Another patch, another nerf. For the fourth update in a row, the quintessential spell immunity item, Black King Bar, has been nerfed.
This time, IceFrog is bringing back a change from the depths of Dota history. BKB now needs 50 mana to be used—something which has not been seen in 16 years. The last time Black King Bar had a mana cost was before patch 6.45, released in June 2007.
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Who benefits from Black King Bar getting a mana cost in patch 7.32?
While 50 mana should be a minor inconvenience for most heroes, it certainly can become detrimental in edge cases.
Heroes like Anti-Mage and Phantom Lancer, who excel at burning mana with their illusions, might become more valuable in the meta. Likewise, Lion’s Mana Drain and bevy of lockdown could become an excellent tool against targets that rely on BKB as a defensive item.
Who gets nerfed?
BKB’s prevalence in the meta meant that its influence extended to other items. Refresher Orb was a choice pickup for several heroes—especially those that relied on getting in and using their spells to deal damage, like Mars, Doom, and Razor.
Both Refresher and Black King Bar increased their mana cost by 50, however. For these heroes that generally already lack mana due to their low intelligence, this means an extra 150 mana cost.
Some heroes like Mars and Doom already require Soul Rings to cast their full combos, and these nerfs could force a change in their usual playstyle.
You can read the full Dota 2 patch 7.32 notes here.
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