Dota 2 7.21b update makes major changes to heroes – Patch notes

Connor Bennett

Valve has officially released the 7.21b update for Dota 2, which sees some major changes being made to key heroes – with both buffs and nerfs.

The 7.21b update was released on February 16 and follows the initial 7.21 patch which introduced a new ranked play season to the game, changing the way players achieved their rank.

The 7.21 update was released on January 30, less than three weeks prior to the 7.21b path – marking a extremely reduced time period in which Valve has released patches compared to those previous to the series of 7.21 updates.

Crystal Maiden’s Freezing Field armor has received a massive boost.

Where the 7.21 patch made changes to the ranking system and did bring plenty of hero changes, the biggest changes made in the 7.21b patch focuses solely on a number of key heroes who have become a key part of the game’s meta. 

Heroes such as Bane, Crystal Maiden, IO, and Sven have received some of the biggest changes. Bane’s strength gain and agility gain have been boosted from 2.4 to 2.6 while the Intelligence gain was reduced from 2.8 to 2.6.

Crystal Maiden’s Freezing Field armor has received a significant boost, doubling it’s points from 10 to 20.

However, it’s IO which has undergone the biggest overhaul. Changes have been to the character’s Tether, Spirits, Overcharge, Relocate and Talent tree.

Sven mains may want to consider their picks moving forward.

Dota 2’s 7.21b patch is now live, and you can read the full patch notes below.


General

* XP earned when being denied increased from 25% to 30%

Items

* Hand of Midas: Gold bonus reduced from 200 to 180

Heroes

* Anti-Mage: Base agility increased by 2

* Bane: Strength Gain increased from 2.4 to 2.6, Agility Gain increased from 2.4 to 2.6, Intelligence gain reduced from 2.8 to 2.6

* Chaos Knight: Chaos Strike lifesteal rescaled from 40/50/60/70% to 25/40/55/70%

* Crystal Maiden: Freezing Field armor increased from 10 to 20

* Dark Seer: Base armor reduced by 2, Agility gain increased from 1.2 to 1.8

* Grimstroke: Ink Swell stun duration reduced from 1.4/2.2/3.0/3.8 to 1.0/1.9/2.8/3.7
* Grimstroke: Soulbind slow reduced from 15/30/45% to 10/20/30%

* IO: Tether no longer makes you unslowable
* IO: Spirits no longer has a toggle cooldown
* IO: Spirits min range increased from 100 to 200
* IO: Spirits rotation interval from every 2.4 seconds to 2.7
* IO: Spirits no longer does a micro animation interruption when initially casting (already has zero cast point)
* IO: Overcharge damage reduction reduced from 15/20/25/30% to 5/10/15/20%
* IO: Relocate mana cost increased from 100 to 175
* IO: Level 15 Talent changed from Tether Grants Scepter Bonus to +8 Health Regen
* IO: Level 20 Talent changed from +16 Health Regen to Tether Grants Scepter Bonus

* Juggernaut: Omnislash attack rate multiplier reduced from 1.8 to 1.7

* Keeper of the Light: Will-O-Wisp being cast a second time will follow the same tick interval as the first

* Leshrac: Agility gain increased from 1.7 to 2.3

* Lich: Movement speed reduced from 305 to 295
* Lich: Sinister Gaze duration reduced from 1.6/1.9/2.2/2.5 to 1.3/1.7/2.1/2.5

* Lifestealer: Strength gain reduced from 3.6 to 3.2
* Lifestealer: Feast reduced from 1.75/2.5/3.25/4% to 1.5/2.25/3/3.75%

* Lina: Base intelligence increased by 2

* Lycan: Base armor increased by 1

* Magnus: Strength gain reduced from 3.7 to 3.5
* Magnus: Skewer slow reduced from 25/30/35/40% to 10/20/30/40%
* Magnus: Empower mana cost increased from 30/50/70/90 to 45/60/75/90

* Night Stalker: Strength gain reduced from 3.6 to 3.2

* Omniknight: Heavenly Grace duration increased from 10 to 12

* Phantom Lancer: Phantom Rush agility bonus increased from 6/14/22/30 to 9/18/27/36

* Riki: Base health regen increased by 1.5

* Shadow Fiend: Base strength increased by 1
* Shadow Fiend: Intelligence gain increased from 2.0 to 2.2

* Slark: Base armor increased by 1

* Sniper: Base strength increased by 2
* Sniper: Level 15 Talent changed from +15% Shrapnel Slow to +20%

* Spectre: Base strength increased by 2
* Spectre: Level 10 Talent increased from +4 All Stats to +5

* Storm Spirit: Static Remnant mana cost reduced from 100 to 70/80/90/100
* Storm Spirit: Electric Vortex cooldown reduced from 22/20/18/16 to 16

* Sven: Great Cleave reduced from 45/60/75/90% to 30/50/70/90%
* Sven: Warcry bonus speed reduced from 8/12/16/20% to 5/10/15/20%
* Sven: Warcry shield base capacity reduced from 80/110/140/170 to 60/90/120/150
* Sven: God’s Strength cooldown increased from 80 to 100

* Templar Assassin: Meld debuff now stacks

* Timbersaw: Base intelligence increased by 2
* Timbersaw: Whirling Death stat loss increased from 12/13/14/15% to 13/14/15/16%

* Tiny: Tree Grab bonus damage reduced from 25/30/35/40% to 10/20/30/40%

* Treant Protector: Living Armor damage block increased from 25/50/75/100 to 40/60/80/100

* Ursa: Base armor reduced by 2
* Ursa: Overpower cooldown increased from 10 to 16/14/12/10

* Visage: Strength reduced from 24 + 3.0 to 22 + 2.8
* Visage: Summon Familiars attack damage reduced from 30/45/60 to 20/40/60

* Warlock: Base intelligence increased by 3
* Warlock: Upheaval mana cost reduced from 100/110/120/130 to 70/90/110/130

* Weaver: Geminate attack now deals 10/20/30/40 bonus physical damage on the second hit