Yatoro's Juggernaut Mastery: Making Juggernaut Work In The Current Patch

Renowned as the carry player for Team Spirit, the reigning champions of The International 10, Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk has long been regarded as one of the world's finest carry players in Dota 2. However, Team Spirit's recent performance in tournaments has been somewhat lackluster, with early exits and disappointing results. After a promising qualification for the Berlin Major, where they secured a Top 4 position in the group stages, Team Spirit faltered in the playoffs. Amidst this setback, Yatoro has been honing his skills in pub games, showcasing an outstanding winrate and, most notably, an exceptional command over Juggernaut, one of his favorite heroes.

Changes to the hero

Juggernaut was one of the heroes that went untouched in the 7.33b and 7.33c balance patches and only received a few buffs in the initial massive 7.33 patch. The hero’s ultimate skill, Omnislash, was buffed with 10 seconds lower on its cooldown at 120 seconds instead of 130 seconds. Another buff was to the hero’s Aghanim’s Scepter added ability, Swift Slash, where the duration increased by 0.2 seconds from 0.8 to 1 second.

However, these buffs were essentially out shadowed by what everyone perceived as the biggest nerf to the hero, which was the changes in Spell Immunity mechanics, which now provide the hero with 80% magic resistance, instead of complete immunity from spells.

Yatoro’s high winrate in pub games

In the past eight days, Yatoro has engaged in a staggering 44 pub matches, resulting in an impressive overall winrate of 77% according to Dota 2 Pro Tracker. This exceptional performance may indicate the player’s high level of skill in the game, and his ability to adapt to all the changes brought about by the massive 7.33 patch. In addition to his high overall winrate, Yatoro has an even higher number of wins on Juggernaut, a hero that was seemingly been ‘nerfed’ after the new patch 7.33 and the reworked Spell Immunity mechanics. Out of the 14 matches Yatoro played on Juggernaut in this span, he emerged victorious in an astonishing 13 of them, boasting a remarkable winrate of 92%.

Yatoro’s strategy with Juggernaut

The TI10 Champion has been playing the hero in a slightly different way from how it was played in the last few patches. He has shifted away from the more commonly seen build in recent times which focuses on the first skill, Blade Fury, and the buffs it receives from Talents and the Aghanim’s Shard. Yatoro prefers a more traditional item build and playstyle on the hero now, opting for the older build of Battlefury into Manta or Sange and Yasha, and taking all the second talents (+5 All Stats, -20s Healing Ward Cooldown, +50% Blade Dance Lifesteal, +1 Omnislash Duration).

Yatoro's mastery of Juggernaut is a testament to his exceptional creativity, innovation, and adaptability in the ever-evolving landscape of Dota 2. Despite the changes introduced in patch 7.33, Yatoro has found unique ways to make Juggernaut work in the current meta. His high winrate on the hero, particularly in the past 8 days where he achieved a staggering 93% winrate in 13 out of 14 games, showcases his ability to adapt and excel even in the face of perceived nerfs. By exploring alternative item builds and playstyles, Yatoro has demonstrated his willingness to experiment and think outside the box, solidifying his reputation as one of the most innovative carry players in the game. As Dota 2 continues to evolve, it's clear that Yatoro's creativeness and adaptability will remain vital assets that set him apart in the competitive scene.