Updates

Abilities

• Blade Dash (Q)
  • Added functionality:
    • Now reduces the cooldown of Shield Overload by 1 second per enemy hit, and 2 seconds per Hero hit.
• Twin Blades (W)
  • Charge range is now checked against the edge of target units, instead of their center. This increases the effective range of Twin Blades and should generally create more consistent behavior.
• Phase Prism (E)
  • Added functionality:
    • You can now cast Phase Prism during Blade Dash
  • Cooldown increased from 14 to 16 seconds
• Shield Overload (Trait)
  • Cooldown increased from 20 to 24 seconds
  • Activation threshold increased from 50 to 75% Health
  • Shield value reduced from 449 to 360

Talents

• Level 4
  • Shield Surge (Trait)
    • Moved from Level 16
    • New functionality:
      • Shield Overload's shield amount is increased by 80% while you are below 25% Health
  • Lethal Alacrity (Q)
    • Removed
  • Shield Battery (Trait)
    • Redesigned:
      • Shield Overload's cooldown recharges 50% faster while its shield is active, and increases the duration of Shield Overload from 5 to 6 seconds
  • Psionic Synergy (Q)
    • Moved from Level 7
    • Now increases the cooldown reduction of hitting Heroes with Blade Dash from 2 to 4 seconds
• Level 7
  • Chrono Surge (E)
    • Moved from Level 4
    • Attack Speed bonus increased from 40 to 50%
• Level 13
  • Templar's Zeal (Q)
    • Moved from Level 4
  • Phase Bulwark (Trait)
    • Ability damage mitigation reduced from 50 to 40%
• Level 16
  • Burning Rage (Passive)
    • Moved from Level 13
    • Replaced with Plasma Burn (Trait):
      • While your Shield is active, you deal 50 damage a second to nearby enemies

Developer Comment: The goals with this Artanis update were twofold: Increase his playmaking (swapping enemies during Blade Dash), and increase his solo lane capabilities (Blade Dash reduces Shield Overload cooldown, Shield Overload triggers at higher Health). We think that with these changes, Artanis will be a strong choice on a lot more Battlegrounds and with more team compositions.

• (!) indicates a Questing Talent.
• Italic text indicates a NEW Talent.
• Bold text indicates a MOVED Talent.

Updates

Abilities

• Bestow Hope (Trait)
  • Crown visual effects can now be seen by Allies

Bug Fixes

• Fixed an issue that prevented Chen from regenerating Health while using Wandering Keg.

Updates

Abilities

• Timewalker (Trait)
  • Increased the level reduction for getting Talents from 1 to 2 levels

Talents

• Level 1
  • Timewalker's Pursuit (Active)
    • Added Functionality:
      • You can now also activate this Talent to reveal an area for 2 seconds. Enemies seen are revealed for 4 seconds.
  • Peer Into the Future (Active)
    • Removed

Developer Comment: We're looking to add more power to Chromie that fits the flavor of the character, without increasing her burst potential across the entirety of the game. We're also combining the effects of Timewalker's Pursuit and Peer Into the Future to create an enticing option at Level 1.

Updates

Abilities

• Brushstalker (Trait)
  • Cooldown increased from 40 to 50 seconds
  • Functionality added:
    • Dehaka gains 15% Movement Speed while in a Bush and for 1 second after exiting a Bush
• Burrow (E)
  • Functionality added:
    • Burrow can now be cancelled early by pressing the hotkey again
• Adaptation (R)
  • Heal amount increased from 60 to 100% of incoming damage

Talents

• Level 1
  • Enduring Swarm (W)
    • New functionality:
      • Dehaka takes 40% less damage from Abilities while Dark Swarm is active
  • Enhanced Agility (Trait)
    • New functionality:
      • Quest: For every 50 Essence you collect, increase your Brushstalker Movement Speed bonus by 1%. This can stack 10 times.
• Level 4
  • Lurker Strain (E)
    • Functionality added:
      • Emerging from Burrow knocks away enemies and slows their Movement Speed by 30% for 2 seconds
  • Numbing Eruption (E)
    • Removed
  • Hero Stalker (Trait)
    • Bonus Essence gained from takedowns reduced from 150 to 100%
• Level 13
  • Swift Pursuit (Z)
    • New Functionality:
      • Brushstalker's Movement Speed duration after leaving a Bush is increased from 1 to 3 seconds
  • Ferocious Stalker (Z)
    • New Functionality:
      • After using Brushstalker, increase all damage Dehaka deals by 25% for 10 seconds
  • Whirling Dervish (W)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Primal Swarm (W)
    • Enemies affected by Dark Swarm take 15% increased damage from all sources
• Level 16
  • Rapid Regeneration (E)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Tunneling Claws (E)
    • Dehaka can now move while Burrowed
• Level 20
  • Change is Survival (R)
    • Heal amount increased from 125 to 200% of incoming damage
  • Hardened Shield (Active)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Essence Claws (Passive)
    • Basic Attacks slow enemies by 20% for 1 second
    • Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes grant Dehaka 5 Essence

Developer Comment: We started doing some small changes to Dehaka's talent tree in order to increase diversity and fix some talent pick issues. As is par for the course, this opened a rabbit-hole of design opportunities that we ended up falling into. While Dehaka's changes were mostly complete before the BlizzCon Finals, his resurgence as a dark horse of competitive play helped us narrow down and finalize the rework. Base movement speed on Brushstalker helps meld his design while some brand new talents should open up some fun new ways to hunt your prey.

• (!) indicates a Questing Talent.
• Italic text indicates a NEW Talent.
• Bold text indicates a MOVED Talent.

Updates

Abilities

• Shadow Charge (Q)
  • Base damage from 94 to 75
    • New Functionality:
      • Diablo gains 25% resistance for 2 seconds after charging
      • If Diablo's target collides with terrain they take an additional 150 damage
• Fire Stomp (W)
  • Base damage from 106 to 60
    • Added Functionality:
      • Fire Stomp fireballs return to Diablo, dealing 90 damage
• Black Soulstone (Trait)
  • Bonus max Health per Soulstone stack from .2 to .4%

Talents

• Level 1
  • Block (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Devil's Due (Passive)
    • New functionality:
      • Regeneration Globes and Healing Fountains are 2% more effective for every stack of Black Soulstone
  • Overwhelming Force (Q)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Bulwark (Q)
    • Increase the duration of Shadow Charge's Resistance effect from 2 to 5 seconds
  • Life Leech (Passive)
    • Moved from Level 13
• Level 4
  • Demonic Strength (E)
    • Slow duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds
    • Slow amount increased from 25 to 30%
  • Soul Catcher (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Essence of the Slain (Passive)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Speed Demon (Passive)
    • Diablo gains 30% Movement Speed for 5 seconds after being Stunned or Rooted
  • From the Shadows (Q)
    • Moved from Level 7
      • Functionality added:
        • Also increases Shadow Charge range by 33%
• Level 7
  • Diabolical Momentum (Q)
    • Functionality changed:
      • Basic Attacks lower the cooldown of Shadow Charge and Overpower by 1.5 seconds
  • Soul Steal (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Devastating Charge (Q)
    • Moved from Level 7 to Level 13
      • Functionality changed:
        • Shadow Charging an enemy into unpathable terrain deals an additional 5% of that targets max Health in damage
        • Quest: Every time you charge an enemy into unpathable terrain, increase the bonus damage by 2%, stacking up to a 10% bonus (15% max health possible)
  • New Talent: Soul Shield (Trait)
    • Each Black Soulstone stack Diablo has grants him 0.35% Resistance to enemy Abilities
  • Soul Feast (Passive)
    • Moved from Level 1
    • New functionality:
      • Each Soulstone stack grants 0.4 Health Regeneration per second
• Level 13
  • Firestorm (W)
    • Removed
  • Spell Shield (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Siphon the Dead (Active)
    • Removed
  • Hellfire (W)
    • Each enemy Hero hit by Fire Stomp increases the damage of the next Fire Stomp by 10%, stacking up to 100%.
  • Fire Devil (W)
    • Moved from Level 4
    • Aura damage increased from 17 to 22
    • Added functionality:
      • Also increases Diablo's Basic Attack damage by 25% for 6 seconds
• Level 16
  • Rampage (W)
    • Removed
  • Continuous Overpower (E)
    • Removed
  • Domination (E)
    • New Functionality:
      • Lower the Cooldown of Overpower by 4 seconds
      • Using Overpower refreshes the Cooldown of Shadow Charge
  • Imposing Presence (Passive)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Fearful Presence (Passive/Active)
    • Passive: Heroes and Summons that attack Diablo have their Attack Speed slowed by 20% for 2.5 seconds
    • Active: Activate to reduce the damage dealt by nearby Heroes by 30% for 3 seconds
• Level 20
  • Bolt of the Storm (Active)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Hellgate (Active)
    • Activate to teleport a short distance and place a Demonic Rune at that location. After 1.75 seconds the rune explodes dealing 137 damage and stuns enemies for 1.75 seconds

Developer Comment: The Lord of Terror has been under the knife for a couple months and has finally collected enough souls to resurrect himself. He reenters the Nexus with an updated talent tree focusing on maintaining and amplifying his identity. He should still excel as a gank-oriented Warrior, punishing out-of-position enemies, but also brings along some new survivability options. While we had to lower his damage slightly, the baseline addition of Firestorm and larger payoff for Shadow Charging enemies into collision should heavily reward opportunistic Diablo players.

• (!) indicates a Questing Talent.
• Italic text indicates a NEW Talent.
• Bold text indicates a MOVED Talent.

Bug Fixes

• Quest progress icons will no longer continue to appear after completing the Unbound Talent quest.

Updates

Abilities

• Pyroblast (R)
  • Cast time reduced from 2 to 1.5 seconds
  • Cast range increased by roughly 30%

Developer Comment: Pyroblast has been underperforming compared to Phoenix. We like where its damage is at, and that a lot of Heroes have ways to negate or mitigate it. Instead, we're buffing the consistency of the Heroic to make it more competitive.

Bug Fixes

• The Camera will now properly follow Leoric's Wraith form during Wraith Walk while Camera Follow is enabled.

Bug Fixes

• Fixed a rare issue that could cause Lt. Morales players to lose control of the Hero.

Bug Fixes

• The Camera will now properly follow Ravenous Spirit while Camera Follow is enabled.

Releases

Ragnaros, The Firelord, has been added to the Nexus and is now available for play! Read on for a brief overview of his Abilities.

Trait

• Molten Core (D)
  • Channel on an Allied or destroyed Fort or Keep to replace it with Ragnaros's Ultimate Form, temporarily gaining new Abilities, and a significant amount of Health that burns away over 18 seconds.
  • Ragnaros returns to his normal form upon losing all Health during Molten Core.

Basic Abilities

• Empower Sulfuras (Q)
  • Ragnaros's next Basic Attack is instant, dealing Ability Damage in an area around the target, and Healing Ragnaros for 20% of the damage dealt. Healing is doubled for damage dealt to Heroes.
• Living Meteor (W)
  • Summon a meteor at the target point that deals damage on impact, and then rolls in the target direction and deals additional damage every second for 1.75 seconds.
• Blast Wave (E)
  • Ignite Ragnaros or target Ally, granting 25% bonus Movement Speed for 1.5 seconds before exploding, dealing damage to nearby enemies.

Molten Core Form Abilities

• Molten Swing (Q)
  • Swing Sulfuras in a wide arc, dealing damage and stunning enemies for 1 second. Damage increased by 25% versus Minions and Mercenaries.
• Meteor Shower (W)
  • Summon 3 meteors at the target point that fall in the target direction. Each meteor deals damage and slows enemies by 25% for 2 seconds. Damage increased by 25% versus Minions and Mercenaries.
• Explosive Rune (E)
  • Create a rune that explodes after 1.5 seconds, dealing damage to non-Structure enemies in a circular area. Damage increased by 25% versus Minions and Mercenaries.

Heroic Abilities

• Sulfuras Smash (R)
  • Hurl Sulfuras at the target area, landing after 0.75 seconds and dealing damage to enemies hit. Enemies caught in the center of the impact area take triple damage and are Stunned for 0.5 seconds.
• Lava Wave (R)
  • Release a wave of lava from the allied Core that travels down the target lane, dealing massive damage every second to non-Structure enemies and instantly killing enemy Minions in its path. Damage doubled versus enemy Heroes.

Updates

Stats

• Increased Basic Attack damage from 99 to 120

Abilities

• Lightning Shield (W)
  • Increased damage from 64 to 70 per second
• Bloodlust (R)
  • Added functionality:
    • All affected allies now heal for 30% of Basic Attack damage dealt during Bloodlust

Talents

• Level 4
  • Stormcaller (W)
    • Now returns Mana from hitting all enemies, not just Heroes
• Level 7
  • Totemic Projection (E)
    • Added Functionality:
      • Now also increases the duration of Earthbind Totem from 8 to 12 seconds
• Level 20
  • Farseer's Blessing (R)
    • Secondary healing effect increased from 25% to 50% of Ancestral Healing's full amount
  • Gladiator's War Shout (R)
    • Now increases Bloodlust healing from 30% to 60% of Basic Attack damage

Developer Comment: It's been a while since Rehgar was a major dominant force, and his performance is now low enough that we can safely increase the rewards for his aggressive playstyle without pushing his winrate too high. For Bloodlust, we wanted to reduce the loss of healing for picking the Heroic, but only for Basic Attack teams that really benefit from it.

Bug Fixes

• The tooltip for Mirror Image now properly mentions that activating the Ability will remove certain negative status effects.

Bug Fixes

• Earthquake now correctly slows enemy Minions and Mercenaries in addition to Heroes.

Bug Fixes

• Infest will now properly grant bonus Attack Damage to Minions for Siege Damage dealt.

Updates

Abilities

• Particle Grenade (Q)
  • This ability has received improvements to its cast animation
  • The time between casting Particle Grenade and performing another action has been reduced by .25 seconds

Developer Comment: Casting Zarya's Particle Grenade would force her to be locked in place for a short period of time. We don't do this on other Heroes, and we felt like this exception broke the fluidity of the character.