With possibly the last few days of Dota 2 patch 7.35 in play, we take a look at what support heroes are doing well in pubs right now.
Image: biggreenpepper on DeviantArt
Dota 2 patch 7.35 is about to be a thing of the past in the next few weeks. But until the Crownfall update is released and Ring Master braces the game, there is still some time to make the most of the current patch.
A few days ago, we looked at which core heroes are good in the current meta. Here, we take a look at which five support heroes have been doing well in the last month of pubs. Unlike the core heroes, the majority of the support heroes that are doing well have barely been changed – nerfs or buffs – in the balance patches that followed Dota 2 patch 7.35.
The heroes have been picked as the best performing ones from the Divine and Immortal brackets. This data is as per Dotabuff. The choice of heroes has been made from a combination of high pick rate and high win rate heroes. The best position for each hero – position 4 or position 5 – has been mentioned along with the win rate and pick rate.
Vengeful Spirit (Pick rate: 5.74%, Win rate: 52.07%) – Position 4
Vengeful Spirit went from a fringe pick to a meta pick after the release of Dota 2 patch 7.35, which made Nether Swap into a nuke of sorts, as well as a better save for allies because of the barrier. She also is one of the best carriers of Solar Crest. A level 3 Nether Swap on an ally paired with the Solar Crest active Shine is an HP barrier of 850!
Vengeful Spirit was nerfed in Dota 2 patch 7.35c, but even after the nerfs, she has been doing well in pubs. Her stats as a position 5 hero are not as good as compared to when she is played in the position 4 hero.
(taken from Dota 2 Wiki)
Oracle (Pick rate: 6.63%, Win rate: 54.27%) – Position 5
Oracle has been consistently doing well for the past few weeks, but has not been nerfed at all. Oracle’s biggest change in recent times was in Dota 2 patch 7.33, when Fate’s Edict was buffed to only disarm enemies and only provide the magic resistance to allies. Along with that, Rain of Destiny was moved from the Aghanim’s Scepter to the Aghanim’s Shard, which was great because the skill was extremely good ever since it was introduced to the game, but getting an Aghanim’s Scepter on Oracle was not that easy a task.
Besides riding the buffs from patch 7.33 though, Oracle has gained popularity in the current meta as patch 7.35 has propped up magic damage, and False Promise is one of the best ways to counter burst damage. If you can keep your core alive through the initial burst, there’s a good chance you can turn the team fight.
(taken from Dota 2 Wiki)
Io (Pick rate: 5.68%, Win rate: 55.99%) – Position 5
Io used to be one of the most contested heroes in professional Dota 2 till a few years ago. But things changed, and the Wisp was an irregular pick for a few years. It seems the hero has at least made a strong comeback in the top tier of Dota 2 pubs. In the current day and age, one of Io’s big strengths is from Tether giving an ally 14% spell amplification bonus. In a meta where magic damage is strong, that is a strong skill to possess. On top of it, Io’s Shard also gives it spell life steal, which is shared with the tethered target.
On the flip side, Io’s healing ability is quite strong in helping an ally survive a barrage of magic damage. And Relocate, as long as you can use it correctly, can be used to help a core survive through burst damage as well. Keep in mind though, this is not a hero that can be picked up and played anytime. Io needs a lot of practice to master.
Winter Wyvern (Pick rate: 4.85%, Win rate: 54.17%) – Position 4
Winter Wyvern, like a lot of universal heroes, can double as a core or support. But the buffs she has been receiving since Dota 2 patch 7.34 are pushing her more towards being a support, with Cold Embrace and Winter’s Curse being two of her most buffed abilities in the last few months.
As a position 4 hero, Winter Wyvern is one of the quicker farmers because of Splinter Blast, and as the game wears on, can transition seamlessly into a fourth core. She is a great carrier of the new Mage Slayer, and if the game goes long enough, can use Parasma effectively too.
(taken from Dota 2 Wiki)
Nyx Assassin (Pick rate: 6.38%, Win rate: 53.70%) – Position 4
Over the last few patches, Nyx Assassin has been the recipient of all-round buffs. It has made him a viable position 2 and position 4 hero, but his stats stand out only as a position 4 hero. Nyx, like Lion, also counters two highly picked heroes in the meta, Medusa and Timbersaw. Even as a position 4 hero, his burst potential in the early to mid game is quite scary.
(taken from Dota 2 Wiki)
Honorable Mentions
Disruptor (Pick rate: 6.17%, Win rate: 51.48%) – Position 5
Undying (Pick rate: 6.00%, Win rate: 51.88%) – Position 5
Hopefully, the next time GosuGamers does articles on the top meta picks, it will be for Dota 2 patch 7.36 and will have Ring Master as a strong hero in multiple positions!
