Dota 2: What can we learn from ESL One Mumbai

ESL One Mumbai does not have the appearance of the strongest teams. Apart from Keen Gaming, all participating teams can be considered as Tier 2 or below. But that makes the statistical information from the tournament more applicable in high-rank pub matches. This article will take a look at the new metas in the patch – heroes that were not on the Top Tier list of the previous weeks.

EARTHSHAKER

Dominating position 4 support, Earthshaker is both a strong and fast roaming support. This is a hero that can control opponents from the beginning of the game and is a good tool to lock the opponent’s squad in the later stages of the game.

Earthshaker wasn’t in the previous meta because the laning phase became more important. In addition, melee supports like Earth Shaker can hardly apply constant pressure, while their own skills cooldown for too long. Adding 2 armor in patch 7.21d makes ES more stable, while the initial movement speed of 310 allows Earthshaker to trade hits better than ranged heroes.

To keep up with Blink Dagger, you need to know how to promote Fissure and rotate effectively. Echo Slam always creates a surge in combat even in the later stages of the game thanks to the amount of stun that ES brings. If the team does not have Nyx Assassin or is having trouble with the opponent’s draft, then Earthshaker is considered a reliable alternative in the squad.

JAKIRO

The new way to build a new skill 2-0-1-0 at level 3 gives Jakiro more influence in the laning phase. Dual Breath may not be the strongest or most mana-efficient move at level 1 in the game, but it’s annoying. Dual Breath reduces attack speed, making it impossible for the opponent to trade hits, and escaping is also more difficult due to being slowed.

Also, this hero is extremely tanky at position 5 support. Possessing almost 3 armor and nearly 750HP HP at level 1 helps Jakiro withstand hits and allows him to harass opponents, focusing on denying during laning while waiting for the skill to cool down.

Don’t underestimate Ice Path’s CC (crowd control) ability. This is a move that is maximized after the laning phase ends. Ice Path has a wide range, affects many targets and disables teamfight.

DOOM

Recruited by all the teams in every region, Doom was one of the nerfed heroes of patch 7.21. Doom’s Strength has been reduced, Devour’s healing has been nerfed and there was a time when the hero was completely out of the meta. Currently, Doom is considered the first pick with a competitive rate of 92%.

It’s hard to give an exact answer as to why Doom is so important now. Perhaps the slower matches allow this hero to creep into the top Net Worth as well as gain items that add aura to his team. This is an effective pioneer hero, picked by most teams in the offlane position. The flexible Devour ability to give Doom the choice to stun, root, purge, or deal extra damage to the team is worth considering.

All we can say is that Doom is absolutely worth picking. Doom can lose to Mars in Pub battles. But if you know how to play in a smart way, then this will be an extremely beneficial hero and give your team the flexibility you need.

LINA

This is a mid hero with active play, possessing damage with long range attack. In addition, Lina also possesses an extremely large amount of magic damage. They create the necessary qualities for a good mid hero in the current meta and Lina is the most popular hero among pro gamers.

With her stuns, as well as her overwhelming ability to compete for the last hit, Lina can control lane with ease in any situation. Ranged range allows this hero to survive the setbacks and switch to the jungle later if necessary. With that stability, Lina is extremely valuable in the professional scene.

So is Lina suitable for the pub meta? Against high health low armor opponents, like Morphling or Terrorblade, Lina can destroy them within the first 15 to 25 minutes of the match. Having a good start, the pro teams almost took advantage of that and more or less took control of the map, making the opponent scared and unable to farm effectively. High pub rank can also apply this, as the idea is neither new nor too complicated.

For players of rank 4k and above, the current Lina can become a monster of destruction. For players under 4k, in slow games, choosing less “risky” heroes is often seen as the optimal solution. Lina transforms strongly in the late game, but the hero will die within 2 seconds in the late game if standing in the wrong position. Unlike heroes like Queen of Pain, Ember Spirit or Storm Spirit, Lina has no ability to escape.

According to Dotabuff