3 1 Dota 2 IMBA, the mod that elevates trolling to an art form

Mods for video games are often based on a simple idea. Showing better textures, adding custom content, pushing the boundaries of the game engine. For Dota 2 IMBA, it is no different: what would happen to every single hero if Icefrog buffed him or her for 50 straight patches?

Upon each Dota 2 [fr] patch release, online arguments about buffs and nerfs to characters are pouring down like rain. Felipe Calife, the mod's author, seems to feel like there are a lot of angry comments about how unbalanced certain already gifted characters are. That gave him an idea. What about a game of Dota 2 where every single hero would be grossly unbalanced? In other words, can balance be achieved in unbalance?

Basing his work on the Wacraft III Dota IMBA map by Mimiya, fcalife went on to edit every single hero in Dota 2. The idea is to keep the general idea and playstyle of each hero, keep their weaknesses and buff their strengths to unconceivable reaches in the current Dota 2 metagame. A few examples to boot:

Bristelback's Quill Spray:

Each cast of Quill Spray has a 50% chance to release a double spray. Bristleback gains 1 stack damage for each 5 Strength he has. There is no damage cap. Each stack of Warpath increases Quill Spray’s AOE by 50. 2 second cooldown.

Dazzle's Shallow Grave:

During Shallow Grave’s duration, the target is spell immune, and impervious to all damage.

Clockwerk's Hookshot:

Global range, 20000 speed (travels from fountain to fountain in roughly 1 second). Each point of Clockwerk’s strength increases damage by 1. Ignores neutrals in the path (only latches to heroes and creeps).

Sounds outrageous, right? It's the point. But beyond the quick laugh of reading all the heroes' description, the game is surprisingly playable, and fun at that. Cherry on the cake, even bots can play it as good (or bad, given your opinon) as regular Dota, except Sniper whose Take Aim passive is now togglable to switch from a short-range machine gun (0.3 BAT, 400 range) to a long-range slow sniper rifle (2.5 BAT, 2500 range).

I wouldn't be able to talk so much about this mod if its author didn't set up a full-service blog that presents all the hero changes, links to the latest english version of the original Warcraft III IMBA map by Mimiya, maintain a detailed Changelog and host a very useful FAQ. That writing effort alone is deserving as much praise as the balancing work this mod is undergoing and the initial port of the Warcraft III map.

If you liked it, don't hesitate to send some love to fcalife!