Riyadh Masters 2022 meta heroes: post analysis
What's inside
Tiny
The first hero is Tiny. Stone Giant is frequently chosen by EU/NA teams. He was picked 30/banned 19 times and had a 50% win rate. However, if you dive deep into the statistics, you'll realize that Tiny was often chosen in pro matches and high MMR pubs. A strong hero both at the beginning of the game and in the deep late. Tiny has a vast HP bar and regeneration, strength index, and attack mark on the first level. He is still ten; that's why Pro anyhow draft him.
Marci
Marci set second place with 18 picks and a 37% win rate. E-sportsmen banned her 29 times, and it's twice as much. In7.31d her ultimate's cooldown has been reduced from 110/90/70 to 100/80/60 seconds. It's quite a weak nerf to avoid Marci. Great hero for the 3rd position, but Pro's drafted her pos-4/5. To my mind, it's the real reason why Marci has a less than 40% win rate.
Razor
Razor set the Top-3 heroes of Riyadh Masters 2022 with an unsurpassed 80% win rate despite being picked ten times. Captains consistently banned Razor (37 times), despite the fact that Razor has only a 47% win rate. This hero was primarily chosen by the Royal Never Give Up team (3 times and 3 wins). Judging by the fact that Razor was banned 37 times, players did not want to face a player who played Lighting Revenant. A great hero for the current meta, no one doubts.
Winter Wyvern
Winter Wyvern is a hero that has not changed since the 7.31d update. Let's recall why do Pro's start to pick WW frequently. Present-day Healing Salve on allied heroes works twice less. Therefore the hero recovers health twice less. However, in the current meta, there is no time to sleep on the lane; you need to harass opponents; that's why WW's Cold Embrace helps to restore the lack of Tango and HS. The hero also has good control over enemy heroes with his ultimate that breaks through Black King Bar.
Dawnbreaker
Undoubtedly, Dawnbreaker is a strong and mobile offlaner with great escape and initiate spells. On RM 2022, this hero has been picked 19 times with a 32% win rate. Solar Guardian allows Dawn to stun enemy heroes at any point on the map, as well as heal allies. On-again-off-again professionals drafted Dawn as hard support, carry, and mid as well. From my point of view, Dawnbreaker is a mighty pos-3 hero.
Disappointed picks
Legion Commander, Sniper, Axe, Slark – heroes with the lowest win rate. At Riyadh Masters 2022, players banned them once and were never mentioned again. Surprisingly, the 7.31d update added only positive things to these heroes. Legion's Moment of Courage cooldown reduced from 2.3/1.8/1.3/0.8 to 1.9/1.5/1.1/0.7 seconds, and level 15 talent grants bonus Overwhelming Odds damage. Simultaneously Sniper's Ult Damage increased from 320/485/650 to 320/510/700, and Slark's base damage increased from 53-61 to 55-61.
Riyadh Masters 2022 also freeze in my mind as the tournament where the following heroes were never selected: Broodmother, Clinkz, Drow Ranger, Gyrocopter, Magnus, Meepo, Mirana, Omniknight, Primal Beast, Riki, Sand King, Silencer, Spirit Breaker, Tinker, Treant Protector, Witch Doctor, Wraith King. You can choose your hero for the new meta or try those heroes that were presented to us by the players. What do you think, which heroes, in your opinion, were meta at Riyadh Masters 2022?
