The Biggest Winners of the Recent Patch: Shaking Up the Meta
It has been a week since the release of the latest patch, and there is no doubt that it has brought about significant changes to the meta. Many previously underused or underpowered heroes have emerged as powerful contenders. In this article, we will discuss the biggest winners of the patch and how they have transformed the gameplay experience.
The Rise of Witch Doctor
The spell immunity-piercing pure damage of Death Ward has become insanely strong. Despite the reduction in the damage values, the ability now deals more damage to targets with more than ~7 armor. This change has made Witch Doctor a formidable support hero who can take on enemy carries at every stage of the game, even without a large amount of gold. All it takes is smart positioning and game sense. However, it is worth noting that Witch Doctor is likely to receive nerfs in the future due to his overwhelming strength.
Riki’s Agility Boost
Sometimes the simplest buffs can have the greatest impact. Riki’s Agility gain has received a massive boost, making him a highly viable late game carry. With each level, Riki gains an additional point of Agility, resulting in a total of +42 extra Agility by level 30. For a hero that heavily relies on Agility, this increase is significant. Although Riki has become slightly less durable with a decrease in Strength per level, his extra Armor compensates for it. Connecting spells with this elusive hero has become even more challenging, making him an even stronger snowballing threat.
Sand King’s Reemergence
Sand King was not considered a weak hero in the previous patch, but the Dust changes posed a significant challenge for him. It had become difficult for him to play around the continuously applied effect, rendering his usual survival tactics ineffective. Fortunately, the 7.34 changes have given Sand King the opportunity to escape the Dust area and survive with a 100 ms increase in movement speed. This change has also improved his farming capabilities, allowing him to clear multiple jungle camps with a single Sandstorm. Additionally, the increased Sandstorm radius now enhances the size of the Spikes from Aghanim’s Scepter, making Sand King more reliable in terms of crowd control. While he remains somewhat risky during laning, Sand King can quickly recover with some stacks and become a formidable initiator and teamfighter.
The Menace of Slardar
Slardar has become an offlaner to watch out for. With a significant increase in damage (+10 at level two and +20 at level three), he becomes an intimidating force in the lane, especially for melee cores. The hero is particularly devastating with sustain or kill support alongside him. Mid Slardar is also a possibility due to his water-based sustain. At level six, Slardar becomes an unstoppable threat, running at opponents with +30 damage, high movement speed, and the ability to reduce their armor. The counterplay options against Slardar are extremely limited.
The All-Rounder: Invoker
Invoker has seen overall improvements, with enhancements to his right-click damage, combat abilities, and item synergy. His attribute gain has significantly increased, making him tankier and more viable in the late game. The Spirit Vessel has replaced Rod of Atos as the core item for Quas-Wex Invoker, providing early game stats and utility. Many Invoker players now prioritize other abilities over Exort until level 10 due to the potency of his EMP+Tornado+Cold Snap combo and the utility of Ghost Walk. It is almost certain that Invoker will face nerfs in the future, given his current dominance in high-level play.
The Current State of the Game
The recent patch has certainly introduced some imbalanced heroes into the game. However, this has worked in favor of diversifying the meta and reducing the dominance of universal heroes. As the dust settles, the game is expected to reach a more balanced state. Nevertheless, there is a limited time window before The International qualifiers begin, and players hope to see further changes soon. Typically, major patches are not released between the qualifiers and The International, potentially leaving players with the same game version for several months. Therefore, it is crucial to fine-tune the current iteration of the game to ensure an optimal competitive experience.