Dota 2 Patch 7.39: All Major Buffed and Nerfed Hero Changes Explained

Dota 2 Patch 7.39 introduces significant hero balance changes, giving rise to a new meta. With many heroes receiving major buffs and nerfs, the update makes way for fresh strategies and creative gameplay. We break down all the major hero changes in Patch 7.39 and their impact on the meta.

What’s New in Dota 2 Patch 7.39?

Besides the major hero reworks, Patch 7.39 also brings quality of life (UI) upgrades, makes in-game communication easier, releases sixteen new item sets for Dota 2 heroes, including personas and taunts, and a slew of bug fixes. However, the most impactful change in Patch 7.39 comes from the major buffs and nerfs to popular meta heroes.

Ember Spirit

Major Hero Buffs

Many heroes got buffed in this patch, making them more viable in pubs and pro play. Here’s the list of all major hero buffs in Dota 2 Patch 7.39:

• Batrider: Batrider’s absence from the meta may no longer be a thing because we might see him spring into action in pro play. Batrider’s “Stoked” facet got reworked, providing a lot of value in the early game. Burning 2% of his max health, he gets bonus movement speed and increased spell amplification on his ability “Firefly.” You can stack camps, farm easily, build key items and kill heroes. Or else, you can just apply pressure in the early game.
• Juggernaut: Juggernaut is back. At least, we hope so. Juggernaut’s Blade Fury is back to its original state – dealing actual damage, especially at the early levels, because the damage tick is no longer based on his attack speed. Also, the damage has been rescaled a notch higher, buffing Juggernaut and making him a viable pick in the current meta.
• Monkey King: Monkey King’s “Wukong’s Faithful” facet was replaced with “Changing of the Guard.” In the new facet, while Wukong's Command is active, Monkey King can swap himself with a soldier for 1.5s, becoming invulnerable and indistinguishable, but cannot issue commands. Monkey King hasn’t been buffed or nerfed, and might be picked situationally, despite the changes.
• Shadow Shaman: Shadow Shaman players, rejoice! The damage multiplier for his Mass Serpent Ward ability is increased from 10x to 12x. That’s a whopping 1440 damage at level 3, a decent buff to a hero who is already a staple meta pick. He is a nuker, disabler and a pusher – making him an ideal fit in patch 7.39.

Juggernaut

• Naga Siren: Naga Siren is buffed in this patch. Her base agility and damage have been marginally increased. Deluge Facet now deals increased damage but reduces movement speed. It no longer reduces the status resistance of an enemy, but an Aghanim’s Scepter upgrade on Ensnare applies a break to the target. The cooldown of her ultimate, Song of the Siren, is decreased, making her an ideal support hero in the current meta.
• Ember Spirit: Ember Spirit’s Chain Gang facet has received buffs in the new update. The number of bonus units and the unit count have been increased. He’s always been one of the most contested heroes in the meta, but now Ember Spirit will gain more prominence in pro plays and pubs alike.
• Ursa: Ursa has been left untouched in patch 7.39. Only his level 15 Talent Enrage Status Resistance has been increased, a slight buff to an already strong hero.
• Void Spirit: A hero that we have not seen for quite some time, Void Spirit has received some buffs in Patch 7.39. His Aether Remnant and Resonant Pulse got their damage increased in this patch. This means he could now have a much stronger laning stage.

Nature's Prophet

Major Hero Nerfs

Dota 2 Patch 7.39 also introduces its own set of hero nerfs. Many broken heroes got nerfed in this patch, and might not find a place for themselves in the current meta or pro plays. Here’s the list of all major hero nerfs in Dota 2 Patch 7.39:

• Nature’s Prophet: Nature’s Prophet has been troubling in recent patches. However, in Patch 7.39, his issue has been properly dealt with. The Ironwood Treant facet got removed – NP’s biggest flex. It got replaced with a new facet – Nature’s Profit. Without his previous facet, Nature’s Prophet cannot be a flex pick anymore and is moved back to being a support. Moreover, he cannot secure objectives quickly without this facet, and his split pushes are now more manageable.
• Beastmaster: Patch 7.39 dealt a massive nerf to Beastmaster, a hero that has been a nuisance in the pro scene and pubs. His agility and starting damage were reduced, and his Aghanim’s ability, Drums of Slom, got the biggest nerf. This means he will no longer have a strong laning stage, and even if he hits his item timing on Aghanim’s, it will not scale well as the game progresses.
• Phantom Assassin: Phantom Assassin is another hero who may have been indirectly nerfed in Patch 7.39. She received a rework that might seem minor at first glance: her Aghanim’s Shard effect has been moved to her Aghanim’s Scepter, while her former Scepter ability has been shifted to the Shard with a reduced effect. The break that Aghanim’s Shard used to offer was irreplaceable; it gave Phantom Assassin a huge power spike during the midgame without consuming an item slot. Now, without this “break,” even if the hero has a decent item timing in the midgame, she will find it difficult to bring down tanky heroes and won’t be able to burst the backlines promptly.

Tiny

• Tiny: Tiny got nerfed in Dota 2 Patch 7.39. Tree Grab's attack range got reduced, Tiny’s ultimate, Grow, now imposes a greater attack speed penalty, and his stun deals less damage. Despite these nerfs, the hero may remain a viable support hero in the current meta.
• Warlock: Warlock hasn’t been spared either. He got nerfed in Patch 7.39; Fatal Bonds no longer applies to enemies in the fog of war. This renders him ineffective in scouting enemies in late-game skirmishes. Shadow Word’s AoE radius was also decreased.

It’s still early to determine the exact meta, but players need to adapt and get creative with the significant buffs and nerfs heroes have received in Dota 2 Patch 7.39.

Stay tuned to BLAST for more information about Patch 7.39.