Huge Dota 2 patch brings two new heroes and Diretide

Valve has unveiled the Three Spirits update for Dota 2, which brings the hotly-anticipated Diretide event, adds two new heroes to the game, and incorporates a slew of other general changes. The Dota 2 client will automatically download the update later today.

Headlining the update are new heroes Earth Spirit and Ember Spirit, cousins of the freshly-redesigned Storm Spirit.

New features include an in-game coaching system, an item-crafting system that threatens to disrupt the game's community marketplace, item socketing, and a showcase view.

Coaching allows experienced players to join a party and oversee up to three pupils, and multiple coaches can shepherd the same student. Coaches can view the game from the perspective of their students, as well as draw on their screen and ping their minimap. Coaches and pupils are also given a private communication channel.

The new crafting system allows players to use recipes in order to either transform multiple unwanted items of one rarity into a new item, or duplicates of the same item into one of a higher rarity. Both types of recipes can be found randomly while playing, or by opening ancient scroll cases.

The long-awaited Diretide update will run from November 14 through November 28, Valve adds, but no additional information was given.

Another major change is that users who have dropped into low-priority matchmaking must now complete a series of games to return to regular matchmaking, as opposed to waiting an allocated amount of time.

Valve is also expecting the game's item economy to change as a result of the new update. "This update may greatly disrupt market prices," the company said.

"In order to prevent items being purchased at pre-update prices for arbitrage, we are removing all item listings and returning them to their owners. While this removal process is taking place, new items will not be able to be listed on the Steam Community Market."

Full details of the update can be found on the Dota 2 site.