The Rise Of Nature's Prophet in the Meta
After The Internationals 2022, Nature’s Prophet dominated every pub and professional scene. In every match, the hero gets contested. However, after some time, other heroes received buffs and took over Prophet. Nevertheless, Nature’s Prophet was not out of the meta. The hero has been lurking quietly in the shadows, only picked up frequently by spammers. However, it seems the time has come again for Nature’s Prophet to see the light again with Patch 7.34b. In this new patch, the hero received buffs, making him more viable again.
The Buffs
In Patch 7.34, the hero received damage per second on his first ability, Sprout. Sprout already gives the hero vision and immobility. Adding the ability with damage per second makes it overpowered in the game. In Patch 7.34b, Sprout received slight nerfs, but the hero is still the most overpowered in the game. Although Nature’s Prophet is viable in every role, players are playing it as a support, as his abilities suit the support role best.
Item Build, Skill Build & Tips
Unlike the old variation of Prophet, players now max Sprout and Teleportation on the hero. Players currently don’t take a valuable point in Nature’s Call. Teleportation now gives Nature bonus damage. For each hit NP does, the hero also gains bonus armour for a certain time, making him a threat across the map. Due to his Teleportation, he is also a nuisance for the enemy supports while the XP rune spawns, as he can teleport in and snatch the rune.
The starting items have changed as well. Now, players start the lane with a Blight Stone and Branches for stats. Players often get Medallion of Courage to gain additional damage in the early game. From there, players will either get an Urn of Shadows to transition into Spirit Vessel or rush straight into Solar Crest. Solar Crest slows the enemy hero and offers armour reduction; thus, it pairs well with Sprout. Veil Of Discord and Drums of Endurance are also good items on Prophet. Aghanim Scepter is often picked up on the hero as it offers his ultimate ability to root the enemy heroes.
Winrate
The hero is in such a good place right now that even Artour "Arteezy" Babaev is playing it as a support in some of his matches. Nature’s Prophet is getting contested in nearly every match of The International 2023 qualifiers. The hero currently has a 24.56% pick rate and a 55.38% win rate in high-level pubs.
Featured Image Source: Reddit