Why the formula was understated
Valve raised the buyback base in 7.24 and documented 200 + Net Worth / 13 in 7.29. Keeping the earlier 100 base creates a systematic error: every scenario looks 100 gold safer than it is.
That looks small until the decision sits near the boundary. A player can buy a component and discover the reserve is no longer funded before Roshan or a high-ground defense.
Ready now and ready by the objective are different states
At 18,000 net worth, estimated buyback is roughly 1,585 gold. With 1,200 now, the gap is about 385. At 620 GPM for the next 90 seconds, projected gold reaches roughly 2,130 and the reserve becomes available by the objective.
That forecast is not permission to spend every projected coin. It distinguishes a temporary deficit from a window that physically cannot close the gap.
When the component is still stronger than a second life
Buyback preserves optionality but does not guarantee value. Without TP access, a surviving structure or enough time to re-enter, liquidity never becomes a useful second life.
Compare the component's concrete power with the expected value of re-entry. Risk-weighted reserve shows the size of the stake; draft, position, cooldowns and objective still decide the action.
Replace the baseline with your inputs and get an answer for your scenario.
Data note. Every numeric example is a transparent baseline scenario. It is not presented as official publisher data and can be recalculated in the linked tool.
