6.87 - Good Meta Heroes to Play

Any healer:  Necrophos, Abaddon, Omni, Phoenix (Sunray OP right now), Treant

Melee Carries:  Ursa, Sven, WK (Viper, DK, Chaos Knight, Jugg, Legion Commander)

Ranged Carries:  Medusa, Weaver, Drow, Outworld Destroyer, Luna

Nukers:  Zeus, Crystal Maiden, Ogre, Jakiro

Supports:  Lich, Disruptor, Witch Doctor, Warlock, Venge

Roamer/Offlaners:  Spiritbreaker, Slardar, Nightstalker, Centaur

Junglers:  Enigma, Chen, Nature's Prophet

Heroes with Greatest Stat Gains (6.86)

Highest Average Stat Gain (top 10)

Silencer

Venge

OD

Invoker

Centaur

Ogre

Winter Wyvern

Treant

Naga

Dazzle

Highest Average Starting Stats (top 10)

OD

Meepo

Bane

Winter Wyvern

Riki

PL

Leshrac

Bloodseeker

Tusk

Storm Spirit

Highest Starting Primary Stat (greater than 25)

Riki (34 Ag)

PL (29 Ag)

Spirit Breaker (29 Str)

Jakiro (28 Int)

Tinker/Skywrath/Silencer/Rubick/Lina/Dazzle (27 Int)

Venge (27 Ag)

Juggernaut/Drow (26 Ag)

OD/Leshrac/Pugna (26 Int)

Tiny/Legion/Doom (26 Str)

Conclusions:

These stat rankings show how a hero might have “an edge” in the current patch, but his abilities and role in the meta play a larger part.  However, stats provide a useful perspective in terms of which heroes might become popular in a new meta (I predicted Slardar’s re-appearance in 6.84 because of his excellent stat gain and other buffs he received).

One of the reasons that OD is considered top-tier right now, is that both his starting stats and stat gain are excellent (in addition to his useful laning abilities and AOE ultimate).

Similarly, Winter Wyvern is a popular support in part because he’s not that squishy and has useful abilities, including a BKB-piercing ult and a heal.

Stats don’t paint the whole picture!  For example, while it would seem that Riki’s starting damage should be massive, based on high Agility, it’s actually very low (40 avg).  He actually needs about 10 levels before he even catches up (stat-wise) to other heroes’ average damage! (of course, he does have abilities to make up damage in other ways).

Magic-Resistant Heroes

Magic Resistant Heroes by Role:

Pipe Carrier / Offlane:  Centaur?  Elder Titan?  Pudge?

Carry:  Meepo / Ember / Anti-Mage (Lifestealer  - Rage?))

Supports:  Rubick + Visage (Omniknight – Repel?)

Mid:  Huskar / Viper

Other items:  Infused Raindrops

Example:

With Rubick + Pipe Aura…

Formula =

1 - (1 – Base Hero Resistance) × (1 – Ability Added Resistance) × (1- Pipe Aura) x (1- Rubick Bonus) = XX.X resistance

Anti-mage would have (L4 Spell Shield):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 - 0.5) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 73.7% resistance

Huskar would have (at or below 10% hp, L4 Berserkers Blood):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 – 0.5) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 73.7% resistance

Viper would have (L4 corrosive skin):

1 - (1 - 0.25) × (1 - 0.25) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 60.5% resistance

Visage would have (L4 Gravekeeper Cloak, max layers):

1 - (1 - 0.10) × (1 - 0.64) × (1-0.10) x (1-0.22) = 77.3% resistance

Add: Glimmer Cape = 81.8% resistance

Base Formula (http://dota2.gamepedia.com/Magic_resistance )

Total magic resistance = 1 − ((1 − natural resistance) × (1 − first resistance bonus) × (1 − second resistance bonus) × (1 + first resistance reduction) × (1 + second resistance reduction))

Note:  While magic resistance % increase shows diminishing returns, effective HP vs. magic damage still increases in a linear fashion.

Hero Spotlight: Slardar (6.87)

In Dota 2, Slardar is not known as a terribly hard carry, as even though his skill set is excellent, he does not scale as well as some of the harder carries (like Anti-Mage, Spectre, and Phantom Assassin), 

Pros:

• Excellent stat gain
• Good Blink-Initiator
• Sprint gives good mobility
• Excellent Physical-Damage dealer
• Abilities pierce BKB (physical)
• Built-in Bash
• Needs very few items to "come online" and start ganking or fighting

Cons:

• No teamfight ultimate
• Needs attack speed items
• Sometimes hard to find a place to lane him

Item Build Ideas:

Slardar Pushing Carry:

Start: Tango, Mango, Quelling, Circlet

Early:  Boots, Wand

Core:  Powertreads, Maelstrom, Blink, TP

Situational:  BKB, Desolator, Vlad’s

Lategame:  Mjolnir, AC, Heart, BoT, Moonshard

Slardar Offlane / Ganker

Start:  Tango, Mango, Shield, Potion, Branches

Early:  Boots, Wand/Stick, Infused Raindrop, Bottle

Core:  Blink Dagger, Power Treads, Echo Sabre

Utility:  Blade Mail, Pipe, Vlad’s, Crimson Guard, Lotus Orb, Halberd

Luxury:  AC, Heart, BoT

Teams w/Slardar:

#1: Armor Reduction

Tri-Safelane:  Slardar, Dazzle, Venge

Mid:  Shadowfiend / DP / DK

Solo Offlane:  Elder Titan / Bounty / Lone Druid / Enchantress

Ban:  Omni, Viper/OD

#2: Snowball

Dual Safelane: Ember + Jakiro

Mid:  Viper

Dual Offlane: Slardar + Lion

Ban:  Doom, OD?