- EarlyGame

Dota 2 bristleback — There's a high chance we'll see more Bristlebacks in 7.27. (Image credit: Valve Corporation)

Patch 7.27 came out yesterday and along the many changes to gameplay also came two new items – Voodoo mask and Blitz Knuckles. Are they any good?

It has been quite a while since Dota 2 got new items, if we’re not counting the tens of neutral ones, some of which got removed. But an actual item from the shop, now that’s new. With the arrival of patch 7.27 we got not one but two new ones. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Blitz Knuckles

We might as well call them the discount Hyperstone. For 1000 gold you get 35 attack speed and it only takes a single slot. It’s important to note that Hyperstone was also improved with 7.27 as the attack speed on it jumped from 55 to 60. Still, Blitz Knuckles will give you over half the attack speed for half the price. Quite a good deal right? Yeah, in theory. In practice, not a lot of heroes will be buying the item for the attack speed, so it’ll probably remain just a component for other items like Butterfly. Sure you can enjoy the extra attack speed when compared to the old Quarterstaff recipe, but that’s about it.

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Voodoo Mask

I wish I could say things will be as simple with the other item. Voodoo Mask comes at a price of 900 gold and provides you with 12% spell life steal (reduced to 2.5% against creeps). At first glance, it’s the exact equivalent of Morbid Mask, which also costs 900 gold and grants 15% attack damage lifesteal. Just like Morbid is good on certain heroes and terrible on others, so is Voodoo Mask except it’s even more situational. Valve have done well to reduce the amount stolen from damage done to creeps, but that’s not the problem.

Think of a hero like Bristleback who wants to get Octarine Core for that sweet sweet spell lifesteal. That item now costs 5000 gold but it used to be even more than that. Right now you can get half the lifesteal provided by Octarine for less than 1/5 of the price. That’s insane and we’ll definitely see the item get used. Question is, how long until Valve decides to tweak it?

What do you think about the new items?