Over a month has passed since new defending champions were crowned, and it's time to look toward the next spectacles that await us. The first Tour of the next Dota Pro Circuit season kicks off next week. Comprised of Regional Leagues culminating in the Winter Major tournament, this Tour will be the first of three that lead up to The International 2022. With DPC points on the line, these Tours offer the most reliable path for consistent teams to secure invitations to next year's crowning event.

To help the Dota community get into the spirit of the global competition right out the gate, we've brought Fantasy play out of the Compendium and into the wider DPC season, letting you play for the duration of each Tour.

Fantasy play during the DPC works similar to each year during The International, with the main difference being fans now compete within specific regions, and scoring is calculated by period (generally a week) rather than daily.

Read a bit more on how to play below.

The Basics
For each period, fans set a Fantasy roster made up of two Core Player Cards, one Mid Player Card, and two Support Player Cards. Player Cards on a roster score Fantasy points based on how well they perform in that period's matches. Silver & Gold Cards have stat bonuses that earn more points. Periods generally consist of a single week, except over the holiday season at the end of the year.

Player Card Packs
All players have been granted 10 starter packs. Additional Player Card Packs can be earned daily by winning a game of Dota. Team Packs will be available for purchase directly from the PLAYER CARDS tab in the WATCH section as teams submit their Supporters Club bundles in the near future.

When you open a pack you'll receive player cards from the specific region you have selected.

Regional Fantasy
Each DPC region is its own Fantasy league with its own player cards and unique lineup. You may choose to participate in multiple regional leagues, and you will earn Fantasy Levels based on your best fantasy league performance for the period. For instance, if you place in the top 10% of one league and the top 50% of another, you will receive the points for the top 10% placement. Region rewards do not stack.

At the end of each period, you will earn levels based on the Fantasy points for that period. Rewards will be unlocked based on your current overall Fantasy Level.

Scoring Matches
The scoring for seasonal Fantasy is slightly different than in the past. All Division I matches during the Winter 2022 Tour are eligible for Fantasy play. The highest scoring two games of a best-of-three count towards a player's score. If a team plays more than one series during a period, only their highest-scoring series will count.

Due to scheduling conflicts with teams quarantining after TI, the Chinese Division I will be starting later in the season. We are looking at ways to ensure that fans participating in the Chinese Fantasy League get the same amount of potential rewards regardless.

Rewards
The top 10% scoring Fantasy Teams for the period receive 3 Fantasy Levels.
The top 25% scoring Fantasy Teams for the period receive 2 Fantasy Levels.
The top 50% scoring Fantasy Teams for the period receive 1 Fantasy Levels.
Every third fantasy level, players will receive one DPC Winter 2022 Tour treasure (to be granted later). At every other level, players receive 500 shards.

Make sure to follow all of the upcoming action in the Watch section of the client or on the DPC homepage. In the meantime, we're also putting the finishing touches on the next Battle Pass, which is due out in the next few weeks. We've got a special conundrum cooking and we can't wait to share it.