Can TI10 Battle Pass rewards be earned without spending money?

Dota 2 fans have had about a week now to familiarize themselves with The International 10 Battle Pass, and familiarity breeds contempt.

The TI10 Battle Pass is being criticized by fans across social media for a number of different reasons. From Reddit to Twitter to YouTube, people have been doing deep dives into the battle pass, and while few are denying that it has a stellar set of rewards, many are taking issue with what it takes to procure those rewards.  

The biggest fan complaint is Valve’s continuation of lowering the quality of rewards that can be achieved simply through grinding BP levels by playing the game. 

In years past, premium cosmetics could be acquired simply by purchasing the basic version of the battle pass and completing daily and weekly challenges, playing the limited-time game mode, and so on. Though slapping down some extra cash has always been necessary for getting all of the premium rewards, the eye-catching skins in the TI10 Battle Pass are nearly all likely to be far out of reach for anyone that doesn’t purchase levels.

BP harder to earn in TI10 Battle Pass

Exacerbating this issue is the fact that BP is significantly more difficult to earn in 2020 than in years past. 

One of the primary ways to earn BP is through the in-game wagering system. While players could easily earn up to two levels per week, or even more depending on what level their battle pass was, Valve lowered the tokens that are available by roughly 20%. This was offset to some degree by adding a bonus system if the player can put together a winning streak, but it certainly feels like the intent was to make it harder to earn levels.

On top of this was the removal of the daily and weekly challenges. They were replaced with the Guild bounty system, which offers the potential for greater rewards, but once again the end goal seems to be making it more difficult to earn BP.

Finally, recycling Immortal Treasures offer incredibly weak rewards. While they used to be recycled directly for levels, this year gives players gold for a new feature called the Sideshop. Though players can earn various rewards from it, this still does little to help players that have their hearts set on premium arcanas that turn Wraith King into Skeleton King or Anti-Mage into his female counterpart.

How to level the TI10 Battle Pass without spending money

There’s little doubt that Valve is actively trying to make it more difficult for players to level up their battle pass. While a big part of the battle pass’ success is its great rewards, an even greater part is Valve learning how to more reliably extract money out of Dota 2 players.

Odds are that players won’t be able to earn all five of the premium skins in the Battle Pass without spending money, regardless of how much they grind. There are only two layers to the cavern crawl, and guild bounties just don’t offer great enough rewards. Even with things like tips and rewards from the limited-time game mode, players still won’t be able to get the coveted Windranger Arcana.

Ultimately, all players can do to get the most out of their TI10 Battle Pass is win wagers, keep their priorities straight in the Sideshop, and complete the cavern crawl. The good news is that with TI10’s date remaining unknown at this time, players could have some extra time to earn rewards. Previous installments of the battle pass lasted for under five months, while this one is likely to drag on for at least six months.

Still, Dota 2 players need to be prepared to pay up if they want to get every reward available.