or second pick, the opposing team will get to choose faction (either radiant or dire).

The current order for draft is as follows:

Choice First Ban Phase First Pick Phase Second Ban Phase Second Pick Phase Third Ban Phase Third Pick Phase
First Ban 1     Ban 2     Ban 3 Pick 1   Ban 4 Ban 5     Pick 2 Pick 3     Pick 4 Ban 6     Ban 7 Pick 5  
Second   Ban 1 Ban 2   Ban 3 Ban 4     Pick 1     Ban 5 Pick 2     Pick 3 Pick 4     Ban 6 Ban 7     Pick 5

Ranked Matchmaking[edit]

Ranked matchmaking is unlocked after the player has played 100 hours of unranked games. After each match, player's matchmaking rating (MMR) will increase or decrease based on the game result. The following game modes are also available in unraked matchmaking, though different rules may applied.

Ranked All Pick[edit]

In this mode all heroes are available. Players may pick any hero as long as another player has not already chosen it. This includes a ban phase before the picking phase.

  • Ban Phase
    • All players have 15 seconds to vote for a hero to be banned.
    • A hero may only be voted once. Two players cannot vote for the same hero.
    • The game displays heroes as they are voted on, but not who voted.
    • After 15 seconds, each vote has a 50% chance of succeeding. The chances are rolled for each voted hero individually.
    • The system automatically bans additional random heroes based on their ban rate at the MMR bracket the match plays on. This always results in a total of 16 banned heroes.
  • Pick Phase
    • Players pick heroes over 3 rounds.
    • The first two rounds last 25 seconds. Two players from each team pick a hero.
    • The last round lasts 20 seconds. One player from each team picks a hero.
    • If the timer expires, players who haven't picked lose 2 Gold gold per second.
    • Player picks are not revealed until their round ends. If two players pick the same hero, that hero is banned and the round restarts. This can happen maximum twice. If two players pick the same hero for the third time, whoever picks the hero first will get the hero, and the other player will have time to repick their hero.
    • If a player fails to pick a hero and loses gold for more than 30 seconds, they are assigned a random hero.
    • If a player does not enter battle with his hero until after the 0:00 mark, that player's gold is removed and distributed to all of the players on his team. Similar to if he had abandoned, but it does not count as an abandon for the sake of the game being safe to leave.
  • Randoming
    • Players can let the system pick a random hero from the entire hero pool, except their 25 least played ones.
    • Only the players of the first round may random a hero. All other players have to pick.
    • The randomed hero cannot be repicked.
    • Randoming a hero gives the player of the randomed hero a Faerie Fire icon Faerie Fire and an Enchanted Mango icon Enchanted Mango at the beginning of the game (i.e. swapping cannot be used to move the items to another hero).

The order for picks is as follows:

First Phase Second Phase Third Phase
Radiant Radiant Radiant Radiant Radiant
Dire Dire Dire Dire Dire

Random Draft[edit]

In this mode, 50 heroes are randomly chosen to be available. The players on each team take turns picking heroes from the pool, and only have 20 seconds to make their selection when it is their turn.

Rules
  • Initial pre-picking time is 5 seconds.
  • Picking starts after a 30 second strategy period.
  • Teams alternate picking. Whenever it is a team's turn to pick, anyone on that team can pick for themselves.
  • Teams have up to 35 seconds to pick a hero. If the timer expires, each player that hasn't selected a hero will lose 2 gold per second. The selection will stay on this team until a hero is picked.
  • Once a selection is made, it immediately switches to the other team to pick.
  • If a team has not picked and continued losing gold for more than 30 seconds, a player that hasn’t picked will be assigned a random hero and the turn will resume to the other team.

The current order for picks is as follows:

Radiant Dire Dire Radiant Radiant Dire Dire Radiant Radiant Dire
Rules in unranked matchmaking
  • Initial pre-picking time is 5 seconds.
  • Teams alternate picking. Whenever it is a team's turn to pick, anyone on that team can pick for themselves.
  • Teams have up to 30 seconds to pick a hero. If the timer expires, each player that hasn't selected a hero will lose 2 gold per second. The selection will stay on this team until a hero is picked.
  • Once a selection is made, it immediately switches to the other team to pick.
  • If a team has not picked and continued losing gold for more than 30 seconds, a player that hasn’t picked will be assigned a random hero and the turn will resume to the other team.
  • After every players have picked their heroes, it enters strategy phase.

Unranked Matchmaking[edit]

All Pick[edit]

In this mode all heroes are available. Players may pick any hero as long as the enemy hasn't banned it or another player has not already chosen it.

Rules
  • 75 seconds hero selection time, instead of the default 60.
  • 75 seconds pre-creep time, instead of the default 90.
  • Players lose two gold per second if they haven't picked a hero after the selection timer runs out.
  • Cannot random in the last 10 seconds of the picking phase.

Turbo Mode[edit]

  • Drafting:
    • All bans are applied immediately, rather than being voted and randomly chosen.
    • All hero selections are blind.
    • Shorter timers on all ban, pick and strategy phases.
      • Removed penalty phase when picking heroes. When regular draft time ends, any person that has not selected a hero will be forced to pick whomever they have tentatively picked. In the event that hero is unavailable or there is no tentative pick, they will be given a random hero.
    • Random hero selection are not revealed to the enemy team.
  • Matches start at the time of day of -60.
    • This doesn't apply to New Player Mode, where they still start at -90.
  • Increased gold and experience gain:
    • All experience gain doubled
    • All creep bounties doubled
    • Hand of Midas gold doubled
    • Bounty Rune gold doubled
    • No gold lost on death
    • Ancients do not regenerate health
    • Wisdom Rune experience amount increased by 100%
  • All tiers of neutral tokens start dropping twice as fast.
    • Tier 1 at 3:30
    • Tier 2 at 8:30
    • Tier 3 at 13:30
    • Tier 4 at 18:20
    • Tier 5 at 30:00
  • Weaker towers (summons does not deal bonus damage to towers):
    • Tier 1 towers have 1350 health and 9 armor
    • Tier 2 towers have 2500 health and 16 armor
    • Tier 3 towers have 2500 health and 16 armor
    • Tier 4 towers have 2600 health and 21 armor
  • Lane creeps are upgraded at a much faster rate (9 times faster):
    • Creeps are upgraded after every 5 waves (i.e. on wave 6, 11, 16, 21, 26...)
    • Creeps receive 3 upgrades compared to normal mode at each time they are upgraded
    • Mega creeps have doubled HP and damage compared to normal
  • Couriers;
    • Every player gets their own courier that are invulnerable that starts out as flying couriers with streamlined controls.
    • Couriers automatically deliver items in the Stash or their own inventory. Couriers have an ability to toggle this feature off.
    • Couriers are permanently hasted at 1100 movement speed.
  • Shops and Items;
  • Roshan respawn timer is halved.
  • Each match earns half the standard hero XP for Dota Plus.
  • Relics track half the stats in Turbo Mode.
  • Hero stats in the player profile are not updated, the All Hero Challenge can be done in Turbo Mode.
  • Wins in Turbo Mode count as half wins for Arcanas that track wins.
  • Up to 2 star for Hero Challenges can be earned in Turbo Mode.

Single Draft[edit]

In this mode, all players receive a random and unique selection of three heroes. The three to choose from are also of different attributes. One Strength, one Agility, and one Intelligence.

Rules
  • Random selection and hero swapping is disabled

Random Draft[edit]

In this mode, 50 heroes are randomly chosen to be available. The players on each team take turns picking heroes from the pool, and only have 20 seconds to make their selection when it is their turn.

Rules
  • Initial pre-picking time is 5 seconds.
  • Picking starts after a 30 second strategy period.
  • Teams alternate picking. Whenever it is a team's turn to pick, anyone on that team can pick for themselves.
  • Teams have up to 35 seconds to pick a hero. If the timer expires, each player that hasn't selected a hero will lose 2 gold per second. The selection will stay on this team until a hero is picked.
  • Once a selection is made, it immediately switches to the other team to pick.
  • If a team has not picked and continued losing gold for more than 30 seconds, a player that hasn’t picked will be assigned a random hero and the turn will resume to the other team.

The current order for picks is as follows:

Radiant Dire Dire Radiant Radiant Dire Dire Radiant Radiant Dire
Rules in unranked matchmaking
  • Initial pre-picking time is 5 seconds.
  • Teams alternate picking. Whenever it is a team's turn to pick, anyone on that team can pick for themselves.
  • Teams have up to 30 seconds to pick a hero. If the timer expires, each player that hasn't selected a hero will lose 2 gold per second. The selection will stay on this team until a hero is picked.
  • Once a selection is made, it immediately switches to the other team to pick.
  • If a team has not picked and continued losing gold for more than 30 seconds, a player that hasn’t picked will be assigned a random hero and the turn will resume to the other team.
  • After every players have picked their heroes, it enters strategy phase.

Ability Draft[edit]

Players are given a random hero. Then all the hero abilities from the ten selected heroes plus the abilities of two more random heroes are put in a pool. The players take turns selecting any ability from the pool. Each player is allowed 3 normal abilities and 1 ultimate.

Rules
  • 7 seconds for each ability pick
Banned abilities

Divided We Stand Divided We Stand Tempest Double Tempest Double

Private Lobby[edit]

These game modes are only available in private lobby games and do not have their stats recorded.


1v1 Solo Mid[edit]

Play 1v1 against another player in the middle lane.

  • Practice your mid-lane play against another player. The first player to achieve two kills or destroy an enemy tower wins. Players can pick identical heroes, and cannot see their opponent's hero choice until they have made a selection. Only the middle lane will spawn creeps. Each player starts off with a courier, free of charge.
  • First rune does not spawn.
  • Players can voice chat with each other.
  • Players may forfeit by calling 'gg' or leaving the match.
  • Side towers are invulnerable.

Mid Only[edit]

Creeps only spawn in the middle lane. Duplicate heroes allowed.

Similar to 1v1 Solo Mid but less restrictive. Creeps only spawn in middle lane, and players are allowed to select the same hero. Any amount of players can play, and the game only ends when either team's ancient is destroyed.


Reverse Draft[edit]

Like Captains Mode, but each team's captain picks the heroes for the opposite team.


Event Game Modes[edit]

Several game modes are released for a limited time during certain holiday and special events. These game modes cannot be played in Matchmaking outside of the event time period.

2015[edit]

New Bloom Festival - Year Beast Brawl

A temporarily appearing game mode, available during certain times of the New Bloom Festival. In this game mode, you fight against the enemy team using your Year Beast. They will bring theirs.

Event Duration: February 12, 2015 - March 2, 2015

Event Page: Year Beast Brawl

2014[edit]

Foreseer's Contract - Nemesis Assassin Event

A game mode initiated when any player owning a Manifold Paradox in their Armory plays an unranked match, and a nemesis hero written in Oracle's contract is present in the match as well. Successfully completing/denying the contract and winning the game earns the winning team rewards.

Event Duration: November 20, 2014 - December 7, 2014

Event Page: Nemesis Assassin

New Bloom Festival - Fighting the Year Beast

A temporarily appearing game mode, available during certain times of the New Bloom Festival. In this game mode, five players must attempt to inflict as much damage as possible to the Year Beast. Rewards are based on how much damage is inflicted to it, and ends when the timer runs out or all players are dead.

Event Duration: January 29, 2014 - February 20, 2014

2013[edit]

Frostivus - Wraith-Night

Wraith-Night is a holdout defense mode where a team of 5 players must defeat 13 waves of creeps and prevent Skeleton King's altar from being destroyed. The last wave features a reborn Wraith King, who must be defeated 3 times to win the event match. The match ends in failure if all 5 players are dead or the altar is destroyed. Most heroes in this mode have modified abiltiies.

The following heroes are available:

Axe Crystal Maiden Drow Ranger Elder Titan Jakiro Juggernaut Legion Commander Lina
Magnus Omniknight Queen of Pain Sand King Shadow Fiend Shadow Shaman Storm Spirit Sven
Templar Assassin Venomancer Windranger Witch Doctor

Event Duration: December 12, 2013 - January 6, 2014

Event Page: Wraith-Night

Diretide - Sugar Rush

A variant of 2012, Roshan grows stronger each time he is defeated, with the match ending when the timer runs out. The objective is to kill Roshan as many times as possible before the timer runs out.

Event Duration: November 14, 2013 - November 28, 2013

The International 2013 - Compendium Match

This game mode was available to Compendium owners, and allowed them to replay certain matches from The International 2013. Players choose from the heroes that were picked in the original match.

Event Duration: June 11, 2013 - August 23, 2013

2012[edit]

Frostivus - The Greeviling

The Greeviling features invulnerable buildings, no lane creeps and all the jungle creeps have been turned to greevils with unique abilities. Players are given the Greevil Whistle, which allows them to transform their hero into a selected greevil from the player's inventory, with abilites and stats based on which essences were applied to the Greevil Egg before hatching. The goal of the game mode is to clear out 11 neutral camps before the enemy team. Each cleared camp spawns a gift which sends random items to random heroes on the map.

Event Duration: December 19, 2012 - January 3, 2013

Event Page: The Greeviling

Diretide - Sugar Rush

Diretide features invulnerable buildings, new creeps called Roshlings on each lane, and two candy buckets in each ancient creep camp. The game mode has three phases, the first goal being to collect the most candy by killing Roshlings or jungle creeps and to return it to your team's candy bucket. Players can also steal candy from the other team's bucket by attacking it. After some time, the second phase begins and Roshan will begin roaming the map, chasing random heroes and attacking them until they die or feed Roshan a piece of candy. When the first phase ends, the team with the most candy stored wins, and Roshan settles in one of the jungle camps, beginning the final phase. All heroes receive a substantial amount of gold to spend on items and both teams must now work together to kill Roshan for the match to end. All players receive a Greevil Egg upon completion of a Diretide match.

Event Duration: October 30, 2012 - November 15, 2012

Event Page: Diretide

Version History[edit]

Version Balance Changes
7.34
  • Reworked Captains Mode Draft Order
    • Old: 2-3-2 Bans, 2-2-1 picks
      • Ban Phase 1: First - Second - First - Second
      • Pick Phase 1: First - Second - Second - First
      • Ban Phase 2: First - Second - First - Second - First - Second
      • Pick Phase 2: Second - First - First - Second
      • Ban Phase 3: First - Second - First - Second
      • Pick Phase 3: First - Second
    • New: New: 3-2-2 Bans (First Pick) 4-1-2 Bans (Second Pick) 1-3-1 picks (Both)
      • Ban Phase 1: First - Second - Second - First - Second - Second - First
      • Pick Phase 1: First - Second
      • Ban Phase 2: First - First - Second
      • Pick Phase 2: Second - First - First - Second - Second - First
      • Ban Phase 3: First - Second - Second - First
      • Pick Phase 3: First - Second
    • Time per ban during the First Phase Bans decreased from 30s to 15s
7.33c
  • Turbo Mode
    • Wisdom Rune experience amount increased by 100%
    • Lotus Pool lotus spawn interval decreased from 3 minutes to 90 seconds
    • Aghanim's Shard initial availability time reduced from 9:45 to 7:30
    • Infused Raindrop initial availability time reduced from 3:30 to 1:30
    • The hero selection interface has been updated to show how many players have selected a hero on each team
    • Random hero selection are no longer revealed to the enemy team
    • Players who select a random hero no longer receive a free Mango and Faerie Fire
    • There is no longer a restriction against selecting a random hero for the last 10 seconds of the picking phase
    • Phantom Assassin's Manifold Paradox Arcana will now count wins in Turbo for half credit.
    • Pudge's Feast of Abscession Arcana will now count wins against Rubick in Turbo for half credit.
7.33
  • New Added to Captains Mode:
7.32e
  • Turbo Mode:
    • All hero selections are now blind.
    • Removed penalty phase when picking heroes. When regular draft time ends, any person that has not selected a hero will be forced to pick whomever they have tentatively picked. In the event that hero is unavailable or there is no tentative pick, they will be given a random hero.
    • Null Talisman, Wraith Band, and Bracer will double their bonuses at 12 minutes instead of 25 minutes
    • Removed bonus damage to towers from all summoned units. Non-summoned units (lane creeps, dominated creeps) are still stronger against towers compared to non-Turbo Dota.
    • You can now earn two stars for hero challenges instead of just one.
7.32

See also[edit]