Dota 2 Summer Scrub update brings big changes before TI9

Steven Rondina Published 08/08/2019

In anticipation of The International 2019, Valve called upon Dota 2 fans to point out some of the small, lingering problems with the game client so they could be remedied. And there were a lot of them.

Four weeks after announcing the Summer Scrub, a massive Dota 2 update has arrived fixing dozens of minor bugs and UI issues within the game. Though most of the update tackles more granular issues, there are a handful of changes that the average Dota 2 player will pick up on.

The most obvious change is a new layout to the in-game shop. Rather than laying out all of the available items vertically, they are now horizontally oriented with a new grouping system that divides items based on their usefulness by hero type. Fans that prefer the old setup won’t have to worry about getting used to the new arrangement, as players can freely toggle between the new and classic layouts by clicking the button next to the search bar.

Alongside this is a new addition to the in-game HUD. Hero icons will now appear next to the health bar for each hero, offering up clearer information during skirmishes.

Another interesting change is the ability to create a custom hero selection screen. While the screen has almost always been arranged alphabetically by primary attribute, players can now rearrange things however they desire by creating their own categories and dragging and dropping heroes around. Players also have the ability to remove heroes off the screen entirely, ensuring there will never be another accidental Meepo or Arc Warden pick.

Dota 2 hero changes in Summer Scrub update

For the most part, these changes tackle user interface issues and menu options. No true balance changes were included in the patch but a handful of fixes will impact players’ in-game experience.

A number of extremely specific ability and item interactions were remedied, with things like Elder Titan’s Natural Order aura and Drow Ranger’s Marksmanship effect not stacking properly.

Hero icons will now appear over Tusk’s Snowball and Phoenix’s Scepter-upgraded Supernova, allowing players to know how many heroes have been absorbed into the spells.

In terms of changes that might actually impact the balance of the game, Morphling and Rubick were both hit with a number of changes designed to remedy buggy or unintended interactions when utilizing their Morph and Spell Steal skills, respectively. These fixes are a mixed bag for both heroes, but shouldn’t overwhelmingly impact either.

Alongside these changes are a number of performance upgrades, skin alterations, and player interaction tweaks. Make sure to check out the full list of changes on the official Dota 2 blog.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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