The 2021 Nemestice Collector’s Cache – Rating the New Sets

When all else fails and we lose our pubs, at least we have our cosmetics to fall back on. This evening, Valve released the Collector’s Cache for the Nemestice Battle Pass. Perhaps released as a way to make up for the large paywall to the Spectre Arcana, the Cache allows purchasers to gain up to 32 Battle Pass levels when they purchase 13 of the caches. Each cache costs $2.49 and there are 18 sets total. We’re going to take a look at all of the sets released with the Nemestice Collector’s Cache and give our ratings of each!

With the addition of this set, Dark Willow now has a total of six "witch" themed sets. It's no doubt no longer an oversight - it's basically a conscious choice at this point. Apart from Jex peeking out a neat cauldron, the set is nothing to write home about.

Doom's sets have always been pretty similar in the sense that they feature mostly fire, and a clear focus on satanic/demonic imagery. The huge burning scimitar is the focal point of this set for sure. The rest of the armor follows the theme pretty fittingly, with the pentagram on the belt being a nice touch. The headpiece is where it falls flat though, as it's not clear if it's a hood or helmet. All in all, a pretty average and typical Doom set, plenty of fire though!

While Enigma has a relatively plain model compared to other heroes, this set does a good job of giving him some character. The fittings look somewhat like battle armor, and the extended finger-pieces give him claws almost. Not to mention a sick new Eidolon model! Overall, it's a decent set and adds a bit of flavor to an otherwise uniform looking hero.

Enchantress is in the club of Dota 2's heroes that repeatedly get sets - none of which are that good though. This set changes up her color palette a bit, adding a space-y blue and purple hue. The changes to her horns makes her look like she's wearing the bark of some astral plant. Not bad, but it definitely doesn't outdo any of the better existing sets.

Finally, a chassis as shiny to fit his two Immortals! Gyrocopter fans rejoice! This is definitely one of the better Gyro sets, which gives him a pseudo-steampunk and more modern look. It has somewhat of a mid-twentieth century Nikola Tesla style weaponry. The effects that come with also change up his ability effects, which is neat because those are usually pricey. The most exciting aspect of this set is the unique copter model, which looks like a hovercraft of sorts.

This has to be one of the best Lycan sets, or at least up for contention. To be fair, the hero has a huge gap in set quality - either pretty plain or kitted out with a unique new spin. My personal opinion is that it's the best one in the Cache. It adds a spectral and terrifying look to Lycan's wardrobe. The helm he dons is also present on his wolves, which is cool too. The highlight of the set is his Ultimate Form, which gets a model unlike one we've seen before - a skeletal but elegant beast that looks haunting and beautiful. Wolves may need no armor, but they can definitely wear it well.

Just like most Nature's Prophet sets, the base model of the hero is not the highlight. The outfit does a good job of making him look both prepped for a desert adventure, and part of the desert himself. As for the Treants (the best part of every NP set), they become boxing cacti that look both adorable and like they could beat you up.

This set makes Oracle look like a high chancellor of a Galactic Council, which is great. It does feel rather similar to the Eye of the Fateweaver set from Diretide though. The slight shift in color palette to focus on a more galactic blue is nice though. The hooded mask is definitely the highlight, but overall could've probably been a bit more unique.

If you've watched murder documentaries, this color scheme should be nothing new to you. It looks exactly like the moment everyone realises someone died, and the colors invert turning everyone blue. It does give him a ghastly look, but just like the Oracle set, it could've been made more unique.

This set goes alongside Lycan's as one of the other stars of this cache. Tiny sets are always a breath of fresh air, and this iteration of him as a crustacean is awesome. At max Grow level, Tiny gets a giant coral tree that he gets to club people with, which is fun. This set is proof that you can go kinda crazy with takes on existing concepts, but still make it consistent with the original.

At a glance, this could be any other Vengeful Spirit set, which is usually the case with all her cosmetics. To change that up, they've added two alternate color schemes. This is cool because it's usually a feature in Cavern Crawl sets, where the styles are unlockable. Particularly, the more angelic white style is a fresh look for an otherwise boring looking hero. Not a personal favorite, but I can see why fans of the hero would like it.

Who's that Pokemon? It's Articuno! Wait, no...it's just Winter Wyvern. This set changes her from a dragon-kind to a majestic scaly bird. This mutational philosophy in cosmetics is not too uncommon, we've seen Viper as a turtle (somewhat) and Nyx as a Hermit Crab. This definitely is a risky set, but it feels a bit jarring. The head piece is undeniably sick though, just not my cup of tea.

This set turns Shadow Shaman into a desert bandit, and it's absolutely incredible. This is definitely among the bests in this collection. The altered color scheme to a more dark and sinister look is super cool, and the outfit fits the bill as well. The cutlass is sick, and the turban and his get-up all come together nicely. My only fault with this set is the Serpent Wards, which don't look too different from the original. Although, as with most Serpent Wards, the model differences are hard to notice anyway.

This Sven set is a must-get for fans of Berserk, which explains why it's Rare. Just like Guts, this set looks awesome. The armor looks polished and cool, and the wrist-mounted crossbow is gorgeous. It somehow looks draconic, with the pieces looking like scales. These details are also present on the side of his sword.

Following the theme of anime references, this set makes Witch Doctor look like he could be in Spirited Away. This haunting but somehow lovable look suits the hero well. Just like Treant's Stuntwood Sanctuary Immortal, WD now has little mushroom friends. All around a great set. The only issue is that with all of the hero's existing amazing sets and Immortals, it'll be hard to pick. With this being at Very Rare rarity though, it's not going to be easy to get.

Morphling is a really hard hero to make sets for. Its model just does not work well with new items. This set is one of the rare ones that I'd say nailed it though. The helm, which is really the only aspect of the hero that can be played with, is stunning. The entire aesthetic somehow makes him look like a shark/sea monster - which is a pleasant and welcome change. With the Ultra Rare tag though, it's going to be highly coveted. The good news is that it's the only set in the whole cache that will be marketable. If you really want to get this set though, it'll no doubt take a bite out of your wallet.

That's all 18 sets from the Nemestice Collector’s Cache! While the sets are no doubt pretty high quality, do you think they're worth the buy? Let us know what you think on our social media!

For more Dota 2 content and updates, stay tuned to esports.gg. For more about cosmetics, you can check out our thoughts on all of the Arcanas in the game so far!