Dota Underlords:
Beginner Guide
| Chapter 1 | How to play |
| Chapter 2 | Gameplay Basics |
| Chapter 3 | Tips and Tricks |
| Chapter 4 | Underlords vs Auto Chess |
Complete introduction for Dota Underlords and essential gameplay basics to simply win your first matches.
What is Dota Underlords?
Dota 2 has multiple custom fun maps created by map creators. In 2019 one of these maps got extremely hyped among the Dota 2 userbase: Dota Auto Chess. It became the first custom map that reached 200,000 active players. Therefore, Valve decided to launch a separate game for this map with more features.
On June 20, 2019 Valve released the first separate standalone version of Auto Chess and named it Dota Underlords.
It is a turn-based tactical strategy game similar to real-life chess.
After the release, within a few weeks, Dota Underlords successfully generated 1 million downloads.
How can I play Dota Underlords?
The great thing about Dota Underlords is, that you can play it cross-device: Dota Underlords is available for PC, IOS, and Android. According to steam stats, most of the Dota Underlords users play on PC. If you want to install Dota Underlords on your PC, go the steam market and write Dota Underlords into the search bar, match the minimum requirements of the game and simply install it.
For Android or IOS access, open your Appstore and type Dota Underlords to find the app. Install it and update it to get ready to play!
Does Dota Underlords cost money, or is it free to play?
Dota Underlords is a free-to-play game for every device.
The game even does not include in-game purchases. According to Valves, there will be no paid cosmetics/items. However, the game has a season pass that is purchasable. 😉
Dota Underlords works like a Modern Chess Game:
In Dota Underlords, a maximum of eight players can play together. For the combat an 8×8 chessboard is available as a playground, that implies 64 single fields.
Unlike in chess your units are selectable – they can be placed in a tactical order, they can be changed and they can be level up. There are two phases in the Dota Underlords: The preparation phase and the battle phase.
Players get heroes and place them on the map to create a strong army when the game starts, this army fights against the opponent army. You can play Dota Underlords online vs other players (PVP) or offline vs Bots (PVE). When one army beats the other, the losing team loses an amount of HP. The player who is the last survivor wins the game. 😉
The Two Dota Underlords Game Phases:
The Preparation Phase of Dota Underlords:
Before the start of each round, a player can buy, sell, and upgrade Dota 2 heroes from the shop within a timeframe of 30 seconds. Moreover, he can deploy, replace, or remove them on the board. In this phase you can tactically prepare for any fight and also check your enemies to counter them.
The Battle Phase of Dota Underlords:
After placing your heroes on the board, the AI of the game does the rest: The AI will make your heroes fight against the opponents. Each match will contain multiple rounds, and the final winner will be determined based on HP. The loser of each round will lose HP according to the remaining enemy units.
The HP reduction is not stable: If the remaining heroes are stronger, then the loser will face a higher HP reduction.
Placements of Dota 2 Heroes in Underlords:
There are a few limitations in the game to make it fair. In the first round, players can only pick one hero from 5 random heroes. You gain gold to buy more heroes in the upcoming rounds (only a limited amount of heroes can be deployed on the board).
- By default, five gold can be earned each round.
- One extra gold goes to the winner of each round.
- Streak holders get up to 3 extra gold.
Hero Star System in Dota Underlords:
In the shop below every hero, you will see one or more stars. Each star determines the strength of a hero.
| 1 Star | Weak Hero |
| 2 Stars | Average Hero |
| 3 Stars | Strong Hero |
Example: Three 1-star heroes can be sacrificied to get a 2-star Hero. And Three 2-star heroes creata one 3-star hero.
What is the Ranking System in Dota Underlords?
Underlords has a ranking system similar to Dota 2: The primary purpose of this ranking system is to enhance the competitive environment as well as improve the match finding algorithm.
Dota Underlords Ranks:
| Rank 1 | Upstart |
| Rank 2 | Grifter |
| Rank 3 | Outlaw |
| Rank 4 | Enforcer |
| Rank 5 | Smuggler |
| Rank 6 | Lieutenant |
| Rank 7 | Boss |
| Rank 8 | Big Bos |
Dota Underlords Rank Phases:
Each rank has a separate colour and medal that reflects its uniqueness. Moreover, each rank is divided into five different tiers, to upgrade the rank you have to surpass all the tiers.
Dota Underlords Ranks Phases:
| Phase 1 | Green I |
| Phase 2 | Blue II |
| Phase 3 | Red III |
| Phase 4 | Pink IV |
| Phase 5 | Gold V |
How to rank up in Dota Underlords?
The rank up system of Underlords is also a bit similar to Dota 2: To rank up in Dota Underlords you have to win a game or finish at the top of a match. Each rank has different criteria to rank up.
- The Upstarts rank player must fall in the top 6 of a match.
- Grifters must reach the top 4 of a match.
The higher the rank, the tougher it will get to maintain it. With a bad performance and a low placement in a match, you can lose your rank fast. Losing a match to a lower-tier/ranked player can easily reduce the tier. To rank up always try to be in the top three!
Chapter 3: Dota Underlords Tips and Tricks
What is really needed to achieve that?
In the following, you can find a tips list of the best beginner tips that will skyrocket you automatically to a better playstyle.
8 Essential Dota Underlords Tips to Win More Matches:
Do not Reset the Hero Selection in the Early Rounds:
Dota Underlords has a concept called rolling: Rolling means to reset your hero selection from the shop. Do not make this silly mistake in the early game because rolling requires 2 Gold. In the early game, you barely have enough gold to upgrade the first heroes.
If you start spending gold on rolling early, then the enemy will get stronger. Thereupon, you will lose early rounds and will have disadvantages for the rest of the match. It’s a better plan to role in the mid or late game! 😉Fill your Deck with 1-star Heroes:
1-star heroes are quite weak, but they can provide massive advantages in the mid-game. Wanna know how? You can sell your 1-star heroes anytime for a 100% refund and use that gold for hero upgrade or buying higher star heroes.
Fill up all the space with 1-star heroes either you can sell them or combine them and come up with higher star heroes.Don’t upgrade your Heroes too early:
Some players immediately rush towards the 3-star hero upgrade, but early 3-star heroes are not efficient because you have to sacrifice 6 of your heroes (6, 1-star = 2, 2-star = 1, 3-star). If the enemy somehow would be able to eliminate your only hero on the board, then what else is left? Until mid-game, it is efficient to focus on 1-star and 2-star heroes. The more 2-star heroes you have on the board, the more stability and grip it will give on the game.
Underlord Decks have Shared Heroes for Both Teams:
In the shop, you will see the same hero multiple times, but the quantity of the heroes are limited, and the hero pool is shared between both teams. If you want to determine on which heroes your enemy is focusing, focus on the shop. The heroes that start getting rare over time are the ones your enemy is buying. Focus onto the enemy build and counter it.
Get Strength Heroes in the Early Game:
Tank heroes are super efficient early on: With the help of their high HP you can easily pass the early game. Heroes like Juggernaut, Tiny, Tusk and Axe are the best rank options! 😉
Focus on the Gold Interest Mechanism:
To provide a minor advantage, Dota Underlords provides 10% gold interest. For example, for every 10 Gold, a player receives 1 Gold. This has to be used as an advantage.
Current Gold Gold earned 10 Gold 1 Gold 20 Gold 2 Gold 30 Gold 3 Gold 40 Gold 4 Gold 50 Gold 5 Gold 50-100 Gold 5 Gold Keep your total gold always near to a number that will make you avail the 10% interest. You can use this extra gold to upgrade your heroes, to reset heroes and many more.
Do not Focus on Diversified Builds:
After overviewing multiple beginner players, we observed that most of them focus on different builds instead of adapting. Keep one thing in mind: Underlords has a lot of random elements. You can’t expect to get the cards that will give you an advantage against the enemy.
Focus on as many builds as you want, but none of them will stand long. Hence, enhance your adapting skills and focus on how to adapt to current situations. Moreover, also learn strategies that you can use at any point of the game that will not affect your HP. 😉
Winning a Round is not the Only Strategy:
The heading seems a bit confusing? But losing a few rounds can make you win the whole match:
As discussed before, a player receives extra gold for streaks. This applies also for winning and for losing streaks. If you need some extra gold to upgrade your heroes then forcefully lose a couple of rounds – if you have a plan! Consistent losses are better than alternate wins and losses.Consecutive Wins/Losses Bonus Gold per round 3–5 +1 6–8 +2 9+ +3 This is a hazardous strategy because you have to sacrifice your HP and if you are not able to come back with the extra gold then it is time for you to say Good Bye!
Comparisson of Dota Underlords and Dota Auto Chess:
Dota Underlords has been build on the idea of Dota Auto Chess, therefore it like the better version of the game. But we all know, a remake can be a tough task and often the basic version has a lot of charm and different behavior. Which one is better and where are the main differences?
Find the Guide for Dota Auto Chess here:
Auto Chess is the old version, but also the father, the source and the origin and has its right to exist. Checkout the Auto Chess beginner guide if you have not played it yet.
In Dota 2 there is still a huge active community that is playing Auto Chess.
View Dota Auto Chess Beginner Guide
What’s similar in both Games?
- Dota Underlords has the same heroes with the same attributes. The attribute differences only occur because of stars.
- The races and classes of Dota Underlords are also very similar to Dota 2 Auto Chess.
- The synergies of both games match, if you can play one game good you will easily understand the other one.
- The gold and XP system of Dota Underlords and Dota Auto Chess is nearly similar.
Differences between Dota Underlords and Dota Auto Chess:
- The visual quality of both games has a major difference.
- Dota Underlords is available on mobile devices as well.
- The RNG based items system of Underlords is much more advanced.
- Underlords includes global items that provide a massive benefit to teams.
Which one is better Dota Underlords or Dota 2 Autochess?
Dota Underlords is better than Dota 2 Autochess because of multiple reasons:
- Underlord focuses more on teams/clans and related damage.
- It has a larger pool.
- Underlords has 1 item slot for each price.
- In Underlords, a player can re-equip heroes.
- Dota Underlord includes a Seasonal pass with more details.
Which one do you like more?
If you love Dota Auto Chess you will definitely love Dota Underlords! 😉
