Since late 2019, neutral items in Dota 2 have become a staple component of the game’s strategy and mechanics. These items, distinguished by their unique method of obtaining and the extra features they add to the game, are crucial for players looking to gain an edge over their opponents.

This article delves into how Dota 2 neutral items work, exploring their significance, acquisition, and impact on your average gameplay.

What are Dota 2 Neutral Items?

Neutral Items in Dota 2 are equipable items that players can obtain through crafting using Artifacts and Enchantments. Unlike any of the other items in the game, neutral items can’t be bought or sold, and players can’t destroy them.

Players have a special neutral item slot where they can only equip one item at a given time. Once you craft a new neutral item, it will replace the old one.

Previously, players had to use neutral tokens to get their neutral items, but the Dota 2 patch 7.38 changed this. Now, obtaining these items requires you to farm Madstone from neutral camps. Keep reading to find more information.

Madstone

The first key component you need to get your Dota 2 neutral items is Madstone. This is the new “resource” following patch 7.38 that you can get after killing neutral creeps.

Once you clear a given neutral camp, you will receive 2 Madstone, and a random ally will get one. After the Madstone drops, you will collect it automatically, assuming there are no enemy heroes within an 800 radius and an ally hero is within 1200 units of the last creep that died. If not, the Madstone will be on the ground, and you and the enemy’s team can collect it.

Your goal is to obtain the needed amount of Madstone so you can craft the specific Artifact and use your Enchantment (more about it in just a bit) to create the neutral item. If you have the maximum number of Madstone you can carry, the resource will be distributed between your teammates.

Speaking of the limit on how many you can carry, it depends on the in-game time. For now, it goes like this:

• From minute 5 until minute 14 – 5 Madstone
• From minute 15 until minute 24 – 15 Madstone
• From minute 25 until minute 34 – 35 Madstone
• From minute 35 until minute 60 – 45 Madstone
• From minute 70 until the end of the game – No Madstone limit

Keep in mind that these numbers apply to regular games. People who want to play Turbo will notice that these timers are a lot shorter (for example, you can get 15 Madstone between min 02:30 and 07:29).

Getting enough Madstone will help you get your Artifact, and you can use it to craft the neutral item you want. Overall, the process is entirely different, but so are some of the new items.

Crafting Neutral Items in Dota 2 – How Does it Work?

Assuming you have Madstone, crafting your Dota 2 neutral items will require the following:

• Enchantments
• Artifacts

Starting with the Enchantments, those things contain your new item’s stats or passive attributes (depending on the specific item). In terms of the Artifacts, the latter includes the item’s ability, which can be active or passive.

Regarding the actual crafting process, players will have access to 4 Artifacts and Enchantments. The Artifacts will provide 3 options from the given tier, or you can decide to keep your current one (this becomes available after the Tier neutral items because you will get 4 options with your first Artifact). In terms of the Enchantments, you will get 4 alternatives, and you can’t keep the current Enchantment when upgrading.

As expected, crafting a new neutral item will remove the old one. You are not allowed to skip tiers when crafting, so the only way to get to Tier 5 is by going through Tiers 1, 2, 3, and 4. You will need to get 5 Madstone before crafting a T1 item, but every other Tier after that will require 10 Madstone. Once you reach Tier 5, you can recraft (get a new item) once you get 10 Madstone.

It is also worth knowing that the Neutral Stash is no longer available in Dota 2. Moreover, players can’t drop or move these items into the backpack.

Dota 2 Enchantments and Artifacts

Players can create unique options following the massive changes regarding the neutral items in patch 7.38. This is only possible after obtaining the correct Artifact and Enchantment, so let’s see more details about them.

Artifacts

Since the Dota 2 Artifact will give your neutral item’s active or passive ability, getting the right one is of utmost importance. It’s advisable to check the official 7.38 update to see all Artifacts because the list is very long, but here are a few intriguing examples:

Iron Talon – A Tier 2 Neutral Artifact that removes 80% of a given non-hero target’s HP or destroys a tree.
Book of the Dead – a Tier 5 Neutral Artifact that allows you to summon 2 demonic warriors and archers for 75s (it works like the Necronomicon, a popular Dota 2 item)
Spider Legs – A Tier 5 Neutral Artifact that grants Skitter. This ability provides 20% MS, 50% turn rate improvement, and free pathing for 10 seconds.

Enchantments

Some players underestimate the importance of the Enchantments, but they provide your neutral item’s stats. You can find many different options, such as:

Greedy – Accessible at Tiers 2 and 3, it grants +75/100 GPM and +200/250 mana at the cost of 30/60 attack damage.
Titanic – Accessible at Tiers 4 and 5, it offers +15/25% Base Attack Damage and +10/15% Status Resistance.
Evolved – Accessible at Tier 5, it provides +40 to your primary stats.

That is everything you need to know about how to get your Dota 2 neutral items. The most recent update brought significant changes, but there’s no arguing that it made these items even more interesting.

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