and yes, I am aware that different regions play with different strategies, and yes if someone wtfpwns the other team using an unusual hero or team strat, then the masses will also try it, but I still believe that the new changes cause the remade heroes to see more play, for example, the new Raijiin has been around for a few versions, having been tweaked for balance issues, before his remake he was pretty much a carry, but wasn’t chosen in leagues since other carries had skills with more team synergy or dps capabilities, but the new Raijin is more a ganker now and has seen more competitive play, sure he isn’t an autopick or autoban, meaning the Frog changed him so that league players would consider him as a decent hero and not totally imba

On a personal note, I don’t read the guides fully. I look for certain things that shud be included and judge the presentation. If anything extra is included I don’t really take notice of it. As long as my expectations were met I’m fine with them.

But as caspian said, to agree is to disagree, but only on some points. Other points are subject to argument.

Regarding the league picked heroes, I’m not exactly seeing it that way. Judging from what I see in league games, whatever the Trend is, the people shall follow. If you watch Asian replays, they have different picks from Euro replays, as well as US replays. It’s a trend thing that’s happening. The strats now seem minor compared to back during the 6.48 - 6.54 days. If a good player from a good team picks and owns with a certain hero, the people will surely try it out in their next games. Just an observation.

as for newer guides, that is one thing I don’t like about them, sure it is nice to have 234876375683475678 different builds and it is situational, but a good author will talk about each situation and recommend a good build for the circumstances, taking into account things like ability to farm and cost effectiveness (ie not all em builds or giving non-carries superfarming builds), and then the reader will most likely follow the build

and what really annoys me is when guide makers will make up ridiculous builds for ridiculous circumstances (sorry KV but I remember yours the best), when would you ever, ever, ever want to go Caustic Sandstorm on SK? why? you wouldn’t and that build shouldn’t even be in the guide

and oddly enough, all the guides that I would honestly give 10 stars aren’t the ones you mention, CF[X], Caspian and I are a rare breed where we justify why a certain build works the best, basing it on both league play and on personal experience, consider cost effectiveness, and especially role on the team (and while you might disagree with me being on the list that was what I was going for in my Lina guide, the extra builds were for all the nubs who screamed about going dps on Lina and crazy crap like that, and that is what I will be going for on my CM guide and any guides after that)

I get where you’re coming from, but I think what’s happening to DotA now is that the balances are not “balanced”. Nerf one, Buff one… All that really happened was a switch in roles and importance.

Regarding the remakes of Storm and Razor, their remakes made them crazily strong that almost every game they were in would usually determine the winner. Storm was slightly nerfed (i think) but did not lose his popularity due to the “balance” given to him. Hopefully the same thing will happen to Razor now.

My point here, which I think is what The Prince is trying to say regarding QoP, is that balance is not really balanced at all.

“And that’s why it’s so important that you don’t just follow the crowd mindlessly”
And yet the strategies here on DS are exactly that to new players who are looking for an intro to playing the hero

I don’t agree here. If you read the older guides, they are what you are describing. The newer, better guides now leave options for situations. Flodian, KingV and a few others (can’t keep up with them all) are examples of such guide makers.

Yes, her ult with Aghs did get a nerf, but that is because Ags became much cheaper, if she retained her old ult bonus then she would see so much play the Frog would punish her with the nerf stick again (well she liked it the first time XD)

As for the crime she ‘didn’t’ commit, when a hero is either picked or banned in almost every match is a given metagame, that says something about a hero, sure versions have changed and it isn’t back then, but that still doesn’t change the fact that she dominated leagues in her era, the same can be said of CM in the more recent ganking metagame, either banned or FPed (in most cases), that’s why she got her aura nerfed

@Gank the Frog is trying to make it so that all heroes would be league pickable, so making BS more viable in a league match fits in with his goal, that’s also why he remade Storm and Razor

“And that’s why it’s so important that you don’t just follow the crowd mindlessly”
And yet the strategies here on DS are exactly that to new players who are looking for an intro to playing the hero