The already short list of remaining heroes scheduled to be introduced to Dota 2 is about to get even shorter soon. Valve released recently a free comic entitled “The Foreseer’s Contract” in order to present the latest hero to join the fray. This new addition goes by the name Oracle, although you might also know him as Nerif if you’ve played the original Defense of the Ancients. Nerif is an Intelligence support hero that’s said to be able to see all possible futures and manipulate the destinies of others at will. Lore aside, Nerif has a set of abilities that will make him very useful to any team that picks him. Similar to most other Dota 2 heroes, his spells are more or less identical to those found in the original game. Check them out below.
Fortune’s End: Channels Oracle’s power into a bolt of scouring energy for up to 2.5 seconds. When released the bolt strikes the targeted enemy, dealing damage and purging in an area around them. The purge duration is equal to the time spent channeling.
Fate’s Edict: Oracle enraptures the target, rendering them unable to attack, granting them 100% spell resistance, and increasing the damage they take from other damage types. Can be cast on both allies and enemies.
Purifying Flames: Burns away impurities from the target, dealing heavy damage and causing them to regenerate life each second over the duration. Can be cast on both allies and enemies.
False Promise: Temporarily alters the target ally’s destiny, delaying all damage, healing and regeneration effects on them until False Promise ends. Ally is granted invisibility while attacking and moving. Removes all negative status effects when applied.
The mentioned Dota 2 comic introduces Oracle as a mysterious figure that’s being hunted by Mortred, the Phantom Assassin. Nerif eventually convinces Mortred to work for him in exchange for valuable information related to her past. The Oracle sends Mortred to hunt the other assassins who are trying to kill him and gives her a weapon that should make things easier. This very much hints at the Phantom Assassin Arcana item that was announced a while ago. Valve didn’t say when Oracle or the Arcana will make their way to Dota 2, but presumably they will added in the next major update.