Major Changes, Balance and Bug Fixes Now Ported to DOTA 2

In the previous patch notes articles, I mentioned how I wasn’t expecting new heroes and major changes in DOTA 2, as it would affect the teams’ preparation for The International 2013. Apparently, Valve and Icefrog have proven me wrong. The changes from WC3 DotA 6.78 have been ported DOTA 2 as of June 3, 2013 (GMT-7) and at the time of writing this article, the updates are available in the test client and will probably be ported to the main client in a day or so. This change doesn’t include the new heroes so I’m still pretty much correct on that aspect. (For now?) I am not disappointed with this major patch, though, as the changes have made things more interesting in my view at least. And as TobiWan’s said it, “The DOTA as we know it is going to change”.

Major balance fixes like this always excite me, as it brings new things to the table. Also, I am also always excited to see the pro’s deal with something new or different. Hopefully, I get to see Omniknight in competitive play, as his Agh’s upgrade is quite something. It would be interesting to jump into pubs and try Omniknight with Treant Protector (Heal all the buildings!) or Omniknight with Chen (No one dies in this team fight!).  Medusa finally lives up to her name by actually turning people into stone while Lone Druid better be more careful about his Spirit Bear, as it costs more than twice its current bounty and gets its HP drained with Armlet, too! Skeleton King is now too difficult to play. #Kappa

Let us expect surprises, new strats, a reworked META perhaps and possibly the resurgence or disappearance of a few heroes from competitive play. Without further ado, here are the details of this week’s major update:

BALANCE

[tabgroup][tab title=”HEROES”]

Axe

• Counter Helix cooldown decreased from 0.65/0.6/0.55/0.5 to 0.55/0.5/0.45/0.4

Ancient Apparition

• Ice Vortex cooldown decreased from 6 to 5
• Ice Blast base AoE increased from 225 to 275
• Ancient Apparition: Added Aghanim’s Scepter (Ice Blast duration increased from 8/9/10 to 17)

Batrider

• Vision decreased from 1800/800 to 1400/800
• Flamebreak mana cost increased from 80/100/120/140 to 140

Beastmaster

• Greater Hawk invisibility fade time decreased from 5 to 4

Bloodseeker

• Strygwyr’s Thirst now gives you bonus 3/4/5/6 armor when active
• Bloodrage dispels the target before applying its buff
• Rupture damage is now HP loss

Bounty Hunter

• Track manacost from 70/60/50 to 50

Brewmaster

• Aghanim’s Primal Split units now gain your current level of Drunken Brawler
• Fire Spirit no longer upgrades damage with Aghanim’s Scepter

Bristleback

• Quill Spray hit memory increased from 10 to 14 seconds

Broodmother

• Incapacitating Bite miss chance from 10/20/30/40% to 30/40/50/60%
• Spawn Spiderlings unit count increased from 1/2/3/3 to 1/2/3/4

Clinkz

• Strafe cooldown decreased from 60/50/40/30 to 45/40/35/30

Clockwerk

• Power Cogs no longer knock back magic immune units

Crystal Maiden

• Brilliance Aura mana regen increased from 0.5/1/1.5/2 to 1/1.5/2/2.5
• Freezing Field explosion AoE increased from 215 to 230
• Aghanim’s Freezing Field’s attack speed reduction aura increased from -20 to -50

Dark Seer

• Vacuum cooldown increased from 22 to 24

Dazzle

• Shadow Wave target count increased from 3/3/4/5 to 3/4/5/6
• Shallow Grave can now be cast on magic immune allies

Death Prophet

• Movement speed decreased from 285 to 280
• Silence AoE increased from 200/275/350/350 to 350
• Witchcraft move speed bonus increased from 4/8/12/16% to 5/10/15/20%

 Disruptor

• Thunder Strike from 3 strikes over 4 seconds to 4 strikes over 6 seconds
• Thunder Strike damage per strike decreased from 50/75/100/125 to 40/60/80/100
• Thunder Strike AoE increased from 200 to 240

Doom

• Doom now disables Feast, Backtrack, Dispersion, Juxtapose, Bristleback and Blood Bath
• Aghanim’s Scepter upgrade duration reworked (duration doesn’t count down while near Doom)

Dragon Knight

• Corrosive Breath passive from Level 1 Elder Form now carries over to Level 2 (the DPS)

Drow Ranger

• Trueshot Aura increased from 14/18/22/26% to 16/20/24/28%

Earthshaker

• Turn rate improved from 0.4 to 0.6
• Fissure range increased from 1200 to 1300
• Echo Slam now considers illusions as heroes

Elder Titan

• Ancestral Spirit vision type from Flying to Ground
• Natural Order aura increased from 20/40/60/80% to 25/50/75/100%

Enchantress

• Aghanim’s Scepter bonus attack range increased from 165 to 190

Enigma

• Malefice scaling reworked (now 3 ticks with 0.25/0.5/0.75/1 sec stun and 75/120/165/210 damage)

Gyrocopter

• Flak Cannon cooldown increased from 20 to 30

Huskar

• Base Strength increased by 3
• Burning Spears DPS increased from 4/8/12/16 to 5/10/15/20
• Life Break HP cost increased from 35/30/25% to 40/35/30%
• Berserker’s Blood Reworked (now has 4/5/6/7% magic resistance and 8/12/16/20 attack speed per stack)
•  Removed from Captain’s Mode

Invoker

• Alacrity manacost decreased from 100 to 75
• Ghost Walk slow increased from 20/23/26/30/33/36/40 to 20/25/30/35/40/45/50
• Ghost Walk cooldown decreased from 60 to 35
• Tornado damage rescaled from 70+(Wex+Quas)*20 to 70+(2*Wex+Quas)*15

Io

• Spirits no longer provide vision, except temporarily when they collide with an enemy hero
• Overcharge hp/mp cost increased from 3.5% to 4.5%

 Juggernaut

• Omnislash no longer jumps on Tombestone Zombies

Keeper of the Light

• Base Strength decreased by 2

Kunkka

• Ghost Ship damage increased from 300/400/500 to 350/450/550
• X Marks The Spot manacost decreased from 80/90/100/110 to 80
• X Marks The Spot vision from 1000 flying to 400 ground vision

Lich

• Chainfrost bounce count increased from 7 to 10

Lifestealer

• Open Wounds cast range decreased from 600 to 200/300/400/500

Lina

• Attack range increased from 625 to 635

Lion

• Mana Drain break and cast range improved by 100 (750/1100 -> 850/1200)
• Aghanim’s Finger of Death CD decreased from 160/100/40 to 100/60/20

Lone Druid

• Spirit Bear now has its HP drained by Armlet when active
• Spirit Bear bounty increased from 100 to 300

Lycanthrope

• Armor increased by 1 (Shapeshift total armor is still the same as before)

Magnataur

• Reverse Polarity damaged decreased from 150/225/300 to 50/125/200

Medusa

• Removed from Captain’s Mode

[toggle_box title=”Stone Gaze Reworked” width=”Width of toggle box”]

Any unit facing Medusa will have its attack, movement and turn rate reduced by 50% until the end of the spell. If you accumulate 2 seconds time (in total) facing Medusa, you will turn to stone.

Stoned units are disabled, have 100% magic resistance and take extra damage from physical attacks.

View Angle Spread          :               85
Gaze Duration                   :               6 seconds.
Stone Duration                 :               3 seconds
Bonus Physical Damage :               30/40/50%
AOE                                       :               1000
CD                                          :               90
Manacost                            :               200

Note: Kills illusions instead of petrifying them
[/toggle_box]

 

Meepo

• Innate magic resistance increased from 25% to 35%

Mirana

• Elune’s Arrow now deals up to 100 extra damage based on distance the arrow traveled
• Moonlight Shadow cooldown decreased from 160/140/120 to 140/120/100
• Starfall will choose a new target for the second star if the first died before impact

Morphling

• Base attack time improved from 1.7 to 1.6

Naga Siren

• Rip Tide cooldown rescaled from 19/16/13/10 to 10

Necrolyte

• If a unit dies under Reaper’s Scythe, it will be credited to Necrolyte
• Aghanim’s Reaper’s Scythe causes buyback to be disabled on heroes it kills for that death

Nyx Assassin

• Mana Burn drain and damage decreased from 5x Int to 3.5/4/4.5/5x
• Mana Burn manacost rescaled from 130/120/110/100 to 100

Nightstalker

• Hunter in the Night attack speed rescaled from 30/45/60/75 to 45/55/65/75 (MS remains 20/25/30/35)

Ogre Magi

• Ignite DPS increased from 26/32/38/44 to 26/34/42/50

Omniknight

• Added Aghanim’s Scepter (Global and affects buildings)

Outworld Devourer

• Movement speed increased from 310 to 315

Phantom Assassin

• Blur level 4 evasion increased from 35% to 40%

Phantom Lancer

• Spirit Lance, Dopplewalk, Juxtapose and Phantom Edge illusions damage dealt decreased from 25% to 20%

Pudge

• Flesh Heap strength bonus increased from 0.9/1.2/1.5/1.8 to 1/1.5/2/2.5

Pugna

• Nether Blast structure damage increased from 33% to 50%
• Decrepify can now target Tombstone

Razor

• Eye of the Storm duration increased from 20/25/30 to 30
• Eye of the Storm strike interval decreased from 0.75/0.65/0.55 to 0.7/0.6/0.5 (Aghanim’s to 0.55/0.45/0.35)
• Unstable Current movement speed bonus increased from 3/6/9/12% to 4/8/12/16%

Riki

• Permanent Invisibility fade time decreased from 3/2.25/1.5 to 3/2/1

Sand King

• Invisibility fade delay when exiting Sand Storm improved from 0.3/0.6/0.9/1.5 to 1.5
• Sand Storm now has a smoother damage interval (1->0.5, total damage is the same)

Shadow Demon

• Base Intelligence decreased by 3
• Shadow Poison no longer gives vision over the targets with the debuff

Shadow Fiend

• Requiem of Souls slow rescaled from 15/20/25% to 20%
• Requiem of Souls damage reduction increased from 15/20/25% to 50%

Shadow Shaman

• Aghanim’s Mass Serpent Wards damage increased from 53-59/74-79/94-100 to 85-90/105-110/125-130

Silencer

• Global Silence now affects sleeping units
• Added Aghanim’s Scepter for Silencer (Adds CotS to all units and increases duration by one)

Skeleton King

• Reincarnation slow now affects attack speed as well
• Reincarnation slow happens immediately upon death rather than after reincarnating
• Critical Strike Reworked (Allows you to temporarily trade Critical Strike for a 7 second 20% max life drain)

Slardar

• Bash damage type from magical to physical
• Sprint cooldown decreased from 40 to 28

Sniper

• Shrapnel AoE increased from 360 to 400

Spirit Breaker

• Charge of Darkness will now also Greater Bash its target

Storm Spirit

• Electric Vortex cooldown decreased from 20 to 21/20/19/18

Tidehunter

• Ravage AoE rescaled from 825/925/1025 to 1025

Timbersaw

• Base Strength increased by 3
• Int growth increased from 1.8 to 2.4
• Chakram initial manacost rescaled from 125/150/175 to 75/125/175
• Chakram move speed increased from 800 to 900

Tiny

• Toss cooldown decreased from 10 to 9
• You can now Toss units to Runes

Treant Protector

• Leech Seed slow increased from 24% to 28%
• Leech Seed’s healing effect no longer ends when the target dies

Troll Warlord

• Battle Trance cooldown increased from 20 to 30
• Battle Trance duration decreased from 10 to 7

Tuskar

• Snowball cooldown decreased from 24 to 21

Undying

• Soul Rip cast range increased from 650 to 750

Ursa

• Fury Swipes duration increased from 6 to 15

Vengeful Spirit

• Strength increased from 16 + 2.3 to 18 + 2.6
• Nether Swap cast range rescaled from 600/900/1200 to 650/925/1200

Venomancer

• Poison Sting duration increased from 6/7/8/9 to 6/8/10/12

Viper

• Corrosive Skin affects any damage source not just regular attacks
• Viper Strike is no longer removed by Dark Pact or Kraken Shell

Witch Doctor

• Death Ward cast range rescaled from 300/350/400 to 400
• Maledict cast range increased from 400 to 525

[/tab][tab title=”Items”]

• Drums of Endurance: Recipe cost increased from 750 to 800
• Armlet of Mordiggian: HP regen decreased from 8 to 7
• Assault Cuirass: Positive armor aura is no longer prevented from stacking with other items
• Black King Bar: Magic Immunity now has a 6th level of decrease
• Blade Mail: Armor increased from 5 to 6
• Blade Mail: Damage Return cooldown decreased from 22 to 17
• Blink Dagger: Cooldown decreased from 14 to 12
• Bloodstone: Initial charges increased from 6 to 8
• Bloodstone: Can be activated to instantly kill yourself (requires a ground target)
• Bottle: While empty, causes couriers to move 30% slower
• Courier: Courier no longer block neutral creeps from spawning
• Courier: Courier Speed Burst from 100% to 50% MS bonus (still reaches max speed)
• Dagon: Recipe cost decreased from 1300 to 1250
• Dust of Appearance: Now stacks in inventory
• Dust of Appearance: Now slows heroes with an invisibility buff on them by 10%
• Ethereal Blade: Self or ally cast duration increased to 4 seconds
• Eul’s Scepter of Divinity: Movement speed bonus increased from 30 to 35
• Force Staff: Recipe cost decreased from 1000 to 900
• Gem of True Sight: Gem can no longer be destroyed
• Gem of True Sight: Gold cost increased from 700 to 850
• Headress of Rejuvenation: Regeneration Aura AoE increased from 500 to 750 (now equal to Mekansm’s active)
• Linken’s Sphere: Cooldown decreased from 20 to 17
• Medallion of Courage: Cast range increased from 800 to 1000
• Mekansm: Regeneration Aura AoE increased from 500 to 750 (now equal to active)
• Buckler: Armor bonus AoE active increased from 700 to 750 (now equal to Mekansm’s active )
• Necronimicon: Warrior and Archer armor type changed from Heavy to Hero (takes less damage from creeps)
• Null Talisman: Recipe cost decreased from 145 to 135
• Observer Ward: Initial Stock now starts at 1 instead of 2 (max stock is still 2)
• Quelling Blade: Can now target Observer or Sentry wards dealing 100 damage (wards have 200 hp)
• Quelling Blade: Cast range increased from 100 to 350
• Radiance: Burn damage increased from 45 to 50
• Sange and Yasha: Minor changes to stats
• Sentry Ward: AoE decreased from 950 to 800
• Shadow Amulet: Fade time decreased from 2.6 to 2.4
• Shadow Blade: Damage decreased from 30 to 22
• Shiva’s Guard: Aura AoE decreased from 1000 to the standard 900
• Shiva’s Guard: Attack Speed reduction increased from -30 to -40
• Stygian Desolator: Corruption armor reduction increased from 6 to 7
• Veil of Discord: Discord AoE increased from 550 to 600

[/tab] [tab title=”Others”]

• Captain’s Mode bans changed from 2/3 to 2/2/1
• Captain’s Mode picks changed from 3/2 to 2/2/1
• Adjusted ban/pick/reserve times Captain’s Mode
• Deny XP and Bonus XP/Gold AOE is now the same as regular XP AOE (1000->1200)
• 4 hero XP bonus changed from 15+6*Level to 20+5*level
• 5 hero XP bonus changed from 10+5*Level to 15+4*level
• Level 11 XP requirements reduced from 6500 to 6000
• Level 12 XP requirements increased from 7700 to 8200
• Gold for ending a spree changed from 50->400 (3x->10x) to 75->600
• Buy back cooldown increased from 5 to 6 minutes
• Level 1 and Level 2 towers armor increased from 18 to 20
• Towers no longer have separate bounty values when creeps or allies get the last it, it now gives the same reliable bounty to all players as if a creep killed it.
• Hero getting last hit on tower gives 100-200 bonus gold. Does not affect team bounty in any way
• Backdoor protection now also reduces incoming damage by 25%
• Siege units HP increased from 500 to 550
• Repicking a randomed hero now re-adds the hero to the pool
• Swapping a hero that you randomed now costs you 100 gold

[/tab][/tabgroup] [box_light] BUGS

• Earthshaker: Fixed a number of slightly incorrect properties with Echo Slam.
• Troll Warlord: Fixed a number of slightly incorrect properties with Whirling Axes.

[/box_light] [box_light]
AUDIO
Ownage sounds now play on the default Mega-kills, Bastion Mega-kills, and Pyrion Flax mega-kills announcers for whenever your team scores 5 or more kills without any heroes on your team dying.
[/box_light] [box_light] VISUAL

• Mirana: Reduced arrow size by 10%
• Reduced arrow saturation
• Enemies continue to not see or hear the same effects on the arrow as allies do

[/box_light]

Source:  DOTA 2 Dev Forums