Why Morphling Has The Lowest Win Rate In Dota 2 Patch 7.36b

Dota 2 fans who love playing Morphling are surely feeling dejected after the latest patch. IceFrog’s changes in Patch 7.36b have made the water-themed hero significantly more difficult to win with. The hero’s signature abilities and playstyle, which were a big part of the appeal for Morphling enthusiasts, have been substantially nerfed. While dedicated Morphling players with hundreds of games under their belts will likely still find a way to excel, the rest of us are going to struggle to find the same success and enjoyment from the hero for the time being. The sweeping nerfs have made Morphling a far less appealing option for casual players. It’s understandable that Morphling fans are disappointed to see their favorite hero fall out of favor in the current meta.

For those who have invested considerable time mastering Morphling’s mechanics, there is still hope. The hero’s unique abilities like Waveform and Adaptive Strike offer a versatile skillset that can be leveraged by skilled players. But the increased difficulty and reduced effectiveness of Morphling’s core abilities means that the average player will likely have a much harder time finding success. Ultimately, the Dota 2 balance team likely felt that Morphling was too dominant or overbearing in previous patches, necessitating a significant adjustment. While frustrating for devoted Morphling fans, these types of sweeping changes are part of the ebb and flow of the game’s meta. Players will have to adapt and find new heroes to enjoy until Morphling can regain his former glory.

What Makes Morphling Hard To Play

Mastering Morphling in Dota 2 is no easy feat – the hero has several severe weaknesses that you must compensate for with pure skill and determination. For starters, Morphling’s base movement speed is abysmal at just 285, making him painfully slow to reposition on the map. His attack range is also quite disappointing for a ranged carry, clocking in at a meager 350 units. And his signature ultimate ability, Attribute Shift, requires exceptional versatility and precise timing to use effectively. On top of these inherent challenges, if you don’t have lightning-fast reflexes when you get jumped, you’ll often find yourself dead before you can even get off an Attribute Shift. Morphling is just so squishy that a moment’s hesitation can be fatal, especially early on. One wrong move or missed spell can spell the end for the water elemental. What makes Morphling truly unique, though, is that he’s heavily incentivized to maximize his attributes before leveling up his ability set. His passive ability, Adaptive Strike, grants 4 points per skill point instead of the usual 2. This means each point invested in stats gives a huge +12 boost to Strength, Agility, and Intelligence. This can make Morphling an absolute stat monster, but it also means sacrificing some direct ability power in the early and mid game.

Some higher-level Morphling players have developed a rather unconventional playstyle to work around this unique mechanic. They’ll focus on maxing out Waveform first and hold off on leveling their other abilities, instead reserving 5 precious skill points for attributes and their level 10 talent. This gives them a massive +16 to all stats by the time they reach level 12, which is an enormous early game boost. However, the tradeoff is that they lack a maxed-out Adaptive Strike, and their Attribute Shift isn’t upgraded either. So if they get jumped by burst damage, they may struggle to quickly shift enough agility into strength to survive the onslaught. Itemization is also crucially important when playing Morphling. You absolutely must buy a Dragon Lance for the precious attack range bonus, and some form of HP regen or lifesteal, whether that’s Linken’s Sphere or a Morbid Mask. Manta Style is another key pickup, as it allows you to purge deadly silences that can cripple the hero. The traditional Morphling build involving an early Ethereal Blade is only viable if you choose to max Adaptive Strike first. Otherwise, you’ll find it difficult to quickly eliminate high-priority targets.

Ultimately, Morphling is one of the most difficult carries to master in the entirety of Dota 2. His weaknesses are so severe that he can easily get destroyed both in the laning phase and the late game, even in the hands of seasoned veterans. With a current win rate of just 42.4% and a pick rate of only 3.8%, it’s clear that Morphling is in a rather dire spot in the current metagame. Unless you have put in hundreds of games honing your Morphling skills, it may be best to stick to unranked or casual matches when playing the water elemental. The hero’s demanding mechanics and high-risk, high-reward playstyle mean that the average player will likely struggle to find consistent success. It takes an exceptional level of mechanics, game sense, and adaptability to truly make Morphling work in the ever-evolving world of competitive Dota 2. That said, for those who put in the time to master Morphling’s nuances, the hero can still be an absolute terror on the battlefield. His ability to seamlessly shift between Strength, Agility, and Intelligence makes him a highly versatile carry that can adapt to any situation. In the right hands, Morphling can single-handedly turn the tide of a teamfight with a well-timed Attribute Shift, Waveform, and Adaptive Strike combo.

But for the majority of Dota 2 players, Morphling remains a high-risk, high-reward proposition. His severe weaknesses and demanding playstyle make him a hero that is difficult to pick up and find immediate success with. It’s no wonder the water elemental has such a low pick and win rate – he’s simply not forgiving of mistakes, and requires an exceptional level of mechanical skill and game sense to pilot effectively. Those who do manage to overcome Morphling’s challenges, however, will be rewarded with one of the most dynamic and game-changing carry heroes in the entire Dota 2 roster. His ability to morph between multiple roles and adapt to any situation is truly mesmerizing to behold. But for the average player, Morphling will likely remain a frustrating and unforgiving hero to master. Only the true virtuosos need apply.