Low Priority in Dota 2: How It Works and How to Get Out
By Rush Boost team, Rush Boost Dota desk. Checked against Valve’s patch notes, Steam news posts and Steam Support on 11 October 2026. · 11 Oct 2026 · 4 min read · Dota 2
What sends you to Low Priority, why only wins count, and how to clear it without making it worse.
Low Priority is Dota 2’s penalty queue. While you are in it you can only play Single Draft, you have to win a set number of games to leave, and losses don’t count. It is frustrating, but it is also very clear about what it wants from you. Here is how it works and how to get out without adding more games.
What puts you in Low Priority
- Abandoning games. Leaving early or disconnecting for too long is the most common cause.
- A pattern of reports. Valve says Low Priority comes from reports by several different players across several matches, and that the system was built with unfair reports in mind. One angry team won’t do it on its own.
- Repeat offences. Players who keep ending up here can also get a timed queue ban, from a few hours up to four days.
How Low Priority works
| Rule | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Single Draft only | You pick from a small random set of heroes |
| Wins only | Losses don’t reduce the count |
| Abandon again | More games are added |
| Ranked locked | You can’t queue ranked until it is cleared |
Guides online say anything from one to five wins. The honest answer is that it depends on what you did and your history. Your client shows the exact count when you open the play menu, so trust that number over any website.
How to get out of Low Priority faster
Learn a few heroes of every type
Single Draft hands you a random choice, so the players who escape fastest are the ones comfortable on a handful of simple, strong heroes of each kind. Pick two or three that you know you can play well no matter the draft.
Play to win, not to farm
Only wins count, so play the shortest safe game you can. Group up, take objectives, and end when you are ahead. A 25-minute win does the same job as a 55-minute one.
Don’t make it longer
- Never abandon. Even one more leave adds games.
- Mute anyone tilting you. Arguing gets you reported, and reports feed the next penalty.
- Play with a friend if you can. A steady teammate turns coin-flip games into wins.
Low Priority and your behavior score
Low Priority and behavior score are linked but separate. Abandons and reports lower your behavior score; clean games and commends raise it. Your Conduct Summary updates every handful of games, so a few good evenings show up quickly. Valve publishes no official thresholds, so be careful with sites quoting exact cutoffs.
Should you pay someone to clear it?
We sell a Low Priority service, so here is the honest version. It works by a booster playing your remaining games, which means they log into your account. Valve’s Steam Subscriber Agreement doesn’t allow sharing your account, and in December 2023 Valve listed a game ban for “accounts shared with other users or services”. That risk is real. If you’d rather keep it at zero, clear it yourself with the tips above, or book coaching and learn the habits that keep you out for good. Our boosting safety guide explains how we protect logins when you do choose Account Sharing.
Get coached instead of punished — One-to-one sessions on the habits that keep you out of Low Priority and climbing.
Questions
Questions
How long does Low Priority last?
As long as it takes you to win the games you owe. There is no timer on the count itself, but players who keep returning to Low Priority can get a timed queue ban on top.
Do losses count towards Low Priority?
No. Only wins reduce the number of games you owe.
Can I play ranked in Low Priority?
No. Ranked opens again once your remaining Low Priority games are cleared.
Can reports alone put me in Low Priority?
Valve says it looks for a pattern of reports from several players across several matches, not a single bad game.