Please note that this rulebook was heavily influenced by the 1win deadlock rulebook.
You can see their rulebook at the following link:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/14kqhymAkSQWr3rshZ27s8JPuamvMod7YlyohtlVVtgY/edit?tab=t.0Table of Contents
1. Definitions
This section establishes the key terms used throughout the rulebook for consistency and clarity.
Tournament – The competitive event covered by this rulebook, including all stages, matches, and official activities.
Grand Finals – Stage #2 of the Tournament, consisting of the top eight Teams as defined in Section 3.
Qualifier Stage – Stage #1 of the Tournament (already completed), where Teams compete for available spots in the Grand Finals.
Match – A series of games played between two Teams to determine a winner.
Map / Game – One complete instance of play between two Teams.
Best-of-One (Bo1) – A Match consisting of one Map; the winner of that Map wins the Match.
Best-of-Three (Bo3) – A Match consisting of up to three Maps; the first Team to win two Maps wins the Match.
Draft – The pre-game process where Teams select their heroes according to the rules in Section 6.
Amber Side – The left-side position in the draft lobby and its associated in-game side. Amber always receives first pick in the draft.
Sapphire Side – The right-side position in the draft lobby and its associated in-game side. Sapphire always picks second.
Lobby – The in-game room created to host a Match.
Team – Collection of 6 starting players and up to 3 approved substitutes, and optional coach.
Player – A member of a Team's roster who actively competes in Matches.
Coach – A Team member who may assist Players but does not actively participate in gameplay.
Substitute / Sub – A registered Player on the final roster who may replace another Player during the Tournament in accordance with Section 5.
Death Slam Admins – The officials responsible for organizing, managing, and enforcing the Tournament rules.
Manager / Point of Contact (PoC) / Team Captain – The designated Team representative responsible for coordinating players, managing match logistics, and serving as the sole communication link with the Administration.
2. General Information
This section outlines the scope of the rules and expectations for Participants and Administrators.
2.1 This document defines the gameplay rules for Participants and outlines how the Administration interacts with them during the competition.
2.2 The Administration may make official announcements through the official DSE Discord Server of the Tournament, including schedule changes, rule amendments, and other updates.
2.3 All Captains must be present in the DSE Discord server 1 hour before match start and must monitor official channels for updates.
2.4 The Administration may ignore or overrule any rules if necessary to maintain fairness. In cases not covered by these rules, the Administration has full discretion to issue the fairest possible ruling.
3. Tournament Overview
3.1 Tournament Structure
The Tournament is an online event, consisting of two stages:
- •Stage #1 – Qualifier Stage – This stage has already been completed, with over 15 teams competing for 5 available spots in the Grand Finals. The qualifier stage took place on Saturday, August 2nd, and Sunday, August 3rd.
- •Stage #2 – Grand Finals – This stage will be held on Saturday, August 16th, and Sunday, August 17th, starting at 2:00 PM EST each day.
3.2 Team Count
There are exactly 8 Teams that will compete in the Grand Finals.
3.3 Prize Pool Distribution
As of the time of this rulebook update, the prize pool is currently TBD:
- • 1st – TBD
- • 2nd – TBD
- • 3rd – TBD
3.4 Tournament Dates
- •Stage #1 (Qualifier): Completed on August 2–3, 2025 2pm EDT
- •Grand Finals Day Aug 16 - 17: 8 teams, double elimination, all matches bo3; would be over 2 days, 2nd day would be for semi finals, 3rd place match and grand finals. Matches start at 2pm EST each day.
4. Participants
4.1 Each match or map must start with exactly six Players per Team. If a team cannot field six Players from their approved and finalized roster at the scheduled start time, the match is encouraged to be forfeited unless both teams mutually agree to play a 5v6 or otherwise proceed with fewer players. If a team has fewer than five Players at the scheduled start time, it will be an automatic forfeit with no option to play under those conditions.
4.2 All Players must use the in-game name as per the roster spreadsheet. No aliasing is allowed; players must compete on their main accounts so that the death slam admins can track them accurately.
4.3 Voice channel use is at each team's discretion. Teams may use the official DSE Discord (request a channel from a member of the admin team), their own team's Discord, or any other external voice communication platform. The administration will not monitor voice channels, and teams can decide how they want to communicate.
4.4 Coaches are allowed in the voice channel throughout the match. There will be no enforcement on whether the coach can speak during the game; this is entirely up to the team's preference.
4.5 Team names must not contain any offensive or discriminatory language.
5. Substitute Players
5.1 Players may substitute throughout the Tournament using the pre-approved substitutes listed on the final roster sheet submitted before the start of the Grand Finals.
5.2 Substitutions are only permitted between Maps or before the start of a Match. A Player currently in an active Map may not be replaced until that Map has concluded.
5.3 Substitutes can be swapped in and out freely, but as a courtesy, the opposing team should be informed whenever a substitution is made. There is no need to provide a reason for the substitute.
5.4 All substitutions must adhere strictly to the final roster sheet. If a substitute is not listed on the final approved roster, they cannot participate. The roster sheet is final, and any additional or unlisted substitutes will not be allowed.
6. Match Start
6.1 For each match in the Grand Finals, the first game of a Best-of-Three series will start with a coin flip to determine which team selects sides. The winner of the coin flip chooses either Amber or Sapphire side.
6.2 The Amber-side team is responsible for creating the draft lobby using the provided drafting website and tournament settings. The Sapphire-side team must create the game lobby with the correct settings. Both teams must ensure the lobby settings are correct before starting.
6.3 If the match is being streamed, teams must wait for the admin confirmation before beginning the draft so that the draft can be shown on stream. If not being streamed, teams may proceed immediately at the scheduled draft time.
6.4 After the draft is complete, a screenshot of the final draft must be posted in the designated Discord channel. This ensures proper record-keeping and stat tracking.
6.5 For subsequent games in a Best-of-Three, the team that lost the previous map will choose sides. Amber always drafts first, and Sapphire drafts second. The same responsibility applies: Amber creates the draft page, and Sapphire creates the game lobby.
6.6 On the third map, if needed, the process repeats with the loser of the previous map choosing sides. Consistency in lobby and draft creation is key.
6.7 Admins have the authority to reset a match if the lobby settings are incorrect, regardless of the game's state. Make sure all settings are correct to avoid disruptions.
6.8 Server Settings
All game lobbies must use the official DSE server settings to ensure consistency and fairness. The settings must be clearly visible in the lobby screenshot submitted with the match report.
Required server settings:
- • US North Central
- • No Bots
- • Specify Lane Assignments
- • Visible to Everyone
- • Duplicate Heroes Disabled
- • Experimental Heroes Disabled
- • Cheats Disabled
Note: These settings are non-negotiable, except for the server location. The default server is US North Central. Teams may agree to change the location, but if no agreement is reached within two minutes of discussion, the default server will be used and the matter will be considered closed.
6.8 Match Result Submission Format
The winning team must post the match results in the format below. The opposing team must reply to confirm or raise any issues with the Death Slam Admins. If no response is received from the opposing team within a reasonable time, the result will be considered confirmed.
Team Name 1 vs Team Name 2 – Winner: Team X – Map Score: (0–0)
Game 1 ID: [Insert match ID]
Game 2 ID: [Insert match ID]
Game 3 ID: [Insert match ID]
Example provided below
7. Interviews, Streaming, and Public Content Guidelines
7.1 Teams are encouraged to participate in designated media activities for our viewers.
7.2 Players and Teams must make themselves available for post-match interviews. Each Team must designate in advance which Player will participate in the interview.
7.3 The designated player must have their webcam turned on during the interview. They should be presentable, and their background is encouraged to be tidy or use a green screen, or blur if necessary.
7.4 Post-Match Interview Guidelines
The Tournament's standard interview structure follows a four-question format:
- •1 Light Question – General "how do you feel" opener tied to match context (ex: "You're headed to the finals after beating Team X, how are you feeling?").
- •2 Strategy Questions – Match-specific or tactical insights (ex: "We saw [specific play/strategy], can you walk us through that?").
- •1 Light Question – Closing personal or casual question, such as an interesting fact about the team.
- •Closing Prompt – Invite final remarks, shoutouts, or comments to the next opponent or audience.
7.5 Players are allowed to stream their own matches if they wish. However, we strongly encourage setting at least a one-minute delay on any personal streams to minimize the risk of stream sniping.
7.6 If you choose to stream publicly, you accept full responsibility for any competitive risks involved. The tournament organizers will not intervene or penalize players for using publicly available streams to their advantage. In short, if you stream without a delay, you do so at your own risk.
8. Official Stream/Broadcast
8.1 Players are expressly prohibited from viewing broadcasts of their games during an ongoing match. This rule takes effect from the moment the lobby begins to load into the game, includes any pauses in the midst of gameplay, and extends until the game officially ends and the end-of-game score screen is displayed.
8.2 Broadcasts, as defined for our purposes, include live video streams (including but not limited to Twitch, YouTube Live, etc.), DotaTV feeds, stream chat rooms (including but not limited to Twitch chat), and text-based live report threads (such as those on Liquiddota.com).
8.3 While the Administration recognizes that players may not have the intention of cheating when viewing streams, there is no way for an administrator to determine definitively what a player's intentions were. Therefore, any player found in violation of this rule will be punished, and the severity of the punishment will be at the Administration's discretion.
8.4 Any violations of this rule will be addressed accordingly by the Administration, and repeated offenses may result in escalating penalties, including match forfeits or disqualification.
9. Death Slam Admins
9.1 The Death Slam Admins are responsible for organizing, managing, and adjudicating all matches in the Tournament. All decisions will be made in accordance with these regulations and communicated to Participants. Key issues may be escalated to the lead admins when necessary.
9.2 Only the Point of Contact (PoC) or Team Captain may communicate directly with the Death Slam Admins regarding matches, disputes, or scheduling.
9.3 Official communication channels during the Tournament include the game lobby, the DSE Discord server, or direct communication between the PoC/Team Captain and the Death Slam Admins.
9.4 In disputes, the Death Slam Admins will make the final decision. All such decisions are final and are not subject to appeal.
9.5 There will always be a designated lead Death Slam Admin for the tournament. However, multiple admins may be assisting at any time. Participants should respect and follow the guidance of any admin assigned to them. Only if an issue requires escalation should you reach out directly to the lead admin after being assigned a different admin. This helps maintain smooth operations and ensures efficient communication.
10. General in-game Etiquette and Penalties
10.1 Lateness – 10-minute break after maps, must be in lobby 5 minutes before start, penalties at 30 and 60 minutes late, possible disqualification after repeated forfeits.
10.2 Pauses/Disconnects – 10 minutes total pause time per map per team, must state reason within 30 seconds, no pauses in draft, abuse penalized.
10.3 Cheating/Unauthorized Programs – Any cheating results in forfeit, possible ban; macros prohibited.
10.4 Stream Viewing – Reiterates Section 8 ban.
10.5 Harmful Conduct – Admin may penalize behavior harming event integrity or reputation.
11. Rules and Banned Actions
11.1 Our rules are simple: if something in the game is overtuned but not game-breaking, it's allowed. We won't police every minor bug. We trust players to use good judgment. If you exploit something that drastically changes the outcome, that's cheating. For example, using a Viscous ball to deliver the urn is fine. However, this is a fine line. If you push it too far, the Admin may disqualify you. Play fair and respect the spirit of competition. Unsure about something? Contact the admins before you play and ensure it's a non-issue.
11.2 The Administration will evaluate all alleged bug abuses in line with this philosophy. If we determine an exploit crosses that line and significantly alters the game, we may impose a forfeit loss.
11.3 If a team calls "GG" in a situation where it's seen as a concession, they must revoke it immediately or forfeit the map.
11.4 Players are accountable for their actions. Note: since all games are custom games, if you press escape and leave, you cannot rejoin. No restarts will be granted for this. Consider this your official notice: all participants are now aware of the consequences.
11.5 If there are game-impacting issues like bugs or crashes, the Administration will work with teams to find a fair solution. If a team has a clear advantage, their preferences may be considered more heavily.
11.6 The DeathSlam Admin has the final discretion on how to handle a map that crashes or needs a restart.
11.7 Any banned actions, whether intentional or accidental, will result in forfeiting the map. If you believe your opponent has committed a banned action, pause the game immediately, alert an admin, and follow their instructions.
List of Banned actions:
- •Ivy speed boost bug
- •Suiciding via console or in-game button unless stuck or bugged.
12. Tiebreakers
For the DeathSlam Invitational Finals, all matches are played as a best-of-three (Bo3) format. Therefore, no tiebreakers are necessary since each series will have a clear winner. This section is included as a placeholder for other DSE formats where tiebreakers may be needed, such as in qualifier stages. For the Invitational Finals, every match is decided conclusively by the best-of-three format.
13. Contact
Discord:https://discord.gg/deathslam
Death Slam Events main contacts (join our discord and DM or ping @co-founders or @Death Slam Admins)
- Cofounders: Deathy, REF & pootis
- Lead DSI Admin: North
- Lead DSL-NA Admin: Zephyr
- Lead Europe Admin: Jacob