
With the Dota 2 Stockholm Major quickly approaching, it seems that Valve has taken it upon themselves to release a balancing patch with some fairly significant nerfs and buffs to heroes, items and creeps.
It’s not unusual for this kind of patch to be released before a key event in the Dota 2 calendar. However, it will certainly have an impact on the strategies that teams were planning to bring to the Major. While fans may be wondering how much impact this will have on their bets, let’s break down the patch and what to expect at the coming Major.
It almost goes without saying at this point that the hero with the biggest nerf is the brand new Primal Beast. Fans will be relieved that Onslaught is not audible through the fog of war and Uproar, Trample and Rock Throw have all been nerfed. It seems that those laning against this hero will no longer be completely overrun if they lack a stun. But, unfortunately, Primal Beast has not been added to the pool for the Stockholm Major so this hero won’t be featured at all.
Unusually, not many items have received changes, with 8 on the list. While Desolator and Satanic have received only minor nerfs, Helm of the Overlord has seen a pretty nice buff. This comes in the form of increases to both the bonus life steal and mana regen. If this is all a touch too technical and betting is really what you’re after, Strafe.com has all of the top eSports betting sites reviewed and ready to go for the Dota 2 Stockholm Major!
Fans of Tiny will have loved his shard ability (unlimited hits with Tree Grab) and his tower pushing abilities. This nerf is long overdue and it seems that fans won’t be seeing the 4-hit racks during the Dota 2 Stockholm Major.
Witch Doctor’s patch may seem small but the implications could be huge in the early game. Maledict, a spell that deals damage over time, has been given an enormous damage buff. At level 1, Maledict will last for 12 seconds. The damage increase has gone from 7/14/21/28 to 12/18/24/30. This buff may prove the dark horse of the latest Dota 2 patch.
The key to this hero’s success is his health regen. Both Reaper’s Scythe and Death Pulse have been nerfed to reduce the heal. Death Seeker has also had the cooldown and mana cost increased. While this meta has seen a fair amount of Necro played in the pro leagues, it’s not guaranteed that will continue after this patch.
Fans are currently anticipating the start of the Dota 2 Stockholm Major after the event was abruptly canceled earlier in the year. Undoubtedly, fans of Dota 2 betting are hard at work studying the data put out by teams in their latest regional matchups. However, this patch may have a huge impact on the ongoing boot camps and future drafts. While it won’t be possible for professional teams to draft newer heroes such as Marci and Primal Beast, carry heroes such as Medusa may continue to be popular, despite a small nerf to Split Shot and Stone Gaze.
The hero changes will, of course, greatly affect the gameplay too. While matches are currently skewing longer, fans may need to rethink the strategy if they intend to bet on the match length. Fear not, the top eSports betting providers such as Betrivers will ensure that they have the most competitive odds when it comes to betting on the Dota 2 Stockholm Major.
While it’s not unusual for a new patch to be released before a Major event, it’ll be great for players and betting fans alike to have some time to become accustomed to the changes before competing. Ensuring that you collect as much data as possible before placing a bet on Dota 2 is the key to success. Betting too far in advance or without research can result in disappointment from the famously unpredictable game.
21+ and present in VA. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Trading financial products carries a high risk to your capital, especially trading leverage products such as CFDs. CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. Between 74-89% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.