Although it’s not a common pick, there are times when we feel like choosing Lone Druid, only to find out that it’s disabled. Valve has recently disabled Sylla Bear in all game modes due to a bug exploit associated with the hero.
Lone Druid disabled from picking. Image Credit: Valve
Reason Behind Lone Druid’s Disablement in Dota 2 Update 7.37
Since the update 7.37 of Dota 2, Lone Druid came with a new bug that can be exploited. This bug is significant enough for Valve to disable the hero temporarily while they work on resolving the issue promptly.
The exploit, if executed correctly, can crash the server of the game that Lone Druid is in, leading to a forfeited match. Some players may take advantage of this exploit to prevent losing MMR when they are in a losing situation.
How Does the Lone Druid Crash Bug Operate?
Even though it’s no longer possible to perform this exploit, here is how the bug used to work:
- Own an active neutral item with a cooldown, like Arcane Ring.
- Transfer the item to the Spirit Bear and then back to Lone Druid, followed by using it.
- During the cooldown of the neutral item, several actions could crash the Dota 2 server, such as using items on an ally (not the bear), buying or selling an item, teleporting, or summoning the bear using skill Q. The simplest method was buying and selling an item, which can be done at the fountain.
Previous Lone Druid Bugs in Dota 2
This isn’t the first time that Lone Druid has been disabled due to major exploits. A recent infamous bug was the Philosopher’s Stone bug, allowing Lone Druid’s Spirit Bear to clone numerous Philosopher’s Stones, leading to a significant advantage when not patched.
Due to Lone Druid’s unique mechanics of having another unit with the same number of slots as the main hero, combined with neutral items and the backpack system, bugs and exploits are more likely to occur.
Lone Druid Dota 2 Hero. Image Credit: Valve
Many players are relieved that Lone Druid is disabled for now. This is because Lone Druid is often considered a cheesy last pick that can spiral out of control without a suitable counter. It’s not enjoyable to face a skilled Lone Druid player who is focused on winning MMR.
