New heroes, battleground coming to ‘Heroes of the Storm’

 

 

“Heroes of the Storm”’s ever-expanding roster is getting a new battleground as well as three new heroes, each one hailing from Blizzard’s triumvirate of “Diablo,” “Warcraft,” and “StarCraft.”

 

As the heroes and battleground are still in development, the following details are likely still subject to change.

 

Kharazim the monk

 

First up is Kharazim, otherwise known as the monk from “Diablo III,”.

 

 

Kharazim will be the first Support hero from the “Diablo” universe.

 

What’s interesting about Kharazim is that he is also the first hero to have more than one Trait. According to Blizzard: “Kharazim, Monk of Ivgorod… will bring inner peace to his allies – and pain to his enemies. He’s a mobile melee Hero who can specialize in different paths by choosing one of three traits via his talents. Kharazim can select Iron Fists to gain bonus attack damage, Transcendence to heal himself through melee combat, or Insight to restore mana and find a balance between both offensive and defensive roles.”

 

Sounds like players will have more flexibility when customizing Kharazim’s build.

 

As the premier martial arts master of “Diablo III”, his Primary Abilities include Radiant Dash, which allows him to teleport immediately to an allied or enemy hero; Breath of Heaven, which heals the caster as well as allied heroes in the proximity; and Deadly Reach, which extends the range and damage output of Kharazim’s attacks.

 

His Heroic Abilities are Seven-Sided Strike, which is a teleportation-enhanced fusillade of lightning-quick strikes he unleashes on enemies; and Divine Palm, which massively heals an allied hero.

 

 

Rexxar the beastmaster

 

Representing “Warcraft” is the half-orc, half-ogre Rexxar, who will be a ranged Warrior in “Heroes of the Storm.” He first appeared in the RPG-style Horde campaign in “Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.”

 

Blizzard’s official description of Rexxar reads: “Charging into the brawl from Azeroth is the legendary beastmaster, Rexxar, and his loyal bear, Misha. He’s a unique ranged warrior, who calls on his ferocious companion to follow him around the battlefield and attack his foes. Misha is integral to Rexxar’s gameplay, harassing enemies, absorbing damage, and stunning enemy characters with a targeted charge ability.”

 

Rexxar is another unique entry as he’ll be the first hero whose pet creature is a constant in his play style. Misha is A.I.-controlled, and will attack Rexxar’s target. Though she can die, she can also respawn.

 

His Primary Abilities include Spirit Swoop, which has Rexxar summoning a hawk to attack and slow enemies in a straight line; Misha, Charge!, which has Misha lunging towards foes, stunning them on impact; and Mend Pet, which heals both Misha and Rexxar.

 

Heroic Abilities include Bestial Wrath, which augments Misha’s fighting prowess; and Unleash the Boars, which summons a horde of boars to charge towards enemies, slowing down every hero hit.

 

 

Artanis the high templar

 

From “StarCraft” comes Artanis, a Warrior. This high templar is a Protoss leader who was first introduced in “StarCraft: Brood War.” He will be the main character in the upcoming “StarCraft: Legacy of the Void.”

 

Little is known about Artanis as a “Heroes of the Storm” hero, but Blizzard did state that his moves will pack a punch. Blizzard also released the following image form their press kit:

 

 

Infernal Shrines battleground

 

Currently being developed is Infernal Shrines, another Diablo-themed battleground.

 

This has been described as a mid-sized map consisting of three lanes. The map’s unique objective involves shrines which, upon activation, will unleash swarms of monsters. Once said monsters have been felled, players can then capture the shrines, allowing them to summon an enormous Punisher. The Punisher will then charge down a lane, smiting all foes in its path.

 

 

In addition to the three heroes and map, “Heroes of the Storm” will also be receiving new skins and mounts, including a Treasure Goblin mount.

 

Expect more “Heroes of the Storm” updates from Blizzard in the days to come. — TJD, GMA News