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Mars unleashes war on Dota 2 today

First teased at The International 8, the god of war Mars has brought his thirst for battle to Dota 2.

Ozzie Mejia

March 5, 2019 2:10 PM

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For the first time this year, Dota 2 is adding to its massive roster of heroes. This character is no stranger to all-out warfare. It's Mars, the god of war.

"Abandoning the callous ways of his past and embracing a new identity unburdened by the legacies of his father's archaic pantheon, Mars has turned over a new spear," reads the Dota 2 blog. "Vowing to tear down the remnants of the savage old world to build a new empire, Mars is at last ready to assume the true mantle of leadership over gods and men, a position he now realizes has been wasted for eons by the petty whims of Zeus."

First unveiled at The International 8, Mars brings along a slew of abilities that complements his strengths as a melee fighter. Here are Mars' abilities:

• (Q) Spear of Mars: Mars throws his spear, which can go through multiple enemy units. The first hero struck will be pushed back and can be impaled if it's sent into a tree, building, or cliff.
• (W) God's Rebuke: Mars strikes with a powerful shield bash, capable of knocking back and damaging multiple enemies.
• (E) Bulwark: This is a defensive ability that allows Mars to block physical attacks with his shield.
• (R) Arena of Blood: Mars' Ultimate ability surrounds him with a series of walls. Any enemy heroes trapped inside must contend with the bloodthirsty Ash Legion that waits inside.

More information on Mars' move set can be found on his hero page. The god of war is available to play right now. Dota 2 players can also find a fresh redesign for Drow Ranger, which should be available in the game right now.

There are no patch notes for today's update just yet, but those looking for more on this past Saturday's 7.21c patch notes can find those on the Dota 2 website.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?