Bugfixing is a crucial part of game development, especially for a massive multiplayer game with constant updates and changes like Dota 2. Much like its predecessor, Dota 2 has faced quite a few issues of gameplay stability since the closed beta launch in 2011. However, unlike other games where bugs are only a nuisance to deal with, there have been mixed feelings for them in DotA. For some people, the character of the whole game was forged around a few significant "glitches". Whether their creation was intended or not, most will agree that the game would not have been the same without mechanics like Neutral Camp stacking, Hook curving and extending with Force Staff (in original Dota), Mirana's rear arrow etc.
Some of these tricks were never transported to Dota 2 as they were based on a few "faulty" lines of code,and Valve decided that the game is better off without them. Some of them managed to survive and they are still used every day by numerous players in all skill brackets. Nonetheless, when a mechanic of this type starts to feel overpowered and really hard to deal with, the developers show no mercy and remove it from the game. That is when the controversy emerges.
1. Test of Faith - Meat Hook combo
How it works:
1. Chen uses Test of Faith (teleport) on Pudge. (Works with Wisp's Relocate, Kunkka's X Marks the Spot and KOTL's Recall)
2. A few milliseconds before the Test of Faith animation ends, Pudge hooks the target.
3. The target is dragged inside the enemy fountain.
The notorious Pudge/Chen duo has the ability to easily take down targets with almost guaranteed success, provided the Test of Faith - Hook combination is used correctly. The unlucky target is instantly taken to the enemy fountain where they die in seconds to the damage done by the well. There are not many heroes who can survive the damage, especially if the Meat Hook is followed by Dismember inside the fountain. The bug was recently used with great success in The International 3, with Na'Vi abusing the power of combo many times to turn around a really hard game against TongFu. Many spectators stated that the Teleport-Hook mechanic was just too strong, especially in the hands of Pudge veteran Daniil 'Dendi' Ishutin.
Is it gamebreaking?
Answering the question is rather complex here. The short answer? Probably not. Taking things into detail, the combination is much harder to abuse in a real time scenario. While landing a hook is rather difficult when facing experienced players with great reflexes and perception, doing so with the exact timing required on the ideal target needs a lot of practice, experience and big amounts of luck. If the hook misses, it means that Pudge stays away from the action and has to buy a Teleport scroll to get back into the fight, sometimes resulting in 4v5 fights if there is no allied tower nearby. Nonetheless, if the combination does succeed, the chances of survival are almost non-existent.
In my opinion, the Teleport-Hook combination could stay in the game. If we look at the big picture, picking Pudge-Chen or a similar pair and relying the whole game strategy on the mechanic is almost suicidal and Pudge is very risky to pick in a competitive game. In public games where Pudge is a frequent selection, encountering a Chen-Pudge duo that can abuse the teleport shenanigans so much that it actually affects the outcome of the game is extremely rare. In conclusion, if a team is not willing to face the notorious spell sequence in competitive scenario, there is always the ability to get rid of Pudge during the drafting phase.
2. Armlet of Mordiggian on Spirit Bear
How it works:
1. Select Lone Druid
2. Purchase an Armlet of Mordiggian
3. Give the item to Spirit Bear, and turn it on.
4. You will notice that the Bear does not lose health, completely ignoring the degeneration caused by the Armlet.
Armlet of Mordiggian is an item that enhances the impact of a hero a lot, especially if purchased during the earlier stages of the game. On Lone Druid, however, it used to go on a whole new level. The Spirit Bear used Unholy Strength in a strange way as it would gain the Attack Speed and Damage it provided, but not the bonus Strength and HP. However, the 40 hp/sec degeneration did not affect Spirit Bear, thus providing a permanent significant boost to the fluffy follower.
The power of the "Armlet Bear" turned notorious when certain frequent Lone Druid players like Henrik "AdmiralBulldog" Ahnberg and Liu "Sylar" Jiajun started combining the item with other attack speed selections such as Mjollnir and Assault Cuirass to get immense amount of Entangles in the teamfight, thus turning the hero into a feared opponent and one of the most contested picks of early 2013.
Is it gamebreaking?
The response is quite easier in this case. The Spirit Bear is supposed to act exactly like a hero (with only a few differences such as Gem of Truesight). This means that Armlet of Mordiggian is supposed to drain the health of the bear like it does in every hero's inventory. The lack of degeneration, combined with the power of the item made the Spirit Bear too strong, so the change introduced by 6.78 in May is completely justified. Lone Druid players can still purchase Armlet of Mordiggian for their Spirit Bear, but it has now turned into a risky choice that is generally avoided.
3. Rubick's Telekinesis - Dark Seer's Vacuum and unreachable spots
How it works
1. Select Rubick or Dark Seer (and other heroes with similar abilities)
2. Get close to a hard-to-reach spot - the best examples are the two cliffs over the Rune spots.
3. Use the respective ability to place an enemy hero on the cliffs, forcing them to cut trees to escape or bring a teleport scroll with a flying courier.
Unlike the other two cases, this is still possible - Rubick's Telekinesis can still place enemies on unreachable cliffs, just by targeting the other side of the terrain and not the cliff itself. Dark Seer can perform the same "stunt", as Zenith.xy does in the picture.
Is it gamebreaking?
The effects of this mechanic are more intense the earlier the game is. For a lot of heroes, the only way to escape the unreachable cliffs is by buying a teleport scroll and having a flying courier to deliver it. Especially during the early game when the flying courier has not been bought yet or is being used by the solo mid for bottle crow, spending 135 gold for the scroll and waiting for the courier hurts a lot. There is also a high possibility that the victim will die before the courier reaches them, as their confinement turns them into easy prey.
However, as the game moves on and money gets multiplied, escaping the cliff is rather easy, and most of the times the trap serves as a delay for the victim. The mechanic also creates opportunities for some pretty nice teamfights, escapes and combinations - making Rubick, Dark Seer and other similar heroes extremely fun to play. Since the occurrences of these certain spells changing the tides of the game are so rare, removing the "glitch" does not seem like an absolute priority for the developers or the players.
