Heroes in Need of a Nerf

In the aftermath of the Bali Major, it’s time to discuss heroes that are in desperate need of a nerf. These heroes were the biggest trendsetters and had high win probabilities throughout the tournament. It shouldn’t come as a surprise which heroes made the list.

1. Broodmother

The universal hero with high farming potential, late game scaling, built-in damage, mobility, and scouting is simply too strong. Something must be done to balance her overall design. Perhaps one solution is to make Insatiable Hunger dispellable, like most buffs of this type. Another option could involve reducing her movement speed, forcing her to rely on Silken Bola for chasing targets rather than focusing solely on maximizing stats for damage and tankiness. It might also be worth reevaluating the concept of universal heroes, as the 0.7 damage per stat feels excessively powerful in the later stages of the game, with universal heroes dominating the meta in core positions.

While some might argue that Morphling needs a nerf, the fact that he can steal 40% of enemy universal hero attributes and still only achieve a ~50% win rate in high-level games illustrates the real problem lies with universal heroes in general, with Broodmother being the most problematic.

2. Medusa

Medusa remains a powerful hero due to one simple reason: unless properly countered in the drafting phase, she will run away with the game. Although she may have some weaknesses in the ultra-late game, if she manages to hit her timing with Manta Style and another major item before the twenty-minute mark, she becomes unstoppable. One potential adjustment could be increasing the mana cost of Stone Gaze to create a trade-off between different types of survivability. Additionally, the activation duration of the ability could be tweaked so that attacking Medusa doesn’t immediately result in negative consequences. This change could help address the issue of her feeling too tanky without directly affecting her damage output or overall tankiness.

3. Clockwerk

Clockwerk currently stands out as one of the strongest position five supports to lane with a ranged core. The hero boasts high mobility, strong aggressive potential, and scales exceptionally well. Furthermore, Clockwerk provides valuable scouting, which is crucial on a larger map and offers tactical advantages in team fights. The ability to initiate a fight by jumping on the backline is an invaluable asset. Additionally, Clockwerk’s versatility allows him to adapt with various builds, making him a solid support choice. While he may currently be underperforming in pubs, his potential showcased during the Bali Major indicates that he may become a problem in the future.

The State of the Meta

The current meta is centered around a few heroes that outshine the rest and can be considered overpowered. Counter-picks alone won’t be sufficient to shift the meta significantly, so direct intervention from Valve may be necessary to bring about substantial changes. The recent 7.33 patch was substantial, and it will require time to properly balance it out. While the professional meta is relatively fixed, the pub meta remains somewhat fluid, with many viable heroes and only a handful of weak ones.

In conclusion, we anticipate a few patches before the upcoming major tournaments. However, we believe these patches should primarily focus on the professional scene rather than pubs. What are your thoughts on the matter? Share your opinions in the comment section below.