The goal comes first. The item follows.
The patch was released on 15 September. Starting today, I'm keeping its important changes and my explanations here: what to reread before picking a hero or buying an item.
The recipe costs 100 gold less; the total cost is now 3300.
If enemy attacks decide the fight, I want to compare Halberd with another damage item. The small discount brings the purchase closer, but the target I need to disarm still determines its value.
Whose attacks do I need to stop temporarily in this game?
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The recipe costs 100 gold more; the total cost is now 2000.
On a ranged hero, including Viper, I want to know why I need attack range right now. The extra 100 gold is a reason to check whether mobility or surviving an initiation matters more at this moment.
Will range help me attack, or do I need to survive first?
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Constant mana regeneration is reduced from 0.8 to 0.6 per second.
Raindrops are still worth considering for their defensive purpose. I wouldn't expect them alone to cover my lane's mana needs: check your reserves and available regeneration before the next trade.
Am I buying magic protection or trying to fix a mana shortage?
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The active Arctic Blast wave deals 35 less damage.
I want to choose Shiva's Guard for its whole set of effects, not just its impressive wave. The old finishing damage calculation no longer works: if damage is short, plan for another action from the team.
Do I need its effects or just extra damage?
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Leech Seed now costs 35 mana. Leaving the trees preserves invisibility for 1 second instead of 2; base intelligence is reduced from 20 to 17.
On Treant, I would reassess my mana for a sequence of actions and my route between trees. A shorter invisibility window makes the usual exit more exposed: before moving forward, I need a clear way back.
Do I have mana to continue and trees to retreat through?
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