Valve released Dota 2 patch 7.32e entitled “The Dead Reckoning,” introducing Muerta, Death’s second-in-command. The update came after its first TI11 teaser and a follow-up during the announcement of the Lima Major.
Community expectations ran high, and the hype is palpable—a new patch is coming. Many are hoping for changes, as things were beginning to become stale.
Lina is a highlight-turned-nightmare that ran a literal hot streak in the recent major. Ranged carries were a solution to escape the micro meta that Razor created early on. In TI, Lina dominated as a mid-hero but saw adaptations in the safe lane.
Teams made the switch, alongside counters in Rubick and complementary Treant Protectors that can delay games. Players wanted something new but ended up getting something akin to a band-aid for a heavy bleed.
The Lady Death in Dota 2 Patch 7.32e
The first thing we ought to look at is Muerta herself, the lady beyond the veil. She is unique among the new heroes because she is the first traditional carry since Monkey King in 2016. Her kit does all that it needs to, and pioneers a fresh mechanic now built into a hero in Dota 2 Patch 7.32e.
This mechanic is the ability to right-click ethereal units. It was first implemented by an item tied to Muerta herself—Revenant’s Brooch. Expensive as it was, the mechanic added another answer to ethereal targets without purge mechanics.
If you consider Muerta a carry hero, I wish you good luck. Though her new gimmick is fun, it is only a great pick against high-armor heroes. In a Black King Bar patch, her presence drives the sentiment to get it even further.
She adds to a list of heroes whose core mechanic can be countered by an item, like Nullifier to Windranger. When players do figure out how to play and counter Muerta, she might see herself in competitive play. New heroes don’t get added to the draft pool until their Aghs additions are in place.
Letter Patch and Holding Off
Dota 2 patch 7.32e is a letdown for many players who were patient with Valve. The disappointment is understandable, and this emotional release is acknowledged by the developers themselves. There is no official announcement apart from Dota 2 patch 7.33 releasing late April when the next major begins.
Reddit’s users were quick to catch this inconsistency and appealed for an explanation. As of the date of publication, Valve is yet to respond with a definite explanation.
Now it is rumored that Icefrog went away to develop a new IP under Valve called Neon Prime. The consensus when this information came out was that it was anecdotal, but others give it a benefit of the doubt.
Community figures speculate that the quality of the updates in recent times took a dramatic downfall. With the effort put into Muerta’s tease, speculation of Icefrog’s return is on the rise. Previous heroes like Primal Beast had no tease before their release—this is what made the community conclude.
Let Icefrog cook, it’s what players know them for time and time again. If 7.33 ends up being the answer we all seek, then we owe them an apology.
