Black King Bar is nerfed yet again in Dota 2’s new patch 7.33 — but it’s in a much more innovative rework.
The New Frontiers update is bringing the defensive staple down another notch, this time by removing Spell Immunity all together.
The new Debuff Immunity will take its place, which also affects spells like Lifestealer’s Rage and Juggernaut’s Blade Fury.
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How does Black King Bar’s debuff immunity work in Dota 2 patch 7.33?
The main takeaway is that all spells, not just those that pierce debuff immunity, can now be used on BKB’ed targets. These normal spells will still deal damage, but reduced.
Lion’s Earth Spike won’t stun a target under BKB, for example, until the immunity duration runs out. Then, the remaining debuff length will kick in.
Here are Valve’s full patch notes on how the new debuff immunity works, including examples:
- Spell Immunity reworked into Debuff Immunity
- Debuff Immunity is different in three major ways: the spell application, debuff protection, and damage reduction
- Spell application: All spells can now be used on units with Debuff Immunity, even ones that don’t pierce Debuff Immunity. Corresponding visual effects will appear, and the spell will apply all of its debuffs on target
- Debuff protection: Negative effects that don’t pierce Debuff Immunity will not have an effect on the target for the duration of the immunity. However, if the Debuff Immunity expires before the debuff that doesn’t pierce it, then it will take effect for the remaining duration. Negative effects that pierce Debuff Immunity take effect immediately
- Damage reduction: Debuff Immunity increases Magic Resistance and negates Pure and Reflected damage completely. These effects protect only against spells that don’t pierce the Debuff Immunity. Physical Damage is not reduced in any case. Here’s the list of Magic Resistance for all abilities that previously gave Spell Immunity:
- Brewmaster’s Earth Brewling, Clockwerk (Talent), Dawnbreaker (Shard), Elder Titan (Scepter), Huskar (Life Break), Legion Commander (Talent), Lion (Shard), Marci (Talent), Pangolier (Rolling Thunder and Roll Up), all grant 50% Magic Resistance
- Juggernaut (Blade Fury) and Lifestealer (Rage) grant 80% Magic Resistance
- Grimstroke’s Dark Portrait illusion has 95% Magic Resistance
These mostly affect the Black King Bar, so let’s summarize with a couple of examples:
- Avatar: Applies a basic dispel and provides Debuff Immunity. Grants 50% Magic Resistance and immunity to pure and reflected damage. For the duration, any negative effect on the user has no effect. Lasts 9/8/7/6 seconds
- All spells that pierce Debuff Immunity will have effect and deal their damage while ignoring the Magic Resistance granted by BKB
- If Avatar expires before the debuff then it will take effect for the remaining duration
- Example 1: Your BKB is active. Jakiro casts Dual Breath (magical, doesn’t pierce immunity) on you. You won’t be slowed but you will still take damage. It will be reduced by your Magic Resistance, which is increased by BKB.
- Example 2: Your BKB is active. Beastmaster casts Primal Roar (magical, pierces immunity) on you. You will be stunned and you will take damage. It will be reduced by your Magic Resistance, but additional Magic Resistance from BKB will be ignored.
- Example 3: Your BKB is active. Silencer attacks you with Glaives of Wisdom (pure, doesn’t pierce Debuff Immunity). You won’t take any pure damage.
- Example 4: Your BKB is active. Bane casts Fiend’s Grip (pure, pierces immunity) on you. You will be stunned and will take 100% of the pure damage.
- Example 5: Your BKB is active but expires in 1s. Someone used Orchid Malevolence (doesn’t pierce immunity) on you. You won’t be silenced for that 1 second, but you will be silenced as soon as Avatar expires.
- Example 6: Your BKB is active and you’re using TP. Vengeful Spirit casts Magic Missile (magical, doesn’t pierce immunity). You won’t be stunned or interrupted, but will still take damage. It will be reduced by your Magic Resistance which is increased by BKB.
You can read the full 7.33 patch notes here.
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