The Season of Exploits: Dota 2’s Hand of Midas Resurfaces
Well, it’s that time of the year folks. A new Dota 2 patch and a new way to exploit the nefarious Hand of Midas item. It seems like no matter how comprehensive the updates are, Valve always manages to leave a few cracks for players to exploit. This time around, the exploit involves a pair of heroes and is a bit more complex, but the rewards are worth the effort—thousands of gold can be racked up in mere minutes. The community is abuzz with excitement and frustration, as this exploit threatens to disrupt the game’s balance once again.
The New Patch and the New Exploit
With the release of Patch 7.38, the entire Dota 2 map has undergone significant changes, alongside most of the heroes and items in the game. However, in this all-encompassing update, Valve managed to break something once more, enabling the Hand of Midas to be exploited yet again. Reddit user LokeLok detailed the process on Feb. 19, explaining how to rack up 10 extra charges over the two that the Hand of Midas comes with by default. The method involves purchasing the Hand of Midas and Holy Locket, spending all the charges, sending it to a cooldown, giving the Midas to Dazzle, swapping the inventory slots of Midas and the Holy Locket, and voila—the user ends up with 10 Hand of Midas charges, which they rightfully termed "an abomination."
The Implications of the Exploit
To put things into perspective, the Hand of Midas grants 160 gold per unit killed and doubles the experience gained, meaning that one could potentially rack up 1,600 gold in a minute and an untold amount of XP. This not only boosts the player’s gold reserves but also accelerates their level progression and item acquisition, giving them a significant advantage over their opponents. The community is divided on the issue, with some players praising the ingenuity of those who discovered the exploit and others condemning it as unfair and detrimental to the game’s integrity.
Beyond the Hand of Midas
The Hand of Midas is not the only item affected by this exploit. According to users replying to the thread, any item can be given additional charges. For instance, the Desolator can immediately get its 30 stacks, and Blood Grenades can miraculously multiply in a player’s inventory, providing incredible amounts of HP during the early stages of the game. This kind of exploit can fundamentally alter the way the game is played, making certain heroes and strategies overpowered and unbalancing the meta.
Valve’s History with Exploits
Valve is no stranger to causing exploits like these with its massive Dota 2 patches. The Hand of Midas has been a hotfix candidate multiple times in the past, with several exploits discovered and patched last year. Each time, Valve has had to act quickly to patch things up, as these kinds of bugs can easily break the entire meta and turn the game into a total unplayable mess. The community often criticizes Valve for these oversights, but the company’s fast response to such issues has also been noted and appreciated.
The Future of Dota 2
Despite the current chaos caused by this exploit, the Dota 2 community remains resilient. Players and community members are already discussing potential counter-strategies and ways to minimize the impact of the exploit until Valve releases a patch. The game’s meta is always evolving, and while exploits can be frustrating, they also highlight the game’s depth and complexity. As always, the community will adapt, and Valve will likely address the issue in a future update, ensuring that Dota 2 remains one of the most competitive and engaging strategy games out there.
