When a new update arrives in Dota 2, the focus is usually on the changes done to heroes. However, when Valve announced it was releasing Update 7.31d, there were people hoping to see changes done on items, particularly Null Talisman and Black King Bar. The update is here, and it looks like Valve listened to the sentiments as the two items have been nerfed.
Black King Bar
There's no question that the BKB has been one of the more popular item choices, particularly for players who use carry heroes. Not that surprising because when activated, it grants spell immunity. It's a big deal in team fights where it could change the direction of the game.
However, it has come to a point where winning depends on who gets BKB first. This has been made obvious in matches during different tournaments. The team that gets it first gains the advantage and usually initiates team fights.
With Update 7.31d, the cooldown for the item has been increased to 90 seconds from 75. This works both ways. It can "discourage" players from buying it if they want to end the game earlier. However, they can also go for a long game and build it around BKB.
Null Talisman
Null Talisman was another problem. While it's pretty much limited to Intelligence-based heroes, it came down to a point where most heroes were using it. In fact, you could see Storm Spirit in tournament matches only having this item. That's because in Update 7.31, the mana cost reduction was 4%, with the item's bonuses doubling after minute 25.
The new update nerfs the item hard. While it does give additional 3% max mana, the Null Talisman no longer offers mana cost reduction.
Other Nerfs
Here are the other items nerfed in this new update:
- Bracer
- HP Regen reduced from 1 to 0.75
- Healing Salve
- Duration is halved when cast on an ally
- Cost decreased from 110 to 100
- Linken's Sphere
- Cooldown increased from 12s to 14s
- Satanic
- Active Lifesteal reduced from 200% to 175%
Learn more about the changes in Update 7.31d here. You can also read about the new features available for Dota Plus members here. Dota 2 is available on PC
