Dota 2 Update Adds New Heroes And Coaching Mode

Dota 2's latest update is a big one. Not only does it introduce the much requested Halloween event, Diretide, but it's got three new heroes, a coaching mode, and a socketing system. A lot of people who understand what any of this means are very excited right now.

A full list of changes and additions is available at the Three Spirits update site. The name refers to the three heroes: a revised Storm Spirit and newly added Ember Spirit and Earth Spirit.

As a Dota 2 fool, the coaching system is the most interesting part to me. Players can now join matches not as competitors or spectators, but as coaches, who are able to write on the map and ping points of interest. If you don't know your top lane from your bottom, this is a helpful way for a friend to talk you through the basics, before becoming frustrated, snapping at you and disconnecting the Skype call.

From the perspective of those already deep into Dota, it may be the new gem system which will make the difference. Gems can now be socketed into items, to imbue them with new animations, stats and colours. If you're a trader, for example, that last part means the economy is currently in a state of wild flux, with prices of previously modest items shooting up, and expensive items crashing from space.

Lastly, there's Diretide. When last year's Halloween event didn't return, Dota 2 fans held mad protests. As a result, it's part of this update and will run from today through to November 28th. I have no idea what Diretide is and I don't care to know.

Here is your reason to like Dota 2 even if you refuse to play. He's not new.