This article was originally published on GameSpot's sister site onGamers.com, which was dedicated to esports coverage.

　　

Front End Changes

Changelog

- Added Legion Commander to the workshop.

　　- Updated workshop files for Dazzle, Dragon Knight, Bloodseeker, Broodmother and Batrider that include separated fbx and smd files.

　　- 5 solo players will never match against a 5 man party in Ranked Matchmaking (and will be extremely unlikely in Unranked).

　　- Fixed bug where you could have multiple recruiters, or active recruitment requests once accepting a recruiter.

　　- Some players with multiple accepted recruiters will have their recruitment status reset.

　　- The armory filter dropdown will no longer be hidden by any active Battle Point Boosters.

　　- Fixed various crash bugs around Guides in Frostivus.

　　- Improved audio mix of player and caster voice on surround sound systems.

　　- Fixed a crash on systems with multiple gamepads connected.

　　- Fixed a case where backdoor protection would not function properly.

　　- Fixed Ember Spirit base HP regen being 0.25 instead of 0.75

　　- Fixed Naga Siren base HP regen being 0.25 instead of 0.75

　　- Match history now shows MMR and change for your ranked matches.

　　

Hero Animation Updates

Legion Commander's Animations

Legion Commander has a number of new animations for a range of different poses.

　　New Duel win animation:

　　New friendly Force Staff animation (includes an enemy version as well):

　　Extra attack animation:

　　

Legion Commander's Arcana Animations

We also had some updates to the Arcana duel wielding animations.

　　Moment of Courage new animation:

　　Friendly force staff animation:

　　Enemy force staff animation:

　　

Slardar's Animations

Slardar has a new alternative death animation (I'm not sure if this has been finished/implemented yet).

　　

Lone Druid's True Form Animations

Lone Druid's default True Form model has been updated with a proper death animation.

　　

Steam Holiday Sale 2013 Exclusive Items

These items can be earned by taking part in the Steam Holiday Sale 2013 badge crafting quest: http://store.steampowered.com/promotion/snowglobefaq

　　

Axe's Items

Mountain Splitter

　　"Usually used only by the Sagesmiths of Vuur, the stone antlers of the Murex elk are one of few tools capable of grasping the burning heartflint of the Vuurcrag mountains."

　　

Drow Ranger's Items

Steamcape

　　This item is listed in the Mythical item drop and crafting lists.

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Ember Spirit's Items

Governor's Salakot

　　This item is listed in the Legendary item drop and crafting lists.

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Nature's Prophet's Items

Scythe of Ice

　　This item is listed in the Legendary item drop and crafting lists.

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Omniknight's Items

Omnivus

　　This item is listed in the Rare item drop and crafting lists.

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Sven's Items

Spike of Frostbite

　　This item is listed in the Common item drop and crafting lists.

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

New League Passes

Dota 2 Chile Tournament

"16 teams compete to reach the grand final and become the best team in Chile!"

　　

Asian Cyber Games Dota 2 Championship 2013

"The top Asian teams compete in the Asian Cyber Games for a total prize pool of $30,000!"

　　

European Elite League - January

"The most talented players in Europe compete in the classic in-house league format."

　　

Korean Elite League - January

"The most talented players in Korea compete in the classic in-house league format."

　　

Sunday Evening Cup Series - Season 2

"SECS is back for Season 2! SECS has been around since 2009 and provides an open competitive platform for North and South American teams to gain real tournament experience."

　　

Defense of the Australians Season 2

"Defense of the Australians brings you its summer 2014 tournament. Professional teams throughout Australia will compete Australia wide online and in a Melbourne LAN event finals. Bundle includes the Hobbly-Bob Sniper Hat!"

　　The ticket comes bundled with a new hat for Sniper.

　　Hobbly-Bob

　　"The fashionable way to keep bugs out of your sights."

　　

Nexon Sponsorship League Season 2

"Starting in Sep 28th 2013, the Nexon Sponsorship League will span three seasons with a total of KRW 300 million ($267,153 USD) worth of sponsorship funding. Watch the top team matches of Season 2. Includes the Gama Brothers courier!"

　　The Nexon Sponsorship League Season 2 ticket has been updated and now has the Gama Brothers courier from last week bundled in with it.

　　

HyperX D2L Season 4

"The D2L returns for its fourth season with more money and more teams! Witness sixteen of the world's best Dota 2 teams battle it out for over $50,000 and a ticket to the Live Finals at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas!"

　　The S4 D2L season 4 Dota TV ticket now has a new set of Pudge items attached to it. Existing owners of the ticket will be gifted these items in the near future.

　　

FGCL Championship League

"Top 32 winners in the group stages will be competing for a prize pool of $1000! The winners get a place in FGCL StarSeries. Includes an exclusive in-game HUD Skin: Reign of Maelrawn!"

　　The HUD mentioned in last week's post is now in the files, you can see a preview of the HUD below.

　　

UI Updates

Dashboard UI

The match history page now shows the MMR changes earned during a rank match (or if the game was a calibrating game).

　　The sort function in the Armoury UI will no longer be blocked by battle boosters.

　　

Back End Changes

Updated Strings

New string to indicate when an item is on sale.

　　"DOTA_ItemOnSale" "SALE!"

　　Some new strings regarding some AFKing/Abandons. Also Co-op Bot games now give battle points and end of game drops.

　　"DOTA_Chat_CoopBattlePointsRules" "The standard abandonment and AFK rules now apply to Co-op Bot games! Battle points and end-of-game drops have also been re-enabled."

　　"DOTA_Chat_Frostivus_Abandon_Reminder" "The standard abandonment and AFK rules apply to Wraith-Night matches! Abandoning Wraith-Night games may lead to punishment by placement in the low-priority queue."

　　"DOTA_Chat_Ranked_Reminder" "Abandonment is treated more severely in ranked matches. Matchmaking Rating (MMR) will be updated for any match that progresses past first blood."

　　Wraith King's lore was completely redone after the removal of Skeleton King.

　　"For untold years, King Ostarion built a kingdom from the remains of his enemies. It was an obsessive's errand, done to pass the long eternities of a monarchy that seemed fated never to end. He believed that as long as he built up the towers of his palace, he could not die. But eventually he learned that he had been deluded... that bone itself could perish. Deeply mistrustful of flesh, he sought a more permanent way of extending his reign, and at last settled on pursuit of wraith energy, a form of pure spirit given off by certain dark souls at death. Should he infuse himself with Wraith Essence, he thought he might create a body as luminous and eternal as his ego. On the millennial solstice known as Wraith-Night, he submitted to a rite of transformation, compelling his subjects to harvest enough souls to fuel his ambition for immortality. No one knows how many of his champions died, for the only survivor who mattered was the Wraith King who rose with the sun on the following morn. Now he rarely spends a moment on his glowing throne--but strides out with sword drawn, demanding a fealty that extends far beyond death."

　　Strings for the new MMR feature on the match history page.

　　"dota_lobby_type_competitive_solo_uncalibrated" "Ranked Match Solo (Calibrating)"

　　"dota_lobby_type_competitive_party_uncalibrated" "Ranked Match Party (Calibrating)"

　　"dota_lobby_type_competitive_solo" "Ranked Match Solo @%s1 %s2"

　　"dota_lobby_type_competitive_party" "Ranked Match Party @%s1 %s2"

　　D2L brand added for the new Pudge set.

　　"DOTA_Corporation_D2L" "D2L"

　　Using a league pass you already own will now display the relevant error message.

　　"DOTA_LeagueViewPassNoNeed" "You already have access to this Tournament."

　　"DOTA_LeagueNoOwnership_Desc" "You don't have access to this Tournament. Would you like to purchase a ticket?"

　　Store banner strings for the new D2L items.

　　"StoreBanner_Header_D2L_Butchers_Broilers" "The Butcher's Broilers"

　　"StoreBanner_Text_D2L_Butchers_Broilers" "Show support for the HyperX D2L Season 4 with these hot new Pudge weapons."

　　

Unreleased Cosmetic Items

* There is no guarantee that all of these items will make it into the game.

　　

Dark Seer's Items

General's Mantle

　　

Disruptor's Items

Anguilla

　　"There are few mounts that handle the electric currents that surround Disruptor as well as Anguilla, the amphibious electric eel."

　　

Earthshaker's Items

Helm of Impasse

　　"A helm featuring horns touched by enchantment."

　　

Huskar's Items

Burning Spear

　　

Lion's Items

Gauntlet of the Treacherous Demon

　　"The torn hand of the demon that betrayed Lion makes a fitting gauntlet."

　　

Lone Druid's Items

Wizened Bear (New True Form Model)

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Pudge's Items

Blood Drainer Hook

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Silencer's Items

Shield of Stillness

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Spectre's Items

Spectral Blade

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Tusk's Items

Frost Touched Cleaver

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Custom Wards

Eye of Avernus

　　"This new item has no description."

　　

Unreleased Wraith-Night Rewards

Wraith-Night Reliquary

We have a new unreleased reward for the Wraith-Night gamemode, the item is listed in the schema at costing 12,500 Shining Fragments.

　　"A unique gift from the King. Wraith-Night Reliquaries can only be acquired with Shining Fragments. Shining Fragments are earned by activating a Wraith King's Favor."

　　Contents

　　A number of the items in this gift have references to the Fellfoul which is the shares the same name as the Demon's Imprisoned Inscribed Gem found in the Corrupted items crafted by the Wraith King's Relic recipe.

　　Infernal Pactblade

　　"A demon-forged weapon obtained by the Branded One shortly before the shattering of Fellfoul."

　　Grand Helm of the Narrow Maze

　　"This new item has no description."

　　Waraxe of Lost Light

　　"This new item has no description."

　　Atramentos the Apocalyptic

　　"The stygian steed, breaker of prophecies, bearer of the blackened mark, and steeled in thrice-cursed barding. This horrible creature is recently escaped from the prison-plane Fellfoul."

　　Black Reaver

　　"This new item has no description."

　　Iceshard

　　"The black mist of Avernus is said to whisper the secrets of lordship, war-making, and dominance. It is no wonder that the immortal demons of hell hate and fear Abaddon in equal measure."

　　

Unreleased Crafting Recipe

Recipe: Evergreen Stalker

This new unreleased recipe will craft the Evergreen Stalker which is a new Frostivus themed Treant for Nature's Prophet.

　　The recipe requires three Frozen rarity items and will output the Treant.

　　"A simple spell of animation."

　　

Item Drop List Updates

Common Items Drop List

Items Added

　　Caustic GuardCaustic TarsusFeelers of Entwined FateMistplates of RuinSecond Disciple's BastionSecond Disciple's SatchelSpike of FrostbiteStinger of Entwined FateWhiskers of Entwined FateItems Removed

　　Arc of the Northern WindArctic Bracers of the NorthBite of the Slithereen Knight - Off-HandBlack Boots of the VoyagerBraces of the AtniwButton Down of the VoyagerChestpiece of the Eternal LightCladdish Voyager's ChestplateCladdish Voyager's GlovesCladdish Voyager's Second ChanceCladdish Voyager's TreadsCloak of the Boreal WatchDagger of AnguishDreaded Bravo's ScarfEpaulettes of the Scorching PrincessGauntlets of the Boreal WatchGreen Sleeves of the VoyagerGuard of AnguishHook of the AtniwLegplates of the Boreal WatchMantle of Endless HavocMight of the Slithereen KnightPauldrons of the Northern WindPreyfinders of the PredatorQuiver of the Northern WindRobe of the AtniwRobes of the First LightShoulder of the AtniwShoulders of the NorthSleeves of the Scorching PrincessSpiral Staff of the First LightStarlight ArmguardsStarlight FineryStarlight QuiverTahlin Occult Shoulder SigilWhispering Dead Armor

Rare Items Drop List

Items Added

　　Augur's GhostsCaustic RackCrown of Entwined FateNetherax, Nightmare of the MistOmnivusWings of BlightItems Removed

　　AtaxiaCladdish Voyager's HelmCompass Edge of the VoyagerErnest Do of the VoyagerHelmet of Endless HavocMorcantShade of AnguishShadowshardShadowshard - Off-HandSpell SurveyorSpines of the PredatorSpirit of the AtniwTails of the Scorching PrincessTeeth of the Eternal LightWhispering Dead MaskWise Cap of the First LightWizardry Staff of the North

Mythical Items Drop List

Items Added

　　Announcer: AxeAnnouncer: BastionAnnouncer: JuggernautAnnouncer: Nature's ProphetAnnouncer: Storm SpiritAnnouncer: TuskarBertha the Morde-batCall of the DendrochronCoco the CourageousCorpsemakerDead Winter SoulEnduring War DogFearless BadgerFeatherfall BowIshul-Shog the WatcherLyralei's BreezeMask of the Third InsightMega-Kills: BastionMorok's Mechanical MediaryOculus EphemeralPorcine Princess PenelopePrismatic DrakeSanguine Moon PatchScythe of Twin DeathsSnowlSpirit of CalmSquiddlesSteamcapeTickled TeguTory the Sky GuardianItems Removed

　　Alphid of LecaciidaForm of the AtniwShroom ThingTinkbot

Legendary Items Drop List

Items Added

　　Baby RoshanCluckles the BraveGovernor's SalakotNimble BenRampant the Scaled HunterScythe of IceSkip the Delivery FrogSpeed DemonStryff the OwlionItems Removed

　　Blotto and Stick

Uncommon Items Drop List

Items Added

　　Caustic GlareCaustic SpursDarkstar the MistforgedLimbs of Entwined FateMountain SplitterSecond Disciple's BladeSecond Disciple's ChakramSecond Disciple's DaggerSecond Disciple's VeilItems Removed

　　Augur's GhostsBardings of the First LightBelt of the Eternal LightBlade of Endless HavocBlades of the PredatorBlue Stone Shoulder of the VoyagerBreastplate of the Slithereen KnightCladdish Voyager's Elegant PauldronCladdish Voyager's First ChanceCladdish Voyager's True NorthCloak of the Northern WindCut of the AtniwDragon Forged ArmorDragon Forged StaffDragon Forged StareDragon Forged WingsDreaded Bravo's CapeDreaded Bravo's GuiseDress of the Scorching PrincessEncasement of the Eternal LightFirebreather of the VoyagerFrostbitten Cloak of the NorthGladys the Light-Bearing MuleHelm of the Slithereen KnightIce Capped Hood of the NorthMaze of AnguishMind Piercer of the PredatorPlume of the Eternal LightShield of Endless HavocStarlight BandStarlight BowStarlight DressTahlin Occult DaggerTahlin Occult Dagger - Off-HandTahlin Occult HoodTail of the Slithereen KnightWhispering Dead MantleWings of Blight

Other Changes

Crafting Updates

Death Prophet's Augur's Ghosts has been added to the Rare crafting item list.

　　Queen of Pain's Wings of Blight has been added to the Rare crafting item list.

　　

Legion Commander's Arcana Voice Lines

All of Legion Commander's default voice lines now have a counterpart in her demonic voice applied by her Arcana item which means the Arcana item now provides her with 425 alternative voice lines.

　　Examples:

　　legcom_dem_ally_01.mp3legcom_dem_ally_10.mp3legcom_dem_inthebag_02.mp3

Predictions For The Next Hero