The Outlanders Update: General Changes Analysis
The new patch is wild, with all the positive and maybe some negative connotations this word implies. As such, we are trying to be extremely cautious when discussing it so that we don’t unnecessarily invoke some misguided disenchantment from the community.
Bit by bit we will try to chew through and analyze all the changes introduced in 7.23, backing up our claims with more and more significant statistics where applicable. Today there is no need for stats, as we are going to be discussing the implications of the general changes to the game.
Courier Changes
Everyone having their own courier is a pretty neat addition to the game. Courier control was a skill many experienced teams were developing over the years, but it is hard to call this experience engaging, meaningful or interesting. The mantra of “mid gets priority courier usage” never actually led to any interesting choices or gameplay interactions, with the exception of courier sniping.
The new system isn’t objectively better, though there are some ways to get an edge out of the courier in the late game. What it does however, is reduce the hassle and the frustration associated with courier usage in uncoordinated pubs.
In the end, we got a system that is significantly less complex, but can be slightly deeper in the late-game. That is something we wholeheartedly welcome, but, again, some edge cases in 70+ games on the professional scene might prompt some adjustments.
Support Economy
Teams getting Observer Wards for free is a huge boost to Support economy. The imbalances between cores and supports in terms of net worth were getting worse and worse and this really helps the latter to feel like they are a bigger part of the game.
Less gold spent means they get to actually build items. It also means that their field of options got significantly bigger and there is a higher chance better, game-winning item choices get to be made.
I once said that while cores are playing an Action-RPG, supports are playing Survival Horror and while it is still the case, they now have a chance to fight back. From a somewhat powerless observer, supports now have a chance to transition into an actual actor with high potential impact.
That does come with a price, however: supports now have a much higher degree of responsibility for the outcome of a match, so they can no longer simply provide a comfortable environment for their core in the early game, get wards up and consider their job done. Their individual skills and mechanics are going to be tested, so if you are a support main you will have to improve in areas formerly associated with core players. We would suggest using Cr1t- as a reference of what high-level support play should look like in the new patch, even on position five supports.
Level Thirty and Outposts
The increased level cap is pretty interesting on its own, since many heroes have pretty high attribute growth and can capitalize on that, but it is the ability to get access to all talents that takes the cake.
Some pretty obvious things include the fact that the XP gain talents are now even better than before. They can still be a risk, but we feel like in the majority of cases the benefits outweigh them. For the same reasons, but to a lesser extent, GPM talents also look much better. Especially the late-game, game-altering ones, such as the one on Puck.
Some less obvious things include a potential increase in value of heroes, which typically have two very strong choices at each level. Heroes like Medusa, who are generally planning on going late anyways, now get to have both +1000 mana and Split Shot modifiers in the same game.
It might look like it is going to be only applicable to edge cases of extremely long games, but the XP boost from outposts is pretty significant and should not be underestimated. In most cases the Outpost XP is going to give you at least a third of a level, which quickly adds up over the course of the game.
The average XPM for all heroes in the new patch has increased by roughly ~9%. Since the XP bounty for a killed hero is calculated based on their level and everyone is levelling up faster already, it is not hard to see how level 30 is reachable in a normal game.
Closing Thoughts
We feel like the new patch is getting some flak it doesn’t deserve. Our preliminary stats show that even Tier Five items aren’t as overpowered or as obnoxious as we assumed. When it comes to Tier Four items, we’ve seen them get replaced in the later stages of the game by core players in the open qualifiers: having a free, random, unique effect is nice, but it is rarely the exact effect that you need in a particular game.
The rest of the patch is undeniably awesome. More objectives on the map, more freedom of expression for supports, less tedium and more choices to be made do make for a better experience. If you are somehow dissatisfied with a fairer redistribution of economy between the players in the game and more opportunities for everyone to grow… well, there is a currently popular internet phrase just for you.
First for First time
Fuck yeah!!!
update kill the excitement of the game gg tangina bobo
ok boomered
Jungle is massive!
Literally I am just asking for lower drop chance on jungle items .
As a support player, now i have 0 reason why I only have a brown boots, magic wand and stacks of ward
The imbalance of supports and core net worth is getting worse? What?
Have you ever played Dota 6.xx as supp, walking around with boots wands tp obs and sent? No assist gold, no gpm talent, 135g tp, 900g flying courier?
а че за фраза-то?
@Boiledplates Ok, boomer
haha how funny, an ad hominem attack! wow that one really cracked me up.
The last sentence really got me... wp kawaiisocks, keep the good work up my friend!
переводчик
New patch is fun af
I think the couriers might need a slight buff cus they move too slowly at early levels now. For patches icefrog has been trying to make courier sniping not a thing but now it's starting to become a thing again. Chinese casters yesterday were discussing about brood mid, placing webs in all lanes and just sending spiders to snipe every single courier, if couriers die gg, if people don't use couriers then item advantage before lvl 5.
This game... I havent been playing for a while now, but still kept watching pro matches. Now i feel the game has changed in a way i wont be able to enjoy it as spectator. Of course i wont even try to play competitively anymore, its a waste of time for a 28yo guy whose hands are slow, but i will miss understanding pro games. RIP GED
The changes are funny and encourage the community to be more toxic. Now everyone wants to jungle either it's an offlaner or pos 4. When you found the items but you would leave it in your backpack if you don't use it instead of sharing with your team. And of course when any position other than the carry goes to jungle the lane is a disaster and they simply don't know or either don't give a damn.
Bruh @Reprobate, at crusader rank going jungle is a lot more viable than being a supp for someone who doesn't know how to respond ganking call. I remember back when I was still crusader, using lion support and all my jugg carry care to do is autoattacking creep eventhough I ping him to easily kill PA offlane using his spin... it is just so bad being a supp there, just focus on midgame and lategame
I see that you are 94% cores, so I assume you're too entitled to understand the struggle of being a support at your rank. Now ward is free so go buy your own OBS and plant it yourself, don't be a crybaby over not having someone to blame a.k.a support.
and my teammates always share the item to the one who suited most, and the item shouldn't be in backpack unless you have too much items which I don't think it's possible in early game
So I can't understand your point about no one want to share and leaving it on backpack
Kawai you work for dotabuff...your words have 0 effect
Awesome patch !!!! Goog job icefrog/gaben !
Your TI9 predict sucks
Dota 2 is PUBG now. Items matters - skill nope....Deleted Dota
half life 3 conf... sorry i mean dota 3 confirmed