Why Riki Is So Successful Right Now in Dota 2

Apart from Broodmother and Clinkz, Riki is probably the most annoying hero that you encounter when you first start to play Dota 2. And people pick him because they know that in the low MMR divisions, players are sloppy. They don’t carry sentry wards and dust and they don’t know how to counter him.

But starting from around the Legend rank, players used to completely ignore Riki because he was so bad during the laning stage. His ability to farm was poor and he also had a really bad time in the jungle. But after the last few Dota 2 patches, the situation has changed considerably.

Riki’s Success in Dota 2 Patch 7.32d

Right now, Riki’s win rate is almost 55%. Compare that number to that of Templar Assassin: 44.3%. It’s a huge difference and the reason is simple: Riki has received huge buffs in 2022. He’s reached a point where he needs to start getting nerfed. Otherwise, he will ruin a lot of games at low MMRs.

Why Riki Is Strong Right Now

Riki’s strength has something to do with his item build, which has always included a Diffusal Blade. Some five years ago, this item used to cost a lot more than it does today. And you had to continue to buy charges for it. But now it costs just 2500 gold, doesn’t need charges, and slows a target by almost 100% for 4 seconds.

In other words, it gives you a 4s root against anyone, as well as stats and mana burn, which translates into a lot of damage.

Valve Corporation

The hero’s abilities allow him to silence and effectively blind a target (75% miss chance) for 6 seconds. And thanks to the Diffusal Blade, the target will spend almost all of that time inside the Smoke Screen.

When you combine this tool with Riki’s latest improvements in his ability to farm and move during combat, it’s obvious why everyone picks and mostly succeeds with him. Even without his invisibility, this hero would be hard to deal with in the current meta. His timings are too good and his entire toolkit is phenomenal.

To learn more about the hero, you should study the games of Artem “Yuragi” Golubiev. He plays for OG and is one of the best Riki players in the world.

Header: Valve Corporation