6.80 is coming...

That new random ability draft looks like a lot of fun actually. Also when is it coming out?

I agree with 9black, I'm personally looking really forward to that new game type. But on another note here are my opinions on these changes.
I believe that the Lion Aghanim's Scepter update will give an even better reason to get it. However I think that it is going to make a Lion, Magnus combo very viable with the Finger of Death + Reverse Polarity wrecking everyone caught in it.
I believe the buffs to Invoker make the Quas, Wex build quite feasible now.
When I saw the Blink Dagger notes I literally jumped for joy. I love Blink Dagger initiation heroes such as Enigma, Sand King and Magnus.

Those are the things that really stood out for me.

-BK

To Answer 9Black's question of when the new game mode is being released, I believe it is the 6th of February (I may be wrong). What I found interesting about this update is Troll Warlord's Fervor being changed to be more dangerous than it was before by having the max stacks of it 4/4/4/4 and the bonus attack speed changed to 16/22/28/34 and also the nerf on Nyx Assassin's Impale which now only hits targets in the cast range. There was also a change for Visage's Grave Chill which has a mana cost of 100/100/100/100 which is slightly more balanced imo. I also love along with everyone else the new Blink Dagger and also the added change to Bottle which could be useful. But apart from those things and the re-worked Invoker I can't see much else which will dramatically change things in the game for me. Also noticed Lion's ult upgrade and became slightly worried

Nothing that would change my gameplay at all (thank you Volvo for saving Imba Spirit from a nerf hammer :d), but I'm very happy about wards change, cause it will help solving warding problems early on when man with wards just go straight to his lane and don't give **** about anything.

Also Blink Dagger change making it even more viable on heroes with low mana pool like Ursa, but this could also mean that we will see less Shadow Blades, which makes me sad :< they are so easy to counter :<

You read this wrong, the Range and Radius of Impale has stayed the same, they just increased the Cast Range to match the actual Range. TheCast range used to be slightly shorter than the distance the Spikes travelled at, so if you clicked on a spot in front of you that was a the maximum Range of Impale, you would have walked forward until you were in the Cast Range.

It seems like a Buff for people who have trouble landing Impales at the edge of the Range, e.g. when chasing someone who's only barely within Impale Range. It doesn't really make any difference to people who can already aim it and is neither a Buff nor a Nerf...well, it's a Buff for people who aren't used to Nyx I guess...

Cant say there were many changes that are radical or that I didn't agree with. Even the nerfs were generally light touch, and there are a lot of things that will make life easier in pubs - ward sharing, being able to give people a Bottle charge without wondering if you'll ever get it back or not, etc.

I'm mainly thinking about how to include an Aghanim's Scepter into my Tinker build. Could delay the ever vital Scythe of Vyse...but 4 rockets and double lasor range just sounds so tasty :)

Any heroes you think they've gone too far on yet btw? Personally I can see Huskar being nerfed again at some point, I don't think a lot of people realise just how strong he can be now.

Surpised that almost none mentioned the changes to blink dagger, having no mana cost on it is going to be big.

Surprised that no one is complaining about the nerfs on Bristleback. I mean, only 4 base damage reduction?

I hate seeing this hero tbh, I was expecting a big nerf plus him completely falling off.

Not that he was a massive thing in competitive though.

Seriously though, Pugna being untouched is also pretty big.

I like the buffs to Earthshaker, Faceless Void, Tusk and Vengeful Spirit. Not too big (aside from FV's one I guess) but each of them got something pretty great.

damn imba spirit went from god tier to slightly above 'meh' status.

you can do his combo at all now. (rock-pull-roll-smash)

For sure his combo is not as noob friendly as it was previously , but still if you can hit ppl with stones it won't change so much (you still have stun and silence, just on other skills).