It is not every single day Dota 2 will get a brand new map. In reality, it is just about simply right this moment. The New Frontiers Replace (opens in new tab) brings Dota 2 as much as model 7.33, and it is a hefty patch that modifications the matchmaking algorithm, alters the interface, provides a brand new hero sort, makes a heap of steadiness modifications, and expands the map by 40%.
Valve notes that, whereas there’s “40% extra terrain” across the map’s edges, the lanes stay as shut collectively as at all times. There’s simply extra to discover round and between them, and “Each important jungles have additionally been totally reconfigured, shaking up imaginative and prescient placement, juke routes, farming and extra.” Here is what’s new.
- 4 new named areas: The Nicely, The Graveyard, The Statue, and The Mines.
- Roshan has two pits as an alternative of 1.
- Twin gates allow you to teleport between the highest and backside lane. Roshan additionally makes use of them to maneuver between his pits.
- Lotus swimming pools on the map’s left and proper spawn therapeutic lotus that offers mana in addition to HP.
- Impartial creep minibosses referred to as tormentors spawn close to the bases 20 minutes right into a match.
- Eight watchers scattered throughout the map grant imaginative and prescient to whichever staff prompts them. That is helpful, as a result of outposts not grant imaginative and prescient or True Sight.
- Two new outposts, the unique ones have been repositioned too.
- 12 (!) extra creep camps.
- Two new energy runes: knowledge runes on the map’s edge and close to bases give XP, whereas defend runes within the river give barrier equal to half your max HP. (Additionally defend is named barrier now.)
- Defender’s gates are one-way emergency again doorways on every base, or as Valve places it, “Defender’s Gate combines the sparkly excessive fantasy of Dota with the practicality of doorways on your home that you could lock if you go to the grocery retailer to destroy its Historic.”
On the mechanical facet of issues, probably the most significant-seeming change is a complete new hero sort: Common heroes. Common heroes are ones who do not specialise in a single attribute, as an alternative getting 0.6 harm for every level they’ve in any attribute. Current heroes who’ve been reshuffled into the Common class embody Bane, Broodmother, Enigma, Lone Druid, and Vengeful Spirit.
There are many different tweaks as properly, like impartial creep skills now scaling over time, and each disable impact having its period decreased so you may spend much less time stunlocked. Impartial creeps not drop gadgets, as an alternative dropping tokens that may be spent on considered one of 5 impartial gadgets, and there is a entire bunch of latest gadgets too. The kill method and Black King Bar have been reworked, and a few heroes given main overhauls, together with Muerta, Arc Warden, Ogre Magi, Medusa, Alchemist, and Clinkz. As Valve places it, “Most of Clinkz’s skills, like the very best skills in life, now create skeletons.”
Matchmaking has altered in response to what Valve calls “an undesired clumping within the 0-1000 MMR vary” and the way exhausting it was for returning gamers to get again to an correct Matchmaking Ratio after spending time away. Any further, fairly than MMR being calculated with the Elo algorithm, Dota 2 will use the Glicko algorithm. In reality, it has been doing that within the background for a minute, with Valve saying, “We have been operating each matchmaking techniques concurrently behind the scenes for some time now to assist us construct confidence in these modifications.”
Lastly, UI modifications ought to make holding observe of your HP and everybody else’s simpler. Limitations (the issues that was referred to as defend, bear in mind?) are seen on the well being bar, and something that does not have a HP whole however is as an alternative defeated after receiving a set variety of hits—like these skeleton archers Clinkz now summons on the common—have well being bar pips to signpost that. And talents that price well being show that as a quantity, identical to mana price. Smart!
As you’d anticipate in a MOBA, any replace goes to return with an enormous previous serving to of steadiness modifications along with the hero overhauls talked about above. Take a look at Valve’s New Frontiers Replace web page (opens in new tab) the place you possibly can see full particulars of that stuff, in addition to mouse over an interactive model of the brand new map.