Greetings, friends! Librarian Husky here, your ever-curious guide to the intricate world of DOTA updates. A fresh patch has landed, bringing with it a mix of surprises and subtle adjustments. While it may not be a sweeping overhaul, there’s plenty to dig into, from the curious case of Tanda’s item change to the fine-tuning of many beloved heroes. Let’s crack open this tome of updates and uncover the hidden details shaping the new meta!

Item Changes: Tanda and Its Impact

The first major change revolves around K, an item that currently only seems viable for Morphling. It’s hard to think of any other highly meta-relevant heroes using it. The item is cheaper now, but it deals significantly less damage. This feels like a direct nerf to Morphling. On the other hand, Alchemist‘s mixologist facet has received attention. With 35% cooldown reduction, it’s a powerful facet, though seed money remains an equally strong competitor.

Hero Adjustments: Alchemist in Focus

Alchemist has seen some notable tweaks. The mana cost for acid spray has been reduced at level one, making it more accessible early game. Meanwhile, concoction’s cooldown has been increased by two seconds, which is a significant nerf. However, the changes may also indirectly buff the mixologist facet, as longer cooldowns make percentage-based reductions more impactful. This adjustment appears to encourage players to experiment with mixologist Alchemist builds, which now seem more viable.

Other Hero Buffs and Nerfs

Aside from Alchemist, the patch introduces smaller changes to other heroes, though not in overwhelming numbers. While the tweaks may seem minor, they align with the goal of balancing gameplay and encouraging variety in hero picks. These changes may shift the meta subtly, opening doors to fresh strategies while maintaining balance.

This patch, though not groundbreaking, provides targeted adjustments that cater to both casual players and high-level competitors.

Hero Balance Adjustments in the Patch

Axe received changes that nerfed his “One-Man Army” ability and adjusted Battle Hunger. It’s better at level one, making him a slightly better laner but weaker in the mid-game. Bane’s Enfeeble now costs less mana early on but more at max levels, though this likely won’t affect his meta standing much.

Bat Rider and Beastmaster Updates

Bat Rider got a slight buff to Smoldering Resin. While this hero remains popular in the professional scene, it still holds one of the lowest win rates in public matches. Beastmaster saw a minor nerf to his axe and level 10 talent but should remain a viable pick.

Bounty Hunter and Brewmaster Tweaks

Bounty Hunter’s Shu Can Toss mana cost increased by 10 at all levels, but the hero remains strong. Spammers might need extra Clarities or raindrops to compensate. Brewmaster got two base intelligence and additional armor per level on Earth Brawler, but these changes are unlikely to elevate him to meta status.

Bristleback and Clockwerk Adjustments

Bristleback’s Shard cast range was reduced by 250, which is significant. Despite this, dedicated players should find him still playable. Clockwerk’s Battery Assault bonus damage against creeps was reduced by 50%, and his level 10 power cog cooldown talent was nerfed. Rocket Flare cooldown now seems like the superior option in most situations.

Notable Hero Adjustments in the Patch

Clockwerk players may benefit from prioritizing Rocket Flare, skipping the level 10 talent until later levels, such as 15 or 16. Meanwhile, Dazzle’s Weave duration increased from 8 to 10 seconds, providing a significant buff to his core role. While Dazzle as a support remains weak, his core potential becomes more promising.

Disruptor and Earth Spirit Changes

Disruptor received a slight buff to his level 15 talent, but it feels negligible and lacks impact. Earth Spirit saw substantial changes, including reduced bonus damage against creeps on his Q, dropping from 1.4 to 1.25. This adjustment prevents him from one-shotting waves, a critical nerf paired with reductions to spell amplification at level 10. Additionally, his Rolling Boulder distance was moved to level 20, removing its availability earlier in the game. His level 15 talent also took a hit, making Earth Spirit significantly weaker, especially in high MMR matches.

Elder Titan: Deconstruction Facet Buff

Elder Titan’s deconstruction facet received a notable improvement. Enemies now lose one stack of armor reduction per second when leaving the AOE, instead of losing all stacks instantly. This change is a major buff, increasing its effectiveness significantly. Expect this facet to rise in popularity and impact in the coming meta.

Hero Adjustments and Meta Implications

Elder Titan’s deconstruction facet now synergizes well with specific minus armor strategies, potentially making it highly effective with heroes like Shadow Fiend. A slight nerf to Echo Stomp’s scaling appears to keep its power level stable. Enchantress, however, suffered from increased mana costs for Enchant and reduced early durations for Nature’s Attendants, severely weakening her early game presence and forcing players to focus on mid-game viability.

Jakiro and Juggernaut Buffs

Jakiro’s level 10 talent now offers a two-second cooldown reduction for Dual Breath, making it a very attractive choice over attack range. This significant buff could enhance Jakiro’s utility in prolonged engagements. Juggernaut’s Blade Fury cooldown at level one was increased by six seconds, but the hero remains a strong pick in public games, though less viable in professional play.

Invoker’s Minor Nerfs

Invoker saw nerfs to both his Shard upgrade and Cold Snap, though these changes are relatively minor. These tweaks may slightly lower his consistency in crowd control but are unlikely to push him out of the meta. Overall, Invoker remains a stable pick despite these adjustments.

Hero Nerfs and Adjustments

Some heroes received noticeable changes that affect their viability in public games and high-level matches. For instance, KZ’s bonus damage on Echo Slash was nerfed at level one but buffed at max level, while the lifesteal on Grappling Claw was also reduced. These adjustments seem to further weaken a hero that was already considered subpar. Legion Commander’s Aghanim’s Shard radius and duel bonus were decreased, making the hero less impactful in public matches, though her level 10 talent received a slight buff.

Frostbound and Chain Frost Changes

The Frostbound duration was reduced slightly, but it remains a viable choice. Notably, Chain Frost no longer follows a hero after they die and buy back, correcting an oversight that previously allowed unintended interactions. These adjustments bring minor but meaningful balance changes to the affected abilities.

Lina, Lion, and Luna Adjustments

Lina’s Aghanim’s Shard spell damage per charge remains strong, keeping the item relevant despite other minor tweaks. Lion lost two base intelligence, slightly affecting his mana pool in the early game. Luna, however, was heavily nerfed, with reductions to her bonus night vision, moon glaives, and talents. These changes significantly impact her viability, making her a poor choice in most situations. Luna’s heavy reliance on nerfed talents and abilities has left her struggling to find a place in the meta.

Keep an eye on how these changes impact hero picks and strategies in both public and professional matches. While some heroes retain their roles, others may see a steep decline in playability.

Major Hero Updates and Meta Shifts

Luna remains a poor choice in the current patch, with substantial nerfs rendering her almost unplayable. The changes have made her incredibly weak, and players are advised to avoid this hero. Lycan, on the other hand, received a significant buff to his farming potential, making him a standout pick in certain scenarios.

Lycan’s Apex Predator Buff

Lycan’s innate ability, Apex Predator, now applies to units under his control, granting a 2% bonus damage to neutral creeps based on Lycan’s level. This change greatly improves his farming speed, especially with items like Helm of the Dominator and his Spirit Wolves. This buff positions Lycan as a strong candidate for higher-tier play, and players should consider him for efficient farming strategies.

Medusa Adjustments

Medusa’s Poison from Venomous Volley is no longer applied by illusions, significantly weakening her synergy with items like Manta Style. The ability now scales with Split Shot, making it less effective in the early game. Mana Shield received a nerf, reducing its base damage absorption per mana from 2.4 to 2. While her durability has dropped, Split Shot saw a slight improvement in early levels. Despite these changes, Medusa remains a viable pick in average public matches. Players should also consider Engorged, as this facet may offer competitive advantages with the recent adjustments to her kit.

Patch Adjustments and Hero Viability

Engorged has emerged as a potentially better facet for Medusa, offering significant advantages over previous options. While she remains viable, players might lean toward selecting this facet to optimize her effectiveness. Meanwhile, Monkey King’s Mischief ability saw a reduction in damage immunity duration, requiring higher skill to execute perfectly.

Mo’ira and Naga Siren Changes

Mo’ira’s Calling movement speed slow is now a flat 20%, rather than scaling from 15% to 30%. This adjustment stabilizes her utility, keeping her strong as a support option. Naga Siren faced several nerfs, including a flat mana cost of 80 for Delusions and a slight reduction in the ability’s duration. These changes exacerbate her existing mana issues, alongside a nerf to her Aghanim’s Shard. Naga is still viable as a support but has become more challenging to play effectively in average public games.

Treant Protector and Nature’s Prophet Adjustments

Ironwood Tree’s gold bounty for Treant Protector was rescaled, increasing with each level from 16 to 40. XP bounty has also been reduced, slightly curbing Treant’s utility. Nature’s Prophet received puzzling nerfs, despite his declining popularity. The changes seem out of touch with the current meta, as the hero is no longer frequently played in competitive or public matches.

These updates reflect a mix of impactful balance changes and questionable nerfs, likely leading to shifts in hero prioritization across different skill levels.

Hero Nerfs and Adjustments

Some heroes received noticeable changes that could impact their viability in professional and public matches. Nature’s Prophet, while occasionally picked in niche situations by pro teams, continues to underperform. Despite being selected during recent tournaments, the hero’s lackluster performance and popularity suggest it isn’t a strong meta option.

Outworld Devourer and Rolling Thunder Adjustments

Outworld Devourer gained a bonus mana increase per intelligence point from 2 to 2.5, a significant buff that enhances his resource management and scaling potential. Meanwhile, Pango’s Rolling Thunder turn rate was heavily nerfed, reducing its bonus from 110 to 48. This drastically affects his ability to chain-stun enemies by spinning in tight circles, forcing reliance on wall bounces and limiting early-game impact.

Phantom Lancer and Primal Beast Changes

Phantom Lancer’s bonus agility duration increased from 1.5 to 2 seconds, giving him slightly more uptime on agility-based damage bonuses. Primal Beast saw a nerf to the mana cost of his W ability and a reduction in his ultimate’s damage at early levels, though it remains stronger at max level. These changes slightly weaken his early game while keeping him competitive at higher levels.

Queen of Pain and Ringmaster Updates

Queen of Pain’s Massacre facet, which offers spell amplification, was nerfed, reducing its effectiveness by 1% while causing her to take 1% more damage. Additionally, her level 10 strength talent was reduced by one point, slightly lowering her survivability. Lastly, Ringmaster received an Aghanim’s Scepter but remains excluded from Captain’s Mode, limiting his exposure to competitive play for now.

Significant Hero Updates and Item Changes

Ringmaster received substantial upgrades to his abilities. His Escape Act is now upgraded by Aghanim’s Scepter, replacing its cooldown with two charges. When the box opens, it deals 300 magic damage in a 275 radius and throws eight impalement daggers with 50% range in all directions. This Aghanim’s upgrade significantly enhances his utility, making Escape Act highly impactful despite being dispellable. Additionally, changes to his Spotlight ability seem minor but potentially improve usability.

Sand King’s Sandstorm and Shroud Adjustments

Sand King faced notable nerfs, particularly to his invisibility duration with Sand Shroud, which now has reduced duration across the board. This makes his stealth-oriented gameplay less effective. On the other hand, Sandstorm‘s damage was slightly buffed at level one, improving his early game, but it is now 10% weaker at max level, which negatively affects his late-game presence.

Shadow Demon’s Tweaks and Balances

Shadow Demon’s bonus base damage on Disruption is worse at level one but improves by 10 at max level, balancing his scaling. His ultimate cooldown was reworked from a flat 60 seconds to a scaling 70/65/60 seconds. Additionally, his Aghanim’s and Shard cooldowns were adjusted to match these changes. The broken aspect of his “Lasting Presence” facet, which previously retained bonus armor reduction after dying, has been fixed. The armor reduction duration was also nerfed from 70 to 60 seconds, toning down its impact.

These updates focus on fine-tuning hero abilities and facets, ensuring a more balanced gameplay experience while addressing overpowered mechanics.

Hero Changes and Meta Adjustments

Shadow Fiend received significant nerfs, reducing damage per soul from 13/45 to 12/34, which is a major blow to his scaling. Additionally, his Feast of Souls ability now increases max Necromastery souls by five during its activation but raises questions about whether souls are lost after its use. If no souls are lost, this could make the ability very effective and keep the hero viable. However, if souls are still deducted, this would be a further nerf, potentially pushing Shadow Fiend out of the meta.

Shadow Shaman and Storm Spirit Tweaks

Shadow Shaman gained 10 attack speed, a significant buff for a hero with high base damage, improving his role as a position four in public games. However, the mana cost for Hex at early levels was increased, balancing this improvement. Storm Spirit’s Shard bug, which caused unintended bonus damage, has been fixed, bringing the ability in line with its intended behavior.

Sven and Terrorblade Adjustments

Sven now deals 20% bonus damage to stunned enemies instead of 17%, a slight buff to his damage output. The mana cost for his ultimate was reduced, making it slightly more efficient to use. Terrorblade saw an increase of 10 mana to his Reflection ability and a nerf to his level 10 Reflection talent. Despite these changes, Terrorblade remains viable, particularly in offlane roles.

Tidehunter and Primeval Power Buffs

Tidehunter’s Anchor Smash saw a small improvement, costing five less mana at all levels, which enhances his sustainability in lane. Primeval Power was increased from five to six, giving it a minor buff that could make a difference in extended fights.

These updates reflect targeted adjustments aimed at balancing hero power while addressing unintended bugs and overperforming abilities. Some heroes remain strong despite the changes, while others may struggle to maintain their place in the current meta.

Hero Adjustments and Meta Impacts

Treant Protector’s new talent is a notable improvement, significantly enhancing his damage output. While the Sapling Toss talent remains strong, this new option might now be the better choice, especially for those seeking high burst damage.

Tusk and Bitter Chill Rework

Tusk’s Bitter Chill now scales with Walrus Punch instead of his E ability, drastically reducing its early-game effectiveness. While the ability improves significantly in the late game, its inconsistency and lack of utility during the laning stage severely weaken Tusk in average public games. This change likely pushes him further out of the meta.

Minor Changes to Utility and Items

Carrier Ward health increased slightly, scaling with max health by 0.5. This subtle buff makes couriers marginally more durable. Meanwhile, the Death Toll ability’s bonus gold per charge decreased from 35 to 30, but it remains a viable option.

Warlock, Witch Doctor, and Wraith King Updates

Warlock’s imps no longer explode if killed by enemy heroes, a significant nerf that reduces their overall impact. Players will now need to carefully manage imp placement to maximize their effectiveness. Witch Doctor’s Shard received a minor nerf, and Wraith King gained two armor but lost lifesteal on his innate ability. While these changes slightly affect Wraith King’s durability and sustain, they are unlikely to shift his role in the meta.

These changes reflect targeted nerfs and reworks aimed at balancing hero abilities and ensuring strategic diversity. While some heroes have been significantly weakened, others remain strong despite their adjustments.

Wraith King and Overall Patch Observations

Wraith King’s changes are minor yet impactful at different skill levels. His critical strike is slightly better at level one but weaker at max level. His level 20 attack speed talent was nerfed by 10 points, though he gained 5% cleave as compensation. The addition of two armor is helpful but not transformative. At higher skill levels, Wraith King remains lackluster and should generally be avoided. However, at lower levels, he continues to thrive as a strong pick with a high win rate.

Promising Heroes and Unexplored Strategies

Despite an underwhelming patch, a few heroes and strategies stand out as worth experimenting with. Venomancer jungle, for instance, appears to have improved and could become a viable option. Shadow Shaman also remains a solid pick to watch, particularly in public games. Similarly, Outworld Devourer and Lycan show potential, especially in lower MMR brackets. Lich and Jakiro are reliable, albeit not particularly exciting choices, while Elder Titan deserves attention for his scaling potential.

Item Changes and Meta Reflections

This patch introduced very few item changes, leaving the current item meta relatively untouched. Despite the lack of major reworks, items like Pipe, Solar Crest, and Blood Grenade remain strong and could see continued usage. The lack of significant adjustments might make this patch feel stagnant compared to previous updates, especially given the two-month gap since the last patch.

Summary of the Patch

Overall, the patch feels underwhelming in terms of hero and item changes. While some minor buffs and nerfs create room for experimentation, no groundbreaking shifts in the meta have occurred. Players hoping for major updates may find this patch disappointing, though it leaves room to refine existing strategies and optimize underutilized heroes.

Thoughts on Item Balancing and Suggestions

The current state of items raises questions about balance and potential adjustments. It appears that developers rely heavily on win rate statistics to guide their decisions. Neutral items, in particular, seem ripe for change. Some items, such as the tier two item “The Bloon”, feel out of place and lack utility.

The Problem with The Bloon

“The Bloon” stands out as a contentious item, often regarded as ineffective or situational at best. In one notable instance, a Medusa player deliberately used it to grief by switching their mana pool and HP, underscoring its lack of practical application. Many players advocate for its removal, reflecting broader dissatisfaction with its presence in the game.

This feedback highlights the importance of reviewing underused or problematic items to improve gameplay balance and player satisfaction. Addressing these concerns could contribute to a more dynamic and enjoyable in-game experience.

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