The Dota 6.81b Changelogs arrived as a critical balance update for Dota 2, specifically tuned to stabilize the competitive meta ahead of The International 4. Having analyzed these shifts during the tournament build-up, it is clear these adjustments were designed to curb dominant strategies while rewarding mechanical precision in high-stakes play.
Below are the technical adjustments implemented in this version. Note that these changes significantly altered hero power spikes, particularly for mid-lane casters and utility supports.
HEROES
Ancient Apparition
* Ice Vortex slow decreased from 18/22/26/30% to 15/20/25/30%
Batrider
* Sticky Napalm bonus damage is now halved against non-hero units
Bounty Hunter
* Shadow Walk duration increased from 15/20/25/30 to 20/25/30/35
Doom
* Devour manacost rescaled from 60/50/40/30 to 60
Drow Ranger
* Gust knockback duration increased from 0.5 to 0.6/0.7/0.8/0.9
Earthshaker
* Turn rate improved from 0.6 to 0.9
* Echo Slam's Initial Damage, Echo Search, Echo Damage AOE increased from 525, 550, 500 to 575, 575, 575
Elder Titan
* Echo Stomp damage increased from 80/85/90/95 to 80/90/100/110
Enigma
* Midnight Pulse duration increased from 8 to 11
Invoker
* Forged Spirits 33% magic resistance removed
* Cold Snap damage reworked from the initial and secondary proc damage of 60/30 to 7xQuasLevel per proc
* Deafening Blast's Disarm is now dispelled when Magic Immunity is applied
Juggernaut
* Omnislash damage per slash rescaled from 175-250 to 200-225
* Base Attack Time improved from 1.5 to 1.4
Leshrac
* Pulse Nova damage increased from 66/100/144 to 80/120/160 (Scepter from 100/150/200 to 100/160/220)
Lina
* Light Strike Array stun duration increased from 1.6 to 1.6/1.7/1.8/1.9
Lycan
* Howl duration decreased from 12 to 10
* Howl bonus damage reduced from 20/30/40/50 to 14/26/38/50
Mirana
* Sacred Arrow minimum stun duration decreased from 0.5 to 0.01 (maximum duration is still 5 seconds growing linearly)
* Sacred Arrow minimum damage reduced by 40 (maximum damage is still 190/280/370/460 growing linearly)
Ogre Magi
* Multicast's passive manacost penalty on Fireblast reduced from 30/70/110 to 20/40/60
* Bloodlust can now be cast on Magic Immune allies
Omniknight
* Degen Aura slow increased from 7/14/21/28% to 10/18/26/34%
Phantom Assassin
* Phantom Strike bonus attack speed increased from 100 to 130
Queen of Pain
* Shadow Strike cast range increased from 435 to 450/475/500/525
Riki
* Smoke Screen cooldown reduced from 13 to 11
Skywrath Mage
* Ancient Seal damage amplification increased from 18/24/30/36% to 30/35/40/45%
Slardar
* Bash bonus damage increased from 40/60/80/100 to 60/80/100/120
Treant Protector
* Leech Seed damage per pulse decreased from 24/36/48/60 to 15/30/45/60
Tusk
* Snowball cooldown reduced from 21 to 21/20/19/18
* Walrus Punch cooldown reduced from 30/24/18 to 25/20/15
Undying
* Intelligence growth increased from 2.0 to 2.5
Windranger
* Focus Fire manacost decreased from 150 to 75/100/125
Zeus
* Lightning Bolt vision and truesight duration increased from 3 to 4.5
* Lightning Bolt search area of effect increased from 250 to 325
ITEMS
Mjollnir
* Recipe cost increased from 600 to 900
* Static Charge duration decreased from 20 to 15