An Unscripted Review of Ringmaster

[@goddamnfury4847]

I think the reason he is animated the way he is, is to point out him being basically some kind of showman or announcer, him looking up at the crowd and holding his hand out as if to present something.

[@wilsonsticks]

@@goddamnfury4847 True! Didn't consider that. Good eyes!

[@Owl_of_Whimsy]

I can't believe they got my favourite voice actor into dota 2

[@shinysnivy6604]

John De Lancie always cooks with his voices. Alarak is my favourite starcraft character purely because of him

[@Owl_of_Whimsy]

@@shinysnivy6604 omg Alarak is a gem

[@sondertt2220]

Oh my goodness, I just realized Ringmaster is voiced by Jane's dad from breaking bad lmao

[@bloodtransfusion9318]

DUDE NO FREAKIN WAY HE KILLED THAT WITCH? I honestly didn't notice that detail at all.

[@fuzzydragon]

Guy is a natural pos5, very very strong in lane for keeping haras off your carry

[@1TheVelociraptor]

after thinking about it through the night and watching some guy steal him from me (and play through the game against him), i came to the same conclusion, not damaging enough to carry the game, but with enough control to disrupt every fight

[@doriangrayest]

My issue with his concept is his skills: he has a bazillion of them, most have a lot of effects/particles and most are heavy circus--themed. Which means he can only get circus themed sets unless it changes the ability effects like an immortal or arcana, which would still be out of the theme. The same happens with Grimstroke, for example. He is so heavy on concept and effects that only paint demon themed sets are made (other examples are Pangolier, Dark Willow, Snapfire, most modern heroes except hoodwink). Unlike rubick/oracle/warlock/lion/venge for example that have generic particles or just less particles and therefore more freedom with cosmetic concepts Apart from that, nice adition and looks balanced or underwhelming. Nothing really felt superb but he has a lot of everything and a nice situational counter to illusion heroes. Also the ultimate not being breakable like KotL ball of light or Phoenix egg is a huge fucku to illusions

[@doriangrayest]

TLDR you have to be really creative on a cosmetic concept for a set to match with that ultimate and not look absurd

[@wilsonsticks]

Yup, skinmakers are going to have a tough time making anything for this guy. I could see a Mad Max-themed skin working, though. Making the wheel a tire with spikes has some potential.

[@majlada]

true though in my opinion a character's design should never be secondary to how their cosmetics might look. additional hats, skins and such are just that - additions, that hopefully support a strong theme. in pretty much every case i'd much rather have a hero with a very distinct, specific look to them, rather than one that is generic for the sake of cosmetics. also for ringmaster in particular: you're right that he would have to have circus-themed items to maintain cohesion with the concept, but a circus/carnival setting is super eclectic and encompasses many wildly different themes. a stage magician with aces up his sleeves and nyx assassin in his hat, a beastmaster (not the hero) taming lions (not the hero) or maybe something that plays into him being a puppet, going for more of an "evil toymaker" aesthetic. i feel like valve's creative department has several interesting ways of not fucking it up, but we'll see!

[@Jooo-Jooo-Jooo]

I just hope they added effect after the box opens, the drum roll sound effects make it like theres something surprising bout to come out, maybe some random AoE debuff to nearby enemies.

[@drawthymelacasse5881]

m so glad were getting so many comics, with crownfall and now ringmaster!

[@Meldiocre]

You should post that dope ass clip from the other day, of you carrying the game on your comically puffy clownshoulders. As a short or something. The people deserve to see!

[@Chasodey]

Now one can try to lure an MLP fan into Dota with voice of this dandy-looking fella

[@Anon-lu6ct]

Too late I found dota because of MLP I found a Bane picture that I thought looked cool and found dota while looking for Bane

[@fahimarizwan3370]

I like him but kinda wish he was little smaller and his abilities are underwhelming they gave him kotls ult instead of the thing we saw in the trailer(also many people though he was gonna be the puppet master hero and will have mind control abilities

[@fish-kt4iq]

Grimstroke was also big on release, valve shrunk him after.

[@fahimarizwan3370]

@@fish-kt4iq wait what I never realized this but now I'm thinking about it I do remember him floating big as hell

[@mengtree201]

man, we need a deep dive into his voicelines. its so good

[@shinysnivy6604]

He hums a circus jingle while walking, they're perfect

[@micha1119]

I also like the „reveal“ of Ringmaster being the narrator of the comic (with the square boxes even changing colors I think once he gains sentience? Not too sure, gotta check that when I come home)

[@Call_me_Cujo]

I mentioned this in another video about this guy, but imagine if Ringmaster was the orb on top of the cane, and the rest of him was just a puppet the orb controls (i.e. like Fiddlesticks from League)

[@wilsonsticks]

That would be a unique direction to take a Dota hero in. We don't really have a hero like that, but doing that would require some lore chicanery to be shuffled around I think. And while it would be unique, I don't think it'd be better than what we got. I mean, the comic doesn't exactly explain where he got the cane from, so it's really up to us to fill in the blanks on that one, which is really my only complaint about his lore.

[@emberhydra]

Damn you're a W enjoyer

[@gengibrekookie6022]

I think it was worth, the design, the voice acting was hoping more for the powers but still pretty fun to play with.

[@ChrisTay229]

I deeply wish he had a whip in his left hand and was dragging it along the ground or something, the floating whip in the ability is a boring cop-out imo. He could even alternate between whipping and throwing orbs depending on attack range. Also it would be a cool extra customization option for his sets.

[@wilsonsticks]

@@ChrisTay229 Definitely a big missed opportunity

[@smfcx4685]

giant ass hands irritate me but otherwise he looks great

[@j-jeff]

Tbh i thought ring master was gonna be like old techies where he puts traps everywhrre cause of the trailer

[@thewoodchipper]

Honestly… hes kinda of a let down

[@aberrationon3734]

Hard disagree. Seems like the most fun hero since void spirit/snapfire. I really dislike marci, dawn, muerta, and I am neutral to primal beast. Their gameplay seems very boring compared to this wee goofy guy.

[@wilsonsticks]

What about him missed the mark for you?

[@thewoodchipper]

@@wilsonsticks his gameplay. The lore, looks, and effects are all nice but his gameplay is off to me. Hes visually cool but his abilities are kind of a let down. Maybe its cause Im not deep enough in his lore to understand but his whip and dagger throws don’t feel like ring master abilites

[@wilsonsticks]

The whip is kind of a ringmaster thing. Lion tamers are a pretty big part of a traditional circus. Knife-throwing is also a bit of a circus spectacle. I totally get what you mean by the gameplay though. The theme of capturing heroes doesn't really appear in his gameplay at all. I thought his ult was gonna be the Strongman test we saw in the trailer, and it would drag another hero away somehow.

[@ayumisanyuki7116]

​​@@thewoodchipperby far the only hero that's not OP during release. Almost all new hero released by valve are OP. Btw his theme circled around circus. What do you even mean whip doesn't feel like ring master? As far as I know it's customary for them to bring such specially involving animal circus. And then the dagger from his lore. Maybe you meant his skills mechanic is very clunky or don't have combo, but that's what most hero skills are in dota. It's a teamfight in its core and combo with other hero's skills.

[@pieroirribarren7003]

Yes (no [Yes] )