Chen, The Holy Knight, has been absent for too long. It has been ages since we’ve seen the Chen pickers frantically enjoying themselves at the cost of others’ annoyance.
Requiring an adept level of micromanagement and map awareness, Chen has been everybody’s nightmare – once mastered, since he not only becomes an effective ganker but also one of the game’s strongest early pushers.
Sadly, Chen hasn’t been much seen in pro games because of the gradual nerf hammer he received over the course of time.
Fret not, it is time for the Knight to rise and shine. Hopefully ?!
Patch 7.31 Changes
Let’s take a look at the recent patch changes made to Chen:
- Bonus movement speed for Holy Persuasion has been significantly increased by 15 points at the last level
- Hand of God heal has been reduced considerably but additionally it now applies a 20/30/40 HP heal per second for 10 seconds.
To those unaware, Holy Persuasion is Chen’s signature ability that allows him to take control of creeps. He even commands Ancient creeps – thanks to Aghanim’s Shard.
Depending upon the Hand of God level, Chen can control up to 7 units excluding himself that can have a devastating effect on the opponents. His ability to convert creeps makes it natural for him to spend the laning phase as a jungler, emerging to pick off enemies with his creep army's array of disables.
Bonus movement speed from Holy Persuasion will only allow his minions to wreak more havoc across the map.
But that’s not it.
The new patch has also introduced three new neutral creeps, each having their own unique set of abilities. How fun is it going to be for Chen pickers to rejig their reflexes? One can only imagine.
Hand of God is another crucial ability of Chen that heals his allies, along with his horde of creeps, including himself, for a set amount.
In hindsight, it looks as if the Hand of God has been nerfed with the reduction in heal amount but the ‘additional’ 20/30/40 HP heal per second for 10 seconds is actually an upgrade, when seen from a different perspective.
At the offset, Hand of God will heal an additional 400 HP besides the existing instantaneous 400 HP heal at start. That’s a difference of 175 HP from the pre 7.31 patch stats of 625 HP heal.
Don’t forget the level 25 talent that provides +200 HP/+10HP healing. A healing machine to say the least.
Isn’t that fascinating?
Helm of the Dominator
With Helm of the Dominator being relatively untouched, Chen will synergise well with heroes that are natural Helm bearers such as Beastmaster, Lycan, Nature’s Prophet, etc.
Chen can be a perfect support that will provide enhanced push potential, thus bringing back the early push meta, from the old days.
Nostalgic, eh?
Conclusion
Chen is an incredibly difficult hero to master that requires adept micromanagement, but once mastered, can be the most lethal hero during the early stages of the game.
With the new patch favouring more towards the push-meta, it’ll be interesting to witness history unfold itself and the cycle of the old repeat.
Keep an eye out on the hero, for he is here to stay and to dominate the realm once again. Holy Knight rises!
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