For a TI qualifier played shortly after the introduction of brand new mechanics like Hero Facets, Valve can be pleased that teams were counting on nearly all but two of the heroes in the roster to be viable.
I love DOTA2. But this could be the end. Here's why…
The two unselected heroes from Dota 2's 125-wide hero roster are Omniknight and Riki. While both are historically known as pub heroes rather than professional choices, their treatment in the big 7.36 gameplay patch and subsequent letter patches didn't help matters.
Before Patch 7.36, Omniknight played the Offlane role with builds focused on his Hammer of Purity nuke. Riki, on the other hand, remained largely untouched, being picked just once in the last two months of pro Dota 2 by Xtreme Gaming's Xinq in PGL Wallachia Season 1.
As it stands, Omniknight is having something of an identity crisis, and it remains to be seen what direction Valve will push him in future patches. The hero is currently sitting at a meager 38.6 percent win rate in pro-level pubs, according to Dota 2 Pro Tracker. Riki, on the other hand, has a much more respectable 47.8 percent win rate, so we'd imagine it's only a matter of time before he makes a return appearance in pro matches.
