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Dota 2 Patch 7.40 Gives Lone Druid Two Talent Trees!
After one of the longest patch draughts in the game's history, Dota 2 patch 7.40 is here and it is a doozy! Massive changes to multiple heroes, a new season of Neutral items, more dangerous Wisdom Shrines and so much more.
There is a lot to digest in the latest update, we're still figuring it out! But it's clear that there are some immediate and big changes and we're gonna do our best to run through them in this article.
The Biggest Changes in Dota 2 patch 7.40
Multiple heroes have been reworked
Slark, Lone Druid, and Treant Protector all received big changes to their tool kit. All three lost their facets but gained upgrades to the basic skill set in return.
Slark's Essence Shift is now his innate ability, and he got a new attack modifier that steals regeneration from enemies. Looks like a good laning ability to sustain the hero, especially when attacking an enemy eating tangos.
Treant Protector's abilities were reworked. Living Armor now provides allies with a barrier instead of bonus armor, which seems much stronger. He has a new Leech Seed and his Aghanim upgrade transforms him into a Kaijuu!
Lone Druid's bear is now an innate ability that levels up as a hero, with it's own talent tree. We all knew the bear was a hero for a while now, but it's official in game as well!
New Neutral Item season
Nine neutral items have been removed in Dota 2 patch 7.40, with Sister's Shroud being the most notable. A tier 1 item that can block hits was far too strong, and it was about time it got removed from the game.
Six new items have been added, with several providing impressive bonuses. Ash Legion Shield looks like a very strong option for heroes such as Lycan and Beastmaster. Flayer's Bota seems like an extremely strong buff for right-click cores, while Metamorphic Mandible allows players to turn to small bugs with extra movement speed.
Barracks buff tier four towers now
One common strategy for teams has been to bring down a tier three tower and go straight for throne if the enemy has no buybacks. This tactic has been nerfed, as each barrack provides +4 armor to the tier four towers now.
While this doesn't reduce magic damage that the structures take (Nether Blast, Diabolic Edict), it does significantly slow down quick throne rushes. This gives the defending team a bit of breathing room, though still in a very desperate situation
Twin Gates greatly mana cost reduced
In recent patches, roaming was discouraged due to the hefty 75 mana cost of using a Twin Gate to go around the map. Dota 2 patch 7.40 reduced that mana cost to nearly a third, with only 30 mana per trip. Additionally, if a hero is interrupted, that 30 mana is now refunded.
These changes encourage players to be more active around the map early, making rotations less punishing in the laning phase.
Wisdom Shrines are easier to steal in Dota 2 patch 7.40
Wisdom Shrines are a huge objective in Dota 2, particularly at the seven minute mark. Taking them accelerates support levels, bringing them close or even to level six. Stealing an enemy's Shrine provided a massive benefit for the team, often leading to a quick victory.
It's clear Valve wants players to fight over this objective, and to encourage that, Wisdom Shrines have been lowered to water levels, making it more dangerous to take. Players will have to watch their backs when they take Shrines, as enemies can sneak up on them.
Dota 2 patch 7.40 breathes new life into the game, with a new hero, multiple reworks, big item changes, and a whole lot more. We are thrilled to see the game continue to innovate and look forward to being licked by frogs in our pubs!
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Featured Image Source: Valve