Dota Underlords: Mid-Season Gameplay Update explained

Valve announced Mid-Season Gameplay Update for Dota Underlords which goes live soon. The developers released the patch notes to give us time “to digest” the. Let’s heed their advice and see what the update is changing.

The 5-cost + Warlock meta is addressed

In the current meta, unless the game ends in the early stages of late-game, players with the biggest amount of high-value 4-cost and 5-cost units usually win. None of the synergy based compositions can hold a candle to boards which include Enigma, Techies, Tidehunter-Dusa, Disruptor and a couple of strong Heartless units.

Here is how the Mid-Season patch addresses the current meta:

• A lot of units got 3-star buffs
• Enigma changed her Warlock tag into Shaman.
• Some units got their mana pools reduced to be able to cast spells before they get caught in an AoE nuke or disable.
• Troll splash became stronger
• Assassins became stronger.

Shaman became stronger (probably still not viable)

So far, Shaman and Primordial have been the most useless tags in the game. For the last couple of patches, the developers have been gradually buffing Shaman, and the Mid-Season update is the next step in that direction. Here is how Shaman becomes stronger this patch:

• Enigma changed her Warlock tag into Shaman.
• Troll splash became much more powerful. You can add Shadow Shaman to a board if you have another Troll and get a Shaman + the global Troll buff.

Shaman probably won't end up a competitive composition in the new patch, but we might encounter some trolly situational builds incorporating Arc Warden with Scythe of Vyse.

Assassins might become a tier 1.5 build again

Before the recent Warlock buff, Assassins had a presence in almost every game. Assassins-based boards would consistently hit top-2 or top-3 which is good enough if you wanted to rank up on the ladder.

In the current meta, Assassins do well during the mid-game and fall of hard around turn 25. Here is what makes Assassins viable again:

• Many Assassins got a decent 3-star upgrade.
• Morphling and Sand King became better overall.
• The most popular early game Assassin Queen of Pain got +5 Armor, which helps with the natural transition from any early-game comp into Assassins. QoP splash becomes better overall.
• Enigma became weaker. In the current meta, this unit obliterates Assassins from the board.
• Druids became stronger, providing a better frontline for Assassins.

Scrappy became a “normal” alliance

In the current meta, Scrappy is a neglected alliance. Here is what makes it viable again:

• Scrappy Alliance takes 2 units per level
• The bonuses are doubled whenever you have fewer units on board than the enemy (instead of the starting values). This probably doesn’t take Summons into account.
• Clockwerk and Tinker are now stronger 3-cost units.
• Global Alliance item rework is a buff to Unstable Reactor.

Less notable but still important changes

Venomancer is playable

The Warlock change means that Venomancer Wards will probably not get linked. Venomancer is also a 1-cost unit now, and we might see him in various early game comps.

The 6-Hunters composition could fall off 

With Tidehunter turning into a Warrior and Medusa becoming a 5-cost unit (finally!♥) 6-Hunters becomes an even tighter and late-game oriented composition. I personally doubt we will see any 6-Hunters boards in competitive games unless the player gets an early Forged in Battle.

Hunter’s Focus might become neglected very situational item.

Alliance Item changes make the game healthier

It’s hard to analyze the impact on the game, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Druids become a better mid-game splash

If you have a Nature’s Prophet on the board and develop Completing the Cycle, you’ll get extra healing from Lesser Treants. Other Druids also got buffed.

You can read the full patch notes here.

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