When Primal Beast first debuted in patch 7.31, he made more of a ripple than a splash. While his visuals and kit were interesting, he didn’t pack enough of a punch to really rampage. His biggest problem was Black King Bar, which shut down him just as he came online. While the Bar is still king, recent buffs have shown the large lizard some love. Here’s why Dota 2’s Primal Beast is finally good.
[Related: Dota 2 Update 7.32 Is Here]
Update 7.32 reworked many of the Beast’s talents, giving him new tools and swapping around old ones. Both his level 10 talents were replaced, swapping out generic stat buffs for tailored bonuses. +2 Mana Regen became +90 Onslaught Damage, a downshifting of his previous level 15 talent. +12% Magic Resistance, an admittedly good option, became +20% Magic Resistance during Trample. Trample was a hard sell before, so this new option is welcome. Combined with a damage increase in 7.32b, the ability has gone from a death sentence to a solid option.
Level 15 is where the most shuffling occurred. His first level 15 option was once +120 Onslaught Damage but was changed to a dispel on Uproar. Like the talent it replaced, this is a downshifting of an old level 20 talent. Both these changes help Primal Beast a lot, giving him powerful tools earlier. The other level 15 option, conversely, upshifted. Previously granting +3 Armor per Uproar stack, it now gives Trample -5s Cooldown. Now, the level 15 talents give players the choice to dive deeper or to dive more often. While the dispel helps PB stomp through teamfights, the cooldown decrease helps speed up farming. Turning creep waves into pancakes helps ease the transition from mid to late game for the cranky croc.
Finally, his level 20 and 25 talents received one change each. The level 20 talent shifted down to 15 and was replaced by the upshifted level 15 talent. Now giving +4 Armor per Uproar stack, it complements the other choice nicely. While this isn’t a huge buff, the new level 25 talent is.
+50% Spell Lifesteal is gone, but the new option more than makes up for it. Now, players can choose to have Pulverize pierce Magic Immunity, a critical buff. Magic Immunity was previously the bane of the Beast, and with the prevalence of BKB that was a major issue. Now, Primal Beast can just grab whatever carry is annoying him and turn them into paste. While he isn’t dominating the late game, it gives him an answer to a problem where he previously had none.
While the talent changes were the biggest buffs to Primal Beast, they weren’t the only ones. His Shard, Rock Throw, now splits into three shards on impact. This turns it into a kind of delayed shotgun with almost four times the effect. The fragments are only smaller than the first rock, with the same damage and stun duration. While players can use it like before, they may want to adjust their aim to hit enemies with the fragments.
Similarly, his new Scepter also grants additional projectiles. With it, Uproar shoots out splitting projectiles per stack that apply Break. This makes Primal Beast stronger where he’s supposed to be: at the center of the fight. Trample, Uproar, and Pulverize turn him into a durable nova of damage, Stun, and Break. Onslaught and Rock Throw let him dive into the backline and catch fleeing enemies. To add to this, 7.32b and 7.32c added a buffet of stat tweaks to make him stronger than ever. At long last, Dota 2’s Primal Beast is finally good.
The first signs of greatness came at the Last Chance Qualifier. Of all the heroes picked and banned there, Primal Beast was the fourth most popular. With a whopping 87% pick/ban rate, he clocked in right behind Enigma, Undying, and Marci. This popularity has continued into TI 2022, with his toothy maw constantly popping up in games. With much more to come, it’s safe to say that fans will be seeing a lot more of it. Primal Beast has been stomping pubs too, with his one-star complexity making him accessible to all. While some heroes like Io only see play at the highest levels, Primal Beast is more straightforward. He’s not an intelligence hero, after all, he can’t even speak. He knows how to fight though, and after 7.32 he knows how to win. Tremble mortals- Dota 2’s Primal Beast is finally good.
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