Overview
Author’s insight: Dota 2 Patch 736a Buffs and Nerfs bring crucial adjustments pushing players to rethink strategies and hero builds.
- Eternal Shroud’s base magic resistance decreased from 25% to 20%, impacting its mid-game viability.
- Major nerfs to Juggernaut, Legion Commander, and Templar Assassin alter their game dynamics significantly.
- Buffs to heroes like Death Prophet and Tinker make them more potent in battles, enhancing their strategic value.
Hero Rebalancing in 7.36a
Dota 2 patch 7.36a brings a whirlwind of changes, including a significant reevaluation of heroes’ powers. One eye-catching adjustment involves Eternal Shroud, where the base magic resistance has been dropped to 20% from 25%. This seemingly small percentage decrease can greatly impact survivability in magical damage-heavy encounters.
Eternal Shroud’s magic resistance adjustment threatens the item’s viability. Heroes who depend on it for mid-game survivability might need to rethink their strategies and possibly their entire build paths.
Abaddon and Axe Adjustments
Abaddon’s Aphotic Shield, through the Mephitic Shroud, now has a reduced shield amount: 170/210/250/290 instead of the existing values. This nerf impacts Abaddon’s ability to protect himself and his allies during critical skirmishes.
Axe’s new Coat of Blood ability scaling with Culling Blade is intriguing but the armor gain per kill now sits at a meager 0.4/0.6/0.8/1, making sustainability harder in prolonged fights. This tweak forces players to focus more on strategic engagements rather than casual kills.
Clinkz users will notice that Skeleton Archers no longer apply Burning Barrage when cast, signaling a shift in how this hero may need to be played. By losing this aspect of his kit, the hero’s usual damage output might decrease, affecting his effectiveness, especially in late-game siege scenarios.
- Eternal Shroud: Dropped from 25% to 20% base magic resistance.
- Aphotic Shield: Shield reduced by an average of 20 across all levels.
- Coat of Blood: Scaled with Culling Blade, armor gain significantly reduced.
Legion Commander and Juggernaut Tweaks
For Legion Commander, the Stonehall Plate’s barrier is now a lot less effective, with damage reduction dropped to 50% and no longer offering protection against harmful illusions. This change directly diminishes her tankiness, calling for more calculated initiation and duels.
Juggernaut fans might grumble about the additional damage from Omnislash getting a trim. Reduced to 25/30/35 from the previous 30/35/40, it impacts his burst potential in trying to secure early kills.
The buffs for Tinker in the new patch seem promising. Adjustments aimed to improve win rates offer Tinker players more control. Given the tactical nature of his skills, strategic players can now exploit these buffs to maximize damage and pressure throughout the game.
Templar Assassin and Wraith King
Templar Assassin users felt a significant hit with the nerfs to her damage shield and the range of Psy Blades along with Meld damage. This change aims to curtail her dominating laning presence and make her less oppressive, especially in lower-level play.
Wraith King’s Spectral Blade damage has been reduced, which might force players to lean more on his tanky attributes rather than damage output for now. The refining of these abilities reflects a noticeable tone of balance the developers are mapping out in Dota 2 Patch 7.36a Buffs and Nerfs.
The community often wonders if such balance shifts truly level the playing field or merely redirect the meta. With these adjustments, particularly the tempered effects of Spectral Blade, it feels like an attempt to incentivize players to explore more versatile strategies.
This patch leaves a lot to experiment with and, as always, shifts hero viability, forcing dynamic gameplay and more thoughtful hero selection in Dota 2.
Significant Hero Nerfs
Juggernaut‘s ultimate and Blade Fury have taken a heavy hit in Patch 7.36a. Omnislash’s damage per slash has seen a drop. Consequently, his role as a damage dealer in mid-game clashes will weaken, demanding more strategic application of his abilities instead of relying solely on raw damage output.
The changes to Juggernaut call for a more refined approach in team fights, emphasizing precision and timing. It’s like when I am jungling in Valorant; you need to choose your moments wisely. This might push Juggernaut players towards alternative item builds to compensate for the nerf.
Legion Commander’s Reduced Effectiveness
Legion Commander‘s Stonehall Plate no longer provides a barrier against harmful illusions, and the damage barrier itself has been halved. This crucial change means she’s less durable in fights, especially when facing illusion-based heroes like Phantom Lancer or Terrorblade. It’s a significant nerf that forces a rethink on her initiation strategies.
Earlier, I often relied on the Stonehall Plate’s barrier to withstand bursts during duels. With this nerf, dueling durability is hit hard. Legion Commanders might need to prioritize different tank items or adjust their playstyle to compensate.
These changes shift the focus on timing and positioning, much like my mid-lane play in Fortnite where maneuvering can alter the game’s outcome. Adjustments like these keep the game dynamic and force players to rethink strategies for success.
Templar Assassin Changes
Templar Assassin‘s damage shield has faced a major reduction. Psy Blades’ initial range and Meld damage have both been diminished, making her less imposing in the laning phase. This perhaps makes her more balanced but significantly less forgiving to play.
I remember dominating lesser opponents with Templar Assassin’s early aggression. The decreased range on Psy Blades means you’ll need superior positioning to maintain your edge. This could make her less appealing to players who relied on those mechanics for easy wins.
In competitive matches, this change might lead teams to diversify their hero picks, adding another layer of complexity to Dota 2’s strategic meta. We’re likely to see fewer players banking on Templar Assassin’s early game dominance.
Axe and Clinkz Nerfs
Axe players, take note: Blood Shield now scales with Culling Blade and the armor gain per kill is reduced. This means heroes that depended on stacking armor aggressively must now look elsewhere to maintain their tankiness.
Clinkz suffers from the removal of Burning Barrage application by Skeleton Archers. This change dials back some of Clinkz’s mid-to-late game pressure. The nerf forces Clinkz enthusiasts to adapt, particularly by focusing on other ways to maximize damage output.
Dota 2 Patch 736a Buffs and Nerfs have altered hero effectiveness, and Clinkz’s adjustments signify a pivot in his gameplay approach. Players will need to rely more on positioning and less on automatic attacks from summoned units, similar to how you approach site control with strong anchor agents like Killjoy in Valorant.
These nerfs drive home the need for adaptability. The curtain seems to fall on the former dominance of some heroes, pushing players to rethink, recalibrate, and retool their strategies to fit the new landscape shaped by Dota 2 Patch 736a Buffs and Nerfs.
Major Hero Buffs

Dota 2 Patch 736a Buffs and Nerfs – Major Hero Buffs
The Death Prophet received some notable buffs in this patch. The movement speed slow from her silence ability, Silence Suppress Facet, has been increased. This means enemies caught in her silence will find it even harder to escape, giving her a stronger presence during ganks and team fights.
- Suppressed Facet: Movement speed slow increased from 10/15/20/25% to 15/20/25/30%.
- Spirit Collector Facet: Now triggers from hero deaths globally instead of in a 2000-radius.
This change catapults Death Prophet into a more versatile role, and the global effect of Spirit Collector makes her far more impactful during skirmishes where heroes typically gather. It’s like having a defensive net that’s always active, no matter how far the action is taking place.
Earth Spirit Enhancements
For Earth Spirit players, the new patch introduces an intriguing mechanic. When Rolling Boulder ends, he now creates a Stone Remnant in front of him, potentially leading to more strategic plays and engagements. This subtle addition can pile up remnants quickly for his other abilities, allowing for smoother and more dynamic combat flows.
I’ve noticed that during chaotic battles, having that extra remnant can be a game-changer. It serves almost like a free ward placement, offering vision and strategic opportunities without spending additional mana on positioning.
Pangolier’s Offensive Power Surge
Pangolier enthusiasts will relish the increased damage ceiling for his Double Jump Facet. The maximum damage has been ramped up from 30% to 50%, making this more than just a mobility skill—it’s a significant threat to enemies caught in its path.
- Double Jump Facet: Maximum damage increased from 30% to 50%.
- Shield Crash: Damage increased from 60/120/180/240 to 70/130/190/250.
This enhancement creates more diversity in Pangolier’s playstyle. It’s not just about survival anymore; the increased damage makes Pangolier a more potent disrupter in team fights, offering a wider toolkit for both defensive maneuvers and offensive bursts.
Tinker’s Impressive Adjustments
One of the most significant series of buffs in Dota 2 Patch 736a Buffs and Nerfs involves Tinker. He now enjoys reduced mana costs for March of the Machines and Warp Flare, while also benefiting from a faster Keen Conveyance. The transition of his Rearm mana cost to a more affordable rate will undoubtedly make him more sustainable in longer games.
- March of the Machines: Mana Cost decreased from 110/130/150/170 to 90/110/130/150.
- Warp Flare: Mana Cost decreased from 100 to 80.
- Keen Conveyance: Channel time decreased from 4.0/3.5/3.0s to 3s.
- Rearm: Mana cost reduced from 125/175/225 to 100/150/200.
The reduction in mana costs and channel times ensures higher survivability and efficiency in battles, especially in protracted engagements where Tinker often shines. These buffs might spark a resurgence in his popularity, particularly among players who excel in high-micro playstyles.