Exploring the Item Changes: Dota 2’s Pre-TI 12 Patch 7.34d

Here is a list of the shop item and neutral item changes that were tweaked ahead of TI 12 in Dota 2's Patch 7.34d

In the heart of the Dota 2 community, anticipation is nearing peak as TI 12 draws near. Just before the grand spectacle kicks off, Valve has released the last patch of the season, and it will be crucial for teams to explore the tweaks and turns in the remaining days.

While this patch may not bring sweeping changes, they are still important contextually. In this article, we delve into the nuances of Dota 2's latest patch, shining a spotlight on these item tweaks and discussing how they might influence the game's meta.

Exploring The Item Changes Of Dota 2 – Patch 7.34d

Let's dive in to the items that underwent changes and how they might affect the game.

Blade Mail – Shop Items

• Damage bonus was reduced from +20 to +18

Blade Mail has been the defining item of the current meta. The item had received buffs in the last few patches and had been tweaked slightly, all of which came into the limelight during DreamLeague Season 21. With Magic Immunity being nerfed and changed, it left players looking for other ways of damage mitigation, and that’s where items like Blade Mail really shone. 

The damage bonus was nerfed slightly, but we still believe that this will not affect the item or how often players buy it. Blade Mail still remains a potent part of the current Meta.

Eul’s Scepter Of Divinity – Shop Items

• Recipe cost decreased from 775 to 675. Total cost decreased from 2725 to 2625.

Here is another item that will come into play more because of the changes to Magic Immunity. Over a long period of time, the item was largely sidelined as players that needed the debuff usually went for Black King Bar (BKB) straight and tried to brute force their way through teamfights.

But with the Avatar from BKB being reworked, an item like Eul’s will undoubtedly be purchased more often now. The number of people buying Eul’s will be further catapulted with the cost being reduced by 100 Gold. This change is quite convenient for players, and we will probably see a lot more Eul’s Scepter purchases in the current meta.

Hand Of Midas – Shop Items

• Attack Speed bonus decreased from +40 to +35

Hand of Midas has also been at large in the recent meta. The item had been good prior to 7.34 as well, but the change in this patch turned Midas into a must-buy for many Heroes. In that update, Midas was changed to now have 2 charges.

The charge restore time was still 100s, but this basically meant that it is easier to use it efficiently, and even if you die with Midas off-cooldown, you won’t be losing out on gold. This change made Hand of Midas one of the best items in the patch, and the attack speed bonus reduction did not change that too much. This item will remain a stalwart in the coming days of the game.

Heart Of Tarrasque – Shop Items

• Recipe cost increased from 1200 to 1300. Total cost increased from 5000 to 5100

Here is another item that has been on a steep climb since the 7.34 patch. Heart of Tarrasque also came into the limelight after the changes to BKB, which seems to be a common trend in the changed items of 7.34d. The added Health and durability was another approach to counteract the magic damage after the changes to Avatar (BKB buff), and it also rose to prominence.

Heroes were seen buying Heart left and right. Some Heroes such as Centaur Warrunner, Earth Spirit and the like were even buying 2nd item Heart, such is the power of it in this patch. So it’s understandable that the price was increased slightly. However, we still believe that people will be buying the item just as much.

Wind Waker – Shop Items

• Recipe cost increased from 1300 to 1400. Total cost unchanged

Wind Waker is one of the more recent items to be released, and players are beginning to use it more and more. It was a meme item for quite some time, but now we see some Wind Waker purchases, especially in the game's later stages. There wasn’t much of a change to the item in 7.34d, as the recipe cost was increased, making it take slightly longer to acquire it than before.

However, the change was done simply to balance out the cost, as Eul’s Scepter (a component of Wind Waker) had a reduction of 100 Gold, as discussed above. Wind Waker is a pretty niche and situational item for the most part, but we may see more of it as players find out more scopes for its usage.

Occult Bracelet – Neutral Items

• Mana Regen per stack decreased from 0.5 to 0.4 

First on our list of neutrals is Occult Bracelet. The change made to it might not sound as much in your first read, but it is quite a nerf. The item now provides +2.0 Mana regen instead of +2.5 at max stacks. In the early game, this regen difference is a lot and will definitely impact the choices of players. The item is still pretty good, and Mana regen is still super important for a lot of Heroes, so we do think that players will still opt for it in this patch.

Tumbler’s Toy – Neutral Items

• Mana bonus decreased from 200 to 150

Tumbler’s Toy is probably the best tier 1 neutral item as far as most heroes are concerned. The ability to jump over cliffs or simply get into better positions to use your spells is amazing, and the Mana Pool increase also bodes well for Heroes. The Mana Bonus was decreased in Patch 7.34, but it is still a very good item and takes nothing away from the edge that this item is able to provide.

Ninja Gear – Neutral Items

• Solitary Disguise Cooldown increased 45s to 60s
• Losing Ninja Gear removes Solitary Disguise

This was perhaps the most significant item change of 7.34d, and we believe that it was needed. Ninja Gear was probably the most used neutral item in the game, especially in the pro scene. We used to see many games where all of the heroes took Ninja Gear as their item of choice and kept it in their backpack to use when Tier 5 neutrals are available. The cooldown was understandably increased by 15s, which is a lot.

Even more significantly, losing Ninja Gear now removes the smoke buff. Players used to abuse this a lot by using the active of this item and then putting it in their backpack to make a slot for another neutral, which they cannot do anymore. The item is still potent, and we believe that wouldn’t change too much, but players will have to keep it in their inventory to be able to use its powers.

Final Thoughts: Shaping The Road To TI

With only five days to TI, the excitement is surging through the Dota 2 world. Valve has released the final patch before the event, and we hope you’ll be tuning in to the biggest Esports show of 2023!