7.37d First ImpressionsBy KawaiiSocks on

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 EHPBy KawaiiSocks on

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 WishlistBy KawaiiSocks on

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.

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Lessons from the InternationalBy KawaiiSocks on

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 PreviewBy KawaiiSocks on

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 RingmasterBy KawaiiSocks on

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 EditionBy KawaiiSocks on

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 7.37By KawaiiSocks on

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 ForBy KawaiiSocks on

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 WishlistBy KawaiiSocks on

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" FacetsBy KawaiiSocks on

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 BuffBy KawaiiSocks on

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 ImpressionsBy KawaiiSocks on

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 SABy KawaiiSocks on

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 NABy KawaiiSocks on

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

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