The Bali Major Group Stage: What Works and What Doesn’t

The Group Stage for the Bali Major has concluded, and it’s time to examine the current state of the meta at the highest level of competitive play. Contrary to popular belief, the meta is not set in stone, as many aspects are shifting.

Pugna and Undying: Powerhouses of the Tournament

Pugna and Undying have proven to be consistent performers in this tournament, and it comes as no surprise. As strong lane dominators with considerable save and healing capabilities, they are highly sought after in this teamfight-oriented meta.

Pugna stands out with an impressive 56% win rate, but it’s important to note that this hero thrives when paired with suitable partners. While he can be picked casually in everyday games, he truly shines alongside heroes like Storm Spirit.

Medusa also falls into the category of highly popular and successful heroes in the current meta. However, this is not new information. Countering Medusa during the drafting stage is imperative, and even with guaranteed bans in Captains Mode, this hero remains problematic. In All Pick, prioritizing Medusa is still crucial.

Heroes That Are Thriving

There are several heroes that are performing exceptionally well, with Broodmother taking the lead with a comfortable ~70% win rate across 36 games. This hero is undeniably strong, but we have already discussed this in a recent post.

Joining Broodmother are Clockwerk and Windranger, who are slightly less overpowered but still formidable. Despite recent nerfs, Windranger remains a significant threat due to her survivability and high damage output.

Clockwerk’s inclusion may come as a surprise, but his rise to prominence coincides with the resurgence of ranged cores. He complements a variety of heroes and is particularly effective in teams lacking initiation or with heroes who possess long cooldowns. This makes him invaluable in pub matches, although he is best laned with a ranged core.

Heroes Falling Behind

Some heroes are not performing as well as anticipated, despite teams training and desiring to play them consistently. These heroes may have been recently nerfed or figured out by opponents, and it is likely this trend will influence pub games as well.

Beastmaster and Terrorblade are notably underperforming. Beastmaster often falls victim to excessive greed and struggles to make an impact in the early to mid-game with an Aghanim’s build, precisely when the team needs him most. If opponents successfully invade his stacks before the ten-minute mark, Beastmaster loses momentum.

Terrorblade’s subpar performance is somewhat surprising. As a hard carry reliant on his team to initiate fights, he falls short compared to Medusa. Terrorblade is easier to eliminate, contributes less in teamfights, and doesn’t necessarily farm faster. Nonetheless, he is still worth playing, but the prominence of Morphling in this tournament makes Terrorblade’s life difficult.

Disruptor has an abysmal ~26% win rate across 19 games. This hero has significantly weakened, with level one Thunder Strike transforming from the best damage per mana ability to one of the worst. Maxing it out isn’t a viable option, resulting in a hero that shines when ahead but struggles when at a disadvantage.

Other Heroes of Interest

There are numerous other heroes worth discussing. Techies, for instance, is starting to feel more predictable, while heroes like Enigma are excelling even in support roles. Overall, the meta is far from settled, and we will explore additional intriguing aspects later this week.