Dota 2's Behavior Score measures your conduct and affects matchmaking. Since 2023, the game has also tracked your Communication Score for chat and voice. Both scores affect what you can do in-game, while Low Priority and account bans follow separate rules. To leave Low Priority, you need to win the assigned number of Single Draft games. Cheats or smurfing can get your account permanently banned.
- Behavior score
- Behavior Score up to 12,000: matchmaking, pauses, ranked games
- Communication Score
- Chat, voice, pings, and tips; also capped at 12,000
- Low Priority
- Complete the assigned number of matches
- Overwatch
- Players review replays with flagged offenses
- Chat ban
- The offender is muted by default for other players
- Ranked matchmaking
- Requires a unique linked phone number
What is behavior score, and how does it affect matchmaking?
Behavior score helps the game choose who to put in a match. In 2017, Valve introduced matchmaking that pairs new players with others of a similar skill level and consistently high behavior scores. Skill and behavior are taken into account separately.
Since August 2023, post-match commendations have also affected matchmaking. Dota is more likely to put players you commend in your next matches, either on your team or against you. Dislike works the other way: you’ll see those players less often, and you don’t have to give a reason.
Since 2024, Dota Plus users can see the skill and Behavior Score spread of players in a found match in the Dota Labs section. You can accept the match or keep searching. Enable the feature in Dota Labs settings under Show Match Evaluation Details. Declining a match from this window carries no penalty, and the feature doesn't work in Immortal Draft. The window shows how wide the spread is, but not which side you'll be on.
We'd use this information to decide whether to accept the match. A wide range doesn't show which team is stronger, so you can't predict the winner from this screen.
Behavior Score and Communication Score: what they affect
On August 30, 2023, Valve split Behavior Score into two scores. Behavior Score reflects your actions in a match, while Communication Score tracks your text and voice chat. The old score ran from 0 to 10,000. It carried over to the new system, and the cap for both scores rose to 12,000.
Behavior Score now affects more than who you’re matched with. It also determines post-match items, the ability to pause, and access to ranked games. Communication Score controls allied ability pings, coaching, tips, text chat, and voice chat. If it drops too low, chat and voice are disabled, while pings, alt-click, and chat wheel phrases have a 30-second cooldown.
The game shows your scores in the Behavior Summary. The Behavior Score scale marks 3,000, 5,000, 7,000, and 10,000. The Communication Score scale marks 3,000, 5,000, 6,000, 7,000, 8,000, and 10,000. In the screenshot above, a Communication Score of 4,938 disables text chat, mini-profiles, tips, voice chat, coaching, and allied ability pings. The game does spell out some thresholds in the summary: you need at least 10,000 in both scores to become a coach, and at least 7,000 to request one. Your Communication Score can't be higher than your current Behavior Score. Valve hasn't published the other thresholds, so check what the summary says next to your score.
Behavior Score also affects rewards. In December 2023, Frostivus gifts were tied to Behavior Score: accounts with higher scores received higher-tier items.
Dota 2 low priority: how to get out of LP
You can get Low Priority for abandoning matches, staying AFK for too long, abusing abilities, receiving a large number of reports, or joining a ranked party where someone has an abandon counted against them. While the penalty is active, the game won't award post-match items, count achievements, quests, or Battle Points, and friends you queue with will be placed in the same pool. Infractions in Low Priority add games to your requirement, and a five-game penalty also comes with a matchmaking ban. The Behavior Summary shows your history for the last 15 games.
To leave Low Priority, you need to win the assigned number of games in Single Draft. While the penalty is active, you can only queue for that mode. Losses don't count, waiting won't clear the penalty, and abandoning one of these games before it ends adds more games. Your account shows how many wins you need; the maximum penalty is five games. A temporary ranked ban may also apply separately.
In 2017, Valve added a ranked matchmaking restriction to Low Priority. You can't play ranked matches while you're in Low Priority. If you break the rules often, Valve may also apply temporary matchmaking restrictions. In 2017, it said the ranked ban could last from a few hours to four days. Keep the match requirement and the ranked ban in mind separately.
- Win the assigned number of games in Single Draft.
- Wait for your temporary ranked ban to expire, if you have one.
Dota 2 Reports and Overwatch: Where to Report Offenses
Since August 2023, you can report players at any point during or after a match, whether they’re on your team or the other team. There’s no limit on the number of reports. Categories include toxic chat, toxic voice, smurfing, griefing, cheating, and Role Abuse. Dota checks reports against match data. For griefing reports, it checks whether the player destroyed their own items; for smurfing reports, it checks their gameplay and account details.
If your report leads to a punishment, the game will tell you it was successful and show who was punished. For Overwatch cases, it helps to mark specific moments during the match.
How to report someone during a match
- Open the scoreboard or click the flag on a hero's portrait.
- Report the offender.
- Mark the moments when the offense happened so the reviewer can find them in the replay.
Who reviews the replay and makes the call
Cases are reviewed by players with a good track record. They watch the replay with the reported moments marked and choose one of three verdicts: guilty, not guilty, or insufficient evidence. Their decision depends on what the replay shows.
Overwatch reviewers have their own accuracy rating. It drops when they make false accusations, and over time, they can lose access to Overwatch. Valve described this system when it launched the report review system.
How chat bans work in Dota 2
Since 2021, a chat ban hasn't stopped the offender from sending messages. Instead, other players have them muted by default. Anyone in the match can choose to unmute them. The chat also displays a reminder about the restriction.
Since August 2023, reports of toxic chat are reviewed right away. If someone reports a message through the scoreboard and it’s found to be toxic, the player loses chat and voice for everyone until the match ends. They can still use pings, alt-click, and the chat wheel, but with a 30-second cooldown.
A player continuing to chat doesn’t mean the restriction has been lifted. Their ability to send messages and your choice to enable their chat are separate things. It’s best to report chat through the scoreboard as soon as possible so the messages can be reviewed during the match.
What gets accounts banned: cheats, smurfs, and bots
Valve can permanently ban accounts for third-party programs that read client data while you play. In February 2023, more than 40,000 accounts were banned this way. To catch cheaters, the developers added a section of data to the client that normal gameplay never reads, but cheats did.
The rule applies to pro players too. Using these programs gets them a permanent account ban and a ban from Valve tournaments. Valve explained its approach to these offenses in its announcement on fighting cheats.
Why smurfing puts your main account at risk too
In September 2023, Valve permanently banned 90,000 smurf accounts. Each was linked to its owner's main account. The main account can also be punished, from a temporary behavior score penalty to a permanent ban.
The bans continued. In December 2023, Valve removed tens of thousands of smurf accounts in a single day, including those belonging to pro players. In late 2024, action was taken against 65,594 smurf accounts and high-MMR players who traded wins or exploited bugs. In August 2025, Valve reported banning more than 75,000 win traders, smurfs, and other offenders.
If you suspect someone of smurfing, report them in-game. The penalty can affect both accounts, so using an alt account won't shield your main from the consequences.
Intentional feeding and bot accounts
In 2017, Valve added detection for intentional feeding and bots. A group of bot accounts was permanently banned that same year. The game treats intentional feeding as a conduct violation.
Why ranked games require a phone number
Since 2017, ranked games have required a unique phone number linked to your account. Virtual numbers aren't allowed. This is a separate requirement for ranked play.
After you unlink a phone number, you can only link it to another account after 3 months. Plan ahead if you want to move your number.
How the rules have changed
| Date | Valve post | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 20.04.2017 | Matchmaking Update | Phone number required for ranked games; low priority blocks ranked play for up to 4 days; feeding and bot detection |
| 29.07.2017 | Welcoming New Players | New players matched with players who have high behavior scores |
| 10.10.2019 | Continuing Matchmaking Updates | Chat and voice are unavailable below a Behavior Score of 3,000 |
| 27.01.2021 | Overwatch Arrives in Dota | Overwatch, reports with in-match timestamps, chat ban—muted by default |
| 21.02.2023 | Cheaters Will Never Be Welcome in Dota | More than 40,000 accounts banned for cheating |
| 30.08.2023 | The Summer Client Update | Communication Score added, both scores capped at 12,000; Behavior Score now affects pauses, ranked games, and post-match items; new report categories, instant chat review, and commend and dislike matchmaking |
| 01.09.2023 | Smurfing is Not Welcome in Dota | 90,000 smurfs banned, with penalties for their main accounts |
| 14.12.2023 | The Frostivus 2023 Update is Here! | Penalties for Behavior Score farming; Frostivus gifts tied to Behavior Score |
| 21.03.2024 | Gameplay Patch 7.35d And Matchmaking Features | Dota Plus shows Behavior Scores when a match is found; a list of disliked heroes replaces the ban phase |
Dota 2 news on Steam and the update page on dota2.com (Valve).
How to maintain a good behavior score
We'd focus on your conduct in matches and on filing accurate reports. Marking a specific offense is more useful than turning every argument with a teammate into an Overwatch case. Reviewers need clear moments they can judge.
Don’t pay for a Behavior Score boost. In December 2023, Valve said some players were ruining matches, losing Behavior Score, then hiring “farmers” to get it back. The penalty is a lower Behavior Score, and serious cases can lead to a ban on the player’s main account.
- Don't abandon matchesDon't abandon matches or intentionally feed.
- Mark offenses during the matchReport disruptive behavior in-game and mark the relevant moments.
- Report chat right awayReport toxic chat and voice through the scoreboard during the match. Reports are reviewed right away.
- Play on your own accountPlay on your own account. Don't use someone else's account or smurf.
- Don't use programs that read client dataDon't use third-party programs that read client data during a match.
Frequently asked questions
What is behavior score in Dota 2?
Behavior Score goes up to 12,000 and affects matchmaking. It also determines whether you can pause, play ranked games, and receive post-match items. New players are matched with players of a similar skill level and consistently high Behavior Scores. In Dota Plus, the match-found screen may show the range of Behavior Scores among the players.
What is Communication Score in Dota 2?
Communication Score is the second conduct score. It was added on August 30, 2023, and tracks text and voice chat. Like Behavior Score, it goes up to 12,000. It affects chat, voice, allied ability pings, tips, and coaching. A low score disables chat and voice.
How do you get out of low priority in Dota 2?
You need to win the assigned number of games in Single Draft. While you're in Low Priority, you can only queue for that mode, and ranked matches are unavailable. Losses don't count, and waiting won't clear the penalty.
How does Overwatch work in Dota 2?
Players with a good track record review replays with reported offenses and decide whether the player is guilty or there's not enough evidence. Their accuracy is rated. False accusations lower a reviewer's rating, and they can eventually lose access to the system.
What can get you banned in Dota 2?
Accounts are permanently banned for using third-party programs that read client data during a match. Valve has also permanently banned smurf and bot accounts. Smurfing can get the owner's main account punished too, up to and including a permanent ban.
