ESL Pro Tour leaderboard is a ranking of teams that participate in the ESL Pro Tour Dota 2 series tournaments. The place in the ranking depends on the number of EPT points awarded for participation in ESL championships.

How do Dota 2 leaderboards work?

The Dota 2 leaderboard ESL Pro Tour was created by ESL to make the qualification method for Riyadh Masters as transparent and understandable as possible. The Dota 2 leaderboard takes into account DreamLeague series tournaments, which are held online, as well as LAN events of the ESL One series.

For participation in the above championships, teams earn ESL Pro Tour points for a Dota leaderboard. It is worth noting that ESL Pro Tour series tournaments have different effects on the placement of teams in Dota 2 leaderboards, since they are awarded a different number of EPT points.

How do teams earn EPT Points for Dota 2 leaderboards?

Teams earn EPT points for Dota 2 leaderboards ESL Pro Tour by participating in DreamLeague and ESL One tournaments. The higher the team places in the championship, the more points it can earn for Dota leaderboards. It is also important to note that the closer the tournament is to the Riyadh Masters, the more EPT points are at stake at such an event.

EPT Points deduction rules

During the season, teams do not lose their EPT points within the Dota 2 leaderboard, however, the ESL Pro Tour organizers have provided penalties for excessive changes in the playing lineup. Participants have the right to make substitutions during transfer windows.

A team will not lose EPT points in Dota 2 leaderboards for one substitution. However, if a team decides to replace two players, it will receive a 30% penalty to all EPT points earned. In the event of the substitution of three or more e-sportsmen, such a club will lose all its rating points.

In addition, each ESL Pro Tour participant is required to notify the tournament system administration before any public announcement of changes to the roster, or the team will be penalized by 10% of EPT points. Ranking points are assigned to the players on the roster, not to the teams. If a participant's points are reduced to 0, then that team will lose the opportunity to participate in closed qualifiers or tournaments of the ESL Pro Tour series. The right to participate goes to the majority of the team that has just left the tournament. If there is no majority left or the team is otherwise removed from the tournament, the slot goes to the next strongest team in the region according to the regional Dota 2 EPT leaderboard (if a slot becomes available in the main tournament) or a team from the open qualifiers (if a slot becomes available in the closed qualifier).

Final thoughts about Dota 2 leaderboards

The introduction of the ESL Pro Tour tournament system with their Dota 2 leaderboards allows for the evaluation of the level of performance of teams over a series of tournaments, as well as the fair distribution of direct invitations to major championships and qualifiers. The system of penalties for sudden roster changes or the replacement of a large number of players forces organizations to be more responsible in the selection of e-sportsmen and to keep their teams for the entire season. With the departure of the DPC, the race for EPT points and a place in the top 8 Dota 2 leaderboard is a breath of fresh air in the professional scene of Valve's MOBA discipline.