It is very rare for Valve and Icefrog to revert the previous changes, but the latest patch brought back the single minute respawn for neutral camps, albeit with some XP and gold gain reductions. For many it signaled the theoretical return of the jungling and flash-farming heroes, but does it actually work in practice?

Following the Kiev Major, a huge patch hit the Dota 2 scene with changes that could result in a completely different meta.

The trickle down effect of the professional meta into everyday pubs has been discussed at length, and today the focal point of one such discussion is going to be Crystal Maiden. Crystal Maiden is both one of the oldest Dota heroes and an iconic support—players are frequently introduced to Dota by playing CM.

Does it mean the hero is easy to learn? She probably is, but it doesn’t mean that she is not effective or weak. Against certain lineups she becomes a premier disabler, can dish out a lot of damage all while enabling her whole team with a very powerful global aura. In all other cases, she is still a very versatile and self-sufficient support who can bring a lot of utility to your side of the table.

Every big tournament develops its own meta and Kiev Major was no exception. The tournament saw the rise and fall of both hero and item popularities, all within the 6 days of the event. Naturally, parts of this meta transitioned into our everyday pubs, slightly changing pick priorities and some itemization choices.

Nine heroes went unpicked and unbanned at the Kiev Major. As another patch version looms ahead before TI7, look to the ignored heroes of the Kiev Major as potential targets for buffs and reworks.

The fifth Major in Dota 2 history has concluded and as we head into TI season, it is worth taking a look at the Kiev Major and see how it fared.