Reports and Commends: how the report system works
Reports and commends are the tools the community uses to police its own atmosphere in Dota 2. Reports punish toxic players and griefers, commends raise the reputation of decent players, and AI moderation mutes for abuse right in the match. Let's break down how many reports you get, what you can report for, what commends do, and how all of it affects your matchmaking and behavior score.
Why reports and commends exist
These are two sides of one reputation system: one punishes toxicity and game-ruining, the other rewards decent players. Together they shape who you'll meet in future matches.
- Report — punishment. A signal to the system about a conduct violation.
- Commend — reward. A positive mark for good play and communication.
- Matchmaking impact. Reputation decides who ends up on your team.
Reports and commends aren't "revenge and thank-you buttons" but real levers: they move the behavior score and determine the quality of your future games.
How reports work
Reports are a limited resource, not an unlimited button. The logic is this:
- About 5 per week. The base report limit, which gradually refills.
- More for reputation. Players with high behavior get more reports from the system.
- AI moderation. Toxic chat is analyzed in real time — abuse gets you muted in-game.
- Accumulating signals. One report is not enough; the system reacts to consistent patterns.
If too many reports land on you, you can end up in low priority — details in the guide on low priority.
Report types
The system splits reports by type to respond to violations more precisely:
- Toxic chat and voice. Abuse in text or the voice channel.
- Griefing. Intentionally ruining the game: feeding, ability abuse, hindering the team.
- Cheating. Third-party scripts and programs for an advantage.
- Smurfing and role abuse. Playing below your level or refusing the chosen position.
The more precisely the type is chosen, the more correctly the system applies a restriction — be it a mute, low priority, or an Overwatch case.
Commends and dislike
Commends are the positive half of the system, and they're often underrated:
- Three categories. You can commend for being friendly, teaching, and leadership.
- More rematches. A commended player is more likely to land on your team again.
- Dislike button. Lowers the chance of playing with an unpleasant person again.
- Reputation growth. Regular commends gradually raise your behavior score.
Commend teammates who genuinely helped — it not only boosts their reputation but also raises the chance of assembling a good team for you again.
How it affects you
Reputation isn't an abstraction — it directly changes your play experience:
- Teammate quality. High reputation = fewer toxic players on your team.
- Feature access. Behavior gates ranked, pause, and other features.
- Restriction risk. A stream of reports leads to mutes and low priority.
- Peace of mind. Clean conduct simply means more pleasant games.
FAQ
How many reports can you submit per week?
By default a player has about 5 reports per week, and the counter gradually refills. Players with a high behavior score may get more — the system trusts those who behave well themselves more. So reports are a limited resource: spend them on real violations, not on emotion after a loss.
What can you report for in Dota 2?
The modern system splits reports by type: toxic text chat, toxic voice chat, griefing (intentionally ruining the game — feeding, ability abuse, hindering the team), cheating, smurfing, and role abuse. Choosing the specific type helps the system assess the violation more accurately and apply the right restrictions.
What do commends do?
Commends are positive marks for being friendly, teaching, and leadership. They raise the chance of meeting a good player again in future matches and improve your reputation overall. Next to the commend there's also a 'dislike' button that, conversely, lowers the chance of ending up with an unpleasant player again.
Do reports affect my behavior score?
Yes. Received reports lower your behavior and communication score, while commends and clean games raise it. For toxic chat, AI moderation can mute you right in the match. If you collect too many reports, you risk landing in low priority, so keeping your conduct in check is the direct path to calm matchmaking.
Calm games, higher rating
Toxic teammates and reports wear you out and drag MMR down. If you just want to climb, not fight in chat — top-100 Europe boosters will raise your rating while you keep the account clean. Not sure about the format — message us in chat.