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Off-meta Ideas to Try in Pubs - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The holidays are upon us and it is time for celebration, joy and some heavy experimentation. No one in your pubs is going to take Dota seriously for a while, so why should you? Today we are going to leave you with some crazy ideas about some of the least popular heroes in the current meta and how to make them work well enough to not end up on everyone’s naughty list.
Carry Meta Update - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
One of the biggest complaints in the last patch was the low carry diversity. The meta was dominated by Luna, Medusa and Dragon Knight — the flash-farming, scaling trio. Despite only getting a smaller letter patch, we are ecstatic to highlight that the position one meta is currently in a much healthier place, with several notable carries making it back into the meta.
7.37e Unexpected Trends - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Dota is an incredibly complex game and seemingly small changes can have a massive impact on the meta. Today we are not going to go over heroes who got buffed and are much better off — for the most part this is expected and self-explanatory. Instead, we are going to focus on heroes who are suddenly getting a lot more popular and successful, seemingly out of nowhere.
Heroes to Explore - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
By this point, the most dedicated players have already finished Crownfall and are probably left with a question: “what’s next?”. It seems like the big balance patch is going to take some time to make it into the game, and diversifying your gameplay with off-meta heroes feels game losing. It doesn’t have to be this way, though, and today we are going to look at the heroes who went completely uncontested at the recent tournaments and qualifiers, but can work wonders in pubs, given specific setups.
Professional Meta New Developments - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Dota 2 meta is interesting, because it keeps on developing even in the absence of balance changes. This is a testament to the great core gameplay principles of the game. Even though we, like many others, are waiting for a big overhaul patch, there are still things worth discussing and exploring. Today we are going to have a quick look at some surprising new developments that are easy to implement in your everyday pubs.
What Can We Learn From BB Dacha? - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
There isn’t a whole lot going on in Dota in terms of meta development. With the patch staying the same for a long while, the creativity is quite limited, as the best, most reliable options dominate the field. However, there are some noteworthy outliers we would like to highlight today. These heroes might not be meta quite yet, but they can be considered playable or at least worthy of further exploration.
PGL Wallachia Recap - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The second season of Wallachia was a blast through and through. Despite technically being on a patch similar to TI, the diversity of strategies and hero picks was considerably higher. Today we would like to have a quick recap of the historical tournament and highlight some of the most exciting facts.
7.37d First Impressions - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The new post-TI patch is here and while it is not a major systems overhaul, it is a pretty meaty one. Not necessarily in the amount of changes themselves, but potentially in the ripple effect we expect it will have on the overall meta. Today we want to have a quick look over what we consider to be the biggest changes to the game and discuss what the end result of these changes could be.
Let's Talk About EHP - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
One of the most hotly debated topics right now is the HP pool inflation. Over the years, the baseline and potentially achievable survivability skyrocketed, resulting in a much lower *lethality* of Dota engagements. Today we want to add our voice to the discussion, highlighting what we consider to be the pros and cons of the current Dota approach to time-to-kill.
The International 2025 Wishlist - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Our annual The International blog posts always started with TI lauded as the “biggest esports event of the year”. It was always a celebration of Dota, the showcase of the highest level of play in the deepest, most complex online game there is and we believe that this is still true. However, it is impossible to deny that this year TI was a bit lacklustre and today we would like to discuss some things that could return it to its former glory.
Lessons from the International - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The International playoffs have started and the meta is slowly solidifying. There are definitely some ideas that are slowly being discarded, while other heroes are only gaining in popularity. Today we want to have a look at the outliers — the heroes who are both popular and either very successful or seemingly weak.
The International Group Stage Preview - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The Group Stage schedule has finally been released. The sixteen participating teams are sorted into four groups, four teams each. There are no eliminations in the Group Stage of TI this year, so everyone will have a chance to show themselves during the playoffs and considering the level of the competition this year it is a good thing.
Understanding Ringmaster - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The long-awaited Ringmaster is finally in the game and it looks like the hero is not just viable, but is extremely powerful. That said, his winrate starts being an outlier only in higher level games, so it seems that tapping into his full potential isn’t necessarily trivial. Today we are going to look over why the hero works so well in higher level games and how to replicate his success.
Against the Meta — Support Edition - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
7.37b did little to the overall idea of the current meta. We are still playing in an extremely tanky patch with a lot of healing and sustain. Dota being Dota, though, there are always ways to adapt and overcome. Sometimes they aren’t obvious, or they can be hard to pull off, but when played correctly they can work wonders for your win rate. So today we are going to have a look at some of the best heroes to play, if you want to deal with the most popular picks of the current patch.
Biggest Winners of 7.37 - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
As expected, the latest patch was very focused on refining the new facet mechanics. It also improved the overall balance of the game, with many heroes from our wishlist getting some very well deserved buffs. These seemingly small changes had a profound effect on the overall meta and today we would like to highlight the biggest winners of 7.37.
Buffs We are Waiting For - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Facets introduced a lot of balance chaos to the game. There are many heroes who can perform great with one facet and be completely unviable with another. However, there are also heroes who are simply too weak in the current meta, regardless of what facet they choose. These heroes desperately need a buff and today we are going to have a close look at them.
Major Patch Wishlist - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Discussing the professional meta seems redundant — hopefully there is a minor, post-tournament patch to deal with some of the more problematic heroes. Instead, we would like to highlight a couple of our small grievances with the current balance of the game and start a discussion about what we would like to see changed.
In Defence of the "Bad" Facets - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
There are bad, statistically game-losing Facets and there are “bad” hero facets. The ones that receive mockery, while technically being decent in some scenarios. Today we are going to go over facets that we feel get underserved hate and analyse how and when they can be the better option.
Facets that Desperately Need a Buff - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The facet mechanic is very interesting, but it is going to take a while before it matures into what we feel Valve envisioned. Currently, many heroes have a “weak” and a “strong” facet, as opposed to having two distinct situational options. Today we are going to look into some of the most egregious examples of this and share our opinion on why they are underwhelming.
7.36c First Impressions - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
We didn’t have to wait long for a new Dota patch right after TI qualifiers. There were definitely some balance issues in the game and from the looks of it, most of them were addressed. We are going to highlight some of the biggest patch changes and try to guess what it means for the meta.
TI Qualifiers Meta Highlights — EEU and SA - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
We continue analysing high level Dota to highlight some interesting fresh ideas. EEU and SA are two regions where games are highly chaotic and aggressive and it definitely shows in their draft and build preferences. Some of their ideas are a return to classics, while some are brand new, but all of them should be easily usable in your everyday pubs.
TI Qualifiers Meta Highlights — CN and NA - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
I got to watch (and even cast) some of the International qualifiers and there are many interesting new ideas to explore. Some of them seemed extremely dependent on good teamplay and high levels of coordination, while some can be easily used in pubs. Today we are going to look at the latter group
Nerfs We are Waiting For - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The new patch is an absolute treat for players and theorycrafters, but it will definitely take some work before it can be considered balanced. Today we are going to highlight heroes and aspects that are in desperate need of attention from the balancing team. Not only are they undeniably strong, they are also quite frustrating to play against, making for prime nerf candidates. Incidentally, they are also some of the easiest heroes to gain MMR on.
New and improved hero and facet stats! - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Today we're pleased to release the first in a series of major updates to Dotabuff, starting with new and improved hero and facet statistics! Read on to learn more about this update and others we expect to deliver in the coming weeks and months.
Crownfall Act II First Impressions - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The new patch is ridiculously big. In fact, it is so huge it took us two days of non-stop Dota to form an initial impression. Turns out, there are way too many things to discuss and analyse to fit into a single blog post, so instead we are going to highlight some of our most interesting and surprising findings.
Understanding Attack Speed and DPS - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to Attack Speed and DPS. For some reason most players heavily lean towards larger damage numbers when it comes to DPS optimisation and while there are reasons for it, it is not always optimal. Today we would like to spend some time diving into Dota 2 AS and DPS mechanics and clear some misunderstandings related to them.
More Fun Ideas to Try - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The gameplay patch isn’t here yet, but it doesn’t mean we have to sit around and complain. It is very unlikely any one player has exhausted the full depth of what Dota has to offer even without any external changes, so today we would like to highlight some extra fun ideas and interactions you could try out to mix up your pubs.
Fresh Ideas from ESL One Birmingham - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Despite being played on the tried and tested 7.35d, ESL One Birmingham came with a couple of interesting pocket strats to try out and toy with. They aren’t necessarily a great fit for everyday pubs and neither are they game-breakingly overpowered, but they are definitely a lot of fun to discuss and analyse. That’s exactly what we are going to do today.
Fun Ideas to Try with Friends - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
We aren’t sure when the patch is coming, but it does feel like it is a bit too late to discuss the meta or the best heroes to play in Ranked. So today we are going to do something different. Today we are going to highlight some fun and somewhat stupid interactions to try in casual, unranked pubs.
Supports Who Could Use a Buff - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The current support gameplay is exceptionally rewarding. The impact both position four and five supports can have on the game extends far beyond the laning stage and far beyond simple saves and disables. There are some supports, however, who really don’t fit into the current meta and could really use a buff or two.
Carries Who Could Use a Buff - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
There are very few overpowered heroes in the current patch: outside of pro-scene Chen, the current patch is very well balanced. That said we feel some heroes are quite heavily underpowered and as a result they are not played professionally and have limited usefulness in pubs. So today we are going to discuss heroes who desperately need a buff.
7.35d Impressions - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
The new patch introduced some small, but key changes to the game. It might not be a complete meta overhaul, but the effects are noticeable and today we would like to take a look at the biggest winners and losers of the current patch and how it influenced the overall pub environment.
Crownfall Wishlist - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
We might be a bit premature with our wishlist, but it’s hard to contain our excitement. This time around we are excited about some unexpected things, though. Last April we got the New Frontiers update that greatly overhauled the map, added a new attribute, introduced new objectives and heavily reworked the core concept of Spell Immunity. Just three months ago we also received a batch of new Items to play with so the gameplay is very far from being stale. Hence our wishlist is going to primarily focus on things unrelated to core game mechanics. We are, of course, talking about events and cosmetics.
BB Dacha Meta Recap - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
BB Dacha Dubai didn’t have too many meta revelations: for the most part we were seeing the same kind of meta we see in higher level pubs and other tournaments. There were only a few notable additions to the regular suspects and none of them were too surprising, so hopefully teams will be showing more fresh ideas in the upcoming tournaments.
Introducing Your Special Ones to Dota - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Introducing people to Dota is very hard. Introducing people you care about to Dota is even harder. However, as someone with almost two decades of experience with the game and countless students throughout the years, there are some tips and tricks I’ve gathered along the way. Today I want to share those, so that the process of onboarding new players is just a little bit smoother for everyone.
Is Pudge Really Worth It? - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
We hear you, you really love playing Pudge. The hero’s been the most popular Dota hero for as long as he was in the game, and is one of the most copied designs in cheap Dota knock-offs. Is the hero actually good now and did the changes of the last several years finally made him a viable character to pick in higher level games? Let’s find out.
Speculating about Ringmaster - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
It’s been almost a year since the Muerta release and it might be time to start hyping up Ringmaster. New Dota 2 hero releases are always exciting, since they always introduce new, unique mechanics, so today we would like to speculate about the upcoming character and what their kit might look like.
Undervalued Concepts of the New Patch - DOTABUFF - Dota 2 Stats
Calling the patch “new” is becoming a bit of a stretch, but there are still many things that we feel are underutilised. Some of them are strong, but don’t necessarily fit the usual pub game and get forgotten in games where they fit. Some are simply overlooked. Today we would like to talk about both categories, highlighting undervalued items, heroes and concepts.