Patch 7.38c Pushing Pro Teams to Unusual Picks

Dota 2 is in a very interesting moment right now, and patch 7.38c is pushing teams to innovate. During the PGL Wallachia Season 4, this became even more apparent, with lots of unusual heroes appearing in all positions.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most intriguing ideas from different playoff matches. Let’s take a look at how Dota drafting is getting both weirder and more exciting in this ongoing battle of wits.

Behind this calmness and composure is a vicious support Slark. – Credit: Twitter (@pgldota2)

Patch 7.38c: Embracing the Weirdness

Patch 7.38 was released on February 19th, but it feels like it’s been around much longer. Many heroes have shifted identities — some thriving, others falling from grace — only to reinvent themselves once again. A couple of months later, we’re now seeing the full impact of these changes on the competitive metagame.

IceFrog seems to be encouraging experimentation, and teams are finally embracing that push. During the PGL Wallachia, we saw several clever, unconventional picks. Let’s start with the match where Team Tidebound eliminated BetBoom Team.

Gyrocopter as a Soft Support

In the final map of an elimination match, Tidebound needed a support, but the popular AA/Jakiro duo was already banned. In a stroke of inspiration, the team misled BetBoom by picking Gyrocopter — a hero traditionally played as a carry — but used it as a soft support in the hands of planet.

Gyro actually works surprisingly well in this role. Rocket Barrage is great for level 1 rune fights, Flak Cannon allows for reliable harassment despite Gyro’s limited attack range, and Homing Missile helps control aggressive opponents diving the offlaner.

We’ll start with China’s best team getting creative to win. – Credit: Dotabuff

Despite a difficult laning stage, this bold move paid off. Team Tidebound defeated BetBoom and, as one of the most innovative teams of the tournament, earned a well-deserved 4th place finish.

Underlord as a Carry

After eliminating BetBoom and defeating Team Spirit, Tidebound faced another challenge: Karma. Much like in the first round of the lower bracket, Tundra Esports brought out a surprise last pick — Underlord. They sent him to the safe lane in the hands of Crystallis.

With the Demon’s Reach facet, the massive Underlord played like a pseudo-Sven. Crystallis not only won the lane but completely dominated the decider match, ending with an almost perfect 12/0/10 scoreline.

Courtesy of patch 7.38c and IceFrog: Underlord Carry, everyone. – Credit: Dotabuff

This performance showed excellent understanding of the meta and showcased the power of surprise drafting. Tundra moved on to the third-place decider, and Underlord Carry could be something you’ll want to try in your pubs — it's simple, effective, and fun.

Slark as a Soft Support

Finally, we arrive at the Grand Finals, where PARIVISION pulled out one of the boldest ideas of the tournament. Down 0-2 in the series against Team Liquid, they drafted a soft support Slark in the fourth game — first pick, no hesitation.

Whether it was surprise or sheer disbelief from Team Liquid, it worked. PARIVISION dominated from the start and ended the match with a commanding 29-9 scoreline against the eventual champions.

Told you 9Class was no man to cross. Support Slark: new meta. – Credit: Dotabuff

Although Liquid ultimately won the Grand Finals, this moment was a standout. 9Class’s Slark was played entirely to disrupt and frustrate Liquid — and had PARIVISION taken the series, this would have gone down as one of the boldest successful performances in recent memory.

We can only hope this trend of weird, innovative picks continues. To stay updated on all the creativity and skill in the professional Dota 2 scene, follow us on the Strafe news website!

Featured Image Source: YouTube (@Baumi)