Dota 2 patch 7.30b introduced a variety of changes to neutral items. Since the introduction of this mechanic, players have had different opinions on how good each neutral item is.
This article doesn’t look to settle that debate. Instead, I’ll add more fuel to the fire with what I consider the ultimate Dota 2 patch 7.30 tier list for tier one neutral items.
Tier list for tier one neutral items
C-tier
Tumbler’s Toy
Tumbler’s Toy is one of the two new tier one neutral items in Dota 2 patch 7.30 along with Pig Pole, but isn’t as impressive as its porky friend.
An additional 200 mana is decent, however, players would benefit more from mana regen. As such, Tumbler’s Toy doesn’t help players with their mana as much as Fairy’s Trinket, Keen Optic, and Arcane Ring do.
With a lackluster bonus to mana, Tumbler’s Toy should have a great active ability right?
Sadly Tumbler’s Toy’s Vault is lackluster, even for a tier one neutral item. It allows players to move across any terrain for 300 range and jump over cliffs, which is rather short.
Because Vault can only be used if you haven’t taken damage in the last 3 seconds, it won’t help you escape in most situations, and deserves to be ranked low among tier one neutral items.
Broom Handle
Broom Handle is the definition of a stat stick. It provides 14 damage and three armor along with 50 extra melee range.
That’s it. No active ability, no conditional benefits.
That doesn’t make Broom Handle in Dota 2 patch 7.30 bad, it just makes it bland and lacking in utility. Most melee heroes have a way of getting close to their targets and don’t benefit much from the extra attack range.
As such, Broom Handle has some nice stats, but it’s really nothing special in context of the rest of the tier one neutral items.
B- tier
Ocean Heart
Another one on the tier one neutral items list, Ocean Heart adds plus five to all stats, which is one less stat than Pig Pole. It also comes with a passive that requires too much work to consistently activate for a tier one neutral item.
Ocean Heart provides a godly amount of regen in the early game, more than Perseverance. However, it is conditional on the hero being in the river to receive from that regen.
Generally, Dota 2 players never want to be in the river, for it is the lowest ground in the game. Similar to Obi-wan Kenobi, Dota 2 players always want to have a high ground advantage in team fights because it offers too many benefits to ignore.
Ocean Heart provides decent stats and that by itself puts it in B-tier in this tier one neutral items list. The regen is a nice addition, but hard to fully utilize in Dota 2 patch 7.30.
Arcane Ring
Arcane Ring is an odd Dota 2 patch 7.30 tier one neutral item due to an awkward combination of stats.
The additional plus two Armor is useful for heroes who want to tank up a little more against physical damage early, while the bonus 10 intelligence is more useful for ranged supports, who want to avoid being hit at all costs.
Both stats are useful independently, but it’s hard to find heroes who can fully utilize both.
Arcane Ring’s ability to replenish mana to all allies is the item’s best trait. It provides more mana regen than Keen Optic. However, in the early game, teams won’t be sticking together as five, so the ability to replenish mana will affect two to three allies at best.
Arcane Ring is useful, but its paradoxical combination of stats makes it difficult to put anywhere above B-tier. There are better choices.
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Possessed Mask
Possessed Mask is difficult to place on the Dota 2 patch 7.30 tier one neutral item list. The item was recently nerfed from 7% life steal to seven health restored per hit. It’s still a great farming item in the early stages of the game.
The plus seven to a hero’s main attribute is nice, but the item’s main use is to farm the jungle, and most cores have other methods of sustain. There just isn’t enough to promote Possessed Mask above B tier.
Chipped Vest
Chipped Vest has been steadily buffed since its release and now it’s a solid tier one neutral item in Dota 2 patch 7.30. The additional plus four health regeneration is a big boost early in the game, especially for melee heroes who will use it to jungle.
Chipped Vest’s main benefit is the damage reflection it provides. 30 Damage returned to heroes and 20 to creeps makes it an amazing item for tanky heroes in the early game.
Chipped Vest is B-tier because while useful on heroes who use it, it’s situational and can be useless in certain lineups.
A-tier
Pig Pole
The newly released Dota 2 patch 7.30 tier one neutral item Pig Pole sits comfortably in the A-tier. The plus six to all stats is fantastic during the early game, which works out to be around two extra levels worth of stats for most heroes.
Self hex to get bonus movement speed provides plenty of utility. Players can use the movement speed bonus to chase enemies, escape deaths, secure objectives, and move around the map more efficiently.
Pig Pole is a fantastic early neutral item that any player would love to have.
Fairy’s Trinket
Fairy’s Trinket provides multiple small upgrades that add up to a very useful tier one neutral item. Plus 75 health allows players to survive at least one more auto-attack during the early game, while a negative 5% reduction to mana cost gives spell-casters a little more breathing room during the early game when they need it most.
The best part of the item is the 5% bonus for magic damage, which is a significant damage boost early game. Fairy’s Trinket is basically a mini Kaya that doesn’t cost 2,000 gold.
The item is useful for almost everyone, but is incredible for heroes such as Leshrac, Storm, and Lina.
Keen Optic
If Fairy’s Trinket is the perfect tier one neutral item for core spell casters, then Keen Optic is the best choice for supports in Dota 2 patch 7.30.
Keen Optic provides 1.25 mana regen. Mana regen is very valuable early game when heroes want to spend more time on the map than in base. An additional 1.25 mana regen per second helps heroes stay in fighting shape.
75 bonus cast range allows supports to stay safe during early skirmishes while still getting their spells off. It can make the difference between enemies escaping, and getting in one last nuke for the kill.
Keen Optic isn’t the flashiest tier one neutral item, but it is always useful, especially on support heroes.
S-tier
Trusty Shovel
Trusty Shovel is the best Dota 2 patch 7.30 tier one neutral item. It provides 100 HP, which is always a useful stat to have in the game. The ability to dig bounty runes for your team can provide a nice GPM boost for everyone.
It’s common to see pro players hold on to the Trusty Shovel and swap it when it’s off cooldown to try to farm a free bounty rune. Free salves and mangos are also useful during the early game when Trusty Shovel drops.
The only problem with Shovel is how it occasionally punishes greed but that’s more on the player than the item.
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