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DOTA 2 / HERO HISTORY

Bristleback changes

Balance notes across the versions listed by Valve. An unchanged patch is a small victory for your muscle memory.

Change record

36 patches with recorded changes · 118 of 118 listed patches readable.

Coverage: Feb 1, 2018 to Sep 15, 2026. This feed does not include every patch in Dota’s lifetime.

Inspect coverage by patch

May 6, 2026

Bristleback in 7.41c

  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent Bristleback Damage Threshold Reduction increased from 25 to 30
  • WarpathDamage per stack decreased from 15/20/25 to 12/16/20
  • HairballCooldown increased from 13s to 15s

Mar 24, 2026

Bristleback in 7.41

  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent +12% Spell Lifesteal replaced with -25 Bristleback Damage Threshold
  • PricklyDamage and debuff duration amplification changed from 10% to 4.5% + 0.5% per level
  • Viscous Nasal GooStack Limit increased from 4 to 6
  • Viscous Nasal GooNow has the same duration on all units
  • Viscous Nasal GooUsed to have double duration on creeps

Dec 15, 2025

Bristleback in 7.40

  • Snot Rocket · Viscous Nasal GooNo longer has increased Armor Loss per stack
  • Strength gain increased from 2.7 to 2.8
  • Viscous Nasal GooArmor Loss per stack increased from 1.5/2/2.5/3 to 2/2.5/3/3.5 by default

Jun 24, 2025

Bristleback in 7.39c

  • Snot Rocket · Viscous Nasal GooArmor Loss per stack decreased from 2.5/3/3.5/4 to 2/2.5/3/3.5
  • Viscous Nasal GooDuration decreased from 6s to 5s

May 29, 2025

Bristleback in 7.39b

  • Snot Rocket · BristlebackNasal Goo Radius decreased from 900 to 750

May 22, 2025

Bristleback in 7.39

  • Seeing Red · WarpathVision cone increased from 90 to 110 degrees
  • Viscous Nasal GooBase Armor Loss decreased from 2/2/3/3 to 1.5/2/2.5/3
  • Viscous Nasal GooBase Movement Slow decreased from 15% to 10%
  • Quill SprayAdded an auto-cast. Right-click the ability to make Bristleback automatically cast it whenever it's possible

Feb 18, 2025

Bristleback in 7.38

  • Seeing Red · WarpathBristleback now shares his vision with his team, but still does not receive his team's vision
  • Removed Berserk Facet
  • BristlebackQuill Sprays that were released by the ability now deal damage that is classified as reflection damage
  • BristlebackAghanim's Scepter Mana Cost increased from 100 to 125
  • WarpathMovement Speed Per Stack decreased from 2/3/4% to 2/2.5/3%
  • HairballMana Cost increased from 40 to 60

Jul 31, 2024

Bristleback in 7.37

  • Seeing Red · WarpathCan be activated to grant Bristleback 50% bonus attack damage and 50% bonus movement speed per stack, but limits his vision to a 90 degree cone in front of him. Duration: 4/5/6s. Mana Cost: 55/65/75. Cooldown: 45s
  • Base Damage increased by 6
  • PricklyNew Innate ability. Passive, can't be leveled up
  • PricklyHero has 10% damage and debuff duration amplification against enemy heroes that are behind him
  • BristlebackAghanim's Scepter Quill Spray count decreased from 6 to 5
  • WarpathNo longer an innate ability
  • WarpathDamage per stack rescaled from 5/15/20/25 to 15/20/25
  • WarpathMovement per stack rescaled from 0/2/3/4% to 2/3/4%
  • WarpathStack Duration rescaled from 12/16/18/20s to 16/18/20s
  • WarpathMax Stacks rescaled from 4/8/10/12 to 8/10/12

May 22, 2024

Bristleback in 7.36

  • Innate Ability · WarpathNow is an Innate ability. Passive, can be leveled up with skill points
  • Innate Ability · WarpathDamage per stack rescaled from 15/20/25 to 5/15/20/25
  • Innate Ability · WarpathMovement per stack rescaled from 2/3/4% to 0/2/3/4%
  • Innate Ability · WarpathStack Duration increased from 8/10/12s to 12/16/18/20s
  • Innate Ability · WarpathMax Stacks rescaled from 8/10/12 to 4/8/10/12
  • Berserk · WarpathIncreases Attack Speed by 5/10/15/20 per stack
  • Berserk · WarpathDamage per stack decreased from 5/15/20/25 to 5 at all levels
  • Snot Rocket · Viscous Nasal GooStack Limit increased from 4 to 6
  • Snot Rocket · Viscous Nasal GooArmor Reduction per stack increased from 1.5/2/2.5/3 to 2.5/3/3.5/4
  • Snot Rocket · BristlebackInstead of Quill Spray, shoots Viscous Nasal Goo in a 900 radius whenever the damage threshold is met
  • Base Damage decreased by 8
  • Viscous Nasal GooAghanim's Shard no longer increases Stack Limit
  • Quill SprayQuill Stack Damage rescaled from 28/30/32/34 to 30
  • BristlebackAghanim's Scepter Spray interval increased from 0.35s to 0.4s

Dec 21, 2023

Bristleback in 7.35b

  • BristlebackDamage Threshold decreased from 300/275/250/225 to 275/250/225/200

Dec 14, 2023

Bristleback in 7.35

  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent +20 Damage replaced with +25 Attack Speed
  • Viscous Nasal GooAghanim's Shard Stack Limit decreased from 7 to 6
  • BristlebackAghanim's Scepter Cooldown increased from 20s to 24s

Nov 20, 2023

Bristleback in 7.34e

  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent Quill Spray Stack Damage decreased from +25 to +20
  • Quill SprayMax Damage decreased from 550 to 500
  • BristlebackDamage Threshold increased from 225 to 300/275/250/225
  • HairballCast Range decreased from 1500 to 1000
  • HairballCooldown increased from 10s to 13s

Sep 8, 2023

Bristleback in 7.34c

  • Base Damage increased by 3
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent Goo Cast Range increased from +150 to +250
  • Viscous Nasal GooBase Armor Loss increased from 2 to 2/2/3/3

Aug 14, 2023

Bristleback in 7.34b

  • Strength gain increased from 2.5 to 2.7
  • Base Mana Regen increased from 0.25 to 0.4

Aug 8, 2023

Bristleback in 7.34

  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent Damage increased from +15 to +20
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent Quill Stack Damage increased from +20 to +25
  • TalentsLevel 20 Talent Health Regen increased from +20 to +25
  • Viscous Nasal GooAghanim's Scepter Upgrade removed
  • Viscous Nasal GooAghanim's Shard now also increases Stack Limit by 3
  • BristlebackNow upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter
  • BristlebackAllows Bristleback to be point-targeted. Bristleback turns his back towards the targeted direction and after 0.5s forcefully ejects 6 sequential Quill Sprays in a tight conical pattern out of his back at 0.35s intervals. Bristleback is slowed down by 40% for the duration, disarmed and cannot turn but can still cast his spells in any direction. Mana Cost: 100; Cooldown: 20s
  • HairballNow applies 2 stacks of Viscous Nasal Goo and only 1 stack of Quill Spray
  • HairballEnemies in fog of war are now hit by the Viscous Nasal Goo as well as the Quill Sprays
  • HairballViscous Nasal Goo projectiles are no longer affected by spell reflection
  • HairballMana Cost decreased from 75 to 40
  • HairballCooldown decreased from 20s to 10s

Apr 25, 2023

Bristleback in 7.33b

  • BristlebackDamage Threshold increased from 200 to 225
  • WarpathMax Stacks increased from 6/8/10 to 8/10/12
  • WarpathDamage per stack decreased from 20/25/30 to 15/20/25
  • WarpathMovement Speed per stack decreased from 3/4/5% to 2/3/4%

Apr 20, 2023

Bristleback in 7.33

  • BristlebackNow provides Warpath stacks with each Quill Spray released
  • BristlebackTaking excess damage over the Quill Spray threshold is maintained and multiple Quill Sprays can trigger from a single source of damage
  • HairballMana Cost decreased from 100 to 75

Aug 23, 2022

Bristleback in 7.32

  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent +20 Attack Speed replaced with +150 Viscous Nasal Goo Cast Range
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent +200 Health replaced with +8%/+4% Bristleback Back/Side Damage Reduction
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent Warpath Damage per Stack decreased from +25 to +18
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter radius changed from 800 to current Cast Range of Viscous Nasal Goo
  • WarpathAttack Damage Bonus per stack decreased from 25/30/35 to 20/25/30

Jun 8, 2022

Bristleback in 7.31d

  • Viscous Nasal GooCast range increased from 600 to 650
  • BristlebackRelease threshold reduced from 210 damage to 200

Feb 23, 2022

Bristleback in 7.31

  • Base movement speed increased from 290 to 295
  • Strength gain reduced from 2.9 to 2.5
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent +2 mana regen reduced to 1.5
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent 13% spell lifesteal reduced to 12%
  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent +24 Warpath damage per stack increased to +25
  • WarpathMax charges increased from 5/7/9 to 6/8/10

Aug 17, 2021

Bristleback in 7.30

  • Viscous Nasal GooBase Slow reduced from 20% to 15%
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter Radius reduced from 900 to 800
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter max Stacks reduced from 8 to 7
  • WarpathStack duration increased from 14 to 16

May 24, 2021

Bristleback in 7.29d

  • TalentsLevel 10 talent changed from +20 move speed to +15 damage
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter AOE reduced from 950 to 900
  • Viscous Nasal GooCooldown increased from 1.5s to 1.75s

Apr 9, 2021

Bristleback in 7.29

  • Base mana regen increased from 0 to 0.25
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent increased from +15 Movement Speed to +20
  • TalentsLevel 10 Talent reduced from +2.5 Mana Regen to +2
  • TalentsLevel 15 Talent increased from +15 Attack Speed to +20
  • Quill SprayBase damage increased from 20/40/60/80 to 25/45/65/85
  • Quill SprayStack damage reduced from 30/32/34/36 to 28/30/32/34
  • Viscous Nasal GooArmor loss per stack increased from 1.4/1.9/2.4/2.9 to 1.5/2/2.5/3
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter removes cast time

May 24, 2019

Bristleback in 7.22

  • Base armor increased by 1
  • WarpathDamage per stack increased from 18/24/30 to 22/28/34
  • Viscous Nasal GooScepter AoE increased from 750 to 825

Dec 9, 2018

Bristleback in 7.20e

  • Strength gain increased from 2.2 to 2.5
  • BristlebackNow considers damage from towers as valid

Nov 19, 2018

Bristleback in 7.20

  • Viscous Nasal GooArmor reduction increased from 1/1.4/1.8/2.2 to 1.4/1.8/2.2/2.6

May 27, 2018

Bristleback in 7.16

  • TalentsLevel 25 Talent increased from +20 Warpath Damage Per Stack to +30

Source: Valve’s public Dota 2 data feeds. Notes belong to Valve. Dates use Bellevue time (Pacific).