How to Rank Up in Dota Underlords: Ranking System Guide

When players often approach the ranking system in a game for the first time, it's normal to find yourself wondering what actions led to your rank up, rank down or stagnant growth. This Dota Underlords article will shed light on how the rank distribution really works, how to rank up and what the rank tiers are. 

Ranked mode

In Dota Underlords, the ranking system rates people performance within a competitive season and awards them ranked tiers as a result of their progress. At the end of each season, players receive rank badges which mark their highest skill level. 

Players receive a hidden Dota Underlords MMR score which determines their skill level and using its matchmaking algorithm, matches them against opponents with a similar skill level or MMR points. 

Rank badges

In Dota Underlords, there are system of eight rank badges which are further divided into 5 levels identified by their own unique colour and equivalent roman numeral. Players must rise through all tiers of a rank to reach the next rank above it. Here are the present ranks in the game, from lowest to highest place:

1. Upstart
2. Grifter
3. Outlaw
4. Enforcer
5. Smuggler
6. Lieutenant
7. Boss
8. Big Boss

The following are the levels or tiers in each rank which are gained in ascending order. 

• Green I
• Blue II
• Red III
• Pink IV
• Gold V

How the ranking system works

Dota Underlords players begin at Upstart I place with an equivalent MMR score. This score is initially calibrated based on your progress in the first 25 games you play. During this phase, your MMR points will fluctuate frequently as it tries to determine your rank. As a result, your rank will also rise and fall a lot in accordance, till it settles at the right MMR points. 

Wins and loses will determine the scores you receive, which your ranks will be working with. Once you complete your first 25 matches, your MMR points will settle down and progression will begin at a more stable and slower rate after every game. 

How you rank up

Players must win games or finish at the top of a match in order to rank up. Starting at Green I of their rank, they must rise up each tier before getting promoted to the next rank. However, not all ranks have the same criteria for ranking up. 

For players in the Upstarts rank game mode, they must be among the top 6 in a match. Those ranked Grifters and above must reach top 4 instead. Dota Underlords ranks can also be lost if players don't do well matches. For example, losing to a opponents with a lower rank or MMR points than you could lead to you dropping a tier, while the lower ranked "weaker" player could rank up instead. 

How you rank down

Players cannot drop down a badge due to ranking down, but they will lose a badge tier. For example, anyone can't drop from Outlaw to Grifters but you can drop from Outlaw III to Outlaw II. As for what happens to your MMR during loses, your score will still reduce.

With this lower MMR, it might take Dota Underlords players a lot more wins to gain anymore rank levels. Not only does this serve to punish players that accumulated a lot of losses but it also rewards those with higher scores with a feeling of accomplishment. That is because it will be harder for players with more loses to catch up to the player with less. 

How MMR points calculated

MMR score gains depend on the following factors:

• The rank of all players in the game. 
• The player's final placement in the match. 
• Your rank uncertainty i.e the more games you play, the more certain your rank. 
• The algorithm predicts where a player will place in a match, and based on whether they play better, worse or exactly as expected, MMR will be calculated accordingly. 

New season calibration

Ranked Play seasons will run for several months, but once over, Dota Underlords rankings will be recalibrated in the following season. No official statement has been made about how this will be achieved, but it will most likely take one of the following forms:

• Your MMR score will be pulled back a bit and an amount of uncertainty will be introduced to it as well. 
• All players will be reset to Upstart I and will undergo recalibration. 
• Some other method we haven't considered yet. 

Ranked Season 1

Dota Underlords is presently in open beta season, meaning everyone playing the ranked preseason. With the upcoming beta battle pass coming soon, ranked progression in the game will likely be reset once more. 

It is currently unknown when the official Dota Underlords Season 1 ranked will begin, but at Valve's current release pace, it shouldn't be too long. 

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