Kunkka is On a Sinking Ship after Patch 7.36

Ever since the release of patch 7.36, the balance of power in Dota 2 has shifted dramatically. Some heroes have risen to new heights, while others have hit rock bottom. Sadly, Kunkka, the old admiral, seems to be sinking with his ship. After dominating both pubs and the pro scene for a solid six months, he's now facing huge nerfs that have made him one of the worst heroes in the current patch.

In this article, we'll dive into what happened to Kunkka and how the changes in patch 7.36 have relegated him to the bottom tier with a win rate of 44%.

How Patch 7.36 Made Kunkka One of The Worst Heroes

Admiral, but not admirable. Hm hm hm hm. (Credit: Valve)

Kunnka has always been one of the most interesting heroes in the game with a versatile tool kit. His combination of strong nukes, disables, crowd control, and setup abilities made him a valuable pick in almost any game.

Despite his versatile skills, Kunkka's peak came with the introduction of his new Aghanim's Scepter ability, Torrent Storm, back in patch 7.23. This ability elevated him to new heights, providing massive area-of-effect crowd control and strong magic damage, allowing him to dominate fights single-handedly.

When he adds a Refresher Orb to his arsenal in the late game, it becomes nearly impossible to engage him without a Black King Bar. However, facing Kunkka remains a daunting challenge even with BKB since its duration drops to six seconds in the late game.

X Marks the Nerf

Kunkka's Battle Against the Sinking Ship. (Credit: Valve)

Kunkka's dominance was bound to face challenges, and it did with a series of nerfs hitting his abilities one by one. Torrent Storm and Torrent received adjustments to balance their power, but the most impactful change came in patch 7.36 with the nerf to X Marks the Spot. This ability was essential for Kunkka’s setup play, and the reduction in delay time from 4 to 3 seconds on enemies and from 8 to 6 seconds on allies significantly altered his gameplay.

The shorter setup time means less opportunity to fake out enemies with Torrent and a tighter window for allies to capitalize on the setup. Furthermore, the reduced duration on allies hampers his ability to use X Marks the Spot for wave-pushing or teleporting to the base for healing.

Facets in Patch 7.36: A Missed Opportunity for Kunkka

Patch 7.36, a Turning Point for Kunkka

In patch 7.36, the introduction of Facets, a core mechanic, hasn't done Kunkka any favors either. While many heroes benefited from game-changing Facets, Kunkka's options seem lackluster. The choice between High Tide and Grog Blossom heavily favors High Tide, as the 3-second Ghostship's Rum buff after X Marks the Spot feels almost negligible in impact.

Even so, High Tide doesn’t fit well with Kunkka’s spell caster playstyle, which has been the dominant and most viable strategy in recent patches. High Tide pushes Kunkka towards a right-click build, which is difficult to pull off effectively. This build requires enemies to clump together to maximize its potential, a rare scenario in today’s games.

Overall, the Facets introduced in patch 7.36 have left Kunkka struggling to find his footing, as neither option truly complements his strengths or the current meta. This has further contributed to his decline, making it challenging for players to utilize him effectively.

Kunkka's decline underscores the need for a significant rework. However, the frequent updates and balance changes following the major patch 7.36 present a glimmer of hope for Kunkka to be revitalized. With the right adjustments, he has the potential to rise from the depths, to sail his way to victory once again.

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Featured Image Source: Valve