June 13, 2023
Valve rocked the Dota 2 community with the release of Patch 7.33, which introduced an unprecedented addition to the game’s attributes system: “Universal.” As this new tag made its debut, a wave of re-categorization swept through the hero roster, reflecting their versatile nature and expanding the possibilities within the game.
Dota 2 players were left in awe as this update opened up a new realm of possibilities within the game.
“As the fourth spirit brother we’d released, Void Spirit shouldn’t have been a Strength, Agility, or Intelligence hero. To stand apart, he really should have been a new kind of hero. A fourth kind of hero,” Patch 7.33 says.
What is the universal attribute?
Universal heroes aren’t new heroes but a new tag or type that boosts existing heroes’ abilities. Universal was introduced as the fourth attribute in patch 7.33, as heroes gain 0.7 damage per stat gained of any attribute. Universal heroes do not have a primary attribute. They gain benefits from all.
With the release of this new tag, Valve has re-categorized the existing roster, and 32 heroes are now classified as universal heroes.
What are universal heroes?
In Dota 2, each attribute contributes to different aspects of a hero’s capabilities. For example:
- Every hero gains HP and HP regeneration from the Strength attribute. But strength heroes also get 1 Attack Damage per stat gain of Strength attribute.
- Every hero gains armor and attack speed from the Agility attribute. But agility heroes also get 1 Attack Damage per stat gain of Agility attribute.
- Every hero gains mana and mana regeneration from the Intelligence attribute. But agility heroes also get 1 Attack Damage per stat gain of Intelligence attribute.
However, the universal attribute stands apart from others. Universal Heroes do not solely rely on a single attribute regarding Attack Damage. Instead, they gain Attack Damage from all three attributes. The distinction lies in the fact that they gain Attack Damage at a rate of 0.7 damage per attribute point gained. This unique mechanic allows Universal Heroes to acquire higher Attack Damage Bonus from their items than most other heroes.
Therefore, Universal Heroes possess a distinct advantage in terms of scaling their Attack Damage, making itemization an essential aspect of maximizing their potential.
The difference in hero itemization
Regarding itemization difference, let’s consider the Ultimate Orb, which provides a +10 increase to all attributes. On a regular hero, this would result in a +10 damage gain bonus (10*1). However, on a Universal Hero, the damage gain from the attribute will be calculated differently; they would gain (10*0.7)*3 = 21 damage from the attribute bonus.
This amounts to approximately 80% more damage compared to normal heroes when it comes to items that grant bonuses to all attributes.
Furthermore, Universal Heroes benefit from every item that increases attributes, not just their primary tag. This means they gain damage from every item that has an attribute increase. As a result, Aghanim’s Scepter, an item that enhances hero abilities, becomes significantly more essential for specific Universal Heroes.
Moreover, Universal Heroes are generalists who can simultaneously be all three types of heroes or none of them; as a result, there will be a huge variety of builds. Since all stats help them, we will see different items in builds that were previously disregarded in favor of being a main stat item.
List of all universal heroes in Dota 2
- Abaddon
- Bane
- Batrider
- Beastmaster
- Brewmaster
- Broodmother
- Chen
- Clockwerk
- Dark Seer
- Dark Willow
- Dazzle
- Enigma
- Io
- Lone Druid
- Lycan
- Magnus
- Marci
- Mirana
- Nyx Assassin
- Pangolier
- Phoenix
- Sand King
- Snapfire
- Techies
- Timbersaw
- Vengeful Spirit
- Venomancer
- Visage
- Void Spirit
- Windranger
- Winter Wyvern
Damage gain from All Stats Items for Universal Heroes
- Eye of Skadi – 46.2
- Scythe of Vyse – 38.5
- Gleipnir – 36.4
- Hurricane Pike – 35
- Linken’s Sphere – 33.6
- Rod of Atos – 33.6
- Harpoon – 32.2
- Manta Style – 32.2
- Book of Shadows – 27.3
- Ethereal Blade – 24.5
- Aghanim’s Scepter – 21
- Holy Locket – 21
- Mirror Shield – 21
- Ultimate Orb – 21
- Meteor Hammer – 16.8
- Defiant Shell – 14.7
- Helm of the Overlord – 14.7
- Phylactery – 14.7
- Pupil’s Gift(Universal) – 14.7
- Bracer 2 – 12.6
- Diadem – 12.6
- Helm of the Dominator – 12.6
- Null Talisman 2 – 12.6
- Pig Pole – 12.6
- Solar Crest – 12.6
- Spell Prism – 12.6
- Wraith Band 2 – 12.6
- Vambrace – 11.6 (the value is the same for any selected attribute)
- Ghost Scepter – 10.5
- Ring of Aquila – 10.5
- Specialist’s Array – 10.5
- Veil of Discord – 10.5
- Crown – 8.4
- Occult Bracelet – 8.4
- Bracer 1 – 6.3
- Magic Wand – 6.3
- Null Talisman 1 – 6.3
- Wraith Band 1 – 6.3
- Circlet – 4.2
- Spirit Vessel – 4.2
- Urn of Shadows – 4.2
- Iron Branch – 2.1
Introducing the Universal attribute in Dota 2 has revolutionized how heroes approach their Attack Damage Scaling; this unique mechanic makes Universal Heroes become formidable forces to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Finally, including the Universal attribute opens up exciting possibilities for diverse hero builds and strategic itemization. This ensures that Dota 2 remains a dynamic and ever-evolving game for players to explore and master.