The second edition of Riyadh Masters 2023 is done and dusted, with record prize pools, critically acclaimed production, and an exciting Dota 2 meta emerging from Saudi Arabia ahead of the all-important qualifiers for The International later this month.
While there are so many stories and moments to choose from, we’ve picked three winners and three losers from the event as fans reflect on the final Major before Dota’s pinnacle event returns to its ancestral home this October.
Winners of Riyadh Masters 2023
The all-in teamfight is back
Do you want monstrous teamfights with some of the strongest combos in Dota? You’ve got it, apparently, according to the trends from Riyadh.
Enigma, Clockwerk, Faceless Void, Elder Titan, Batrider—if it’s got game-changing initiation or an ultimate that can swing the tide of battle, it saw a major uptick in pick rate according to stats and coverage site DatDota.
In particular, Dark Seer rocketed to the very top of the charts, with the cunning tactician recording 63 picks—seventh overall—which equates to a 40 percent increase in pick rate since the Bali Major.
With the utility of Vacuum as a stun and a setup for these big teamfight ultis, plus a boost to survivability since 7.33 dropped back in April, Dark Seer’s return to the meta goes without saying. Throw in the return of staple tank items like Mekanism into Guardian Greaves, Pipe of Insight, and Crimson Guard, and you’ve got a tough nut to crack who can set an entire team up for the win.
That said, not all of our big teamfight ulti heroes made the cut. Common picks like Tidehunter, Sand King, and Phoenix saw limited use due in part to their poor laning. The teamfight trend as a whole has given way to a whole new beast, however…
Rubick
If you’re going to pick heroes with high-cooldown spells that can alter the fabric of a match, you best be ready for a cheeky Rubick to steal them. The Grand Magus has gone untouched throughout the mini patches since New Frontiers and with an abundance of quality spells to steal, he shone brightest of all in Riyadh.
Rubick was picked a whopping 112 times at the event, nearly double that of Bali, and was present in 22 more matches than next-best Snapfire. While his win rate left a little to be desired—48 percent according to stats specialists Spectral—his presence cannot be overstated.
Rubick has been a staple of the Dota meta for a long time, and even if these huge teamfight-ability-wielding heroes aren’t as present in the upcoming pre-TI patch, his burst damage with Fade Bolt and his versatility with Telekinesis and Spell Steal will ensure he has a major part to play at any event.
Team Spirit
What’s a winner’s list without the actual event winners? Team Spirit claimed the ludicrous $5 million USD prize and took down Team Liquid—who have now lost four straight grand finals—to claim their first big event win since last year’s PGL Arlington Major.
2021’s TI champions have had a rough go of things on LAN in 2023. Their regional online performances were sound, landing them invites to every single Major so far this calendar year, but it’s on LAN where they’ve struggled the most. 7th-8th at Lima, 9th-12th at Berlin and Bali—many expected more from the CIS-based outfit.
Related: Team Spirit returns to Dota 2 summit, take $15 million Riyadh Masters 2023 victory
But they’ve left their deep playoff run for the right moment and capitalized. It may be a team game, but Yatoro stood head and shoulders above all in the team’s return to the top step of the podium. Yatoro consistently topped the charts for last hits and farming efficiency and was among the top five for versatility, playing 13 different heroes.
Now the question becomes: Can they do it at TI next?
Losers of Riyadh Masters 2023
Pugna
Dota fans the world over, rejoice. Pugna’s time in the meta looks over after a stunning 89 percent fall in pick rate from Bali. Pugna found his way into eight games at Riyadh, winning five, but it’s far from the dominant 67 picks we saw back in June in Bali.
Pugna saw hefty nerfs in the 7.33e patch following Bali. His spammable Nether Blast saw a huge increase in mana through the early game, while his Life Drain steals less mana while he’s at full health. This coupled with the health drain reduction applied earlier this year has meant the Oblivion Mage is a little weak now.
Pugna in pub matches saw a huge dropoff with 7.33e too. The hero’s win rate fell by two percent the day after he was patched, according to Dotabuff, and with Nullifier’s cost reduction meaning an easy dispel for his Decrepify, our little green friend might be out of action for a little longer.
Chen
The least popular hero in Dota still saw action in the pro scene at Riyadh, but his win rate is nothing short of abysmal. Chen recorded only eight wins from 31 picks in the Saudi Arabian tournament as he adjusts to life in the safe lane.
One would think with the resurgence of Medallion of Courage and Solar Crest to reduce enemy armor and movement speed would see Chen rise in the meta but unfortunately this hasn’t come to fruition. Add onto the fact some of Chen’s worst partner heroes topped the meta, and it’s plain to see support players have moved on to better and brighter options.
Chen did still see significant action in the pick-ban, recording 37 bans—most of which came in the first phase. Nevertheless, we’re likely to see his popularity fall a touch barring any huge nerfs in 7.34.
Chinese Dota
The fall of Chinese Dota has been well-documented but there continues to be pain for fans of the region hoping for a shining light to emerge ahead of TI. Three Chinese teams made it to Riyadh: Two made the playoffs, and only one saw a second day of finals.
Xtreme Gaming fell after a poor group stage with veteran midlaner Paparazi announcing his retirement almost immediately following the conclusion of the event. His departure will likely set in motion a huge shuffle in the Chinese scene.
PSG.LGD entered the playoffs in the lower bracket and was immediately dispatched by Quest Esports, who themselves failed to progress any further. Like Team Spirit, PSG.LGD has dominated the bulk of 2023 regionally but just cannot find any form on the big stage.
Team Aster, with SumaiL at the fore, only made it one step further than their counterparts. After downing EG, a 1-2 loss to 9Pandas sealed their fate.
Only PSG.LGD is booked for TI 2023 in October, with a second Chinese team to attend after the last chance regional qualifier in mid-August. The two to attend marks the fewest Chinese teams at any TI in a long time after five teams attended in 2021 and three in 2022. Here’s hoping the titanic region can stop itself from sinking any further.
