3 ways you can find and expose Dota 2 cheaters mid-game

William Davis Published 05/04/2022

Nobody likes Dota 2 cheaters, but you can embarrass them by exposing their cheats mid-game.

Winning a close game to finally rank up is one of the best feelings in Dota 2, but exposing a cheater and getting their account banned is a pretty close second. With so many things going on, it can be difficult to tell when someone is playing dirty or just incredibly well. Smart players can try these three tricks to know for sure if a player is cheating in Dota 2 or not.

Detect proximity Dota 2 cheats by surprising the enemy

One of the most common cheats in Dota 2 is proximity detection, where a player automatically uses certain spells right when a target comes into range. This is especially common on heroes with instant spells like Lion and Shadow Shaman. If the enemy support is Hexing way too fast, there’s a simple way to check if they’re cheating.

Simply Blink onto them from fog when you’re absolutely sure there’s no way they know you’re there. Skulking through trees is a good way to get close. Popping a Smoke of Deceit is also handy for making sure they have no way to expect it. A proximity cheater will still blow their spells instantly. 80 gold is well worth the price of exposing a cheater mid-match.

Check combo cheats with Eul’s and Lotus Orb

Another type of Dota 2 cheat is macros that automatically activate a series of items and abilities in a quick sequence. There are several heroes that can benefit from this type of cheating, but Legion Commander, Skywrath Mage, and Invoker are the most common ones. These are more difficult to detect, but clever players can still expose them using some clever tools.

The best way to check is to disrupt the combo using a certain spell or ability. For example, a macro Skywrath Mage wants to Ancient Seal, Rod of Atos, then Mystic Flare. If you immediately use Eul’s Scepter or Lotus Orb to dispel the first two, a macro user will still use Mystic Flare even if your response was predictable. Using Eul’s on him could also cause him to still cast Mystic Flare on nothing when he lands.

Map hacks require the old-fashioned way to check cheating

By using third-party programs that break the rules of the game, some Dota 2 cheaters can see enemies in the fog of war without any vision. Map hacks, as they’re known, are most common on skillshot heroes like Invoker, and especially Pudge. Keep in mind that targeted spells like Charge of Darkness and Shadow Step don’t work with map hacks. They still require normal sight.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to expose map hacks in the middle of a Dota 2 match. The only sure way is to check over the replay and search for suspicious moments. Look for Hooks in trees or Sunstrikes that are way too accurate despite juking out the opponent. Preemptive TP scrolls away from gank attempts are also a strong sign of a map hacker.

It’s usually too late to report after looking over the replay, but try sending timestamps with the match number to Dota 2 support at this link.

William Davis

About William Davis

View full profile