Meta’s progression from 7.01 to 7.02
Right after release of 7.00 we talked about hard and easy line. Of course that do not mean that Carry must go on hard line every match, but conditions of hard liners changed dramatically.
Hardline evolution
7.01 meta
From one side, Iron Talon became much weaker, and hard (jungle) now is not for every hero. But from other side – in hard line now 2 jungle camps, and recources that you waste on farm now can be returned with the Sanctuary. Due to this top hardliners now are heroes that can farm jungle and harras line without waste of mana (Underlord, Dark Seer) or Hp (Centaur).
100% hardliner now is Enigma. People learned how to play against Sand King by the end of the past patch? but hardline is much more comfortable for him now: Creep’s camp for pulls now on low ground, and Sand King can win the line with one successful dig.
7.02 meta
Right after 7.02 we all think that Valve sent Pitlord (underlord) right into the pit, where he belongs: -15 move speed and twice reduction at 1st level aura. Even AdmiralBulldog confirmed that this is very serious nerf, and we will see him in professionals tournament much less.
- No one hero in all history of Dota 2 never get nerf for -15 move speed (Terrorblade with his Metamorphosis do not count). Heroes which move speed was reduced by 10 point: Arc Warden, Drow, Eart Spirit, Bloodseeker, Riki and Rubick
- 5 times from 40 games Underlord was picked during qualification matches DAC after 7.02 release
And do not haste with recap. Underlord is very good at push with a team, but other strategies are much weaker right now. Opponents still try to ban this heroe against such team as Empire and Complexity, which love using the Underlord. Moreover: Team Spirit pick him in every game of their win streak matches against Vega and proved that Underlord is still strong hero.
Runic Facts
7.01 meta
Life of hardliners became easier because with new jungle it is not profitable for enemy’s supports to sit into the safe line. With changing time of the creeps respawn, Icefrog weakened 2 passive elements: stacks and pulls, but among with this, he add some bounty runes all over the map. And now priority pick – aggressive supports that can fight for runes, and roam between lines. Do not worry about HP and MANA, just go into the sanctuary.
Earth Spirit, which combo just burn all his mana pool is now the most popular roamer. Slardar, that previously worked as Jungle guardian with Iron Talon, transformed into support.
- 48 times Slardar was picked as support in qual DAC matches, as hardliner – almost in 4 times less, just 14.
7.02 meta
All that heroes do not go into shadow, but Valve add more variety. Puppey and zai, for example play as Tusk in publics, and that hero started to appear in DAC.
Wind Ranger look’s nice too at the support position. Now at first level her’s Powershot is in 1.5 times more powerfull, mana cost of Windrun is decreased, and with 4 level and talent she can slow enemies down by 55% with windrun. Long time ago as a support Wind Ranger played EGM, and now she apper in solo ranked of YapZor and Jerax – and last one really good with her.
Closed Pull
7.01 meta
At DotaPit team Faceless show an awesome way to earn easy levels with supports at the first stages of the game. At the first video, Black^ (yes this is Black^ at the Pudge) get 2 level, and Hook at 1:15 and leave Arteezy without whole creep spawns. At second we see how NutZ get 3 level and upgrade Courier, while Black^ control the line, and his enemy play safe, because they do not see where is Rubick.
But the best of all were OG and Jerax. Task: let ana at Alchemist to kill more creeps than Suma1L at Mirana. Solution: Do not let creeps go to the Suma1lL
7.02 meta
Remember how peoples were paid to go on the rally? With new talantes of Ember Spirit and Lone Druid situation was the same, but the price was – easy PTS. Looks like Icefrog wanted that players play differently, and change alternative talantes, maked them much more attractive. +15% to the magic damage at 10 level? +65 to damage at 15? It look such strange, that even normal players realize what talantes to take in a week, and professionals much faster. Okey Icefrog, we understand that we can act like that. And now make balance back, please.
Talantes, Sanctuaries, new map – this all really revived the game in Dota 2 patch 7.00, but there were almost no heroes changes in 7.00. In general, most of the problems of 6.88 are the same – Luna + Shadow Demon, forgotten heroes like Tusk, Lina, Gyro and much more. Moreover – new one appears.
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