Which Witch Doctor's Facet Is Better?

Dota 2 patch 7.39 brought many changes to the game. Among them, Witch Doctor received one facet to choose from. Headhunter was removed and now players can pick from Malpractice and Cleft Death.

The two facets have nearly the same win rate. Yet despite the data, we believe one is the superior choice. In this article we will delve deep into both choices and discuss which one suits you best.

Picking between both Witch Doctor Facets in Dota  patch 7.39b

Despite the nerfs, Witch Doctor remains a threat in Dota 2 patch 7.34b. (Credit: Valve)

Let's start by discussing what each facet does. Let's begin with Malpractice.

It buffs Maledict by applying 75% of the damage of the next tick in a 800 Radius. This damage tick only occurs if the enemy dies while under the effect of Maledict.

Cleft Death buffs a different Witch Doctor spell, Death Ward. It reduces the ultimate's damage by 5 per hit at all levels, but it can hit a secondary target for 65% of the damage. This facet applies to Voodoo Switcheroo as well.

The pros and cons of Malpractice

In 12 seconds, you'll feel some real pain. (Credit: Valve).

Malpractice is worth considering. The extra damage you get from killing enemies is not to be underestimated. 800 radius is generous and can easily catch an enemy or two in the blast zone.

Another benefit of Malpractice is it's use in the laning stage. Cleft Death only comes online at level six, while Malpractice can be used from level one and has a big impact early on.

However, it's not without flaws. Maledict is a harder spell to land than Death Ward, and tends to be less useful as the game goes on. Malpractice does nothing if the target survives, and only hurts nearby enemies if said target dies near them, which doesn't happen all the time.

Overall, Malpractice is a solid Witch Doctor facet. But it relies on enemies dying and can be difficult to land.

The pros and cons of Cleft Death

Cleaving his enemies in twine.

Cleft Death has t(slightly) higher win rate of the two options, and it's our choice for the best Witch Doctor facet.

Let's start with the negatives of the facet. Firstly, it deals less damage overall if there is only one hero in range. This is particularly important at level one, when Death Ward deals nearly 10% less damage. This can cause enemies to survive, and it's particularly dangerous when facing heroes such as Faceless Void, Weaver, and Terrorblade.

Another negative of Cleft Death is that you don't have an actual facet till you take a point in Death Ward, which at earliest would be around the eight minute mark. While this isn't a huge con, it does give Malpractice the edge in the early game.

But the positives of Cleft Death are massive. Death Ward deals pure damage and can easily destroy teams late-game if left unattended. Dealing an extra 65% more damage is a massive buff, especially when combined with Aghanim's Scepter.

Death Ward is also significantly easier to use, since it can be cast from a distance to attack enemies. It also lasts for as long as Witch Doctor can channel it. So enemies can walk back into it. Unlike Maledict, which either hits or misses entirely.

Overall, we find both Witch Doctor facets viable, but Cleft Death is almost always the superior choice.

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Featured Image Source: Valve