heroes Balance Update Patch Notes: Nov 29

[Stan 5,243]

A new Heroes of the Storm balance patch is planned for November 29 with plenty of nerfs for Support Heroes and a Sgt. Hammer rework.

The following balance patch will go live November 29 and it's available for playtesting right now on PTR along with Hanzo. The latest PTR patch notes can be found here.

Blizzard (Source)

We’re planning to release a new patch for Heroes of the Storm in order to apply balance changes alongside a few bug fixes.

PTR Note: While most of the listed changes are available on the PTR with today’s patch, some will not be present until the November 29 live balance patch.

Heroes

Assassin

Tychus

Abilities

• Minigun (Trait)
  • Mana cost removed

Zul'jin

Abilities

• Guillotine (R)
  • Damage reduced from 350 to 330

Talents

• Level 1
  • Recklessness (Trait)
    • Adjusted functionality:
      • When below 75% Health, gain 10% Spell Power
      • When below 50% Health, gain 20% Attack Damage
• Level 4
  • Amani Rage (Active)
    • Duration of heal increased from 6 to 10 seconds
    • Armor value reduced from 10 to 5
• Level 7
  • Arcanite Axes (W)
    • No longer lowers the cooldown of Twin Cleave
  • Vicious Assault (Q)
    • Added functionality:
      • Also increases the duration of Zul’jin’s Grievious Throw effect by 3 seconds
• Level 13
  • Lacerate (W)
    • Slow amount reduced from 15 to 10%
• Level 16
  • Wrong Place Wrong Time (W)
    • Apex damage from 150 to 100

Specialist

Sgt. Hammer

• Sgt. Hammer’s Basic Attack is now more responsive.

Abilities

• Artillery (Trait)
  • Removed (including the +1 Basic Attack range)
• Siege Mode (D)
  • Moved to D (Trait)
  • Mana cost removed
  • Basic Attack range bonus increased from 5 to 6
  • Sgt. Hammer now deals 20% bonus damage to all enemies while in Siege Mode, instead of 30% bonus to Minions and Structures.
  • Sgt. Hammer can no longer cast abilities while entering Siege Mode.
• Spider Mines (Q)
  • While in Siege Mode, the cast range is increased by 100%
  • Mana cost reduced from 50 to 45
• Concussive Blast (W)
  • Cone narrowed from 60 degrees to 45 degrees
  • While in Siege Mode, the cast range is increased by 50%
  • Mana cost reduced from 75 to 60
• (New Ability) Neosteel Plating (E)
  • Activate to gain 25 Armor for 2 seconds.
  • While in Siege mode, increase this to 50 Armor.
  • 12 second cooldown, 30 Mana

Talents

• Level 1
  • Advanced Artillery (D)
    • New functionality:
      •  Now increases Siege Mode’s splash damage to 50% and its radius by 25%.
  • Resistant (D)
    • Removed
  • Ambush (D)
    • Adjusted functionality:
      • Sgt. Hammer now also enters Stealth after not dealing damage, taking damage, or using an Ability for 3 seconds while in Siege Mode.
  • Regeneration Master
    • Removed
  • (New Talent) Maelstrom Rounds
    • Activate to increase Sgt. Hammer’s Basic Attack damage by 40% for 5 seconds. Maximum 3 charges. 90 second charge cooldown. Basic Attacks in Siege Mode against enemy Structures reduce this cooldown by 5 seconds.
• Level 4
  • Vigorous Assault (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Focused Attack (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Excessive Force (W)
    • Removed
  • Barricade (W)
    • Moved from Level 13
  • (New Talent) Siege Tactics (E)
    • Sgt. Hammer becomes Unstoppable for 2 seconds when she uses Neosteel Plating in Siege Mode.
  • (New Talent) Regenerative Bio-Steel (D)
    • Sgt. Hammer heals for 15% of her damage dealt with Basic Attacks in Siege Mode.
• Level 7
  • Mine Field (Q)
    • Removed
  • First Aid (Active)
    • Removed
  • (New Talent) Pulse Detonation Core (Q)
    • Spider Mines explode 3 times over 3 seconds, instead of destroying themselves immediately.
  • Hover Siege (D)
    • Moved from Level 16
    • Movement Speed reduced from 50% to 25%.
  • Graduating Range (D)
    • Moved from Level 16
    • Maximum range bonus reduced from 5.5 to 3.3
• Level 13
  • First Strike (D)
    • Removed
  • Bullhead Mines (Q)
    • Removed
  • (New Talent) Tactical Mine Deployment (Q)
    • Increases Spider Mine’s slow from 25% to 40%. Casting Thrusters leaves behind a trail of up to 5 Spider Mines while Sgt. Hammer is moving.
  • (New Talent) Entrenched (W)
    • Increases Concussive Blast’s damage and knockback distance by 75% while in Siege Mode.
  • Hyper-Cooling Engines (Z)
    • Moved from Level 7
    • New functionality:
      • Each enemy Hero hit with a Basic Attack in Siege Mode reduces the cooldown of Thrusters by 5 seconds.
• Level 16
  • Stoneskin (Active)
    • Removed
  • Giant Killer (Passive)
    • Moved from Level 13
  • (New Talent) Mechanical Know-How (E)
    • Neosteel Plating grants a Shield equal to 5% of Sgt. Hammer’s maximum Health for 2 seconds. If this Shield is destroyed, she deals 50% more Basic Attack damage for 5 seconds.
• Level 20
  • Fury of the Storm (Passive)
    • Removed
  • Nexus Frenzy (Passive)
    • Removed
  • (New Talent) Shrapnel Mines (Q)
    • Each Spider Mine explosion reduces enemy Armor by 10 for 3 seconds.
  • (New Talent) Ultra Capacitors (D)
    • Every enemy Hero hit with a Basic Attack while in Siege Mode increases Sgt. Hammer’s Attack Speed by 5% for 5 seconds, up to 40%.

Support

Alexstrasza

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1787 to 1698
• Health Regen reduced from 3.72 to 3.54

Abilities

• Abundance (W)
  • Cast range increased by 11%

Ana

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1682 to 1598
• Health Regen reduced from 3.5 to 3.32
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 33 to 30

Abilities

• Healing Dart (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 255 to 237
• Biotic Grenade (W)
  • Heal amount reduced from 175 to 166
  • Damage reduced from 60 to 57
• Eye of Horus (R)
  • Heal amount reduced from 300 to 285
  • Damage amount reduced from 175 to 166

Auriel

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1850 to 1758
• Health Regen reduced from 3.85 to 3.66
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 60 to 57

Abilities

• Sacred Sweep (Q)
  • Outer damage reduced from 60 to 57
  • Inner damage reduced from 180 to 171
• Detainment Strike (E)
  • Normal damage reduced from 58 to 55
  • Wall-strike damage reduced from 174 to 165
• Bestow Hope (D)
  • Maximum Energy reduced from 505 to 475
• Crystal Aegis (R)
  • Damage reduced from 270 to 255

Brightwing

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1470 to 1395
• Health Regen reduced from 3.06 to 2.91
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 85 to 81

Abilities

• Arcane Flare (Q)
  • Outer damage reduced from 91 to 87
  • Inner damage reduced from 274 to 260
• Soothing Mist (Trait)
  • Heal amount reduced from 115 to 109
• Blink Heal (R)
  • Heal amount reduced from 204 to 194
• Emerald Wind (R)
  • Damage reduced from 318 to 303

Talents

• Level 4
  • Unstable Anomaly (W)
    • Damage reduced from 114 to 108
• Level 7
  • Phase Shield (Z)
    • Shield amount reduced from 350 to 335

Kharazim

Stats

• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 63 to 60

Abilities

• Breath of Heaven (W)
  • Heal amount reduced from 290 to 276
• Divine Palm (R)
  • Heal amount reduced from 1141 to 1084

Talents

• Level 1
  • Transcendence (Trait)
    • Heal amount reduced from 103 to 98
• Level 16
  • Way of the Hundred Fists (E)
    • Damage reduced from 50 to 45%

Li Li

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1552 to 1475
• Health Regen from 3.23 to 3.07
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 63 to 60

Abilities

• Healing Brew (Q)
  • Heal amount increased from 177 to 190
• Cloud Serpent (W)
  • Heal amount increased from 13.5 to 15
  • Damage reduced from 27 to 26
• Blinding Wind (E)
  • Damage reduced from 140 to 133
• Jug of 1000 Cups (R)
  • Heal amount increased from 66.5 to 70
• Water Dragon (R)
  • Damage reduced from 318 to 300

Lt. Morales

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1550 to 1472
• Health Regen reduced from 3.23 to 3.07
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 88 to 83

Abilities

• Healing Beam (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 90 to 86
• Displacement Grenade (E)
  • Damage reduced from 210 to 198

Lúcio

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1518 to 1442
• Health Regen reduced from 3.16 to 3
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 24 to 23

Abilities

• Soundwave (Q)
  • Damage reduced from 112 to 105
• Amp It Up (E)
  • Heal amount reduced from 15.5 to 15
• Sound Barrier (R)
  • Shield amount reduced from 1392 to 1296
• Reverse Amp (R)
  • Damage reduced from 14 to 13

Talents

• Level 13
  • Back in the Mix (Passive)
    • Heal amount reduced from 260 to 245
• Level 16
  • Rejuvenescencia (E)
    • Heal amount reduced from 3 to 2.5% of allies’ Maximum Health

Malfurion

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1682 to 1598
• Health Regen reduced from 3.5 to 3.33
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 67 to 64

Abilities

• Regrowth (Q)
  • Initial heal amount reduced from 150 to 142
  • Heal over time amount reduced from 28 to 27
• Moonfire (W)
  • Damage from 105 to 100
• Entangling Roots (E)
  • Damage from 39 to 37
• Tranquility (R)
  • Heal amount reduced from 40 to 38
• Twilight Dream (R)
  • Damage reduced from 374 to 355

Talents

• Level 1
  • Moonburn (W)
    • Removed
  • (New Talent) Celestial Alignment (W)
    • Increase Moonfire’s reveal duration from 2 to 5 seconds. Malfurion’s Basic Attacks deal 100% additional damage to targets revealed by Moonfire
• Level 4
  • Vengeful Roots (E)
    • Treant Attack damage reduced from 70 to 65
    • Scaling damage per quest stack reduced from 8 to 7

Rehgar

Stats

• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 120 to 113

Abilities

• Chain Heal (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 250 to 240
• Lightning Shield (W)
  • Damage reduced from 35 to 32
• Ancestral Healing (R)
  • Heal amount reduced from 1552 to 1475

Talents

• Level 1
  • Lightning Bond (W)
    • Removed

Stukov

Abilities

• Healing Pathogen (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 37 to 35
• Lurking Arm (E)
  • Damage reduced from 36 to 34
• Bio-kill Switch (D)
  • Heal amount reduced from 500 to 475
• Flailing Swipe (R)
  • Damage reduced from 50 to 48
• Massive Shove (R)
  • Damage reduced from 200 to 190

Tassadar

Stats

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 1355 to 1287
• Health Regen reduced from 2.82 to 2.68

Abilities

• Plasma Shield (Q)
  • Shield amount reduced from 475 to 455
• Psionic Storm (W)
  • Damage reduced from 44 to 41
• Archon (R)
  • Bonus Attack damage reduced from 166 to 158

Tyrande

Stats

• Base Maximum Health from 1591 to 1511
• Health Regen reduced from 3.32 to 3.15
• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 82 to 80

Abilities

• Sentinel Shot (W)
  • Damage reduced from 173 to 165
• Lunar Flare (E)
  • Damage reduced from 205 to 195
• Starfall (R)
  • Damage reduced from 91 to 88

Uther

Stats

• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 78 to 75

Abilities

• Holy Light (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 380 to 362
• Holy Radiance (W)
  • Heal amount reduced from 185 to 177
  • Damage reduced from 185 to 177
• Flash of Light (Q)
  • Heal amount reduced from 242 to 230
• Hammer of Justice (E)
  • Damage reduced from 114 to 109
• Divine Storm (R)
  • Damage reduced from 178 to 170

Talents

• Level 4
  • Holy Fire (Passive)
    • Damage reduced from 14 to 13

Warrior

Johanna

Abilities

• Iron Skin (Trait)
  • Mana cost removed

Sonya

Talents

• Level 7
  • Poisoned Spear (Q)
    • Damage reduced from 150 to 125%

Bug Fixes

General

• Mac: Fixed an issue that caused game crashes on Mac clients.
• Mac: Fixed an issue causing unintended options to display on certain Mac clients.
• Sound: Fixed an issue causing Hero voiceover lines to be heard globally by both teams.

[ArusVicious 156]

This lack of developer comments is nothing but pure disappointment on Blizzard’s part. I got quite upset at Blizzard when they decided to be greedy snakes and lie about the gem skins, telling us “this is what the community asked” when we all know that is false and they refused to straight up admit that they are in need of more money. And then they decide to give absolutely no insight on massive and important changes they do? These developers could learn something from the WoW team. At least they were able to get up and start communicating with players to make the game better. This just isn’t fair to the people who play this game. And I’m losing my faith in them.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Maxkitty

[PrivateJoker 27]

Great... Zul'jin was finally decent thanks to the rework, so they had to nerf the absolute shit out of him.

[AndrewMertes 3]

28 minutes ago, Maxkitty said:

This lack of developer comments is nothing but pure disappointment on Blizzard’s part. I got quite upset at Blizzard when they decided to be greedy snakes and lie about the gem skins, telling us “this is what the community asked” when we all know that is false and they refused to straight up admit that they are in need of more money. And then they decide to give absolutely no insight on massive and important changes they do? These developers could learn something from the WoW team. At least they were able to get up and start communicating with players to make the game better. This just isn’t fair to the people who play this game. And I’m losing my faith in them.

Dude, it's PTR patch notes not official ones. They do the explanation for official ones once they've decided for sure what they're going to do. This stuff could change. 

[Caldyrvan 377]

Looks like just a ton of nerfs :D

[AndrewMertes 3]

If everyone gets nerfed the same is it really a nerf? It's more like a re-adjustment of the healing role. 

[SirIceCream 1]

36 minutes ago, AndrewMertes said:

Dude, it's PTR patch notes not official ones. They do the explanation for official ones once they've decided for sure what they're going to do. This stuff could change. 

No these are not PTR notes. These are live balance update notes. That will take effect in 2 days in the live game, not the PTR.

[Laragon 269]

54 minutes ago, AndrewMertes said:

If everyone gets nerfed the same is it really a nerf? It's more like a re-adjustment of the healing role. 

Exactly, it's more about retooling the role of healing since it is to every single support.

The hammer rework looks exciting!

ZulJin nerf was needed. He was way too strong.

[xevex 41]

Why exactly are they nerfing Tyrande when shes an assasin? 

Li Li is the only one whos getting buffed, healing wise. 

Even Alexs Q got nerfed because of her HP nerf lol.

The Hammer Rework looks horrible basically completly ignoring skill and positioning its all about the siege mode now which is just stupid.

[Valhalen 1,484]

Oh great. All supports nerfed, Hammer gets a very uneeded rework that will make her an even bigger pain in the ads to take down. Seems like we're back to Assassins of the Storm.

[ArusVicious 156]

36 minutes ago, Valhalen said:

Oh great. All supports nerfed, Hammer gets a very uneeded rework that will make her an even bigger pain in the ads to take down. Seems like we're back to Assassins of the Storm.

I just can’t... it was fun while it lasted. ?

[SMOrcMan 76]

But did they really have to nerf tyrande owl dmg? Owl tyrande is such a good meme

[MZLICH 43]

happy nerf day guys lol!

[MasterKast 15]

7 hours ago, Valhalen said:

Oh great. All supports nerfed, Hammer gets a very uneeded rework that will make her an even bigger pain in the ads to take down. Seems like we're back to Assassins of the Storm.

"unneeded rework"? really mate? hammer is one of easiest hero to counter. valeera can shred her, kael&jaina&chromie can rain down on her. its kinda sitting dock and impossible to miss.

[xevex 41]

3 hours ago, MasterKast said:

"unneeded rework"? really mate? hammer is one of easiest hero to counter. valeera can shred her, kael&jaina&chromie can rain down on her. its kinda sitting dock and impossible to miss.

Indeed and now shes a even more of a sitting duck then she was before because she needs to be in siege mode to deal the highest dmg. All her non-siege buffs are gone.

[Notoriousthf 19]

Great, who hired Ghostcrawler?  XD

In all seriousness, the changes to Sgt Hammer left her without as much survivability, as i feel Neosteel plating duration is too low for its high cooldown and dependency towards Siege Mode too much, as well as less range at 20 without nexus frenzy, which she relies on.

[Fliits 112]

On 11/27/2017 at 10:39 PM, Maxkitty said:

This lack of developer comments is nothing but pure disappointment on Blizzard’s part. I got quite upset at Blizzard when they decided to be greedy snakes and lie about the gem skins, telling us “this is what the community asked” when we all know that is false and they refused to straight up admit that they are in need of more money. And then they decide to give absolutely no insight on massive and important changes they do? These developers could learn something from the WoW team. At least they were able to get up and start communicating with players to make the game better. This just isn’t fair to the people who play this game. And I’m losing my faith in them.

They made a separate developer announcement. Don't get your hatred of ten thousand years in a twist.

[Fliits 112]

Well this was unexpected. We're finally apparently moving to a double support meta, or not Many people see this as a simple nerf, but I see it as something more and much needed. The supports have always been the most ridiculous aspect of this game, and seeing their power diminished is an interesting thought. 

Zul'Jin was definitely in a way too powerful state, I'm glad he got nerfed.

Yes! An old character gets a much needed rework how did it turn out? Meh. I'm on the same side as everyone else. She was nerfed. But I see potential here. Maybe she will finally seem significant.

Tychus has been receiving some pretty sneaky buffs lately. Could this be a resurrection?

People are acting overly negatively in my opinion. Is it a bad update? Not by any means. Does it change the meta a bunch? Definitely. Is the double healer here? Possibly. Blizzars is really giving the fanbase a hard time.

Edited November 28, 2017 by Fliits

[Ziarre 2]

On 11/27/2017 at 2:39 PM, Maxkitty said:

This lack of developer comments is nothing but pure disappointment on Blizzard’s part. I got quite upset at Blizzard when they decided to be greedy snakes and lie about the gem skins, telling us “this is what the community asked” when we all know that is false and they refused to straight up admit that they are in need of more money.

People were asking to be able to buy skins with gems, but not quite like it was implemented with the Alexstrasza patch. Personally I wanted to be able to go either/or with gems and shards, instead of "only gems" or "only shards" save for what is Featured that week. So while it was asked for, I'm not sure we technically got what we wanted. Having no chance of getting those Alex skins from a box, ever, feels almost as bad as having to rely on those boxes for getting a specific skin...or enough shards for one.

Careful what I wish for, I guess.

[PrivateJoker 27]

12 minutes ago, Ziarre said:

People were asking to be able to buy skins with gems, but not quite like it was implemented with the Alexstrasza patch. Personally I wanted to be able to go either/or with gems and shards, instead of "only gems" or "only shards" save for what is Featured that week. So while it was asked for, I'm not sure we technically got what we wanted. Having no chance of getting those Alex skins from a box, ever, feels almost as bad as having to rely on those boxes for getting a specific skin...or enough shards for one.

Careful what I wish for, I guess.

This is exactly what they want. They pretended you asked for this, and they've managed to convince you it was true.

[Psykmoe 2]

Man, they really want Hammer to be in siege mode a lot more, but with Hover Siege mode speed nerfed as well, I've got a bad gut feeling. Sieging up is so risky if there are actual enemy players around.

[ArusVicious 156]

6 hours ago, Fliits said:

They made a separate developer announcement. Don't get your hatred of ten thousand years in a twist.

I realize that now, still interesting to see how it might end out working lol.

[SleepySheepy 41]

14 hours ago, Fliits said:

Tychus has been receiving some pretty sneaky buffs lately. Could this be a resurrection?

As long as his AA range stays as it is, he will always be at best Niche.