How and When To Tip Players in Dota 2 (Ultimate Guide)

The main objective that Valve was aiming for when they added tipping into Dota 2 is to have players acknowledge good plays by essentially giving them a pat in the back through a tip. However, in modern Dota 2 times, tipping can actually be considered as a toxic thing to do, as the Dota community often misuses it to add insult to injury when someone messes up. 

If you're into some banter and would like to join in on the tipping, check out how you can tip players in Dota 2!

Tipping Through the Scoreboard

The first and most common way of tipping players in Dota 2 is through using your scoreboard. By default, your scoreboard key should be bound to "~", which is the button next to "1" and on top of "TAB." Once you open your scoreboard, you will notice the option to tip a player on the far right.

The tip option should be available for all 9 other players in the game. To tip a specific person, simply press the tip button that is on the same line as the hero they are playing.

Here is a step by step guide on how you can tip a player through the scoreboard.

1. Hop into a game of Dota 2. Ranked or Unranked matches won't matter.
2. Open your Scoreboard by pressing the hotkey set to it. By default, it should be "~"
3. Look for the player you are attempting to tip.
4. Once you have found the player, click on the "TIP" button that is placed next to their KDA.

Keep in mind that there is a limit to how many times you can use your tips per game. You are only able to tip a maximum of three times in one match, and a total of ten times in one week. Every week, your few tips will be refreshed and you'll be able to use ten more tips for the week. Tips do not stack, meaning that you will have a maximum of ten tips, whether you use them or not.

Tipping Through Pressing Alt

The second way to tip a player is by holding your Alt key. As some of you may know, holding down Alt will give you additional information about the game, such as the spawn boxes of Neutral Camps, or the attack range of Towers. 

Another option to tip a player will also be displayed when you hold down your Alt key. When holding Alt, look at the top of your screen. An option to tip players can be found under each players hero portrait. Once you've found the correct player you are trying to tip, simply press the tip button under their hero icon.

When To Tip Players in Dota 2

Nowadays, tipping in Dota 2 is used to play with the emotions of other heroes, whether it'd be positively, or negatively. Here are some suggestions on when to tip players!

Positive Tips

Tipping can be used to essentially give players a pat in the back for a good play they made in the game. Here are a few situations where you should tip your teammates if they do something cool:

• When your teammate solo kills an enemy core, especially if it occurs between mid laners.
• When your teammate lands a sick AoE stun, such as Ravage, Reverse Polarity, Black Hole, etc.
• When your teammate who is a support sacrifices themself to save you.
• When your teammate gets a Rampage.

Tipping your teammates after they have made any decent play will definitely put a smile on their faces. This won't only boost their morale, but will likely boost the entire team's morale as well. Definitely pat your mates in the back whenever you can.

Offensive Tips

Tipping enemies can be a good idea if you're looking to tilt them and break their mental game. The idea of tipping enemies for misplays is called "Offensive Tipping." Here are some situations where you could tip an enemy offensively:

• When the enemy misses an easy spell, leading to you or your teammate surviving.
• When an enemy buys back and dies again immediately after.
• When an enemy gets solo killed by your teammate.
• When you deny the creeps that the enemy carry player is trying to last hit in the early game.
• When the enemy misses easy last hits.

Tipping with an offensive intent can be considered as toxic, but it can really help you win the mental warfare and make your enemies tilted. At the end of the day, it's just a game and everyone should understand that tipping is all about friendly banter.

There you have it! We hope that this article has taught you the different ways how to tip players, and when to do so in the Dota 2 world. Be careful and make sure you don't use up all three tips in the early game, as saving your tips for the mid-game can be a great idea to break the enemy's focus.