This patch is boring ping-pong garbage.

Going by the title this will be an opinion piece.

This patch is much less enjoyable than the last one, balance especially team balance (not hero balance) is completely off. Let me explain.

With the yet another jungle change it threw early pos 1 jingling out of the window. Yes, jungle creeps pay more with time but in early stages it became much worse by a magnitude. Coupled with a lot of buffs to offlane heroes playing carry is awful. You are forced to either stay the lane and suffer or go early jungling as you did before but stay multiple levels behind.

The leveling and experience is mind-boggling, it got to the hoho-haha levels yet again. You are winning your lane, getting streaks, farming, you will be only 1 to 2 levels ahead. Enemy catches you? 4 fricking level-ups. It’s crazy, each fight is followed by the insane experience swings. The comeback mechanic is off. Previous patch it was a suspense, an intense game which wasn’t decided by two fights: first you win, second you lose – you lose the game.

Much more games that feel one-sides, again, it wasn’t so bad in previous patch, it was always a mystery who will come on top. Now some games are almost set in stone from minute 15 onwards. It is not enjoyable, it’s either a stomp or an eye roll when one lost fight becomes a comeback that cannot be overthrown later. It’s like a predictable twist which everybody knows is coming and nobody is even surprised.

Animal circus and zoo-meta are back, this shit is awful. Helm of dominator creep is sometimes stronger than a hero even at minute 15 onwards. This is an early game all-in strat. It shouldn’t be able to translate into the mid to endgame well. All thanks to the vladimir’s offering change, drums receiving an overhaul and offlane heroes being in favour due to how the current game flows.

The only two things that were positive for the overall experience, IMO, are rune changes and shard from minute 15.

Also, coupled with level and experience distribution it feels like a strength meta, most strength heroes feel unkillable in the midgame. Too much stats everywhere.

This patch feels like a snowball and later bait and switch comeback meta compared to the slow and steady suspense in previous patch. Snowball and comeback metas have never felt good. It same 6.7-6.8 all over again. I thought everybody learned their lesson from sniper, jugger and troll era.

This all leads to the flash farming heroes being favored, slow farmers and late bloomers feel horrible. It also makes mid and carry very dependent on supports since any disruptions in their games make them fall of very hard. It is not good for solo players. Although it is a debatable point since it promotes teamplay and coordination.

That is all. I really hate snowball metas.