The side mechanic could be very fascinating, however it will take some time earlier than it matures into what we really feel Valve envisioned. At present, many heroes have a “weak” and a “robust” side, versus having two distinct situational choices. At present we’re going to look into a few of the most egregious examples of this and share our opinion on why they’re underwhelming.
Replaces Kinetic Area with the flexibility to create impassable partitions.
This one could be very easy to elucidate: Kinetic Fence is a enjoyable wanting means, but it surely doesn’t synergise with the remainder of the hero’s package. Two Fences can be utilized to dam the enemy’s escape and there are positively inventive methods to make use of them, however the finish end result continues to be inferior to the common, round barrier.
Dealing 
Thunder Strike injury alongside the wall in a small AoE and making use of the related gradual might be an fascinating buff and repair to an in any other case weak side. We’re nonetheless unsure when precisely Fence can be higher than Barrier, but it surely might be an fascinating experiment.
This side grants the flexibility Recall
That is in all probability one of many situational talents that isn’t essentially weak, however is reasonably exhausting to utilise in uncoordinated pubs. The chance value of shedding 
Photo voltaic Bind can also be too excessive, in our opinion. Maybe accessing each spells, with totally different energy ranges might be an answer.
There have been a number of semy-effective help KotLs throughout TI qualifiers who took the Recall side. We are able to’t say it was notably spectacular, however it’s a strategy to flex KotL between a number of positions in Captain’s Mode. Having pro-only and pub-only elements isn’t inherently a foul concept, so perhaps it’s okay this side is underperforming in pubs.
True Kind transforms the Spirit Bear as an alternative of Lone Druid.
This one is simply foolish, to be trustworthy. LD is definitely one of the vital damaged heroes in mid degree pubs and the rationale for it’s the means to outlive most ganks, whereas dealing loads of injury to each heroes and buildings. Insufferable takes away the survivability issue and makes Lone Druid an unreliable glass cannon.
This side positively wants a rework or some inventive buffs, as a result of we genuinely don’t know the way it’s speculated to work. Possibly the thought is to make Sylla the primary supply of ranged injury, however with a 1.8 / 2 / 2 Attribute achieve this can be a very questionable concept, even on a Common hero.
Naga Siren can create a splash round herself and her illusions, damaging enemies and decreasing their Standing Resistance.
The supposedly “help” side for the hero is sort of bizarre. -20% Standing Resistance sounds fascinating, however really making it work in a frantic teamfight could be very exhausting, particularly on a help hero who has little to no Phantasm survivability.
Core Naga positively prefers having the -Armor impact from 
Rip Tide, as it’s her predominant supply of manacost-free early sport economic system and teamfight injury. Maybe leaning extra into displacement potential from Deluge Naga with an elevated AoE on Deluge and elevated Forged Vary on Ensnare might be a strategy to make Naga work as a help. For now, although, simply skip this side altogether.
Sand Storm follows Sand King when he strikes or Burrowstrikes.
There isn’t a lot to say about this one. It was closely overnerfed and reality be advised, we’re comfortable with it. The “random AoE crowd management” mechanic isn’t notably enjoyable to play towards.
Realistically, this side needs to be buffed, however we hope all of the Sand King adjustments are going to return with an Aghanim’s rework of some kind. The hero is consistently shifting between being overpowered and irrelevant and we hope Valve will discover the best stability. For now play the Sandshroud SK — it’s really fairly first rate.
Plague Wards may be hooked up to allies and have additional prices.
There are two causes for this massive discrepancy between sides: not solely is Plague Provider sort of unhealthy, however Affected person Zero can also be extraordinarily good. We don’t actually know what the massive concept with Plague Provider is, to be trustworthy.
The one lifelike strategy to utilise it’s by enjoying Veno core and utilizing cell wards to farm shortly and effectively. Constructing right into a 
Bloodthorn and getting additional +50 magic injury from each single ward assault is a neat concept, however at this level why not simply play any of the standard phantasm heroes with greater ranges of survivability, farming pace and late sport potential?
Familiars mechanically transfer with Visage and assault his targets.
The “beginner” side that sounds sort of okay on paper. Familiars having additional MS and Vary isn’t nothing, however the misplaced versatility is unquestionably noticeable. It’s a lot more durable to land good stuns, inconceivable to prioritise backline enemies and it may possibly’t be even used as a crutch to study the hero — Visage is a micro character at the start.
In our opinion this side is pointless. It doesn’t work for amateur gamers, it doesn’t train newbies something vital concerning the hero or micro basically and the one it may be “fastened” is by actually amping the values on Acquainted bonuses. Brute forcing stability isn’t the best way Valve often operates, so hopefully we’ll see some form of a rework for Visage elements.
Focus Fireplace randomly assaults enemies inside vary.
This one is sort of cool on paper and we imagine that in a slower meta it might really work as is. Proper now, although, it takes an excessive amount of time to get off the bottom and grow to be helpful. It additionally doesn’t contribute to Arcana progress, which is a disgrace.
Maybe some small quantity changes might make it a viable side for the hero: the teamfight potential is unquestionably there and with a proper setup this side can deal extra injury than the common 
Focus Fireplace. Being each gradual and conditional makes it too unreliable for now, however do regulate it.
“The place are the Time Zone and RRP?” a few of you might ask. It is a good dialogue starter and could also be a subject for subsequent week. For now we’re simply going to level out that they aren’t essentially as unhealthy as folks suppose they’re. At the very least when it comes to Win price stats.
At present we targeting Aspects which have a >5% adverse win price distinction when in comparison with the alternate options. They’re undeniably weak to a degree the place they’ll’t even be thought of “situational”. These are those we hope to see buffed or perhaps even reworked.
What are your ideas on this record? Do you’re feeling like gamers are merely unhealthy at utilising a few of these “unhealthy” Aspects and the way would you repair them? Share your ideas within the remark part beneath.
