Dota 2 7.06e Patch: Minor Changes to Heroes and Items
Valve has recently released the 7.06e patch for Dota 2, which introduces several minor adjustments to items and heroes in the game.
The purpose of this patch, much like its predecessors 7.06 “a” through “d”, is not to completely revamp the competitive Dota 2 experience. Instead, it aims to fine-tune the game by buffing underutilized heroes and items while toning down the most popular ones. Overall, the changes brought by patch 7.06e are minimal. For example, the hero Sniper receives a mere 0.2 increase in agility gain per level.
Valve has made it a habit to release these balance patches shortly after major tournaments, such as The International 7 qualifiers. This allows them to address any emerging trends in the competitive scene. As a result, almost every hero that was highly contested during the North American qualifiers has received some form of nerf. Puck, Sand King, Lina, and Legion Commander, four of the most frequently picked heroes, have all seen minor reductions in power. On the other hand, heroes like Spectre and Windranger, who were left untouched, have received minor buffs.
While most changes are subtle enough that the affected heroes will likely still have a place in the meta, a few heroes have undergone more significant changes that will immediately impact their popularity. One such hero is Night Stalker, who experienced a surge in popularity during the qualifiers. In 7.06e, Night Stalker’s base intelligence has been reduced, resulting in a smaller mana pool and slower mana regeneration. Additionally, the cooldown of his ability, Hunter in the Night, has been increased, making him less effective as a roaming and ganking support.
Conversely, Alchemist, who was rarely picked in the qualifiers, has received notable improvements. The gold multiplier from bounty runes has been increased from 2x to 2.5x, and the hero’s base agility has been boosted from 11 to 16. These changes enhance Alchemist’s attack speed and provide him with an additional point of armor.
It is still too early to determine the patch’s impact on the competitive Dota 2 metagame. However, considering that this patch will likely be the last or second-to-last before The International 7, professional players will have ample time to explore and refine both old and new strategies.
Patch 7.06e will make its debut in several minor online cups today. As for elite teams and their matches in 7.06e, Dota 2 fans will have to wait until the Mars Dota 2 League begins in Wuhan, China later this week.
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