Dota 2 patch 7.39d Cuts Down Nature's Prophet

6 Aug

Otomo

Dota 2 patch 7.39d is here and it is likely the last update to the game before The International arrives. As expected, it's a small balance patch to bring down a few overpowered heroes, while trying to shine he spotlight on some forgotten picks.

In this article we will go through the biggest changes and discuss which nerfed heroes are still relevant, and who might rise in the meta.

The biggest changes in Dota 2 patch 7.39d

IceFrog guts Blade Mail

Blink, use Blade Mail, then pray. A lot. (Credit: Valve)

Blade Mail has seen a massive surge in popularity in Dota 2 recently. Whether it's in combination with Axe or Queen of Pain, everyone loves reflecting damage. It's a cheap item that can stay relevant throughout the entire match.

Blade Mail now deals significantly less passive damage, making it far more rewarding to catch Blade Mail holders unaware. Overall, we like this nerf and think it's well deserved.

Nature's Prophet and Shadow Shaman just got boinked!

Pick me! Oh please pick me! (Credit: Valve).

With TI around the corner, we weren't expecting drastic changes, so none of the heroes at the top of the meta got gutted. Still, a few did receive sizable hits that will hurt their popularity.

The two biggest losers are Shadow Shaman and Nature's Prophet. Shaman's snakes attack a little slower, and deal 33% less damage to Roshan now. You can still take down Roshan with a friend the moment Shaman hits 6, but it takes a lot longer now.

Nature's Prophet took a pretty big boink on the head. His heal is reduced by half!, his agility gain reduced as well, along with the damage from Sprout. Still, the hero is a global ganking machine that scales well. So while these are big nerfs, we expect Nature's Prophet to remain a viable pick in the meta.

Skywrath Mage is a happy guy right now

Skywrath Mage may be a weak hero in-game but he is a gigachad in the lore
Credits: Valve

A lot of the buffs are fairly minor in Dota 2 patch 7.39d, but there are some stand outs.

The first is Earth Spirit, who gained six minimum damage. That's a nice buff to his early game and laning as a core. Probably not enough to get back into the meta but the hero has received several buffs in a row.

Bounty Hunter also received a nice buff. An extra 10 gold per Track level can add up fast for allies. Ganking has never been more rewarding, and this makes Bounty an even bigger pub menace.

If we had to pick our biggest winner though, it might be Skywrath Mage. His Aghanim's Shard now provides an additional two Arcane bolts per cast. This won't impact most fights, as enemies are fairly spread out, but it will help him, especially at farming.

Overall, this is a relatively small balance patch and not one to get too excited about. Still, it will provide a bit of a shakeup as Dota 2 gears up for The International in September.

Featured Image Source: Valve