Valve is drip-feeding information on the next big update for Dota Underlords, which it has conveniently called The Big Update. While there’s no specific information on when exactly it’ll arrive, we are getting a chance to see some of the ways it’s changing up the game as Underlords moves inexorably toward version 1.0.
Central to the changes coming with The Big Update are the new alliances, which include new heroes drawn from Dota 2’s extensive roster. Valve hasn’t yet said which of these new alliances will be replacing existing ones and which are simply being added to the current list, but there’s definitely going to be a shakeup in the ranks, as certain heroes will most likely be dropping certain affiliations to join the new squads.
Valve has posted two updates on the new heroes and alliances so far. The new healer alliance, announced yesterday, will include Enchantress, Warlock, Omniknight, Necrophos, and the newly-announced Dazzle. Dazzle is a tier two troll healer who fires a bolt of energy that heals friends and damages nearby enemies. When the Healer alliance bonus is active with three Healers on the board, all friendly healing is increased on your team.
The Insects alliance was also announced yesterday. That one includes Sand King, who is joined by newcomers Nyx Assassin at tier one, Weaver at tier two, and Broodmother at tier four. The Insects alliance bonus, activated with three Insects pieces in play, causes spiderlings to swarm enemies from the edges of the board, which gives enemies an increased chance to miss their attacks.
In Part Two, posted today, Valve revealed the new Champion alliance, which at this point contains only Legion Commander. Champions receive all active alliance bonuses. Legion Commander herself is a tier three human champion whose ability is Duel. Using it, she targets the lowest-health enemy and the pair must then attack each other. Whoever emerges from the duel receives a permanent damage bonus.
Lastly, there’s the new Brute alliance, which looks as though it may replace Brawny. Its heroes include Axe, Treeant Protector, Doom, and newcomers Lifestealer at tier one and Magnus at tier two. The Brute alliance bonus, activated at two and four Brute units on the board, gives Brutes a damage bonus, as well as a damage debuff applied to enemies they attack. Brutes also prefer to attack enemies that do not have that damage debuff yet.
All the changes coming to Dota Underlords in the near future are going to significantly change the game, so stay tuned for tips on how to best build your team when it happens.