Dota 2 update adds Magnus, 150 new store items and a mega-list of balance changes
"Behold the horn!" is the tagline for Dota 2's latest hero, Magnus. He's a cross between a horse, a rhino and a rug, and belongs to a species that call themselves the magnoceros, though he himself identifies as a "magnataur." His tale is a violent one that mostly involves impaling enemies on his massive horn, which is interesting, because in the game he favours charging down the lanes wit a great big stick. It is best not to question the mysterious ways of the magnocerus..ses, magnoceri, magnataurs, magna- oh nevermind. Let's see what he can really do.
Magnus the Magnataur
Master initiator melee carry rhino man with dark past
In Magnus' climactic ultimate he "changes properties of matter" with his massive horn, teleporting all foes in front of him whereupon, after beholding said horn, they stand stunned for four seconds. This is the perfect invitation for your friends to jump out of the bushes and join in. The bright white light and sudden grouping of opposing parties makes this a tremendously powerful initiating attack that will leave enemies wide open to your team's most devastating skills.
He can also empower nearby fellows, increasing their damage output and adding a cleave effect to their attacks. If he's feeling particularly rambunctious he can charge long distances and skewer up to four enemies on his horn. A dick move, for sure. See for yourself in the latest hero overview from the fine DotaCinema folk .
Magnus leads the charge in a big, hearty update that contains a HUGE list of balance updates, which have been posted in on the Dota 2 site . Grab all the changes right here:
10/3/12
- Added Magnus!
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- Enabled Team creation.
- Made all 6.75b Parity changes
- Added around 150 new items to the economy.
UI
- Ability tooltips are now more precise about what kind of units they can target.
GAMEPLAY
- Fixed basic courier movement speed being too fast
- Captain's Mode first ban phase now has 2 bans instead of 3
- Captain's Mode second ban phase now has 3 bans instead of 2
- Glyph duration increased from 4 to 5 seconds
- Enraged Wildkin's Tornado vision decreased from 1200/800 to 300
- Aegis reclaim time decreased from 10 to 6 minutes
Roshan still respawns every 10 minutes, this change does not affect him. It only means that Aegis will last 6 minutes in your inventory instead of 10.
- Team AoE bounty for kills with 2 heroes around changed from 9*Level+95 to 12*Level + 125
- Team AoE bounty for kills with 3 heroes around changed from 8*Level+20 to 10*Level+40
- Killer bounty level multiplier increased from 200+5*Level to 200+9*Level
- Total XP required for level 7 decreased from 2700 to 2600
- Total XP required for level 8 decreased from 3500 to 3200
It still requires a total of 4400 XP to reach level 9
- Random Draft Mode hero pool count increased from 20 to 22
- Recipe items no longer sell for 80% of their price (now 50% like regular items)
- Added a 1 second cooldown to placing Observer and Sentry wards (to help prevent accidental usage when lagging)
Alchemist
- Acid Spray damage per second increased from 8/16/24/32 to 14/20/26/32
- Acid Spray manacost from 160 to 130/140/150/160
- Chemical Rage Base Attack Time decreased from 1.45/1.3/1.15 to 1.4/1.2/1.0
- Goblin's Greed counter duration increased from 20 to 25 seconds
- Goblin's Greed bonus gold scaling adjusted from 2/4/6/8 + 2 to 4/6/8/10 + 1/2/3/4
- Unstable Concoction max damage increased from 130/200/270/340 to 150/220/290/360
- Unstable Concoction no longer displays the countdown numbers to enemies
- Unstable Concoction always affects a 175 area around where it explodes
This includes when it explodes on Alchemist
Anti-Mage
- Movement speed decreased from 320 to 315
- Blink animation time increased from 0.33 to 0.4
- Legs decreased from 2/2/2/2 to 1/1.5/1.8/1.9
Axe
- Berserker's Call bonus armor increased from 30 to 40
- Battle Hunger slow decreased from 10% to 8%
- Battle Hunger movement bonus increased from 4% to 8% per affected enemy
- Counter Helix damage increased from 100/130/160/190 to 100/135/170/205
Ancient Apparition
- Chilling Touch now deals its bonus damage and uses a charge when attacking creeps
- Chilling Touch AoE increased from 450 to 525
- Chilling Touch damage increased from 40/50/60/70 to 50/60/70/80
- Chilling Touch duration reduced from 40 to 30
- Ice Blast is no longer dispelled by the Fountain
Bane Elemental
- Fiend's Grip Aghanim's duration increased from 6 to 7
- Enfeeble damage reduction increased from 25/50/75/100 to 30/60/90/120
- Enfeeble can no longer be dispelled
By Manta, BKB or any other dispel
Batrider
- Cast animation time decreased from 0.3 to 0.2
- Strength growth increased from 2.0 to 2.7
- Turn rate improved from 0.4 to 1.0
- Firefly duration increased from 15 to 18 seconds
- Firefly damage trail no longer instantly disappears when Batrider dies
Bloodseeker
- Blood Bath death detection AoE for enemy heroes increased from 225 to 325
- Bloodrage bonus base damage from 20/40/60/80% to 30/60/90/120%
- Thirst AOE from 1500/3000/4500/6000 to 6000
- Thirst MS bonus from 11/22/33/44% to 15/25/35/45%
- Thirst HP percentage detection rescaled from constant 40% to 20/30/40/50% HP (invis is half that)
Broodmother
- Spawn Spider's Spiderite bounty increased from 11-13 to 16-21
- Incapacitating Bite no longer gives 2/4/6/8 bonus damage
- Incapacitating Bite miss rate increased from 10/15/20/25 to 10/20/30/40
Chaos Knight
- Chaos Bolt's stun is no longer partially undodgeable (now a normal projectile with 1000 speed)
Chen
- Holy Persuasion no longer has the ability to teleport allied units
- Test of Faith grants you a secondary ability to teleport allied units
Clinkz
- Strafe attack speed bonus increased from 110 to 130
Clockwerk
- Strength growth increased from 2.4 to 2.7
- Battery Assault damage interval improved from 0.75 to 0.7
- Power Cogs damage and mana drain increased from 60/90/120/150 to 80/120/160/200
- Power Cogs duration increased from 3/4/5/6 to 5/6/7/8
- Fixed Power Cogs not triggering and burning mana/hp when someone Force Staffs over it
Crystal Maiden
- Freezing Field duration increased from 4 to 7 seconds
Dark Seer
- Movement speed decreased from 305 to 300
- Vacuum cooldown increased from 16 to 19
- Vacuum cast range decreased from 550 to 500
- Vacuum AoE decreased from 275/375/475/575 to 250/350/450/550
- Vacuum can no longer pull invulnerable units
Dazzle
- Poison Touch level 4 cooldown decreased from 9 to 7
- Shadow Wave AoE increased from 170 to 185
Disruptor
- Static Storm max damage increased from 170/210/250 to 170/220/270
Doom Bringer
- Devour creep level restriction removed
- Devour cooldown from 60/55/50/45 to 70/60/50/40
- Devour gold from 40/60/80/100 to 25/50/75/100
- Devour manacost from 60 to 60/50/40/30
- Level Death bonus damage now deals 20% of Max HP instead of a fixed amount
- Level Death damage increased from 100/150/200/250 to 125/175/225/275
- Scorched Earth damage/heal increased from 12/16/20/24 to 12/18/24/30
Dragon Knight
- Armor decreased by 1
- Dragon Blood armor bonus increased from 2/4/6/8 to 3/6/9/12
- Elder Dragon form level 2/3 no longer gives bonus damage (was 5/14)
- Elder Dragon form level 2/3 splash area rescaled slightly
100% splash AoE changed from 75 to 100
75% splash AoE changed from 150 to 200
50% splash AoE remains the same
Drow Ranger
- Frost Arrow's slow increased from 50% to 60% at level 4
- Marksmanship level 3 agility bonus increased from 45 to 60
- Trueshot Aura damage bonus increased from 7/14/21/28% to 8/16/24/32%
- Silence cooldown decreased from 15 to 13
Earthshaker
- Enchant Totem cooldown decreased from 7 to 6 seconds
Enigma
- Malefice damage reduced from 30/40/65/80 to 40/40/65/65 (still 1/2/2/3 pulses)
- Midnight Pulse cast range from 500 to 700
- Blackhole manacost from 200/300/400 to 250/350/450
Faceless Void
- Time Lock deals twice as much damage when it procs on a target in Chronosphere
- Faceless Void can no longer be frozen by any Chronosphere!!
Furion
- Movement speed decreased from 300 to 295
- Force of Nature's Treant's magic resistance decreased from 33% to 20%
Guardian Wisp
- Overcharge HP/MP cost over time increased from 2.5% to 3.5%
- Tether regeneration transfer now heals the Tethered unit at 1.5x the rate of Wisp
Gyrocopter
- Movement speed increased from 305 to 315
- Flak Cannon AoE increased from 800 to 1000
- Call Down AoE increased from 400 to 450
Huskar
- Burning Spears duration increased from 6 to 7
- Inner Vitality can now be cast on magic immune targets
- Life Break Aghanim's cooldown decreased from 24/16/8 to 4
Invoker
- Invoker base damage decreased by 4
Jakiro
- Facing direction now more accurately matches his turn rate (just a visual change)
- Liquid Fire AoE increased from 175 to 300
- Ice Path reworked
After a short delay a thin path of ice is created in front of Jakiro for a short period, anyone that touches the path gets frozen until the path disappears. Deals damage to anyone it affects.
Creation Delay: 0.4
Path Duration: 1/1.4/1.8/2.2
Damage: 100
AOE: 150
Range: 1100
Manacost: 75
Cooldown: 12/11/10/9
Juggernaut
- Base attack time decreased from 1.7 to 1.6
- Omnislash now kills creeps and neutrals in 1 hit
Keeper of the Light
- Chakra manacost rescaled from 40/55/70/85 to 25/45/65/85
- Mana Leak cooldown decreased from 18 to 16
- Illuminate cast range changed to be the same as its travel range (just a UI change)
- Illuminate max hit distance increased from 1600 to 2000
Krobelus
- Armor increased by 1
Kunkka
- Base strength increased by 3
- Ghost Ship cooldown decreased from 90/80/70 to 60/50/40
- Ghost Ship impact AoE increased from 400 to 425
Leshrac
- Diabolic Edict now uses Leshrac's cast animation time
Lich
- Frost Nova cooldown decreased from 9.25/9.25/9.25/8 to 8
Lina
- Fiery Soul attack speed bonus increased from 40/50/60/70 to 40/55/70/85
- Laguna Blade cooldown rescaled from 120/90/55 to 90/70/50
Lion
- Finger of Death cooldown rescaled from 150/90/55 to 170/105/40
- Finger of Death damage increased from 500/650/850 to 600/725/850 (Aghanim's from 600/800/1025 to 725/875/1025)
- Mana Drain initial cast range increased from 600/650/700/750 to 750
- Mana Drain threshold range increased from 800 to 850
- Mana Drain cooldown decreased from 25/20/15/10 to 20/15/10/5
Lone Druid
- Spirit Bear can no longer be resummoned while it is taking damage
Luna
- Moon Glaive level 4 bounce count increased 4 to 5
Lycanthrope
- Summon Wolves manacost increased from 125 to 145
- Spirit Wolves HP decreased from 400/450/500/550 to 200/240/280/320
- Spirit Wolves now have 50% magic resistance
- Fixed Shapeshift speed buff remaining after dying with Aegis
Magnus
- Agility growth increased from 1.8 to 2.5
- Empower damage and cleave bonus increased from 15/25/35/45% to 20/30/40/50%
- Skewer slow duration increased from 2 to 2.5 seconds
Meepo
- Geomancer clones stat sharing increased from 25% to 30%
- Geostrike DPS increased from 5/10/15/20 to 7/14/21/28
Mirana
- Elune's Arrow cooldown decreased from 25 to 20
- Starfall's second single unit impact damage increased from 50% to 75% of the original
Morphling
- Cast animation time increased from 0.3 to 0.45
- Morph manacost increased from 20 to 30 mana per second
- Base damage decreased by 6
- Waveform AoE decreased from 255 to 200
- Waveform no longer allows you to start attacking/casting before it is completed
Naga Siren
- Base damage decreased by 12
- Cast animation time increased from 0.5 to 0.65
Naix
- Rage duration increased from 2.5/3.25/4/4.75 to 3/4/5/6
Necrolyte
- Death Pulse heal rescaled from 50/75/100/130 to 70/90/110/130
- Sadist reworked
Necrolyte gains increased HP and Mana regeneration for each unit he kills.
Mana Regeneration: 2/4/6/10 per second
HP Regeneration: 1/2/3/4 per second
Duration: 6
Gives 10x the bonus for hero kills.
Note: Stacks with itself. Each stack operates independently.
Nyx Assassin
- Base HP regeneration increased to 2.5
- Mana Burn drain amount increased from 4*Int to 5*Int
- Mana Burn manacost rescaled from 90/110/130/150 to 130/120/110/100
- Vendetta movement speed increased from 10/15/20% to 16/18/20%
- Spiked Carapace reworked
Nerubian Weaver
- The Swarm's attack rate improved from 1.5 to 1.35
Obsidian Destroyer
- Astral Imprisonment intelligence steal increased from 2/4/6/8 to 4/6/8/10
Ogre Magi
- Armor increased by 1
- Aghanim's Unrefined Fireblast cooldown decreased from 20 to 10
- Bloodlust can now target catapults
- Bloodlust movement speed bonus increased from 6/9/12/15% to 10/12/14/16%
Omniknight
- Degen Aura AoE increased from 300 to 315
Brewmaster
- Primal Split units are now affected by Black Hole
Phantom Assassin
- Coup de Grace critical strike multiplier increased from 2.5/3.25/4 to 2.5/3.5/4.5
Phantom Lancer
- Agility growth increased from 2.8 to 4.2
- Spirit Lance slow duration increased from 3 to 3.25 seconds
Puck
- Dream Coil duration increased from 5 to 6 (Aghanim's from 7 to 8)
- Illusory Orb AoE increased from 200 to 225
- Waning Rift damage increased from 60/120/180/240 to 70/140/210/280
- Fixed Phase Shift invulnerability duration ending 0.25 seconds too soon
Pugna
- Movement speed increased from 315 to 320
- Nether Ward mana flare damage increased from 0.75/1/1.25/1.5 to 1/1.25/1.5/1.75
- Life Drain break range increased from 850 to 900
Razor
- Plasma Field Min damage from 80/120/160/200 to 60/100/140/180
- Plasma Field Max damage from 140/210/280/350 to 160/230/300/370
- Static Link no longer breaks if Razor loses vision of the target
- Static Link can no longer ground target
- Static Link can now target magic immune (it could before via ground seeking)
- Unstable Current's purge duration increased from 0.3/0.6/0.9/1.2 to 0.4/0.8/1.2/1.6
Rubick
- Movement speed decreased from 300 to 290
- Fade Bolt bounce AoE decreased from 500 to 440
Shadow Demon
- Soul Catcher manacost increased from 50 to 50/60/70/80
- Shadow Poison AoE increased from 150 to 180
Shadow Fiend
- Necromastry hero kill soul increment increased from 6 to 12
- Presence of the Dark Lord armor reduction improved from 2/3/4/5 to 3/4/5/6
- Requiem of Souls has a new passive component that triggers upon death
Upon dying half of Shadow Fiend's souls (the amount lost on death) will be released as if you had cast Requiem of Souls with those souls. This cast doesn't put the spell on cooldown and will trigger if it is on cooldown. It is now a passive component of the ability.
Silencer
- Strength growth increased from 1.7 to 2.2
- Global Silence duration increased from 3/4/5 to 3/4.5/6
- Last Word now always steals 2 intelligence if an enemy hero dies in its AoE
Skeleton King
- Hellfire Blast slow increased from 15% to 20%
Slardar
- Amplify Damage armor reduction increased from 8/12/16 to 8/14/20
Sniper
- Headshot damage increased from 30/40/50/60 to 30/45/60/75
- Take Aim range bonus increased from 65/130/195/260 to 75/150/225/300
- Shrapnel AoE increased from 350 to 360
- Shrapnel duration increased from 8 to 9
Spectre
- Desolate damage increased from 20/30/40/50 to 20/35/50/65
Spirit Breaker
- Base strength increased by 6
- Damage increased by 9
- Charge of Darkness no longer gives a buff indicator
- Charge of Darkness speed increased from 425/500/575/650 to 600/650/700/750
- Empowering Haste no longer increases Spirit Breaker's damage
- Empowering Haste movement bonus aura rescaled from 6/8/10/12% to 6/10/14/18%
- Greater Bash now deals damage based on your movement speed (10/20/30/40% of speed)
- Greater Bash duration increased from 0.95/1.15/1.35/1.55 to 1/1.2/1.4/1.6
- Fixed Greater Bash not affecting magic immune units
Storm Spirit
- Static Remnant cooldown decreased from 4 to 3.5
Sven
- Great Cleave AoE increased from 200 to 300
- Great Cleave damage from 30/40/50/60% to 25/40/55/70%
- God's Strength bonus damage increased from 100/140/180% to 100/150/200%
- Warcry AoE increased from 700 to 900
- Warcry armor increased from 3/6/9/12 to 4/8/12/16
Templar Assassin
- Psi Blades no longer spills damage when attacking illusions
Tidehunter
- Ravage travel speed decreased from 900 to 775
Tiny
- Toss's cast range rescaled from 700/900/1100/1300 to 1300
Treant Protector
- Damage increased by 14
- Base attack time increased from 1.7 to 1.9
- Overgrowth no longer does damage
- Overgrowth duration from 3 to 3/3.75/4.5
- Overgrowth cooldown from 115/105/95 to 80
- Living Armor aura replaced with a new active ability
Target an allied unit or structure. Grants bonus regeneration and physical damage block. Dispels when more than 6 damage instances are taken.
HP Regeneration: 4/6/8/10
Physical Damage Block: 20/40/60/80 (hero only)
Threshold: 6 damage instances
Duration: 20
Cooldown: 20
Manacost: 30/35/40/45
Cast Range: Global
Undying
- Decay steal duration increased from 21/24/27/30 to 25/30/35/40
- Decay AoE increased from 300 to 325
- Tombstone Death Lust hp requirement also triggers if the target is below 5/10/15/20% hp
Ursa Warrior
- Cast animation time decreased from 0.5 to 0.3
- Overpower now uses Ursa's cast animation time
Vengeful Spirit
- Agility gain increased from 2.35 to 2.8
Venomancer
- Plague Wards vision decreased from 1400 to 1200
Viper
- Corrosive Skin duration increased from 3 to 4
- Viper Strike Aghanim's cast range increased from 800 to 900
- Nethertoxin max damage increased from 32/64/96/128 to 40/80/120/160
Visage
- Base Intelligence increased by 3
- Grave Chill attack speed drain increased from 32 to 64
- Familiar's base attack time decreased from 0.6 to 0.4
- Soul Assumption damage per charge increased from 60 to 65
Warlock
- Shadow Word damage/heal increased from 10/20/30/40 to 15/25/35/45 per second
Witch Doctor
- Death Ward attack cooldown decreased from 0.3 to 0.25
- Maledict bonus damage per 100 lost HP rescaled from 10/20/30/40 to 16/24/32/40
Zeus
- Arc Lightning cooldown decreased from 2 to 1.75
- Thundergod's Wrath cooldown decreased from 120 to 90
Added a new basic item Shadow Amulet
Shadow Amulet:
===============
Cost:
- 1600
Provides:
+30 Attack Speed
Active, Fade: Upon activation, fades your hero out over 2.75 seconds. If you move, you will lose your invisibility. No cooldown.
Note 1: Used in the new Shadow Blade recipe.
Note 2: Similar to how Shadow Blade works, you can use this invisibility in combination with channeling spells.
Abyssal Blade
- Can now be disassembled
Drums
- Bonus damage decreased from 9 to 3
Arcane Boots
- Replenish Mana cooldown increased from 45 to 55
Armlet of Mordiggian
- Armlet HP regeneration increased from 5 to 8
- Armlet lifedrain increased from 37 to 40
- Armlet toggle cooldown reduced from 5 to 1 second
Black King Bar
- Can no longer be sold
Blademail
- Damage Return duration increased from 4 to 4.5 seconds
Blood Stone
- Charges now increment if you get a kill out of range
Daedalus
- Critical strike multiplier increased from 2.5 to 2.7
Dagon
- Dagon cooldown decreased from 40/36/32/28/24 to 35/30/25/20/15
Stygian Desolator
- Desolator duration increased from 7 to 15 seconds
Ethereal Blade
- Ether Blast can now be cast on allied units
- Ether Blast now does damage based on the primary attribute of the holder instead of always agility
- Ether Blast manacost increased from 50 to 150
Eul's Scepter of Divinity
- Recipe cost decreased from 600 to 500
Force Staff
- Recipe cost increased to 500
- Force no longer pushes through Kinetic Field
- When Power Cogs is triggered by Force Staff, Power Cogs knockback takes priority
Gem of True Sight
- Restock cooldown increased from 8 to 10 minutes
Heaven's Halberd
- Disarm duration on ranged heroes increased from 4 to 4.5 seconds
Helm of the Dominator
- Dominate cooldown decreased from 300 to 60
- Dominate no longer has a duration (was 20 minutes)
- Dominating a creep when you already control one will replace your current one
Shadow Blade
- Invisibility duration from 9 to 12 seconds
- Recipe Reworked
Requires:
- Claymore (1400)
- Shadow Amulet (1600)
Provides:
+30 Damage
+30 Attack Speed
Active, Wind Walk: Besides the duration increase remains unchanged.
Manta Style
- Recipe cost increased from 650 to 900 (Yasha is 100 gold cheaper)
Mask of Madness
- Berserk's movement bonus increased from 25 to 30%
Null Talisman
- Recipe cost decreased from 170 to 155
Observer Wards
- Observer Wards gold cost decreased from 200 to 150
Orb of Venom
- Cost decreased from 350 to 275
Orchid
- Soul Burn's damage amplification increased from 25 to 30%
Power Treads
- Attack speed bonus increased from 25 to 30
Radiance
- Burn damage increased from 40 to 45
Rod of Atos
- HP bonus increased from 250 to 325
- Cooldown decreased from 20 to 16
Sange
- Recipe cost decreased from 700 to 600
Smoke of Deceit
- Now dispelled when Primal Split units are nearby
Soul Ring
- Cooldown increased from 25 to 30
Tranquil Boots
- Break requirement decreased from 4 to 3
Veil of Discord
- Armor bonus increased from 5 to 6
- HP regeneration increased from 5 to 6
- Discord AoE increased from 500 to 550
- Discord cast range increased from 875 to 1000
Yasha
- Recipe cost decreased from 700 to 600
BOTS
- Lowered the tankiness threshold for doing Roshan.
- Bots now only save for buyback later in games, and now save the proper amount.
- Lich bot will no longer cast Chain Frost on a single target that's about to die or that is able to blink away.
- Skeleton King bot is now better about saving mana for Reincarnate.
- Improved Windrunner bot's Shakleshot usage (she will now take into account unit movement).
- Bots will no longer have any desire to farm while they are temporarily invisible.
- Added support for selling/dropping situational items when necessary (wards, dust, etc).
- Adjusted Skeleton King and Dragon Knight bots' loadouts.
- Bots will now scale their attack desire on non-heroes based on how dangerous they think the unit is.
- Bots will now harass hero-like units (ie. Spirit Bear) when laning.
- Bots will now consider trying to kill hero-like units.
Part of the UK team, Tom was with PC Gamer at the very beginning of the website's launch—first as a news writer, and then as online editor until his departure in 2020. His specialties are strategy games, action RPGs, hack ‘n slash games, digital card games… basically anything that he can fit on a hard drive. His final boss form is Deckard Cain.