Dota 2 has received a major update with the New Frontiers patch, which includes a larger map, changes to matchmaking, a new hero type, and other improvements. The update, which takes Dota 2 to version 7.33, introduces a host of changes that should excite both casual and serious players alike.
40% MORE TERRAIN TO EXPLORE
Valve, the game’s developer, notes that the update has increased the size of the map by 40%. While the lanes remain the same distance apart, there are four new areas to explore: the Well, the Cemetery, the Statue, and the Mines. Both major jungle lanes have also been reconfigured, with changes to view locations, movement routes, and farming, among others.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
One of the most significant changes is the addition of universal heroes, which do not specialize in one attribute but instead receive 0.6 damage for every point of any attribute. Existing heroes that have been shuffled into the Universal category include Bane, Broodmother, Enigma, Lone Druid, and Vengeful Spirit.
Valve has also changed the player selection algorithm in response to issues with MMR accumulation in the 0-1000 range. From now on, Dota 2 will use the Glicko algorithm instead of Elo. Additionally, the UI has been updated to make it easier to keep track of your health and mana, with barriers (formerly called shields) visible on the health bar.
MATCHMAKING CHANGES
The New Frontiers patch has made changes to matchmaking that aim to improve the player experience. Valve has redesigned the player selection system to address MMR accumulation issues and to make it easier for newcomers to return to an accurate player selection ratio after their absence.
In addition, neutral creeps’ abilities now scale over time, and each disabling effect has a reduced duration so players spend less time stunning. Neutral creeps no longer drop items but instead drop tokens that can be spent on one of the five neutral items. The kill formula and Black King Bar have also been redesigned.
MORE NEW FEATURES
Other new features include Roshan having two pits instead of one, double gates allowing you to teleport between upper and lower lanes, and the addition of neutral mini-boss creeps called tormentors, which appear near the bases 20 minutes after the start of the match. There are also eight observers scattered around the map that give an overview to the team that activates them.
Finally, there are two new power runes: wisdom runes at the edge of the map and near the bases give XP, and shield runes in the river give a barrier equal to half your max HP.
