A new hero and 6 of the biggest changes in the Mistwoods Update

A new hero and 6 of the biggest changes in the Mistwoods Update
A new hero and 6 of the biggest changes in the Mistwoods Update
posted by NanaKrustofski,
The 120th hero, one new ability for each hero and tons of new items. Patch 7.28 alias the Mistwoods Update was released this Thursday, 18 December. Here are six of the biggest changes. The Mistwoods Update is finally here and offers a seemingly endless range of changes. Each hero received a new ability, old ones were reworked, and a ton of new items is waiting to be purchased or found. From a brand-new hero to a flying Clockwerk, maniac flamethrower Timbersaw and backwards Faceless Void to three new Blink Daggers – there is a lot to cover.

So check out Hoodwink, the newest hero and some of the biggest updates to the hero abilities and items.





Hoodwink is the 120th hero



The biggest change is of course the new hero. Hoodwink comes straight from the Mistwoods where she trained her combat skills. The squirrel-like furry character originates from an idyllic area in the edges of Krimwohl. One day, rival timber barons attacked the kingdom and devoured the forests that bordered Krimwohl. The folk that were peacefully living there had to surrender or flee to the haunted glens and groves of the misty Wood Tomo'kan.

This is where Hoodwink gained her strength and fighting abilities to survive in the fearful woods. She now strikes out against any intruders but offers a helping hand to any kindred survivors for a life back in the green.



With her crossbow as main weapon, Hoodwink is a ranged hero. She is classified under nuker, disabler and escape. Hoodwink has four general abilities where she fires an acorn which damages and slows, tosses a trap that shackles enemies to nearby trees, passively can evade physical attacks near trees or charge up her Crossbow.



1. Aghanim's Shard



A brand-new item called Aghanim’s Shard was added. The Shard costs 1400 gold and each hero has its own custom shard upgrade, which either adds a new ability or improves an existing one. Aghanim's Shard is a consumable item and will be available after 20 minutes.

Once the shard is received, it will be immediately consumed and the magic takes effect. The newly gained abilities are quite significant for some heroes. Here are some examples:


  • Faceless Void: Adds a reverse Time Walk. So after using the usual spell, you can activate your Q again and Void timewalks back to his starting position.
  • Clockwerk: Receives a Jetpack ability where he rises up. Clockwerk gets flying vision, flying movement and casts Hookshot at the end.
  • Dark Seer: Grants Normal Punch, a passive cooldown attack. Dark Seer's next attack on a hero stuns, knocks back and creates an illusion out of them.
  • Lich: Ice Spire summons an icicle that slows enemies. Chain Frost can bounce to the icicle.
  • Magnus: With the new Horn Toss, Magnus can toss enemies that are in front of him behind him. Enemies take damage and get stunned.
  • Windranger: Powershot now becomes global, but after reaching its default range, it only affects one hero.
  • Timbersaw: Grants a Flame Thrower. Releases flames in the direction Timbersaw is facing for 7 seconds. Burns down trees and injured and slows enemies.




2. Three upgrades to Blink Dagger



The new update brings three upgrades to the usual Blink Dagger. Each upgrade requires the base Dagger, a 1750 gold recipe and an extra item component.


  • Overwhelming Blink: Gets built with a Reaver. Grants +25 Strength and AOE-damages and slows all enemy heroes upon landing after a Blink.
  • Swift Blink: Built with Eaglesong. Adds +25 Agility and grants phased movement speed, +40 damage and attack speed once landing.
  • Arcane Blink: Assembled with Mystic Staff. Gives +25 Intelligence, lowers ability cooldowns and gains -50% cast point after landing.


3. Shrinking and enlarging heroes



Honey, I shrunk the kids! Tinker's Aghanim's Sceptre was reworked and now his laser is modified into a Shrink Ray. The new ability reduces the enemy model size and current health value by 20% – and the spell stacks! So bring out your glasses, because some players might become tiny.

If you would rather become as big as some player's egos are, then search for the Giant's Ring, a new Tier 5 Neutral Item. The Ring not only adds +40 Strength, +60 Movement Speed and lets you can walk over any terrain. Your hero model will also grow by 60%.



4. Removed items



As with every patch that adds tons of new items, some of the older ones have to be deleted from the game. This time, Mango Tree, Poor Man's Shield, Iron Talon, Clumsy Net, Vampire Fangs, Repair Kit, Craggy Coat, Greater Faerie Fire, Magic Lamp, Witless Shako, Prince's Knife, Havoc Hammer, Woodland Striders and Trident are cycled out in the Neutral Items division. For main items, only Ring of Tarrasque was removed.



5. Outworld Destroyer



Outworld Devourer was renamed to Outworld Destroyer. That's it, that's the news.

6. General changes



In addition to the Aghanim's Shard effects, many of the general hero abilities were reworked as well. The game itself received some base changes too, so here are some interesting updates.


  • Sand King: Epicenter now uses cast time instead of channel time (thank you IceFrog)
  • Night time: Game now starts at night time and turns to day once creeps spawn
  • SirActionSlack's fan service: Added lore to all items
  • Keeper of the Light: Added Solar Bind as a new basic ability. Lowers the target's magic resistance and slows them.
  • Lifestealer: Ghoul Frenzy replaces Open Wounds. Passively causes attacks to slow enemy movement speed and grants you more attack speed.


There are tons of other new items, hero and general game changes. So make sure to head over to the patch notes, play some pubs and stay tuned for upcoming meta guide!

What do you think about the new hero?



Photo credit: Valve

Comments