General League Rules

The following rules apply to:

Calibration Phase
Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3: Divison 3, Division 4 and Divison 5 and all their sub-divisions
Phase 3: Division 2 Lower

Overview

General Rules

Administration

Everybody who is authorized by Freaks 4U Gaming to administrate the joinDOTA League based on its rules and regulations will be called an "admin" in the following, the collection of all admins will be called the "administration".

Participants and Commitment

Every individual with a valid steam account, unless officially banned, is allowed to participate in the joinDOTA League and will be called "participant" in the following. A group of participants fulfilling the minimum required number of team members will be called a "team" in the following.

By signing up to the joinDOTA League, participants acknowledge without limitation to comply with the rules and regulations and with the statements and decisions made by the administration.

Every participant acknowledges the right for the administration to modify the rules and regulations for adjustments at any time without notice and, if necessary, overrule those to ensure fair play throughout each season.

Every participant must show respect towards admins and other participants. Insults and unfair or disrespectful behaviour towards anyone are not tolerated and will be punished.

Every participant must always have the newest version of Steam and Dota 2 installed and must check for updates with enough time to download and install them before each match. Unless a new version comes out right before the match, patching is not a valid reason to delay it.

Every participant including stand-ins must be registered on joindota.com and have their correct steam ID entered as a game account in the GameSports network.

Every team and participant must try to win every game at any point of the joinDOTA League. Purposefully losing for any reason is strictly forbidden.

Vulgar, racist, sexist or otherwise offensive team or players names are forbidden. Names with deliberately changed size and format are also not allowed.

Communication

All communication must be held in English at all times in the joinDOTA League.

All communication between opposing teams should be conducted through the official league website (e.g. match pages, group pages, etc.). Any other form of communication may not be accepted as valid by the administration in case of conflict. This specifically includes chat via the Steam client.

The administration may only be contacted via support tickets. This helps admins to coordinate as a team and work faster on issues than with the help of other platforms. Any other form of communication may be ignored.

Confidentiality

All direct communication between teams and the organizers is confidential. This includes reports, protests or any form of interactions with admins. The publication of any of the above is forbidden, unless the organizers give explicit permission in a written statement.

Activity

By signing up for the joinDOTA League, teams agree to actively participate. To avoid causing inconvenience for other teams, every team must show up to their match dates.

Any team which is unable or no longer wishes to actively take part in the league after signing up should communicate this to our league administration through a support ticket. Only tickets sent in by the team leader will be accepted in these cases.

Any team which does not show up to two matches within a phase will be disqualified from the current season. All their matches will be closed with a 0-0 result.

If a team reports a default win, they will be required to check their opponent’s previous match for activity.

Any team that got disqualified from the current season loses its current slot. This means the team will automatically be relegated to the lowest sub-division.

League Structure

Phases

Each season has four (4) different periods during which the team performance determines their advancement into another higher or lower skilled group or division. These periods are called phases. These phases have the following names:

Phase 0 or Calibration Phase (Further explained in Rule 4)
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3

Groups

The league is divided into an unlimited number of groups. The number of groups always depends on the number of teams that sign up.

Each group consists of up to 4 teams, depending on the structure of the currently ongoing phase. Each team is in one group during a phase. Within a phase of a season teams only compete with the other teams in their group.

Each team will be in assigned a group based on their performance in the previous phase. Teams compete with other teams in the same group in a given Phase.

Divisions

Each group is part of a division. The division roughly classifies the skill level of teams playing inside the division. The best teams of a league are part of the Premier Division, the next best teams in Division 2, and so forth. The number of divisions can change between seasons.

Each division consists up to three (3) sub-divisions.

Upper sub-division (U), for example Asia 3U.1
Middle sub-division (M)
Lower sub-division (L)

The sub-division of a team is defined by the results of either their last phase of the previous season or the previous phase of the ongoing season including the Calibration Phase (see group format for more details). Teams signing up for the first time but do not participate in the Calibration Phase will be placed in a group within the lowest division.

Calibration Phase

Sign-up

Teams must specifically sign-up and check-in for the Calibration Phase in order to participate in them. The Calibration Phase will be played at the end of the sign-up phase of the regular season. Exact dates are announced on www.joindota.com.

Transitions

Depending on the results in the Calibration Phase, a team may be placed between Division 2 and the last sub-Division in their region. A detailed distribution will be announced shortly before the Calibration Phase. Teams who competed in previous seasons may play in the Calibration Phase if they want to. Teams can only improve or maintain their sub-division placement in this case, they cannot be relegated to a lower sub-division.

Group Format

Matches

All teams within a group compete in a round robin consisting of two-game series. Therefore, each team plays two games against every other team in their group. Each set of two games between two teams are grouped as a match. A match result (2:0, 0:2, or 1:1) must be confirmed by both teams or an admin on the match page.

Ranking

The rank of a team within the group is decided by its number of games won.

Transitions

The transitions of each placement within a group depends on the number of participants and is defined at the start of each phase.

Ties

If two or more teams are tied with the same number of wins after all matches are played, deciding games are played to decide about their rank, unless all involved positions have the same transition. The format of the tiebreak depends on the number of involved teams. If two teams are tied, one game is played. If three teams are tied, a one game round robin is played. In case of another tie time rating applies. If four or more teams are tied, the format will be announced by the administration.

Teams and Players

Team Size

A team must consist of at least five (5) and at most ten (10) participants. Those persons will be called "team members" or "members" of the team in the following.

Registration

In order to sign up for the joinDOTA League, a team must have at least five (5) members with valid steam IDs.

Eligible Players

A player may only take part in a match as a team member if they haven't joined the team within 24 hours of the official match time. Otherwise, they will count as a stand-in and the team must comply with the stand-in rules.

A player needs to apply to change the Steam ID associated with their GameSports network account at least 24 hours before the official match time.

Stand-ins

Stand-ins are participants playing for a team during a game who are not team members.

The maximum number of stand-ins a team may use is limited to two (2) players per game. Exception are the Calibration Phase, where no standins may be used.

A stand-in may not be a member of a team from a higher sub-division during the season or the same group in the current phase.

Player and Roster Restrictions

Only the person that is marked as leader can transfer their leadership to another person. The leadership can also be forcefully changed if more than 50% of the team members decide on a new leader. This must be requested via a support ticket.

Each team may add up to one (1) new player to their team during each phase. If a team does not use all available roster changes, they will expire at the end of the given phase.

A player may only change their team once per season. Therefore, a player cannot return to their original team within a season after they have joined a new team.

A player may only play for up to three (3) different teams per season. This includes standing in for a team. If a player has played for three (3) different teams in a season and attempts to join another team, they are not eligible to play for that new team.

A team may use up to three (3) different stand-ins and the same stand-in once in each phase.

Schedule

Default times

Match times in the Calibration Phase cannot be changed. All matches must be played on the default dates. If a match is delayed due to at least one team still playing a previous round's match, the new default time is set to 15 minutes after the end of that ongoing match.

While teams are encouraged to schedule their matches on any day of the week during each phase, a default date exists each week as a starting point for scheduling. The default day is always the Sunday of the match week and the time depends on the region:

joinDOTA League Asia:
joinDOTA League Europe:
joinDOTA League America:

Show full list of default times for Season 16

joinDOTA League Asia:

Phase 1, Playday 1:
Phase 1, Playday 2:
Phase 1, Playday 3:
Phase 1, Tiebreaker:
Phase 2, Playday 1:
Phase 2, Playday 2:
Phase 2, Playday 3:
Phase 2, Tiebreaker:
Phase 3, Playday 1:
Phase 3, Playday 2:
Phase 3, Playday 3:
Phase 3, Tiebreaker:

joinDOTA League Europe:

Phase 1, Playday 1:
Phase 1, Playday 2:
Phase 1, Playday 3:
Phase 1, Tiebreaker:
Phase 2, Playday 1:
Phase 2, Playday 2:
Phase 2, Playday 3:
Phase 2, Tiebreaker:
Phase 3, Playday 1:
Phase 3, Playday 2:
Phase 3, Playday 3:
Phase 3, Tiebreaker:

joinDOTA League America:

Phase 1, Playday 1:
Phase 1, Playday 2:
Phase 1, Playday 3:
Phase 1, Tiebreaker:
Phase 2, Playday 1:
Phase 2, Playday 2:
Phase 2, Playday 3:
Phase 2, Tiebreaker:
Phase 3, Playday 1:
Phase 3, Playday 2:
Phase 3, Playday 3:
Phase 3, Tiebreaker:

If teams do not determine a new date and time for a match, the default date and time will be automatically assigned.

Other possible match times

Matches can be played on a different date than the default date. During each phase this is restricted to the Monday before and the default date of the third playday. Match times beyond this time frame are invalid.

Exception: Matches from the Calibration Phase may not be moved at all.

Determination of a match time

Matches are open for scheduling from each Monday before its default date during each phase. Each region's standard time zone can be seen in Rule 7.1.2.

Each team can suggest up to three (3) match dates on the respective match page using the scheduling tool. The first suggested date is considered the primary date. If the primary date is

within 48 hours of the time of the suggestion or
less than 48 hours away from the current official match date

a suggested date will only become the new official match date if the other team explicitly agrees to one of the suggestions before the suggested time and before the current official match date. Otherwise the current official match date remains.

If the primary date does not fulfill either of the properties mentioned in 7.3.2, the other team then has up to 48 hours to react to the new suggestion using the scheduling tool on the match page. Three (3) different scenarios can occur:

If the team does not react in time at all, the primary match date automatically becomes the new official match date.
If the team accepts one of the suggested match dates, it becomes the new official match date.
If the team reacts in time but does not agree to any of the suggested match dates, it must suggest a new match date (also up to three) itself.

The procedure will be repeated until a match date is found.

If both teams are active and cannot agree on a match date, one of the teams must write a support ticket. An admin will decide how to proceed further.

Teams can postpone each match to after the default date if no agreement could be reached 48 hours before the default date. Both teams must then explicitly agree on a new match date. If one team is not active in finding a new date or both teams fail to agree on a date, a support ticket must be created at least 48 hours before the default date and the administration will decide how to proceed.

Hosting and Punctuality

Lobby Hosting

The team who is shown first on the official match page has to host the lobby. If the lobby isn't hosted 10 minutes after the official match time, the second team must do it. The team who has hosted must write the lobby information (name, password and server) in the "Hosting Tool" on the match page.

Lineup Submission and Ready Up

The leader or captain of each team must select the five (5) players for the match on the match page prior to the official match time. All eligible team members and stand-ins according to Rules 6.4 and 6.5 will be selectable. Failing to select a roster for the match in time will result in a default loss.

Each player who was selected for the match must confirm their participation for the match on the match page within 15 minutes after the official match time. Failing to ready up in time will result in a default loss.

If a lineup changes for the second game, the leader or captain must communicate this on the match page.

Punctuality

If one team is not ready to start the first game 15 minutes after the official match time, this team loses the first game by default. The team has another 15 minutes to be ready for game 2.

The official match time for game 2 is five (5) minutes after the end of game 1. Teams then have another 15 minutes to be ready for the game.

Spectators

Any person may join the game's lobby as a broadcaster or unassigned player if both teams allow it. If one team asks a spectator to leave before or during the game, they must do so immediately.

Official broadcasters, joinDOTA staff members and anyone authorized by an admin have the right to spectate any game without the agreement of the teams.

Server Location

The default server location depends on the region:

joinDOTA League Europe: Europe West (Luxembourg)
joinDOTA League America: US East (Exception: See 8.5.3)
joinDOTA League Asia: Singapore

A different server may be used if both teams agree on it or an admin decides to.

For South American groups the default server is Brazil. In case one team has severely bad ping and a different server could be used to resolve this issue for both teams, but the other team insists on the default server, the first team may refuse to play. A support ticket with proper evidence should be written immediately. The match may then be rescheduled on discretion of the administration.

Game Settings

GAME MODE - Captains Mode
Lobby Password: Must be set
Server Location: See server location rules
Lobby visibility: Public
Enable Cheats: No
Selection Priority: See Sides and Draft Order rules
Penalty Radiant/Dire: No Penalty
League: None
Spectators: Enabled
Dota TV Delay: 2 Minutes
Pausing: Unlimited
Series Type: Depending on the game mode
Bot settings: No

Sides and Drafting Order

Selection Priority

The lobby owner sets Selection Priority to "Automatic (Coin Toss)".

If for some reason this ingame function does not work, Selection Priority must be set to "Manual". The following is a full explanation of the different game modes:

Show full explanation

One (1) game
The lobby owner chooses "heads" or "tails" for their team and tosses a coin using the "/flip" command in the lobby chat once there is at least 1 player from each team in the lobby.
The coin toss winner may then choose one of the four: First pick, Second pick, Radiant or Dire. The other team then chooses between the remaining two* options.

Two (2) game series
At the start of the first game the lobby owner chooses "heads" or "tails" for their team and tosses a coin using the "/flip" command in the lobby chat once there is at least 1 player from each team in the lobby.
The coin toss winner (Team A) can then choose one of the four: First pick, Second pick, Radiant, Dire. The other team (Team B) then chooses between the remaining two options.
For the second game the roles are reversed - Team B chooses between First pick, Second pick, Radiant and Dire and Team A chooses one of the remaining two* options.

Best of three (Bo3)
At the start of the first game the lobby owner chooses "heads" or "tails" for their team and tosses a coin using the "/flip" command in the lobby chat once there is at least 1 player from each team in the lobby.
The coin toss winner (Team A) can then choose one of the four: First pick, Second pick, Radiant, Dire. The other team (Team B) then chooses between the remaining two options.
For the second game the roles are reversed - Team B chooses between First pick, Second pick, Radiant and Dire and Team A chooses one of the remaining two* options.
The third game follows the same procedure as the first with a new coin toss.

*If Team A chooses a side (Radiant or Dire), Team B can only choose the pick order (first or second pick.) If Team A chooses the pick order (first or second pick), Team B can only choose side (Radiant or Dire).

Lineup Check

Both teams are responsible for checking their opponent's roster before the start of the game. If a roster is found not valid according to the rules, the team can refuse to start the game.

As soon as the first creep wave spawns, the game is considered ongoing and protests about the roster are no longer accepted.

Delays caused by invalid rosters are treated like any other delay and are covered in the Punctionality rules. However, every team has at least five (5) minutes to fix an invalid roster regardless of how much time is remaining.

During a game

Pauses

Each team has the right to pause the game for an acceptable duration. The game must not be resumed before both teams agree to it. When the number or the duration of pauses becomes too high or long, the administration may force the continuation of the game.

Disconnects

If a player disconnects, the game must be paused instantly. Each player has up to ten (10) minutes to reconnect to the game. Once this time has passed, the opposing team may unpause the game without the other team's agreement.

Broadcasting

Everyone who is allowed to spectate according to the spectator rules is allowed to provide a video stream with a delay of at least five minutes.

Broadcasters who are not directly in the game's lobby but who are using Dota TV to spectate may stream without any additional delay.

Players may never watch or listen to any broadcast of a match they are playing.

Bugs

Abusing a bug is strictly forbidden.

Cheating

The usage of any Dota-related tool aside from Steam during a match is strictly forbidden.

Game Ending

A game is finished when an Ancient is destroyed, when the majority of a team leaves on purpose, or when the administration decides that it has ended. A game is not forfeited when a player types "gg" or "ff".

Rule Violation and Punishment

Breaking the rules or ignoring the instruction of an admin may result in a punishment for the whole team or a specific player. The type and amount is chosen by an admin.

Possible Punishments include but are not limited to:

Draft Penalty
Loss of one game
Loss of the entire match,
Disqualification from the season
Disqualification from future seasons
Prize Money Reduction

Rule violations in external Dota 2 leagues or tournaments may also result in punishments for joinDOTA competitions.

Prizes

The prize pool and distribution for each season is stated in an official announcement on our website.

Legal Process

Legal proceedings are not permitted.

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Last update: 21.02.2019