After a long wait, Dota 2’s 2022 Battle Pass has finally come out. Though it had been teased for a long time, no set release date was announced. Then, on the last night of August, Valve announced the 2022 Battle Pass with a countdown timer. Now that the wait is finally over, it’s time to dig into what the Pass actually contains.
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The 2022 Battle Pass is a unique one, beginning later than the rest with the intention of lasting longer. To reflect this, the pass is split into two parts. The first runs during The International and is themed around it. The second beings soon after, and is focused on Diretide. Valve stated that this year’s Diretide will have “a frigid twist”, but that’s all they’ve said so far.
This two-part structure brings two new Arcanas, one for each part. Both Arcanas reimagine their heroes as updated versions of their original WC3 models. The first part brings an Arcana for Faceless Void, called Claszian Apostasy. Faceless Void becomes an oathbreaker who betrayed his god and stole some of Clasz’s power. It comes with a multitude of new animations, effects, and voice lines. Razor’s Arcana, Voidstorm Asylum, comes with a similar heretical flavor, though the full lore remains hidden.
Along with the two Arcanas, the 2022 Battle Pass brings two new Personas. Part one brings Exile Unveiled, a persona for Phantom Assassin. This Persona is a male assassin who fights against the Sisters of the Veil, flipping the original flavor. Similarly to this Persona and the Arcanas, part 2’s Persona flips its hero around. It reimagines Crystal Maiden as a servant of an ancient ice spirit who granted her her powers. This persona’s wolflike spirit is a far cry from her Arcana’s pup.
The 2022 Battle Pass also contains Primal Beast’s first cosmetic items. With his poor winrate and lack of play, it’s good to see the Beast finally getting some love. Although it isn’t out yet, the Primal Beast Prestige Bundle should be just around the corner. This set sees PB clad in armor crafted by those who tried to weaponize him. The armor eventually fell off before he came to the Mistwoods, leaving him mostly bare. Soon, players will be able to put that armor back onto him and undo years of his hard work.
As before, players who reach level 1000 in the 2022 Battle Pass will be able to receive a special reward. A 1/5th scale alloy model of the Aegis, along with a special glow for the fountain Aegis in-game. Unlike previous Passes, the rewards for levels higher than 1000 are still mostly hidden. The Blood Vial can still be earned at level 1500, but nothing beyond that is known. This may have something to do with the two-part structure, although this is unconfirmed.
While it took a long time for the 2022 Battle Pass to release, it appears to be worth the wait. The first of the new longer-lasting Passes, its two-part structure might be the template for things to come. There is a cornucopia of other rewards not mentioned here, making the 2022 Battle Pass more than worth the price.
