After the teaser from The International 2023 tournament, nothing was heard about Ringmaster, the new hero of Dota 2, however, to everyone’s surprise, the magical-mechanical carnival herald turned out to be part of a major August update.
Image source: Valve
The Ringmaster named Coliostro Kettle is a ranged hero with magic type damage. Has access to five skills, three carnival souvenirs, and the Center Stage aspect, but the latter (for now) does nothing.
According to Valve, Ringmaster handles combat with “artist style,” taming enemies with a fearsome whip and an endless supply of knives, and keeping allies safe from danger in his clever box. The hero’s backstory was told in the comic.
«An expert in torture and a genius of his time, he appeared with one goal: to entertain and torment any hero who dared to pull back the purple curtain of the carnival and look beyond the secrets hidden behind it,” reads the description of the hero.
Ringmaster becomes the 125th Dota 2 hero
Together with Ringmaster, The International compendium has become available in Dota 2 (299 rubles for standard and 2590 rubles for improved) – this is a collection of tests, competitions and awards related to players, teams and the upcoming tournament as a whole.
«Beat your friends in fortune telling, fantasy leagues and bingo and earn themed rewards, including a new interface style, updated hero statues and a stunning opponent screen for them,” says Valve.
The International 2024 – the 13th annual (largest) Dota 2 tournament – will be held in Copenhagen from September 4 to 15. The prize fund is $1.6 million, but will be replenished through sales of the compendium (25% of each purchase).