The biggest Dota 2 item changes in 7.31 and how they’ll work cover image

The biggest Dota 2 item changes in 7.31 and how they’ll work

Dota 2’s 7.31 patch has brought a lot of surprising changes, including major reworks to several items.

Four major items have been completely reworked, with changes to the way they're built and used.

Several smaller Dota 2 item changes have been made too; completely reshaping the way some of your favourite items will function in-game.

Alongside three brand new items, there might be some big changes to some of the things in your inventories.

The four items to receive significant changes are:

  • Bloodstone
  • Orchid Malevolence
  • Bloodthorn
  • Ethereal Blade

Bloodstone changes

A key item on mana-intensive heroes farming kills, the Bloodstone has long been an important item in Dota 2.

Bloodstone has seen several tweaks over the years. Most recently it required a Voodoo Mask, Kaya, and Soul Booster to build at a cost of 5750g.

Activating the stone would convert 30% of your max mana to health regen over two seconds, a valuable survivability tool.

Perhaps most importantly was the passive charge mechanic.

The Bloodstone would come with 14 charges, with each charge providing extra mana regen and spell amplification.

Bloodstone holders would gain a charge for every nearby kill, but lose three charges for each of their deaths.

Now, the item has lost charges altogether, removing a lot of the risk involved in the purchase.

The new Bloodstone description
The new Bloodstone description

Giving the holder 550 extra health and mana, up from the previous 425, Bloodstone now offers an increased spell lifesteal in exchange for loving the mana regeneration amplification.

Bloodstone's passive has been scrapped entirely, and the active reworked.

Activating the item will now double the spell lifesteal, granting the holder extra mana equivalent to the damage dealt in six seconds.

It does cost 10% of your current HP to activate however, so be careful with that usage.

Orchid Malevolence tweaks

Don't worry, the silence hasn't been removed from this very valuable item.

In fact, the active ability hasn't changed at all; both iterations of Orchid silence a target for five seconds, dealing 30% of the damage received as bonus magic damage at the end of the duration.

The cooldown and mana cost have stayed the same, but it now requires a different set of items to build.

Previously, two Oblivion Staffs (a Quarterstaff, Sage's Mask, and Robe of the Magi combined) and a 475g recipe would build into the item, costing 3475g.

Now, Orchid needs Blitz Knuckles, a Claymore, and a Void Stone to build, costing 3175g.

Bloodthorn revisions

Similarly, the active of Bloodthorn hasn't changed at all; still applying the same silence as Orchid, true strike, and 130% Crit on the target.

However, Bloodthorn now requires a Mage Slayer instead of a Hyperstone, adding a new passive to the item.

Each attack made by a Bloodthorn carrier will debuff enemies, causing them to do 35% less spell damage for six seconds.

Ethereal Blade modification

A change in make-up has seen the Ethereal Blade transform into a more intelligence based item, a shift which fits more logically with its magic vulnerability active.

You no longer need and Eaglesong to build the blade, instead using a Kaya to create the item.

An additional 24% spell lifesteal amplification, 12% spell amplification, and 75% mana regen amplification will all be very beneficial to spellcasters.

A minor change in the item's active will change the Ethereal Blast from dealing 1.5x your primary attribute + 125 magical damage.

Now, the blast deals damage equal to 1.5x the target's primary attribute +50.

Other Dota 2 item changes you should know about

There's a few other changes you might want to know about before you rush into a game to test out these reworks.

All Dota 2 item changes can be found in the patch notes.

If you just want to get into a game, here are some key differences you should know.

  • Aghanim's Shard - available to buy at 15 minutes
  • Dust of Appearance - now deals 25 damage to enemies revealed by dust
  • Gem of True Sight - now has an active to give true sight over a 300 AOE area for four seconds, and no longer reveals invisibility when dropped
  • Nullifier - no longer pierces magic immunity, slows enemies, or has a mana cost
  • Radiance - built from Sacred Relic and Talisman of Evasion. Can be disassembled. Grants 15% evasion and blind effect reduced from 17% to 10%

Stay tuned to Esports.gg for more Dota 2 news!