What is Dota Plus?

We all know Valve loves making money, but when it comes to enhancing your Dota 2 experience, their premium service, Dota Plus, actually offers real value. Dota Plus is more than a way to spend cash – it’s designed to help players learn, improve, and enjoy the game, while also rewarding them with additional cosmetics. Here’s everything you need to know about Valve’s Dota Plus.

Dota Plus Explained

Dota Plus is Valve’s premium subscription service for Dota 2, which aims to enhance the in-game experience for players through advanced tools, exclusive rewards, and other personalized features.

It was introduced in 2018 and allows players of all skill levels to improve their gameplay, track their progress, and enjoy additional perks. 

Dota Plus Key Features

Dota Plus offers subscribers with an abundance of cosmetic and competitive features. At its core, here are the perks available in a Dota Plus subscription:

The Plus Assistant

The Plus Assistant is the primary reason why Dota Plus is popular among players looking to improve. The Plus Assistant is an in-game guide that provides players with real-time suggestions based on item builds, ability levelling, and enemy matchups. The data is taken from the millions of matches played by the community. 

Hero Progression and Relics

Dota Plus allows players to earn experience for their favorite heroes. By completing matches and quests, players can unlock milestone rewards as their hero progression levels increase. This is the reason why you often see some players with Master or Grandmaster tiers on specific heroes. 

Chat Wheel Sounds

Chat Wheel sounds are the reason I subscribe to Dota Plus. You will have access to exclusive sound effects and hero dialogues which you can spam in-game. It’s a great way to express yourself and enjoy the game, while also acting as a means to tilt your enemies. 

Post-Game Analytics

At the end of matches, Dota Plus will provide performance breakdowns to help you understand what went well and what could be improved, which are the best items in Dota and more. You can see the win probability graphs and also check how your net worth progression compares to players in every rank. 

Dota Plus Shards

Dota Plus subscribers can accumulate Dota Plus Shards by winning matches, completing challenges, or claiming achievements. These Shards can be spent on exclusive sets, voice lines, and other cosmetic items. 

Battle Cup Access

Battle Cups are weekly Dota events and subscribers can take part for free. The Battle Cup is a single-elimination tournament game mode that offers prizes. Non-subscribers would typically pay a dollar for a ticket.

How Much Does Dota Plus Cost?

Since Dota Plus is a premium tool, it doesn’t come for free. You’ll have to subscribe to its monthly plan to enjoy its benefits.

Valve provides the option to save money by choosing longer-term subscription options:

• 1-month Dota Plus subscription: $3.99
• 6-month Dota Plus subscription: $22.49 (6% Off)
• 12-month Dota Plus subscription: $41.99 (12% Off)

Note that prices may vary slightly depending on your region and currency.

How to Subscribe to Dota Plus

Subscribing to Dota Plus can directly be done through the in-game Dota 2 client.

Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Launch Dota 2.
2. Click on the Dota Plus icon (golden plus sign) on the top-right corner of the main menu.
3.  A new menu will pop up, outlining the three subscription plans. Select your preferred plan. 
4. In the checkout menu, use your available Steam Wallet balance or pay with other preferred methods. 
5. Once the transaction is completed, return to Dota 2 and activate your Plus subscription!

Remember that Valve will automatically process this purchase as an ongoing subscription, meaning you will be billed once your subscription expires. However, you will always have the option to cancel the subscription. 

Can You Gift Dota Plus to Friends?

Yes, you can. You can send a Dota Plus subscription to a friend, meaning you can also receive it if gifted. A Dota Plus subscription will initially appear as an item in your armory. You can either activate it for yourself, or give it to someone in your friend’s list. However, you must be friends for over 30 days. 

Is Dota Plus Worth It?

If you play Dota 2 for more than 20 hours a week, Dota Plus is probably worth the investment, especially if you need some help knowing how to play Dota. Progressing through hero levels and unlocking new chat wheels adds a fun layer of motivation to the game. 

Beyond mere cosmetics, the “Avoid Player” feature can come in pretty handy, helping you improve your matchmaking experience by dodging known griefers. I don’t think Dota Plus is worth it for casual players who play less frequently, but at $4 a month, the subscription price isn’t too absurd.