Patch History: Patch 6.87 New Items

Patch 6.87 Brought Us Items Like Blood Thorn, Echo Sabre, and Some Very Handy Raindrops

The changes brought by Patch 6.87 are still reverberating through the Dotasphere. The current meta-game is still settling from the patch’s April release, and we’re sure to be feeling the continued effects for some time. Probably the biggest update to the game was the addition of several powerful new items, along with retooling of some old standbys. Here’s a look at the biggest item changes from Patch 6.87:

Echo Sabre

No doubt the biggest new addition to the game based on play so far, Echo Sabre has quickly become a core item for numerous heroes. Echo Sabre’s trademark double hit passive gives reliable burst for hard ditting heroes like Sven and allows those with on-hit effects to get extra mileage. (Twice the chance to bash with Slardar? Yes please!) The stat line of extra Strength, mana regen, and Intelligence make it a solid mid-game pick-up, comparable to Drums of Endurance (which, coincidentally, were nerfed this patch). Echo Sabre has almost has almost single handedly brought heroes like Lifestealer and Faceless Void back to the forefront of competitive play.

Blood Thorn

The second highlight-grabbing new item, Blood Thorn combines Orchid of Malevolence and Crystalys into a devastating war machine. For Intelligence-based right clickers in particular, there is no better item: crits, Int., attack speed, and an active ability that grants guaranteed mini-crits and true strike for pick-offs and must-kill targets. Unfortunately, the item is too expensive to be an every game buy, costing nearly 1000 gold more than a Rapier.

Hurricane Pike

The last big ticket, end-game item introduced in 6.87, Hurricane Pike brings a fascinating blend of offense and utility. Hurricane Pike brings together the increased range of Dragon Pike with the mobile active of Force Staff. The combined stat line gives a good amount of Agility as well as solid Strength and Intelligence numbers. This item has one of the crazier actives in the game: in addition to working like a regular Force Staff for Allies, an enemy can be targeted to blow both of you apart from each other and briefly give you unlimited attack range so long as you retain vision. So far pros have seen success with this item on Drow Ranger and Templar Assassin, but the possibilities for an item this cool and weird are manifold.

Wind Lace, Infused Raindrops, and Blight Stone

These are much smaller, cheaper items than the previous three, but all provide a lot of bang for their buck. These items make good early pickups on almost any hero. All three provide a way for cores to productively fill spare inventory slots without breaking the bank, and allow supports to make meaningful smaller purchases with their more meager holdings. While these items might not make for good highlight reels like Lifestealer instantly two-shotting squishies with Echo Sabre or a TA with Hurricane Pike Meld Striking some poor soul from across the whole screen, they are all likely to be seen in pretty much every Dota game played from here on out.