Crystallize — on patch 7.21

Patch 7.21 is online!

Vladyslav “Crystallize” Krystanek shared his opinion on the recently released patch 7.21: he highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of some heroes, and also named the most interesting changes.

— The patch buffed Bloodthorn (reduced cooldown) and Nullifier (+ 1 second duration). How relevant are they now, because before they were not used as much?

For its price, they are still very easy to disperse by Manta Style, Black King Bar — or any other purge ability. I think this is the main problem of those items.

— Phase Boots and Power Treads — the changes to these items of the previous patch, essentially just got rolled back. Is that right thing to do?

— I liked both old and new "boots". Power Treads remained high in the priority, Phase Boots will appear a bit more often on some heroes — such as Kunkka.

— From patch to patch, Chaos Knight is getting stronger: Chaos Strike crits already make up 265%, and the cooldown is reduced to 4 seconds at all levels. How do you like this hero now? Perhaps it is time for the knight to appear on the professional stage?

— He is still inferior to almost all agility heroes. It takes a lot of conditions for it to work. While I can not say whether it will be in a demand: will have to check in public games.

— Lycan in this patch was also buffed: at the max level, wolves have 450 health points (earlier 320), and Howl’s bonus was buffed as well. How usable is this hero now, because he felt fine before?

— The main problem — he remains just as weak at the laning stage as before. He does not harass enough on the lane — and right now the teams are more concentrated on the lanes — but it can work in certain strategies. As for me, it is better to try him on the mid lane.

— Medusa talents have been reworked. In your opinion, has the hero become weaker or stronger, because of the new talent, the reduction of Mystic Snake recharge by 4 seconds, it kind of looks good?

— Talents have become more balanced, they used to be very “wild”. You have + 35% from the snake, and also at the level 20, 700 free mana — it was very strong. In my opinion, the hero became a little weaker.

— Phantom Assassin — how does this character feel now? What talents should be used, and should you build Battle Fury?

— She remains in the same category as tier-1-carry's. Battle Fury is always worth building, the exception is Magnus on your side.

— Slark's damage from Pounce got removed. Is this change appropriate?

— For me, it's an incomprehensible fix. Lately, everyone has been building through the Dark Pact and Essence Shift. Now everyone will definitely play with only one level on Pounce.

— Has Specter been buffed enough to return to the meta? What do you think this hero lacks?

— Too weak on the lane, and she needs a lot of time to build up — and right now games being played quick, which Specter doesn’t fit well into.

— Sven's mechanics of the shield have been changed: now it absorbs damage depending on the strength of the hero. Sven is back to carry? Because at the Major the hero was used as a support

— Honestly, it's hard to say something about Sven: I am not a fan of this character. But in the near future, I think to try it as a carry.

— Weaver: talent at level 10 for + 75 damage from Shukuchi — is that good?

Not as of now. The experience is much more profitable.

— How did got over the fact that the developers reduced the number of ancient camps on the map from 4 to 2?

— Heroes who quickly farm the ancients without losing their health (Phantom Assassin, Drow Ranger), began to take out a little less from the jungle. And so, in principle, I do not think that this is critical.

— Name three main changes in the patch, in your opinion.

— Rescaling of experience required for the level up, nerfs and buffs to the movement speed of heroes, imbalanced Io and it's removal from the Captain's Mode.

— Top 3 heroes for calibration at the carry position?

— Anti-Mage, Juggernaut and Phantom Assassin.

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