Dota Auto Chess May 2019 Patch Notes: Assassin and Unit Changes

This article documents a May 23, 2019 update to the original Dota Auto Chess custom game. It is an archive of that patch, not a description of the current balance. Players on a later build should compare the numbers with the in-game tooltips before using them for strategy decisions.

For version-independent advice, use the Dota Auto Chess strategy guide and the team-positioning guide.

Gameplay and interface changes

• An optional auto-combine feature was added for three matching units, including units on the bench.
• Triple Kill and Rampage effects were added after a unit defeated three or five enemies in succession.
• Gyrocopter received updated two-star and three-star visuals.
• An English localization problem affecting the Courier list was corrected.
• A Metamorphosis interaction involving a target dying during the health exchange was adjusted.

The auto-combine toggle can save preparation time, but players using Druids or deliberately holding separate copies should verify how the feature treats those units before leaving it enabled.

Assassin trait and hero balance changes

The trait adjustment was not a simple buff at every synergy tier. It improved the first Assassin breakpoint while reducing the critical chance listed for the highest breakpoint. Phantom Assassin, Morphling and Sand King received separate unit-level improvements.

Other unit changes

What the patch meant at the time

Early Assassin synergy became more reliable, and several Assassin units became harder-hitting or more durable. At the same time, the top Assassin critical-rate breakpoint was reduced, so a player still had to compare the value of adding more Assassins with the frontline or control units the board would give up.

Medusa, Doom and Kunkka received level-dependent timing changes rather than uniform buffs. Their lower upgrade levels generally lost some ability duration or cooldown efficiency, while the highest listed values remained closer to the previous behavior. That made upgrade level more important when deciding whether these units could anchor a late-game board.

How to use archived patch notes

1. Confirm the custom-game version or date.
2. Compare every number with the current unit tooltip.
3. Use the notes to understand why an old guide recommended a composition.
4. Do not treat a historical tier list as current balance advice.

Patch archives are useful for understanding the evolution of Dota Auto Chess, but the current client is the authoritative source for live unit statistics and mechanics.