The brand new patch is ridiculously large. In truth, it’s so big it took us two days of continuous Dota to kind an preliminary impression. Seems, there are manner too many issues to debate and analyse to suit right into a single weblog publish, so as a substitute we’re going to spotlight a few of our most attention-grabbing and shocking findings.
That is presumably probably the most shocking bit, given the sheer measurement of the patch, however the Dota fundamentals are largely intact. In truth, we’d argue that as a result of no map or economic system adjustments, the sport works surprisingly just like the earlier patch on the macro degree.
The highground push is unquestionably simpler these days. Taking the primary lane of barracks early on is feasible, particularly in case you are snowballing. Which means that gaining the map management benefit is each simpler and might doubtlessly occur earlier, when it’s extra significant. The brand new Roshan Banner additionally feels much more intuitive and impactful to make use of, although it does really feel extra excessive threat, excessive reward.
There are a number of high quality of life adjustments as nicely, most notable being the mana bar being all the time seen. Contemplating that it was the data available regardless, it shouldn’t be an enormous deal for increased degree video games, however in a median pub it could actually doubtlessly improve the extent of aggression: punishing an enemy who’s out of assets is an efficient behavior and this variation ought to assist newer gamers in its improvement. It’s a little bit of an oblique nerf to heroes who generally pretend their skills, like, for instance Kunkka, however it’s nonetheless a really welcome QoL enchancment.
The 2 new sport mechanics launched within the new patch are a whole lot of enjoyable. From a purely pub perspective, they permit for a complete new dimension in theorycrafting and jank buildmaking, one thing we’re personally a fan of. The place it could actually actually shine, although, is aggressive play. Being able to regulate on the fly and doubtlessly adapt to a counterpick is usually a big distinction maker on the highest degree of play.
Proper now the system is already nice, although there are undeniably some over- and under-tuned Sides. A few of them really make the hero worse than the earlier default, which can also be barely questionable, however we’ve little doubt that Valve will form the system into one thing actually nice, like they did with Impartial Gadgets. For now, you possibly can examine which Side works higher on the Dotabuff hero web page.
Lastly, we come to the concepts you could utilise at the moment in your pubs, in case you are keen to threat it. We aren’t going to go over the standard suspects: everybody might be conscious that Bladeform Juggernaut, One Man Military
Axe, Stonehall Plate
Legion Commander and Spectral Blade
Wraith King are sort of busted. As an alternative, we’re going to have a look at doubtlessly janky, however very potent concepts to attempt.
The hero web page paints a really bleak image for the methodical PA and for a superb cause. Regardless of having a better multiplier on her final, the 6-hit requirement is simply too punishing. It isn’t being methodical, it’s being sluggish, until…
Being an impact that you simply stack on makes it work with Manta Model, which is a sport changer, so long as you possibly can really management your illusions nicely sufficient to proc the crit from the true hero, moderately than one of many clones. It in all probability requires an excessive amount of micro talent on the aspect of the participant, however the potential payoff is a 550% Crit each second assault from the true hero, with illusions setting it up. Is it persistently sturdy? In all probability not. Can or not it’s a enjoyable problem? Nearly positively.
Place one Darkish Seer is, unironically, viable. At the very least in our opinion. Common heroes are very sturdy DPS-wise by default, however Fast Wit Darkish Seer takes it to a different degree, with overlapping DPS-increasing Innate and Side.
His innate makes it in order that his Intelligence all the time catches as much as his Power or Agility, relying on which is increased. The Fast Wit Side provides Darkish Seer 0.5 AS per level in Intelligence. The top result’s a hero who will get +1.4 injury and +0.5 AS per level of Power, when constructing Power completely. Informal Ogre Axe giving +14 injury and +7 AS, on high of all the opposite advantages is, frankly, busted.
The hero farms extremely quick, courtesy of Ion Shell. Can lane into most offlaners, can take stack with ease and might be a part of fights comparatively early. By constructing tankiness gadgets completely, the hero turns into a quick and hard-hitting monk that has tons of HP, tons of Magic Resistance and excessive right-click and skill DPS. He additionally has all of the mana to maintain it, whereas additionally scaling with the enemy by way of Wall of Reproduction.
You’ll be able to attempt to make the case for pumping Agi, however as a result of an enormous discrepancy between DS Agi (1.8) and Int (2.7) progress the impact isn’t as pronounced. Although you do technically get +1.5 AS per level of Agility, which is an important DPS attribute, as mentioned just lately.
We all know that the Spectral Blade Side is technically stronger, however we really feel like gamers are underestimating the Bone Guard. It’s a flash-farming Side with sturdy pushing potential and a whole lot of chaotic teamfight presence. And it additionally makes Lich have near infinite mana in lane by degree 5.
Each skelly from Bone Guard provides Lich 2.5% of max mana when dying. Every of them dies twice, so a degree one capability already provides lich 10% of his max mana, on high of the 20% max mana he will get from the creep wave.
Bone Guard does have a fairly lengthy cooldown, but when continually stacking, pulling and killing enemy heroes, Lich ought to have mana for days. Mana that he can convert into much more kills and lane presence.
It’ll take us some time to determine the intricacies of the patch. Furthermore, some nerfs are greater than possible and greater than crucial, from the seems to be of it. So for now we’ll keep away from speaking about stats and meta, as a substitute concentrating on enjoyable, academic concepts to check out or develop on.
For that cause, we additionally ask you to share your ideas within the remark part under. The patch is MASSIVE and there may be a lot to debate and experiment with, it’s actually not possible for a single particular person to do. Don’t hesitate to suggest loopy and janky concepts both — Dota is a wonderful sport with limitless potentialities, so every thing can work!