Valve has unleashed the latest Dota 2 update, entitled Wandering Waters. For those who like numbers, that's the 7.38 Gameplay Update, ushering in massive map changes, new neutral creeps, and even a new currency that players can spend on creating new, unique neutral items. Let's take a look at some of the highlights.

First off, Valve announced the news via a blog post, and before they shared the patch notes, they went on to give us a little flavor text to get the old blood flowing:

"Much like the galactic water miners in the movie and possibly the book Dune Part 2, Dota has always been the only game in any genre that believes water is the most valuable resource in both the Dune-iverse and our universe, the universe. It's kind of crazy, then, that it's taken more than a decade for us to finally prove that bold claim by saying it out loud in print."

Check out the new map below.

As per an official and an insanely huge page dedicated specifically to the Dota 2 Wandering Waters update, highlights include new Madstone currency you can farm and then create a bunch of new, unique neutral items.

• A Better, Wetter World - Dota's map-dividing waterway has always been little more than a watery line in the sand, separating the warring factions of Radiant and Dire. But the river has finally broken its banks, flooding up to the high grounds and reshaping the field (and flow) of battle.
• The Upside of the Downstream - All these new waterways in the jungles aren't just an upgrade to the scenery. Running with the current will give you a speed boost towards your safe lane, without slowing you down if you're running against the flow.
• An Evolutionary Leap - The creep camps are also getting refreshed in Wandering Waters, in the form of a new amphibious creep type that evolves from Pollywog to Boglet to Croaker throughout the match.
• Mind the Shrines - Wisdom Runes have been relocated and replaced with Shrines of Wisdom. You can still snag experience for yourself and an ally, but now instead of plucking a rune off the ground, you'll need to stand in the shrine to earn the XP. The wrinkle? The shrine won't activate if there's an enemy hero in there with you. You'll have to earn a little privacy to bag the boon.
• Blood in the Water - As with Wisdom Shrines, you'll now need to stand inside a Lotus Pool to collect its Lotus. Enemies in the area will stop the pool from activating, so make sure you're swimming alone.
• Roshan's Relocation - Roshan’s two pits have been relocated to the river, with new lairs near the two Power Runes. Roshan will spawn into the southern pit at the start of the match, but when daylight decides it’s time to make a move, he’ll walk the total distance between the two pits, tossing around any units he meets along the way.
• Transient Tormentor - Tormentors no longer spawn near each team's base. Instead, a single Tormentor will spawn at one of two locations in the corners of the map, depending on the time of day—which also means it'll always appear on the opposite side as Roshan. Amongst a bunch of other adjustments, the Tormentor's also got a new ability that will leave behind a helpful healing AoE after it dies.

There are also hundreds of minor map changes to discover and a whole lot more. I highly suggest that all Dota 2 players check out the full patch notes, which also include balance changes to heroes and items you should become aware of.

Header image via Valve.