Dota 2 Patch 7.39e: Helm of the Dominator nerfed

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Dota 2 receives Patch 7.39e, which aims to reduce the popularity of the Helm of the Dominator, a powerful item frequently used during The International 2025.

The International 2025 has concluded, and Dota 2 players were eagerly awaiting Patch 7.39e. The Helm of the Dominator was a very popular item, and Valve has now taken steps to adjust it. This latest patch doesn’t just weaken the item itself; it also reduces the power of many heroes who frequently bought it, and makes some changes to the jungle camps as well.

Dota 2 Patch 7.39e – goodbye Helm meta?

It’s been more than two weeks since TI 2025 concluded, with Team Falcons winning the Aegis of Champions. Since then, the Helm of the Dominator has remained incredibly influential in Dota 2, both in casual pub games and professional qualifiers. The meta established during much of TI held firm until recently. Now, with Patch 7.39e, Valve has weakened the item, several neutral creeps, and many heroes that strongly benefited from using HotD.

Both HotD, and its upgraded version, Helm of the Overlord, now require mana to use. Additionally, if a hero damages a creep you’re currently dominating with HotD or the Helm, there’s a short cooldown before you can dominate another creep.

In addition to that, the strength of the Skeleton Warrior summoned by both the Alpha Wolf and Dark Troll was reduced. Although this isn’t a direct change to HotD, it does impact how useful these two neutral creeps are when using that item.

Furthermore, the update reduced the effectiveness of both Ghost Scepter and Ethereal Blade. It also made the Refresher Orb less appealing for repeated use by adding a cooldown.

The full list of item nerfs can be found over on the Dota 2 website here.

Hero nerfs (and buffs)

Many of the top players at TI 2025 had been closely watched during Patch 7.39e. Heroes like Mars, Monkey King, Bane, Earthshaker, Disruptor, Beastmaster, and Hoodwink all received nerfs in the latest update. With the first major tournament after TI happening in just a few weeks, this could significantly impact the game’s meta.

Although several heroes received nerfs, some others were buffed. These improvements went to many heroes who weren’t picked during TI 2025. Crystal Maiden, Earth Spirit, Jakiro, Lich, Omniknight, and several others benefited from these changes. While the buffs weren’t huge, they might make these heroes worth considering in drafts for professional players.

You can find the full Patch 7.39e notes over on the Dota 2 website here.

Kez joins the party with Patch 7.39e

As of Patch 7.39e, Kez is now playable in Captain’s Mode. It’s been nearly a year since Kez was added to Dota 2 with Crownfall Act IV, and now players can use the hero in CM. This change could make things more interesting in future tournaments. We’ll see how it plays out!

Patch 7.39e isn’t a massive update, but it effectively addresses balance by reducing the power of some of the strongest heroes heading into TI 2025 and giving a boost to those who weren’t being picked as often. It’s still uncertain if Heart of Tarrasque (HotD) will remain a top-tier item after these changes. The increased mana cost could discourage some heroes from building it. With several Dota 2 tournaments coming up, we’ll soon see how professional players adapt to the new patch and how the meta evolves. It will be interesting to watch.

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2025-10-03 13:11