Dota 2 patch 7.36b: Major winners and losers

Valve has been on a roll lately with its updates, quickly following up on the major Dota 2 7.36 patch with two additional patches in just over two weeks. With the larger 7.36 update having had time to settle, Valve has moved to fine-tune the balance by tweaking 71 hero facets and implementing some significant reworks.

Here's a detailed look at the major winners and losers from the Dota 2 patch 7.36b.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.

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Dota 2 patch 7.36b: Major winners

1) Anti-Mage

Magebane's Mirror

Reflected Spells: Now have 20% spell amplification.

This change makes Anti-Mage's Magebane's Mirror incredibly potent, as reflected spells now deal significantly more damage. This enhancement turns Anti-Mage into a more formidable foe against magic-based opponents.

2) Bloodseeker

Sanguivore

Max HP as Heal: Increased from 1% per level to 1.5% per level.

Bloodrage

Max Health Damage per Second: Decreased from 1.5% to 1.4%.

Blood Rite

Damage: Increased from 110/180/250/320 to 115/190/265/340.

Bloodseeker has received a series of buffs, making him more durable and deadly. The increase in healing from Sanguivore is substantial, while the reduced self-damage from Bloodrage and increased damage from Blood Rite enhance his survivability and damage output.

3) Death Prophet

Death Prophet in Dota 2 (Image via Valve)

Spirit Collector (Facet)

Scales with Exorcism.

Exorcism

Hero Spirit Damage: Rescaled from 75-80/88-93/101-106 to 84-90/92-98/101-106.

Witchcraft

Movement Speed per Level: Increased from 0.5% to 0.75%.

Death Prophet's early game has become even stronger with these buffs. The rescaling of Exorcism's hero spirit damage makes her more lethal early on, and the significant boost in movement speed per level from Witchcraft will make her harder to catch and kill.

4) Pudge

Flayer's Hook (Facet)

Meat Hook

Projectile Speed and Cast Range: Both see an increase of 15%.
Damage: Increased from 75/110/145/180 to 80/120/160/200.

These buffs return some of Pudge's former glory, enhancing his utility and damage output with a faster and longer-reaching Meat Hook.

5) Sven

Vanquisher

Bonus Damage to Stunned Targets: Increased from 15% to 17%.

Talents

Level 10 Attack Speed: Increased from +15 to +20.
Level 10 Warcry Duration: Increased from +4s to +5s.

Sven sees a nice uptick in his damage potential and survivability, with increased attack speed and extended Warcry duration giving him an edge in fights.

Dota 2 patch 7.36b: Major losers

1) Axe

One Man Army (Facet)

Bonuses now start fading immediately after approaching an ally. This used to linger for five seconds.
Radius: Increased from 600 to 700.
Bonus Strength: Can now be broken.

Coat of Blood

Armor per Kill: Reduced by half making its max level from 1 armor to 0.5 per kill.

Culling Blade

Multiplier: Increased from 2x to 3x.

Berserker's Call

Bonus Armor: Decreased from 14/16/18/20 to 12/13/14/15.

Axe has been significantly nerfed, reducing his tankiness and effectiveness in prolonged engagements. The cumulative effect of these changes is a notable decrease in his overall power, though his Culling Blade multiplier increase might offer some solace.

2) Centaur Warrunner

Centaur Warrunner in Dota 2 (Image via Valve)

Horsepower (Facet)

Strength to Movement Speed: Decreased from 40% to 35%.

Rawhide

Max Health Gain is now decreased from +40 to +35.

Double Edge

Aghanim's Shard Bonus Strength is now decreased from +15% to +12%.

Talents

Level 15 Talent Strength: Decreased from +15 to +12.
Level 15 Double Edge Strength Damage: Decreased from +35% to +30%.

Centaur Warrunner's overall tankiness and damage potential have been reduced, making him less of a powerhouse in both initiating and sustaining fights.

3) Dragon Knight

Dragon Knight in Dota 2 (Image via Valve)

Corrosive Dragon (Facet)

Corrosive Breath Effect Bonus: Decreased from 30/40/50/60% to 20/30/40/50%.

Frost Dragon (Facet)

Frost Breath Effect Bonus: Decreased from 30/40/50/60% to 20/30/40/50%.

Dragon Blood (Innate)

Health Regen: Decreased from 4 to 2.

Dragon Tail

Damage: Decreased from 70/100/130/160 to 60/90/120/150.

Dragon Knight's durability has taken a hit, especially with the significant reduction in health regeneration. His Dragon Tail stun's decreased damage further lowers his effectiveness in crowd control.

4) Legion Commander

Legion Commander in Dota 2 (Image via Valve)

Stonehall Plate

Overwhelming Odds Damage to Barrier: Decreased from 50% to 40%.

Overwhelming Odds

Aghanim's Shard Radius Bonus during Duel is now reduced from +200 to +150.

Duel

Aghanim's Scepter: No longer reduces Duel cooldown.

Talents

Level 15 Overwhelming Odds Damage per Hero: Decreased from +40 to +35.

Legion Commander faces a series of nerfs after how broken she was in Dota 2 7.36's first patch. These nerfs reduce her damage output and the utility of her abilities, especially during duels.

5) Meepo

More Meepo (Facet)

Divided We Stand Clones now only get 85% of the main Meepo's stats.

Poof

Damage: Decreased from 60/90/120/150 to 50/80/110/140.

Meepo has been nerfed significantly, with his clones now only receiving 85% of his stats and a noticeable reduction in Poof's damage, decreasing his burst potential.

6) Sand King

Dust Devil (Facet)

Sand Storm Radius: Decreased from 425/500/575/650 to 300/350/400/450.

Sand Storm

Aghanim's Scepter Damage and Stun Duration: Now 70% of Burrowstrike's current damage and stun.
Aghanim's Scepter Spine Interval: Increased from 0.2s to 0.4s.
Aghanim's Scepter Spines per Interval is now increased from 2 to 3.

Talents

Level 10 Burrowstrike Stun: Decreased from 0.4s to 0.3s.
Level 10 Sand Storm Damage Per Second: Decreased from 15 to 10.

Sand King's effectiveness in controlling areas with Sand Storm has been reduced, along with a decrease in stun duration and damage, weakening his crowd control and zoning capabilities.

7) Shadow Shaman

Shadow Shaman in Dota 2 (Image via Valve)

Cluster Cluck (Facet)

Hex

No Longer Provides Bonus Movement Speed.

Abilities

Hex: No longer provides damage amplification.
Shackles: Serpent Wards that are spawned from Aghanim's Shard now only linger for 1.5 seconds after the Shackles end instead of 6 seconds as it always was.

Fowl Play

No Longer Provides Bonus Movement Speed.

Talents

Level 10 Talent +10 Hex Damage Amplification is now replaced by +1.75 Mana Regeneration.

Shadow Shaman's utility and damage potential have been reduced, especially with the loss of bonus movement speed and damage amplification from Hex, along with a reduction in the effectiveness of Shackles.

8) Tiny

Base Movement Speed

Decreased by 10.

Tree Grab

Bonus Building Damage is typically decreased from 85% at max level to 60%.

Talents

Level 10 Strength is now decreased from +10 to +8.
Level 15 Grow Attack Speed Reduction: Decreased from 10% to 8%.
Level 20 Tree Grab Base Damage is now decreased from +70 to +60.

Tiny has been slowed down and his damage output has been reduced across the board, making him less effective in both mobility and burst damage.

9) Wraith King

Vampiric Spirit

Bonus Attack Speed in Wraith Form: Decreased from 75 to 30/45/60/75.
Bonus Movement Speed in Wraith Form: Decreased from 25% to 10/15/20/25%.

Mortal Strike

Cooldown: Increased from 5.5/5.0/4.5/4.0s to 6/5.5/5.0/4.5s.
Aghanim's Shard Damage Bonus: Decreased from 150% to 50%.

Reincarnation

Cooldown: Now pauses the timer while Wraith King is in Wraith form.

Wraith King's effectiveness in Wraith form has been significantly reduced, with lower attack and movement speed, along with a longer cooldown on Mortal Strike and a drastically reduced Aghanim's Shard damage bonus.

10) Zeus

Livewire (Facet)

Static Field: Now scales with Thundergod's Wrath.
Max Damage Rescaled: From 7% to 4/5/6/7%.

Abilities

Static Field: Now scales with Thundergod's Wrath.
Current Health as Damage Rescaled: From 4% to 2.5/3/3.5/4%.
Arc Lightning Cast Range is now decreased from 850 to 800.
Lightning Bolt: No longer deals bonus damage to creeps.
Thundergod's Wrath Cooldown: Increased from 120s to 130s.
Lightning Hands: No longer applied by illusions.

Talents

Level 10 Talent Health: Decreased from +250 to +200.
Level 15 Talent Movement Speed after Heavenly Jump: Decreased from +30 to +25.

Zeus's damage output and utility have been reduced, particularly with the scaling changes to Static Field and increased cooldown on Thundergod's Wrath. His reduced health and movement speed also make him more vulnerable. Additionally, its Manta build is no longer viable since Zeus' illusions don't get the Lighting Hands.

Patch 7.36b brings a host of changes that significantly impact the meta, with some heroes receiving much-needed buffs while others face harsh nerfs. Players will need to adapt quickly to these adjustments to maintain their edge in the ever-evolving battlefield of Dota 2.

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Edited by Angad Sharma