Gaming
The International 7 is done and dusted, and although we’ve already had a small patch everyone’s still craving the big one. We picked four changes we'd most like to see.
With The International done and dusted, the Dota community goes into a frenzy as the scene enters somewhat of a lull. The rumour mill starts whirring as there’s ridiculous speculation aplenty and teams start to shape up ahead of the new season. With Valve’s changes to the competitive format, we’re going to see a whopping 11 majors and 11 minors next season. The first major will come towards the end of October where ESL One Hamburg plays host to eight of the finest teams from across the world for no less than $1,000,000.
Before then though, there’s the small matter of a gameplay patch that we’re all crying out for. Whilst Siltbreaker Part Two has gone someway to appease the masses, anyone playing pubs is likely fed up of now seeing Venomancer, Earthshaker, Lich, Nyx Assassin and Night Stalker in each and every game. It’s the trickle from TI7 where Team Liquid’s success with the likes of Shaker, Lich and Venomancer is very much to blame for the now infuriating pub meta. There’s very little more annoying than playing in the mid lane against an enemy Lich and Earthshaker. It’s nigh-on unbearable. We know we’re getting two new heroes but details are, in typically Valve fashion, scant to say the least. All that anyone wants is a change to fill the lonely evenings with no competitive Dota 2 to satiate one’s ravenous appetite. Here are a few of the bigger gameplay changes that we want to see in the near future, ones we didn’t see in this past weekend’s incremental 7.06f patch rollout.
An adjustment to the mid lane
Due to the recent changes to the mid lane, it’s clearly become the most important lane early on. Whereas traditionally the observer would be focussed on the mid players as it was the chance to showcase raw one versus one skill, that’s just not the case now. Due to the adjustments to creep experience and extra creep in the lane, it’s completely worth it to run dual or even trilane setups mid. Whereas we’re used to watching the likes of Sumail 'Suma1L' Hassan destroy other mid players and snowball after a strong start, there’s so many external influences (and Lich picks) that it’s just not quite as exciting to watch.
Make no mistake, it still makes for exciting skirmishes, but the emphasis on independent laners in the safe and off lane just doesn’t feel quite right. A gentle adjustment to the experience or even just reverting the creep change may be enough, but IceFrog knows a whole lot better than us so we’re sure he has something up his sleeve.
Nerf Venomancer into oblivion
We'd hope that there’s no one out there that actually enjoys playing Venomancer. Equally, surely no one can find an inkling of satisfaction in playing the hero? It doesn’t matter which way your opponent builds the hero. If they max Plague Ward, by level seven you can’t destroy them as quickly as they get put down. If they max Gale, you’re probably dead every time you get caught. Get into a teamfight and see that green cloud emerge? Run. It doesn’t end well for you, or your team.
If you don’t get wrecked in the early to mid game and lose most of your base then when the hero gets to level 25, Plague Wards get 3x the health and 3x the damage. They become little heroes in their own rights and the rage ramps up. IceFrog has just released 7.06f but there’s no adjustments to Venomancer. The world’s gone mad.
Terrifying mid lane Lion
The latest patch, 7.06f, was not the huge patch we all wanted. It did, however, bring gentle adjustments to heroes that were somewhat underwhelming. We’ve seen Tiny, Wraith King, Spectre, Bane and Lion all receive buffs in the changelog that should put them back in competitive balance. These five heroes were the only ones that didn’t get picked of the 112 available at The International. Tiny with Aghanim’s now has a terrifying 300 attack range, whilst Spectre’s Haunt has been buffed to make it worth the cooldown. The most intriguing is Lion, however. Our last suggestion isn’t a prod at the developers, but more a plea to the professionals.
Lion’s level 20 talent is now +300 Finger of Death damage. With an Aghanim’s Scepter it already does 1,025 damage on a 20 second cooldown, in an AoE. Make that 1,300. That’s a truly scary prospect for anyone at any stage of the game. Now how about you stick Lion in the mid lane? With levels the hero is strong, owing to the Earth Spike into Mana Drain combination making it tough to cast spells. Give Lion a quick Blink Dagger, Aether Lens, Aghanim’s Scepter and level 20 and that’s one very scary hero.
Reintroduce Techies to Captain’s Mode
Hold the pitchforks. Hear us out, please. When Techies broke into the scene and he was first picked back at ESL One Frankfurt by Team Secret, the reaction was some of the most hype we’ve ever witnessed at a live event. If the hero isn’t adjusted, it’s unlikely we’ll see a surge in the pub popularity of everyone’s least favourite hero. What it will mean, though, is that the increasingly innovative professional sphere will find whacky ways to potentially introduce Techies into a new cheese strat. Maybe they’ll opt for the Bloodseeker Techies lane that we’ve long been pining for and avidly discouraging?
The game doesn’t quite feel complete without each and every hero in the Captain’s Mode pool. Techies was the lone soul that didn’t quite make it to The International this year, and with two new heroes on the way it’s surely time to unleash him back into the pro scene.
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