Chromie gives foes a hard time in ‘Heroes of the Storm’

It’s about time “Warcraft’s” gnomes got some representation in “Heroes of the Storm.” Except Chromie isn’t really a gnome. She’s a Bronze Dragon in disguise – and a master of time, at that.

Chromie’s got two great things going for her: her offensive skills pack a punch and boast amazing range, and her traps can seriously mess up enemy mobility and positioning. Here’s the catch. Because of her fragile frame, she breaks quite easily. Her escape options aren’t that grand, either. You’ll most likely hear the term “glass cannon” being bandied about in reference to Chromie; well, those two words capture what’s she’s all about quite succinctly.

In “Heroes of the Storm,” Chromie is a high-damage Ranged Assassin that requires a high level of skill to control competently. Like most Heroes, she comes with one Hero Trait, three Primary Abilities, and two Heroic Abilities.

Timewalker (Trait)

Thanks to her Timewalker Trait, Chromie learns her Talents one level in advance. So while everyone else is waiting for level 10 so they can unleash their Heroic Abilities, Chromie at level 9 is already prepared to use hers. Upon reaching level 9, she and her allies therefore have a distinct advantage over the enemy, especially because her Heroics are spectacular at turning the tide in her team’s favor.


Sand Blast (Q)

After a second, Chromie lets loose a powerful missile in the direction of her choice. It travels a considerable distance across the screen, then deals massive damage to the first enemy Hero it hits. Sand Blast ignores all non-Hero enemies. It has a cooldown of 3 seconds.

When used with precision, this skill shot can help you score some easy takedowns. The tricky thing is its one-second delay. If you want to land a hit, you’ll have to anticipate your target’s movements. Enemies forced down choke points or narrow lanes will also have a tougher time dodging Sand Blast.

Additionally, Chromie performs some highly visible hand gestures as she’s casting the spell, warning observant foes of what she’s about to throw their way. For this reason, it’s wisest to use Sand Blast when Chromie is partially obscured by bushes or buildings, or when the enemy is preoccupied, immobilized, or slowed down. Casting the spell outside the target’s vision range also helps.

Chromie can pick Talents that augment Sand Blast’s power, such as Compounding Aether and Piercing Sands.

Dragon’s Breath (W)

After a 1.5-second delay, sand rains down from the sky, dealing massive damage to enemies of any type in a small, circular area. Dragon’s Breath has the same range as Sand Blast, but deals slightly more damage. It has a 14-second cooldown.

Unlike similar area-of-effect spells, Dragon’s Breath doesn’t indicate where on the ground it will land. This gives Chromie the opportunity to set up nasty surprises for foes. It’s also terrific at ruining attack formations, as enemies disperse in an attempt to take cover from an attack they can’t see coming.

Like Sand Blast, Dragon’s Breath is best used when the enemy has had their mobility compromised.

The Talent Enveloping Assault widens the spell’s area of effect, while those such as Deep Breathing enhance its damage.


Time Trap (E)

Chromie hurls a Time Trap a short distance on to the ground, where it activates and becomes invisible after 2 seconds. Any enemy Hero who touches it is immobilized for 2 seconds. Chromie can only drop one Time Trap at a time. Its cooldown is 18 seconds.

For maximum lethality, Time Trap is best followed up with Sand Blast, Dragon’s Breath, or any of your teammates’ Abilities. You can, of course, use the spell in a variety of situations. For example, you can position it at a choke point to prevent enemies from escaping or carrying out an assault against you. And because it’s stealthed, enemies will be none the wiser about its location on the map – which can lead to some fatal accidents.

Time Trap can also be used to escape an enemy Hero pursuing you. Because it can only freeze one foe at a time, however, you’ll still have to deal with any other enemies on your tail – which means that, as an escape tool, it isn’t as good as Valla’s Vault or Tracer’s Blink.

Slowing Sands (R1)

Chromie’s first Heroic Ability is Slowing Sands. This mid-range spell envelops a large area in a maelstrom of sand. Any enemies inside the area are significantly slowed. The longer Slowing Sands stays active, the greater the slowing effect – up to 50% after 5 seconds. Slowing Sands drains 4 Mana per second – which isn’t a big deal, since Chromie’s Mana regeneration rate is good. Even better, the Talent Pocket of Time removes the Mana cost and increases the maximum slowing amount to 70%. Slowing Sands will stay active and in place until it is cancelled, or Chromie runs out of Mana. It has a cooldown of 5 seconds.

For obvious reasons, a well-timed Slowing Sands will wreak havoc on enemies. Strategic positioning of Slowing Sands can also force the opposing team to avoid specific areas on the battleground, so it can help you manipulate their movements to some extent.


Temporal Loop (R2)

After 3 seconds, the selected enemy Hero is returned to the location where you initially struck them with Temporal Loop. It has a 70-second cooldown.

Temporal Loop is an excellent tool for setting up an enemy Hero for a takedown. You can use it to teleport them back to a spot where they’ll be vulnerable to your team’s attacks. It can also force a pursuing enemy away from you, facilitating your escape.





Two steps ahead

To use Chromie effectively, you’ll have to think like a time traveler.

Anticipation is key to success. When performing her offensive spells, always factor in the delay in their casting. Learn to make intelligent guesses as to where the enemy will go next, and what they will do next.

Her traps are excellent at upsetting the opposition’s movements, but again, using them productively entails planning ahead. The payoff, however, is rewarding. Freezing or slowing enemies down will hamper their efforts at escape, stymy their assaults, or discourage them from performing certain actions.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, Chromie’s on the squishy side – yet another reason for players to think ahead before committing to particular actions. Having a few allies close by always helps. And if worst comes to worst, use Time Trap or either Heroic Ability to squeeze yourself out of a deadly situation.

As Chromie’s a spellcaster, you should also avoid silencing spells like the plague.


Time well spent

Chromie’s tools allow her to easily screw with enemy mobility and positioning, and set up targets for ambushes. And with the amount of damage she dishes out, her potential for mass murder should never be taken lightly. She may be tiny, but hey, size doesn’t really matter – especially if you’re a Bronze Dragon in disguise, and one with the ability to bend time to her will.

Chromie is now available for purchase in the Nexus. Take her for a spin – who knows, you might just have a whale of a time! — TJD, GMA News