Picture by OniLolz and Zaphk
Each infrequently we come across an thought, an idea, that appears too good on paper to be true. More often than not, when examined in an actual recreation or scrutinized in a check foyer these ideas both crumble or show to be rather a lot much less thrilling. It isn’t the case with Morphling’s Aghanim’s Scepter and in our opinion it could be one of the vital underrated objects within the recreation.
For 4200 gold Morphling will get a 20% stat steal on a goal of his selection and a few further profit, relying on their most important attribute. What many gamers are confused about is the stat steal half: Morphling steals 20% of all stats, not simply the principle attribute.
Which means come midgame, Morph, the flexibility, typically turns right into a 400+ injury nuke and 400+ further well being for Morph; at the very least three, however extra typically 5 and above Armor steal; normally greater than twenty stolen Assault Velocity and greater than twenty stolen Assault Injury; in addition to some further mana, however the latter might be the least thrilling bit. The entire above is with out accounting for the principle Attribute bonus you get on high of the 20% stat steal.
Intelligence might be the least thrilling transformation. Stealing 20% spell amplification may have been nice when Shotgun Morphling was a viable construct, however since Ethereal Blade is now an Int merchandise, fairly than Agi merchandise and since it offers injury based mostly on the goal’s most important attribute, not in your most important attribute, the construct doesn’t actually work anymore, exterior of some very particular matchups. We predict Int morph can turn out to be useful as a injury mitigation software if you end up in opposition to a hero like Zeus, however we don’t suppose it’s usually price it.
Stealing standing resistance is loads of enjoyable, although. It may possibly constantly get you to 48% Standing Resistance with a Sange and Yasha construct and as much as 55% in the event you luck into Titan Sliver. Whereas additionally making the enemy Energy hero much more prone to disables. In a Chaos Knight matchup, for instance, you flip his personal 2 — 4 second stun into 3 — 5.5 second stun once you use it in opposition to him. Standing resistance is under no circumstances a BKB substitute, however when taking part in in opposition to Beastmaster, Axe or Magnus it will possibly are available very helpful.
Lastly the large factor: the Agi transformation. Stealing enemy Agility to gasoline your individual DPS, whereas additionally making the enemy carry anemic is simply too good of an choice to move up. More often than not Agility cores could have upwards of 100 Agility. It varies significantly from hero to hero, however you might be assured to steal at the very least seventy assault pace out of your enemy, whereas getting seventy assault pace your self.
If you happen to add objects like Eye of Skadi into your construct, you should have an choice of decreasing the enemy Assault Velocity by at the very least a 100 if they’re melee or 130 if they’re ranged. That’s on the naked minimal. The very fact is Morphling with Aghanim’s Scepter trivializes any 1v1 battle in opposition to virtually any Agility carry within the recreation.
Nicely, if it’s so good, why aren’t we seeing extra of it? One of many larger causes is that Morphling is barely out of meta. Not loads of gamers really play the hero and the even smaller subset of gamers who’re prepared to experiment with the Scepter don’t have sufficient presence to be observed.
The second caveat is the easy proven fact that Dota isn’t a 1v1 recreation. Even in video games the place Aghanim’s Scepter is smart, there are in all probability a number of threats Morphling must react to with objects like BKB or Linken’s. There are additionally in all probability some issues he wants to unravel with objects like Skadi, MKB and even Nullifier.
Morph additionally often has a very good goal on the enemy workforce to “borrow” a capability from, unbiased of Aghanim’s Scepter. Suppose Lifestealer’s Rage, Gyro’s Flak Cannon or Razor’s Static Hyperlink; but in addition any clutch AoE disable that may flip round a battle. You don’t want an Aghanim’s Scepter to land a game-changing three-man Mild Strike Array or a two-man Earth Spike into a 3rd goal Hex. Quite a lot of the time, a few seconds of onerous crowd management on a number of targets will likely be extra impactful than the advantages we mentioned above, at the very least till the very late phases of the sport. Or when combating in opposition to enemies underneath the impact of spell immunity that Morph absolutely ignores.
Aghanim’s should not be rushed. The later within the recreation it’s, the higher it turns into and sooner or later the quantity of advantages it offers you when used in opposition to enemy Agility cores will in all probability eclipse the opposite potential choices. Concentrate on this second, hold a detailed eye on enemy itemization and remember about Aghanim’s. There’s a purpose it has a 64%+ win fee in pubs, although part of it’s in all probability the merchandise being inbuilt video games the place Morphling is main.
There are clear and really noticeable advantages to Aghanim’s on Morphling, however as with every thing in Dota, it is rather situational. It’s at its finest when the enemy is taking part in a grasping 4+1 lineup and lacks injury on 4 of their different heroes.
It will also be a last-ditch effort to come back again in a recreation you might be dropping: it scales off the enemy stats and a 4200 gold merchandise could make up for an enormous Web Value distinction. Aghanim’s Scepter is just not probably the most stat-efficient merchandise by itself, nevertheless it additionally form of offers you a full Skadi stat block and self-Assault Cuirass buff, when used in opposition to a late recreation enemy Agility carry.
Lastly, you will get it as the primary merchandise in opposition to Medusa in just about each single recreation. Medusa scales off all three stats and Morphling can simply mirror her merchandise construct, whereas mainly changing into a greater model of the hero and making Medusa considerably weaker.
What do you consider Morphling Agh’s and are you prepared to experiment with it? Share your ideas and observations within the remark part beneath.
