Arc Warden's reveal in Dota 2's 'Balance of Power' 6.86 patch

The holy Ice Frog delivered onto the crying masses many new features in the upcoming 6.86 patch for Dota 2. Hours before, the teaser page over at Dota 2, showing images of 6 heroes expanded to show off the content of the entire patch, this includes: Arc Warden, Zeus remodel and Arcana, new items, skill changes and lots of hero balances. The patch itself has yet to be released, but these notes curb the pain. So without further ado, let's take a look. Starting with Arc Warden:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pj-aFpSe3U4

• Patrick Nguyen
• December 17, 2015
• in Gaming, News, PC, Video

The holy Ice Frog delivered onto the crying masses many new features in the upcoming 6.86 patch for Dota 2. Hours before, the teaser page over at Dota 2, showing images of 6 heroes expanded to show off the content of the entire patch, this includes: Arc Warden, Zeus remodel and Arcana, new items, skill changes and lots of hero balances. The patch itself has yet to be released, but these notes curb the pain. So without further ado, let’s take a look. Starting with Arc Warden:

Arc Warden was a veteran hero that was around since back in the old Dota 1 days. His transition over to Dota 2 has pretty much remain untouched when it comes to his abilities. His entire look though? That’s a complete overhaul. Arc Warden’s first ability is Flux, which slows down and deals damage to an enemy hero over time. The damage is muted if the enemy is nearby an allied enemy hero. The next ability is Magnetic Field which evasion and attack speed to allies in an area of effect. Spark Wraith is the third ability which summons a wraith over 3 seconds that when an enemy gets close, latches onto them and deal magic damage. The wraith lasts for over 50 seconds, giving it trap capabilities. Finally, the ultimate is Tempest Double, which creates a clone of Arc Warden in exchange for his health. This clone can use nearly all items and can abilities. This kit leads to an extremely micro-intensive character with a lot of mid and supporting potential.

The next big change is Zeus’s new model. He’s a lot taller and thinner than his old counterpart as well as having some changes to attack animations.

The Zeus remodel also came with a new Arcana set. A golden helmet wielding God with rippling electrified abs and clouds.

According to the Dota 2 blog post, the Arcana will include these features:

– New base model, texture, and all-new animations

– New effect and sound for Thundergod’s Wrath

– Special kill effect for enemies slain with Thundergod’s Wrath

– Special Blink effect and sound when using a Blink Dagger

– A custom portrait, hero icon, minimap icon, and ability icon

– Altered Voice

– A tempest-cloud chariot to carry His Majesty

– Animated chat emoticon

The Godly Arcana will be available soon, more than likely when the update drops. As extra incentive, if you purchase the Arcana before the 31st of December, the set will have the ‘Exalted’ quality.

Aside from that, there is some changes to the map, moreso in the Radiant jungle. Various new ramps have been added in that change the pathing for various sections of the map. This’ll change various ways to maneuver around the Radiant jungle. Furthermore, both jungles now have another creep camp closer to their secret shop, adding extra farming potential for offlaners.

As for the various heroes this patch, some have been fantastic and others have been dreadful. Poor, poor Winter Wyvern.
Alchemist

• Greevil’s Greed Bounty Rune multiplier rescaled from 5x to 3/4/5/6x
• Fixed Greevil’s Greed granting full gold during Buyback gold penalty phase

• Movement speed reduced from 315 to 310

• Base HP regeneration increased from 0.25 to 2.0
• Flamebreak mana cost reduced from 140 to 110/120/130/140

• Wild Axes no longer has unit targeting
• Call of the Wild cooldown rescaled from 40 to 42/38/34/30

• Blood Rite cooldown rescaled from 29/26/23/20 to 30/25/20/15

• Jinada movement and attack speed reduction increased from 25% to 25/27/29/31%

• Drunken Haze cooldown reduced from 8 to 8/7/6/5
• Primal Split’s Dispel Magic damage to summons increased from 200 to 500
• Primal Split’s Dispel Magic cooldown reduced from 6 to 4
• Primal Split’s Wind Walk cooldown reduced from 7 to 5

• Added Scepter to Bristleback
• Nasal Goo mana cost reduced from 30 to 25
• Quill Spray max damage increased from 400 to 450

• Spawn Spiderlings damage reduced from 75/150/225/300 to 70/140/210/280

• Return damage increased from 30/42/54/66 to 30/45/60/75%

• Reality Rift bonus damage increased from 60/80/100/120 to 60/100/140/180

• Base strength increased from 20 to 23
• Penitence mana cost reduced from 100 to 70
• Penitence duration increased from 5/6/7/8 to 8

• Agility growth increased from 3 to 3.3

• Strength growth increased from 2.7 to 2.9
• Power Cogs now spawn in a circle rather than a rectangle

• Crystal Nova cooldown reduced from 13 to 12
• Arcane Aura level 4 mana regen increased from 2.5/5 (allies/self) to 3/6

• Base intelligence reduced from 27 to 25
• Ion Shell is now purgeable

• Poison Touch mana cost reduced from 100 to 70
• Shallow Grave cast point increased from 0.3 to 0.35
• Shallow Grave mana cost increased from 140/130/120/110 to 150
• Weave no longer provides 800 flying vision. Now provides ground vision for the AoE of the ability for 3 seconds

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Replaced Witchcraft with a new ability, Spirit Siphon
• Base movement speed increased from 280 to 310
• Crypt Swarm cooldown reduced from 8 to 8/7/6/5
• Silence cooldown reduced from 15 to 15/14/13/12
• Exorcism spirit count increased from 8/14/21 to 8/16/24
• Exorcism spawn rate decreased from 1 ghost per 0.1 seconds to 0.3 seconds

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Replaced Level Death with a new ability, Infernal Blade
• Base Attack Time increased from 1.7 to 2.0
• Scorched Earth damage/heal reduced from 12/23/34/45 to 10/20/30/40
• Scorched Earth movement speed from 16% to 14%
• Doom cooldown increased from 100 to 125

• Dragon Blood HP regen increased from 2/3/4/5 to 3/6/9/12
• Elder Dragon Form Frost AoE increased from 250 to 300

• Added Scepter to Drow Ranger

• Enabled Earth Spirit in Captain’s Mode
• Intelligence growth reduced from 2.4 to 2.1
• Boulder Smash stun AoE reduced from 200 to 160
• Geomagnetic Grip can now only pull allied heroes when using Scepter

• Earth Splitter damage rescaled from 35% to 30/40/50%
• Earth Splitter mana cost rescaled from 175 to 125/175/225
• Earth Splitter’s physical damage component is no longer reduced by Damage Block

• Fire Remnants no longer give vision

• Enchant cooldown reduced from 30/25/20/15 to 30/24/18/12

• Eidolon movement speed increased from 250/250/260/260 to 260/280/300/320
• Malefice damage increased from 25/40/55/70 to 30/50/70/90
• Black Hole cooldown reduced from 200/190/180 to 200/180/160

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Replaced Backtrack with a new ability, Time Dilation
• Timewalk no longer slows units
• Timewalk now undoes any damage taken in the last 2 seconds
• Timewalk cooldown rescaled from 19/17/15/13 to 24/18/12/6
• Timewalk mana cost reduced from 90 to 40
• Timewalk range reduced from 700/900/1100/1300 to 550
• Timewalk cast point reduced from 0.35 to 0.2

• Call Down’s first missile damage reduced from 250/300/350 to 220/285/350

• Berserker’s Blood bonuses are provided linearly from full until 10% HP (rather than stepwise at 7% increments)
• Berserker’s Blood maximum magic resistance reduced from 42/56/70/84% to 20/30/40/50%

• Invoker now starts with Invoke Level 1 at the beginning of the game
• Invoke now has the standard 6/11/16 leveling
• Level 25 invoker (since he is now missing an ability level) has an attribute bonus ability that grants 6 all stats

• Base damage increased by 7

• Chakra Magic cooldown reduction increased from 2/3/4/5 to 3/4/5/6
• Chakra Magic buff duration increased from 12 to 15 seconds
• Chakra Magic now restores and increases mana capacity by 75/150/225/300

• Added Scepter to Kunkka
• Torrent now gives your team vision over target area immediately upon cast, rather than just when triggering
• Tidebringer is now an autocast ability, will only trigger if turned on or cast directly on the target
• Tidebringer damage bonus increased from 20/35/50/65 to 25/40/55/70
• Tidebringer AoE from rescaled 500/500/500/600 to 450/500/550/600
• Ghost Ship mana cost reduced from 150/200/250 to 125/175/225

• Moment of Courage cooldown reduced from 2.7/2.1/1.5/0.9 to 2.6/2.0/1.4/0.8
• Legion Commander’s Scepter now makes you and your target immune to all damage unless the source is between the Duel participants.
• Legion Commander’s Scepter duration is now 4.75/5.5/6.25

• Rage attack speed bonus increased from 30/45/60/80 to 50/60/70/80
• Feast damage and lifesteal increased from 4/5/6/7% to 4.5/5.5/6.5/7.5%
• Infest cooldown reduced from 100 to 100/75/50

• Earth Spike mana cost reduced from 100/120/145/170 to 100/120/140/160
• Earth Spike duration increased from 1.02/1.52/2.02/2.52 to 1.1/1.6/2.1/2.6
• Mana Drain reduced cooldown from 20/15/10/5 to 16/12/8/4

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Replaced Synergy with a new ability for Lone Druid, Savage Roar
• Spirit Bear attack damage increased from 33 to 35/45/55/65
• Spirit Bear movement speed increased from 320/320/330/340 to 320/330/340/350
• Rabid duration increased from 10 to 18/22/26/30
• Rabid movement speed increased from 5/10/15/20% to 10/15/20/25%
• True Form Health Bonus increased from 250/400/600 to 300/600/900

• Turn rate increased from 0.4 to 0.6
• Eclipse Scepter beam interval reduced from 0.6 to 0.3

• Lycan Wolves and Shapeshift no longer grant critical strike
• Lycan Wolves now gain Cripple at level 2, granting a 20% chance to cripple the target, causing it to take 8 damage per second and lose 40 Attack Speed for 4 seconds.
• Shapeshift now grants all units under your control a 40% chance for 1.4/1.6/1.8x critical strike

• Added Scepter to Magnus
• Skewer distance increased from 750/900/1050/1200 to 900/1000/1100/1200
• Skewer slow reduced from 40% to 25/30/35/40%
• Skewer slow duration increased from 2.5 to 2.5/2.75/3/3.25 seconds

• Mystic Snake no longer increases manasteal per jump
• Mystic Snake manasteal is now 11/14/17/20% of total mana

• Double Damage no longer affects all Meepo units

• Attack range increased from 600 to 630
• Starstorm radius increased from 625 to 650
• Sacred Arrow now instantly kills the first unit it hits if it is a non-ancient creep

• Adaptive Strike base damage increased from 50/60/70/80 to 100
• Adaptive Strike mana cost reduced from 100 to 100/90/80/70
• Morph rate increased from 2/4/6/10 per second to 2/4/8/16
• Morph now shifts in intervals of 1 rather than 2
• Hybrid cooldown reduced from 140 to 120

• Base Intelligence increased from 18 + 1.95 to 21 + 2.0

• Base intelligence increased by 4
• Treant damage increased from 28 to 32

• Base armor increased by 1

• Void slow at night reduced from 4 to 2.5/3/3.5/4 seconds

• Nyx Impale duration increased from 1.27/1.77/2.27/2.77 to 1.6/2.0/2.4/2.8
• Spiked Carapace cooldown reduced from 23/20/17/14 to 22/18/14/10

• Base health regen increased from 2.5 to 3.5

• Enabled Oracle in Captain’s Mode
• Fate’s Edict cooldown rescaled from 12 to 16/13/10/7
• Fate’s Edict duration reduced from 3/4/5/6 to 3/3.5/4/4.5
• Fate’s Edict cast range rescaled from 700 to 500/600/700/800
• Fortune’s End mana cost reduced from 130 to 110
• Fortune’s End can now target allies
• False Promise no longer continuously dispels after the initial cast
• False Promise duration increased from 6/7/8 to 7/8/9
• False Promise cooldown rescaled from 80/60/40 to 90/60/30
• False Promise mana cost reduced from 200 to 100

• Reworked how Astral Imprisonment works
• Astral Imprisonment cooldown rescaled from 18/16/14/12 to 20/17/14/11
• Astral Imprisonment cast range rescaled from 500 to 450/500/550/600
• Astral Imprisonment duration increased from 1/2/3/4 to 4
• Essence Aura AoE reduced from 1000 to the standard 900 aura radius
• Arcane Orb now steals 0/1/2/3 intelligence per hit for 40 seconds (heroes only)
• Outworld Devourer intelligence growth reduced from 3.3 to 2.7

• Base Intelligence increased from 13 + 1 to 15 + 1.4

• Sun Ray turn rate increased from 20 to 25
• Supernova damage per second increased from 60/80/100 to 60/90/120

• Illusory Orb mana cost reduced from 150 to 80/100/120/140
• Illusory Orb cooldown increased from 11 to 14/13/12/11
• Waning Rift cooldown reduced from 16 to 16/15/14/13
• Waning Rift no longer only silences heroes

• Reworked Scepter on Pudge
• Dismember damage from 75/125/175 to 60/90/120 +30/40/50% of strength
• Dismember now heals you for the damage it does

• Decrepify no longer slows allies

• Scream of Pain damage reduced from 85/165/225/300 to 75/150/225/300
• Sonic Wave travel speed reduced from 1100 to 900

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Reworked Permanent Invisibility to include Backstab
• Blink Strike back to basic ability without charges
• Added a new ultimate for Riki, Tricks of the Trade
• Strength growth reduced from 2.0 to 1.6
• Agility growth reduced from 2.9 to 2.2
• Base armor reduced by 1
• Smoke Screen no longer slows turn rates

• Fade Bolt attack damage reduction increased from 14/20/26/32 to 20/25/30/35

• Reworked Scepter on Sand King
• Base strength increased from 18 to 21
• Caustic Finale slow increased from 25% to 30%

• Disruption illusions duration from 5/6/7/8 to 6/8/10/12 seconds

• Added Scepter to Shadow Fiend
• Base armor reduced by 1
• Shadow Raze mana cost increased from 75 to 90

• Shackles total damage increased from 120/180/240/300 to 120/200/280/360
• Mass Serpent Wards require 2 hits to destroy

• Replaced Curse of the Silent with a new ability, Arcane Curse
• Glaives of Wisdom is no longer a Unique Attack Modifier

• Concussive Shot mana cost reduced from 110 to 95

• Amplify Damage now only reveals the target rather than the area around it

• Electric Vortex mana cost reduced from 100/110/120/130 to 85

• Base damage increased by 4
• God’s Strength Scepter aura bonus damage increased from 50/75/100% to 75/100/125%

• Refraction is now always visible

• Enabled Terrorblade in Captain’s Mode

• Added Scepter to Tidehunter
• Anchor Smash cast time reduced from 0.5 to 0.4
• Ravage stun duration rescaled from 2.02/2.32/2.77 to 2.0/2.4/2.8

• Whirling Death debuff duration increased from 7 to 11
• Whirling Death mana cost decreased from 70/80/90/100 to 70
• Reactive Armor duration rescaled from 16 to 14/16/18/20

• Laser cast time improved from 0.53 to 0.4
• Laser cast range increased from 550 to 650

• Craggy Exterior now triggers on attacks landing, rather than on start

• Leech Seed mana cost reduced from 100/110/120/130 to 80/95/110/125
• Overgrowth AoE increased from 675 to 800
• Scepter Overgrowth damage and vision AoE increased from 700 to 800

• Fervor reduced from 20/25/30/35 to 15/20/25/30
• Fervor max stacks increased from 4 to 6
• Ranged Whirling Axes cooldown reduced from 20/19/18/17 to 20/18/16/14

• Movement speed reduced from 305 to 300
• Ice Shards damage reduced from 70/140/210/280 to 60/120/180/240
• Snowball can no longer pull units out of Blackhole or Chronosphere
• Snowball gather radius reduced from 400 to 350

• Tombstone Zombie damage reduced from 35 to 33
• Tombstone bounty increased from 75/100/125/150 to 125/150/175/200
• Tombstone no longer grants 44 XP

• Scepter added to Ursa
• Enrage is no longer purgeable

• Added Scepter bonus to Vengeful Spirit

• Venomous Gale cooldown reduced from 22 to 21/20/19/18

• Stone Form AoE increased from 340 to 350

• Base strength increased by 4
• Shadow Word duration increased from 11 to 12 seconds

• Base damage increased by 3
• The Swarm Beetles’ Base Attack Time improved from 1.4/1.25/1.1/0.95 to 1.25/1.1/0.95/0.8

• Shackleshot is now disjointable
• Shackleshot speed increased from 1515 to 1650
• Shackleshot angle reduced from 26 degrees to 23 degrees
• Powershot speed no longer decreases by a small amount as it goes through units

• Temporarily removed from Captain’s Mode
• Cold Embrace cooldown increased from 17/16/15/14 to 24/21/18/15
• Arctic Burn slow reduced from 25/30/35/40% to 19/26/33/40%
• Winter’s Curse primary and secondary units are now immune to all damage from their enemies
• Winter’s Curse secondary units now have 50 attack speed bonus
• Winter’s Curse AoE increased increased from 400 to 500
• Winter’s Curse cooldown increased from 110/100/90 to 120/110/100
• Winter’s Curse duration increased from 2.5/3/3.5 to 3.25/4/4.75
• Fixed Winter’s Curse lingering if the primary target died

• Maledict mana cost reduced from 120 to 105/110/115/120
• Maledict cast range increased from 525 to 575

• Vampiric Aura can now be toggled to make the lifesteal for heroes only

With the amount of changes some heroes are revisiting the limelight all over again. I’m looking at you Pudge. Why Pudge? Well some brand new items have also made the jump in the latest patch, as well as tweaks to some old items. There’s an emphasis on range in some of the new items. Such as the Aether Lens which aside from some extra sustain, will provide extra cast range for spells, or the Dragon Lance which will give an extra attack range for ranged heroes.

There’s a whole lot more that I’ve barely mentioned so take a look through at the Dota 2 blog for the Balance of Power patch. Alright good? Time to get back into the game and relearn the meta!