Valve released Dota 2 update 7.41d, bringing balance changes to several heroes. The patch also includes a mysterious tweak to Axe that has players speculating about future content.
Nature's Prophet and Arc Warden get early game buffs
The update targets a mix of popular and niche heroes. Nature's Prophet and Arc Warden receive buffs, while Phoenix and Ember Spirit see nerfs. Morphling and Wraith King get base stat adjustments.
Nature's Prophet's Treants now always contribute to his bonus damage, even when out of range. Arc Warden's Flux gains increased cast range and movement slow at rank one, surpassing the old level two values. These changes boost both heroes' early-game presence.
Item changes and bug fixes round out the patch
Morphling gains seven base Agility but loses nine base Strength, netting two extra stat points. Wraith King's base damage increases by two, and his Vampiric Spirit lifesteal starts at 20% but scales at half the rate per level. Phoenix's Fire Spirits attack speed slow is reduced at early ranks, scaling back to normal by rank four.
Legion Commander's Duel mana cost rises to 80/100/120 from a flat 75. Ember Spirit's Sleight of Fist bonus hero damage drops by ten at all ranks. Slark's Saltwater Shiv cooldown now matches its duration at rank one. Ringmaster's Funhouse Mirror illusions deal full damage instead of 28%.
Item changes include a 50 gold reduction to Dagon's recipe cost. Mage Slayer's damage reduction decreases by three. A bug fix addresses an interaction between Venomancer and Helm of the Dominator. Smoke of Deceit now broadcasts a message to allied chat when used.
Axe's patch note reads 'Sense of Foreboding increased from 0 to 0.5.' This change has no known in-game effect, leading to speculation it may hint at an upcoming event or hero. Valve has not confirmed any such plans.
Source: PCGAMESN
