The Dota Ban-Target Phenomenon: Heroes, We’re Being Hunted

In the world of Dota, strategy is king, and nearly as big a factor as skill. But what happens when players feel they’re being strategically disadvantaged… by being ban-targeted?

Anyone else feels like being ban-targeted lately?
byu/fortfied_island inDotA2

Summary:

• Players are noticing an increase in seemingly targeted bans against their favourite heroes.
• This is leading to outcry and bemusement amongst the community on the unexpected effects of this targeting.
• Some players are even theorising that decorating their profile in a specific way impacts this phenomenon.

Unusual Hero Bans:

The Reddit user fortified_island started this conversation by stating their bafflement at Pugna, an arcane sorcerer, being banned. They’re not alone. Another commenter, danirodr0315, wondered the same thing about Lich, a support character that offers power and durability to their team. Who, indeed, bans these heroes?

Playing the System, not the Game:

Musing on this unique situation, Canadian_Poltergeist explored an interesting theory. They have decorated their mini profile to highlight the hero Sniper. Since doing so, they’ve noticed a marked reduction in seeing the character. Perhaps there is method to this madness after all?

Embracing the Unexpected:

Many players, like Sunbro_YT, are embracing this strange new world of targeting. They even declare it improves their gaming experience! As they put it, ‘Jokes on them. I like playing shitty heroes, so if they target ban me, it actually increases my chances of winning, as I then must pick an actually good hero.’

Fun despite Frustration:

Another surprising turn within the Dota community has been the rise in humour regarding this frustration. Users like howboutsomesandwich laugh at their predicament stating, ‘I was grinding dota plus levels for Visage one time and for some reason it was banned for 4 straight games. Who even bans Visage?.’ It seems despite the annoyance, the Dota player base is unwavering in their enthusiasm and top-notch humour.

In the strange chaos of the Dota world, the community laughs, theorizes, and adapts. They also question the sanity of whoever is banning Pugna.