Earthshaker: The Cheesy Midlaner of Patch 7.34b

Patch 7.34b has been in effect for nearly a month. The patch update saw the resurgence of some old heroes and the downfall of some meta heroes of the previous patch. However, among the resurging heroes, one stood above the rest - Earthshaker.

Fissures and Echoes

For the longest time, Earthshaker has been a stable support hero. The hero in the right hands could shake things up in-game. However, as the traditional midlane heroes like Queen Of Pain, Void Spirit and Storm Spirit have below 50% win rate, Earthshaker has been shaking up his new role with a more than solid 51% win rate.

The hero played a crucial part in The International 2023 qualifiers as it helped Virtus Pro secure a ticket to TI. The hero can be picked as a first pick during the drafting phase, giving teams versatility in their draft.

The Buffs

Despite not seeing the hero throughout the DPC year, Earthshaker always finds his way to the International stage every year. Moreover, the hero is a stable of many legendary support players. As the TI 12 is on the horizon, the hero received buffs yet again, boosting his relevance in the game. In Patch 7.34, the hero’s second ability, Enchant Totem’s attack range increased. The attack range increase of the Totem makes it easier for the hero to secure range creeps in the laning stage. Moreover, Shaker’s passive aftershock radius increased, making his Echo Slams more devastating if the opposing team groups up for a high-ground attempt.

The New Itemisation 

The new itemisation prioritises ES’s totem. Fissure, Shaker’s first ability, is taken more as a valuable point. As the hero transitions to the midlane, players max out the hero’s second, third and ultimate abilities before taking fissure.  The hero is also a good counter-pick against classic midlaners such as Pangolier, Ember Spirit and Queen Of Pain.

As for the itemisation of the hero, different players itemise differently. However, one thing is common in all the builds. Starting the laning stage with boots, players will either upgrade them or rush  Blink Dagger. After finishing Dagger, the player will rush Aghanim’s Scepter.

Aghs give Shaker more mobility and efficiency during skirmishes. After Aghs, either a Black King Bar or an Octerine Core will get picked up, depending on the game’s situation. Octerine Core gives ES more control in skirmishes, while Black King Bar makes the hero more elusive. After those items, either a Silver Edge or Daedelus gets picked up as it gives more burst damage. Overwhelming Blink is also an option to round off the itemisation.

Featured Image Source: Valve