DotA 2: MMR - This is how the matchmaking rating works
If you are looking for a game in DotA 2, the Matchmaking Rating (MMR) ensures that you find equal opponents and teammates. In this practical tip, we explain how the matchmaking rating in DotA 2 works and how you can tactically increase your MMR.
MMR in DotA 2: This is how calibration works
When you log in to your DotA-2 account for the first time, you start at level 1. This is a prestige level that increases with the number of games played. You can only search for a ranking game when you have reached level 20. The first 10 games are used for MMR calibration - after the 10th match you will receive your rating:
- You effectively start with an MMR the first time you play. This is based first of all on the status you specify when starting DotA 2. If you have never played a game similar to DotA 2, your matchmaking rating will be very low. However, the MMR is not yet visible at this time.
- If you play a few games now, your prestige level will increase. At the same time, your MMR changes - depending on whether you win or lose up or down. This applies to the normal games, the MMR is not visible here, but matchmaking works exactly the same as later in ranked games.
- If you have reached level 20, you can search for ranked games. At this point you already have an invisible MMR that has resulted from your previous games.
- The first 10 games are now used for calibration. DotA evaluates various factors here, which then result in your visible MMR: On the one hand, victories help you to start with a high MMR. The matchmaking system also compares how good you were in the first 10 ranked games compared to your previous matches.
- So if you have better statistics in the calibration games - for example a high Kills Deaths Assists ratio (KDA), a lot of gold per minute (GPM) and a lot of experience per minute (XPM) - than in previous games, your MMR will increase enormously,
- For this reason, the MMR system can be used to a certain extent - this happens with so-called smurf accounts. Here, players intentionally only play well in the first few games. Once they reach level 20 and your calibration phase begins, they'll do their best. Since the statistics of the calibration games are much better than in previous matches, you get a (too) high MMR according to this system.
MMR in DotA 2: That says the number
- If you start with an MMR of less than 1000, you are one of the worst players in the world. With our beginner tips, we help you to improve your skills in DotA 2.
- If your MMR is lower than 2000, you are one of the rather bad players.
- A 2400 MMR says you're as good as the average DotA-2 player.
- From an MMR of 4000 you can be very proud: you are among the top 1% of the best players.
- Professional players are usually at a solo MMR of at least 6000. Since there are very few players who measure themselves in this area, professional players are far apart: Miracle- has long been the player with the highest in the world MMR. At the same time, he was the first player to break the 9000 mark. SingSing, on the other hand, currently has a solo MMR of around 7000 - and still regularly competes successfully with Miracle in eSports tournaments. The profiles of other DotA 2 professionals can be found in our next article.
DotA 2: Tips for MMR advancement
If you want to improve your solo MMR, you have to work on your attitude above all - and be aware of the factors that influence your MMR:
- There are 5 players in each team. You are one of the 5 players on your team. Assuming that you are better than the remaining 9 players, your team should be more likely to win. If you are actually better, for example, you will win 3 out of 5 games and increase your MMR in the long term.
- The same applies to communication: never play with the attitude that you are "unlucky" with your fellow players. There are 4 players in your team whose behavior you can hardly influence - in the opposing team there are 5 such players. If you behave in a friendly manner and refrain from insulting your team, the likelihood of victory is also increased.
- The choice of your hero also affects the MMR. Play Omniknight in 5 out of 10 games and win every game with this hero, your actual MMR is lower than your Omniknight MMR. Specifically, this means that if you only played Omniknight, your MMR would increase. At the same time, this also means that you shouldn't overestimate yourself with other heroes - your MMR for other specific heroes may be much lower than your current rating.
If you don't like DotA 2 so much or the MMR system has taken the fun out of the game, we will introduce DotA to you in comparison to League of Legens. Maybe LoL suits you better?