Dota 2’s Patch 7.34 might be the last main patch before the coveted The International 2023, and the balance team made sure to shake up the meta before the game’s grand tournament. In true Dota 2 fashion, Patch 7.34 introduced sweeping changes to many heroes and items, leaving players experimenting with tweaks and updates.
Whether it’s because of game-changing buffs, improved numerical values, or adjustments to items, the competitive landscape in Dota 2 has been significantly altered. Now that the dust has settled on the patch and the meta has somewhat stabilized, it’s clear which heroes are the most dominant in the meta.
Vengeful Spirit
Dota 2’s Patch 7.34 buffed Vengeful Spirit so drastically that she returned from obscurity to become a must-pick support for every game. Wave of Terror makes it a constant risk to trade against her because it now reduces attack damage on top of reducing armor. Additionally, her extended stun duration on Magic Missile means she can take favorable trades all game, especially with her new level 15 talent that further reduces armor.
Vengeful Spirit’s gameplan is to take an early Medallion of Courage and aggressively roam the map for fast ganks. The combined armor reduction from their ability and item will make even the tankiest strength heroes fear for their lives. Efficient Vengeful Spirit players will take advantage of Wave of Terror’s ability to stack Neutral Camps.
Treant Protector
Treant Protector boasts the highest winrate in Dota 2 in Patch 7.34, all thanks to a few numerical adjustments. Patch 7.34 increased the damage and healing of Leech Seed, solidifying his status as the best lane support. Treant Protector’s incredibly high auto-attack damage, crowd control, and sustain lets him walk all over his enemies during the laning stage, helping his lane partner secure early-game kills.
Treant Protector’s Aghanim’s Shard now considers Nature’s Grasp vines as trees, meaning that he can throw a slow from the jungle and walk up to the enemy to root them. Treant was always a strong defensive support, but his new shard lets him stalk through the mid-game, invading enemy camps to secure valuable pick-offs.
Invoker
Invoker is the lucky recipient of many great Dota 2’s 7.34 patch buffs. The most notable change is making him a Universal hero and then reworking the stats and effects of his abilities to match the transition better, such as giving Exort outgoing spell damage amplification. Moreover, some of his abilities were significantly buffed, like Tornado’s cyclone duration and granting Ghost Walk health and mana regeneration.
Hand of Midas’ shiny glow-up also accelerated Invoker’s tempo, as it now has two Transmutation charges. Invoker desperately needs levels for abilities, especially during the early stages, so the extra charge from Hand of Midas helps alleviate his issue. Invoker’s raw strength and versatility make him the top dog in Dota 2’s midlane.
Gyrocopter
Gyrocopter is dominating the meta due to all his consistent buffs, including his huge buff implemented during 7.34. His new Aghanim’s Scepter upgrade adds two Side Gunners that attack two units while Flak Cannon is active. These Side Gunners proc on-hit effects and attack modifiers so Gyrocopter can easily cleave through the enemy team. His natural area-of-effect prowess keeps problematic illusion heroes like Phantom Lancer and Naga Siren in check.
Gyrocopter can also outpace most carries, especially since he’s at his best with an item advantage during the mid-game. After grabbing Aghanim’s Scepter, his team can brute force objectives and towers. Then, after obtaining Satanic, it’s extremely difficult to kill Gyrocopter without a dedicated team.
Dawnbreaker
As a hero, Dawnbreaker has a fundamentally broken and overloaded kit, and the only way to tone her down is through numerical values. Patch 7.34 had many favorable changes that go towards Dawnbreaker’s way. Dawnbreaker received several small buffs to her base stats, abilities, and talents, with the best change letting her ultimate’s stun pierce through debuff immunity.
Furthermore, the game-changing buffs for Blademail enable her to become a tanky, frontline right-clicker who can respond to any fight around the map. Global presence is much more potent in Dota 2’s newly expanded map. Finally, Dawnbreaker is a versatile hero who can fit many roles, such as switching to a traditional tank or flexing to support. Dawnbreaker is a must-pick in Dota 2’s 7.34 meta.
