Valve released Dota 2 Patch 7.41a shortly after the second day of the ESL One Birmingham playoffs, delivering a focused follow‑up to the recent major update. You see a compact set of changes that zero in on balance rather than sweeping system overhauls.
This letter patch addresses several overperforming elements that emerged after 7.41, tightening the competitive landscape. You can expect targeted adjustments designed to stabilize the meta without reshaping the game from the ground up.
Stop First-Picking Alchemist, IceFrog Warns
You saw Alchemist dominate drafts throughout 7.41, especially at ESL One Birmingham. Teams locked him in early and still won, even when opponents drafted reasonable counters. His updated Greevil’s Greed fueled that rise, letting you snowball faster and reach core items ahead of schedule.
Patch 7.41a directly trims that momentum.
- Greevil’s Greed now grants less bonus gold per kill at maximum stacks.
- Aghanim’s Scepter damage bonus per gifted Scepter drops from 25 to 15.
Those numbers matter. You generate less peak income from stacked kills, which slows your timing windows. When you hand out Aghanim’s Scepters, you also recover less personal damage from each gift, reducing your ability to offset the gold you invest into teammates.
That change weakens the classic strategy where you sacrifice net worth to scale your entire lineup while staying threatening yourself.
You can still draft Alchemist, but you should think twice before blind first-picking him. He remains viable, yet you no longer get the same margin for error or the same level of unchecked midgame pressure that defined early 7.41.
The Dance Floor Shuts Down
You watched Leshrac dominate lanes with ease, and patch 7.41a responds directly to that pressure. After decisive performances against top-tier opponents, the hero now faces tighter limits on durability and burst output.
Key adjustments:
- Strength gain reduced: 2.8 ➝ 2.5 per level
- Diabolic Edict damage lowered: capped at 30 per explosion at level 4
You will feel the reduced strength scaling as the match progresses. Leshrac no longer scales into mid and late game with the same level of survivability.
Diabolic Edict also deals less structural and teamfight damage at its peak. You must commit more carefully when pressuring towers or forcing engagements.
These tweaks slow him down, but they do not remove him from competitive drafts. You should still expect to see him contested in high-level play.
Making bzm happy
Patch 7.41a strengthens Invoker in direct and practical ways. You gain more control in lane, especially during the first few waves.
His base Intelligence rises from 20 to 22, which increases his starting attack damage. At level one, you now deal 41–47 damage instead of 39–45, giving you cleaner last hits and better trading potential.
| Attribute | Old Value | New Value |
|---|---|---|
| Base Intelligence | 20 | 22 |
| Level 1 Damage | 39–45 | 41–47 |
| Level 10 Tornado CDR Talent | 4s | 5s |
Invoker’s laning phase has struggled in recent patches. You often fell behind due to weak base damage, so this adjustment directly addresses that weakness.
The level 10 Tornado talent now reduces cooldown by five seconds instead of four. That extra second improves your mid-game spell rotations and team fight presence.
If you follow Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov, you know how effectively he pilots Invoker when the hero feels playable. With ESL One Birmingham underway, you could see him return to this comfort pick and pressure games with sharper timing and stronger lanes.
