Patch 7.38c has officially dropped, and while it’s not the sweeping overhaul many expected, it does deliver critical nerfs to key heroes that have dominated pubs and pro play alike. In this article, we break down the top nerfed heroes, explain the balance decisions behind them, and discuss what it means for the evolving Dota 2 meta.

If you’ve been tired of Abaddon bulldozing through towers or Nature’s Prophet overwhelming with treants, this patch is for you.

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Abaddon: No Longer the Tower-Shredding Beast

Once feared for his relentless pushing power, Abaddon has been slightly tuned down in this patch—but in a meaningful way.

  • Curse of Avernus no longer deals damage to buildings.
  • Orb of Corrosion synergy nerfed.
  • Talent adjustments lower his damage consistency.

The nerf reduces his snowball potential, especially in early tower pressure. While still strong in lane, Abaddon’s sieging ability has been heavily diminished.

Dazzle: The End of Mid Lane Projection Spam

Mid-lane Dazzle with Aghanim’s Scepter and Noal Projection had become one of the most frustrating builds to play against.Valve heard the complaints.

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  • Noal Projection range reduced.
  • Leash pull strength tripled, making it harder to push its limits.
  • Duration dropped from 15 to 12 seconds.
  • No longer increases damage/healing on bounces with Aghanim’s.

With a much shorter leash and reduced utility, Dazzle will need new tricks if he wants to remain viable in core positions.

Faceless Void: Time Zone No Longer a Jail Sentence

One of the patch’s most controversial new mechanics, Time Zone, has been toned down.

  • Cooldown manipulation down from 60% to 50%.
  • Time Zone no longer leashes enemies.

This means mobile heroes like Puck and Morphling can now escape using their native abilities.

Time Zone is still powerful, but now it’s less oppressive for certain heroes and adds more room for counterplay.

Magnus: A Nerf to the Farmer King

Once a versatile pick for mid and offlane, Magnus has had his laning and farming power toned down.

  • Base damage reduced slightly.
  • Shockwave mana cost increased.

Players who relied on the Empower farm build may feel this one the most, as it slows down his ramp-up to core items.

Nature’s Prophet: Goodbye Tanky Treants

Another top-tier hero finally saw a direct nerf.

  • Treant HP lowered from 800 to 750 (early) and 1550 to 1350 (late).
  • Spirit of the Forest bonus damage per tree reduced from 4% to 3%.

This should make Nature’s Prophet less overwhelming in the late game while still keeping him a flexible, comfort pick in lower brackets.

Night Stalker: No Longer Invincible at Night

Night Stalker’s lane dominance and midgame tankiness took a hit.

  • Heart of Darkness regen reduced from 40% to 20%.

While still viable, he now has windows of vulnerability during nighttime phases, especially before midgame items come online.

Overall, Patch 7.38c doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel, but it trims the fat from some of Dota’s most dominant heroes. Whether it’s enough to dethrone them remains to be seen—but at least now, you won’t be instantly deleted by a Dazzle illusion or lose your Tier 1 tower to Abaddon at 6 minutes.

Keep an eye on the evolving meta, because these nerfs may finally crack open space for new picks to shine.

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FAQs

Q: Are these nerfs enough to shake up the meta?

A: They definitely impact core picks like Abaddon, Dazzle, and Prophet. We may see new heroes rising as a result.

Q: Is Faceless Void still strong?

A: Yes, but the loss of Time Zone leash means some heroes now have answers to his most oppressive ability.

Q: Did Nature’s Prophet finally get nerfed hard?

A: The nerfs are meaningful, especially late-game, but he remains a strong pick in most brackets.

Q: Will Magnus fall out of favor now?

A: Probably not entirely, but he may lose priority to other offlaners who farm more safely or provide more teamfight.

Q: Which hero was nerfed the most?

A: Dazzle and Abaddon stand out as the most significantly toned-down, especially in how they influence macro play.