heroes Heroes of the Storm Balance Update Patch Notes: August 22nd

[Stan 5,240]

Whitemane's down to 10,000 Gold and a new balance patch has arrived with changes to a number of Heroes including Chromie, Kel'Thuzad, Whitemane, and Raynor!

Blizzard (Source)

We’ve just released a new Heroes of the Storm patch to apply a number of balance changes and bug fixes.

HEROES

ASSASSIN

CHROMIE

Abilities

• Sand Blast (Q)
  • Damage increased from 300 to 315
• Dragon's Breath (W)
  • Damage increased from 360 to 390
• Bronze Talons (Passive)
  • Bonus Basic Attack damage increased from 100 to 125%

KEL'THUZAD

Abilities

• Death and Decay (Q)
  • Cooldown reduced from 6 to 5 seconds
  • Periodic damage increased from 70 to 82

• Frost Nova (W)
  • Cooldown reduced from 10 to 8 seconds
  • Damage reduced from 212 to 180

• Master of the Cold Dark (Trait)
  • First reward no longer grants cooldown reduction
  • First reward now grants the Glacial Spike ability
  • Duration reduced from 4 to 3 seconds

• Frost Blast (R)
  • Damage increased from 100 to 115
  • Minimum speed increased from 1 to 5
    • This matches the starting speed of Pyroblast

• Shadow Fissure (R)
  • Damage reduced from 400 to 360
  • Cooldown reduced from 20 to 16 seconds
  • Mana cost reduced from 60 to 45

Talents 

• Level 1
  • Blighted Frost (W)
    • Bonus damage increased from 50 to 75%

• Level 4
  • Strip Shields (E)
    • Shield amount increased from 120 to 128

• Level 7
  • Glacial Spike (Active)
    • Removed
  • New Talent: Ice Cold (1)
    • Reduce the cooldown of Glacial Spike by 5 seconds and increase its damage by 250%
  • Accelerated Decay (Q)
    • Bonus damage decreased from 25 to 20%

• Level 13
  • Chain-Link (E)
    • Now only requires 1 Hero to be pulled by Chains of Kel’thuzad
    • Cooldown reduction increased from 4 to 5 seconds
  • Icy Grasp (W)
    • New functionality:
      • Increase the slow of Frost Nova by 10%.  Each time Kel’thuzad deals damage to enemy Heroes that are slowed by Frost Nova, its duration is increased by .5 seconds

• Level 16
  • Arcane Echoes (Q)
    • Cooldown reduction increased from 1.25 to 1.5 seconds
  • Hungering Cold (W)
    • Adjusted functionality:
      • Enemies that are rooted take an additional 55 damage each time they are damaged by Kel'Thuzad

Developer Comment: These changes to Kel’thuzad are being made with two goals in mind.  Our first goal, which is in line with many changes we make, is to improve talent diversity.  We’ve moved Glacial Spike into his baseline first quest reward, which should both help his Level 7 talent choices as well as open up new build possibilities with the increased flexibility on that tier.  Second, we want to slightly reduce his variance and increase his reliability.  We’ve moved most of his cooldown reduction reward baseline, and with Glacial Spike being his first quest reward, he can now combo enemy Heroes anywhere in the field, without needing to rely purely on having other enemy Heroes or structures nearby.  In exchange for this, we’ve removed some of his burst damage and the ability to use Chains of Kel'Thuzad on structures.  While chaining enemy Heroes to structures made for some cool moments, it could be oppressive to play against, particularly on maps with large pushing objectives like the Punisher on Infernal Shrines. 

RAYNOR

Stats

• Basic Attack Damage increased from 92 to 103
• Basic Attack Damage scaling reduced from 5 to 4%

Talents

• Level 1
  • Ace In The Hole (Passive)
    • Damage bonus reduced from 20 to 15%
• Level 13
  • Giddy-Up (W)
    • Bonus baseline Movement Speed reduced from 10 to 8%
• Level 16
  • Paint Them Red (Q)
    • Healing done from Penetrating Round decreased from 100 to 90%

TYCHUS

Stats

• Basic Attack damage increased from 48 to 50

Talents

• Level 16
  • Lead Rain (Q)
    • Slow increased from 20 to 30% 

SPECIALIST

AZMODAN

Talents

• Level 1
  • Greed (Q)
    • Quest completion 20% damage bonus now applies to all non-heroic targets, not just Minions and Mercs.
  • Wrath (Q)
    • Quest completion bonus damage reduced from 100 to 75% of Annihilation value.
• Level 4
  • Hellforged Armor (W/D)
    • Armor bonus reduced from 30 to 25
• Level 16
  • Total Annihilation (Q)
    • Damage reduced from 5 to 4% of target’s maximum Health
  • Hell Rift (E)
    • Demon Warrior buff duration reduced from 6 to 5 seconds

SUPPORT

DECKARD

Talents

• Level 13
  • Ancient Blessings (Trait)
    • Damage reduced from 68 to 62
    • Healing reduced from 100 to 90
  • Potion of Revival (Q)
    • Healing increased from 30 to 35%
  • Super Healing Potion (Q)
    • Healing bonus increased from 75 to 80%
• Level 20
  • Bottomless Flask (Q)
    • Recharge time increased from 6 to 8 seconds

LI LI

Abilities

• Cloud Serpent (W)
  • No longer has a cast time (Currently .25) and no longer cancels existing move orders.

Talents

• Level 13
  • Gale Force (E)
    • Blind duration bonus reduced from 1 to .75 seconds
• Level 20
  • Mistweaver (Active)
    • Heal reduced from 165 to 149

LT. MORALES

Abilities

• Healing Beam (Q)
  • No longer cancels existing move orders.
• Safeguard (W)
  • No longer cancels existing move orders.

STUKOV

Stats

• Base Maximum Health increased from 1682 to 1765
• Health Regeneration increased from 3.5 to 3.7
• Basic Attack damage increased from 249 to 261

Talents

• Level 4
  • Vigorous Reuptake (Trait)
    • Bonus Healing increased from 25 to 30%

WHITEMANE

Talents

• Level 1
  • Clemency (W)
    • Passive cooldown reduction increased from 3 to 4 seconds
• Level 4
  • Unwavering Faith (Q)
    • Desperate Plea Mana cost reduction decreased from 30 to 15
  • High Inquisitor (W)
    • Mana return per Desperation stack increased from 60 to 75
  • Indulgence (E)
    • Secondary lash Mana return reduced from 30 to 25
• Level 16
  • Radiance (Q)
    • Heal amount reduced from 200 to 175
• Level 20
  • Judgment Day (R)
    • Damage bonus reduced from 50 to 30%

WARRIOR

ARTANIS

Talents

• Level 4
  • Psionic Synergy (E)
    • Armor amount increased from 15 to 20
• Level 20
  • Plasma Burn (Trait)
    • Damage increased from 60 to 70

SONYA

Talents

• Level 4
  • Shattered Ground (W)
    • Splash damage bonus reduced from 75 to 100%
• Level 16
  • Giant Slammer (W)
    • New Functionality:
      • Seismic Slam and Basic Attacks deal 1.25% of the target’s Maximum Health as bonus damage

BUG FIXES

General

• Fixed an issue that could cause Damage Reduction visual effects to persist indefinitely.

Heroes, Abilities, and Talents

• Cassia: Fixed an issue that could cause Valkyrie to fail to pull its target if Cassia entered movement commands in the direction opposite the pull.
• Kel’Thuzad: Fixed some confusing wording in the tooltip for the Hungering Cold talent.

[Morcalivan 86]

The non-heroes description for Greed was actually already in-game under the talent summary, but when you looked at the description it was just minions and mercs. The patch should add value on Infernal Shrines. Though it's pushing ability was already pretty good. It may also have value on Alterac Pass now versus the Cavalry.

The Wrath change is confusing. Gluttony is the better performer. Maybe more people are surviving long enough to use it more often due to the demon warriors, or maybe they're landing globes and timing auto attacks better?

Total Annihilation nerf is understandable. The Hell Rift nerf not so much. While I'm sure stats show taking it results in more pushes, I doubt it's due to the 1 second difference and more due to the mindset of the player taking siege themed talents. Azmodan has all he needs to push lanes hard without taking talents for it after all. He just directs himself towards enemies or structures more often based on those choices when played. They could have buffed Master of Destruction instead when it comes to ASB talents. It is the one truly bad and worthless talent in his whole set. It's the only one that truely adds no value in taking it. Not just a case of there being 'better' talents. But just a wasted pick. It needs some kind of benefit for the full channel that affects the target itself, like a slow, reduced armour, greater damage, stun, etc. Anything to give it value since Stacks aren't it and the area damage rarely damages anything at all. Only in a Merc setting does it deal area damage, and it's rather minimal.

[Ssheuss 5]

I am very displeased ? Chromie has like 35% win rate and you buffed her very very softly. 

Unwavering Faith (Q) was already a "meh" talent now its totally useless High Inquisitor (W)  

 will be now must-have....

I understand Azmodan and deckard nerf,Stukov is for me now just a mess needing rework,just like chromie and making his health bigger does not help a bit :/. 

Only good thing here is maybe Kel´thuzad....maybe ?

[lChronosl 182]

Yay, now my Li Li will never have to stop moving again!

_{Since her AA damage is so low nowadays after her last rework that even stutter stepping had little benefit...}?

Edited August 22, 2018 by lChronosl

[ArtVandelay 24]

Yeah, I don't understand the Lili nerf.  She was already a very fringe support pick (only against AA reliant comps).

[ExorionAether 11]

More buffs for Artanis, I like.
Dunno if the buff to Psyonic Synergy will make it an equal alternative choice to Shield Battery but I won't complain about buffs, no matter how small. Better than constant nerfs, am I right?

Not so sure why Tychus recieved his two new mini-buffs (although I won't complain), maybe someone can enlighten me.

[Aasgier 36]

Chromie: Well, no one can say she didn't need buffs, but the rework did not fix her biggest problems (Traps, Time Loop). Changing those would open up real room to buff her.

KTZ: No experience with playing him but he'll at least be less annoying to face. However, his combo, while harder to land, can be used even more often and even Li Li's 40 second Cleanse can no longer bail someone out of it.

Raynor: Needed nerfs.

Tychus: Buffs. I think he could use those, especially the Lead Rain buff, as that talent was quite overshadowed.

Azmodan: Changes make sense, but it's needless to say that this is probably not enough.

Deckard: I think the changes overall are a good thing when compared to other supports, but I am quite concerned about the overall current strength of Supports and nerfing their strongest talents isn't going to help.

Li Li: Baseline quality of life improvement and a buff, but level 13 and 20 nerfs. Li Li already had a relatively small level 20 Power Spike and that became even worse. Blizzard, you drunk?

Lt. Morales: Quality of Life improvement.

Stukov: Buffs. He won't be as good as Deckard even with these, but he's at least back to being Alexstrasza tier, which is good.

Whitemane: No comment, having seen too little of her as well as not owning her, I won't judge those changes.

Artanis: Buffs to certain talents. I assume these were the worst talents?!

Sonya: Buffing her Slam build was not that bad of an idea, considering no one ever took those talents. Makes sense.

[lChronosl 182]

Also, does anyone know when are they planning on reducing the shards price of the Vyper skins? I just got 1600 to buy my Imperator Stukov just to find out the price is still 2400...

Edited August 22, 2018 by lChronosl

[Morcalivan 86]

When new stuff comes out, old stuff rotates in pricing, if they allow it to be purchased.

Testing Greed now that it's non-heroes. Not too bad. It does better on Plants and Cavalry and defending against later game bosses, which neither Gluttony nor Wrath can benefit from globing unless a hero is hugging it already.

[CyberDVonaven 82]

7 hours ago, Morcalivan said:

 

Edited August 23, 2018 by CyberDVonaven
tried to remove this post all together to replace with different one... it's being stubborn.

[SteveFrost 97]

The nerfs to Raynor were pretty spot on except the one to Paint Them Red, feels rather insignificant.

Stukov already hit like a truck, even with the talent that decreased basic attack damage, but made him ranged AND with a slow lul

[CyberDVonaven 82]

13 hours ago, Stan said:

13 hours ago, Stan said:

Greed (Q)

• Quest completion 20% damage bonus now applies to all non-heroic targets, not just Minions and Mercs.

I'll assume Azmo's 'Greed' does the bonus dmg on completion to structures now too then. Since other talents that do bonus dmg to 'all non-heroic targets' will also do that bonus dmg to structures as well. So now Greed is good for more sieging dmg too.

Edited August 23, 2018 by CyberDVonaven

[Morcalivan 86]

Still best to Globe the minion waves so that your demons can do structure damage. If the structures are included in that then sure, bonus. But the globe only does around twice that of a basic attack before stacks at the start. Stacks don't level up like the base numbers do either, so it's not even a case of doing triple damage at full stacks. It is tempting when trying to push to globe them, but the long cooldown can rob you of that minion wave wipe that keeps your minions attacking forts. Minions/demons/all shall burn is still your top siege combo to take towers in a few seconds. So best to clear their way.

[SleepySheepy 41]

16 hours ago, Morcalivan said:

...

The Wrath change is confusing. Gluttony is the better performer. Maybe more people are surviving long enough to use it more often due to the demon warriors, or maybe they're landing globes and timing auto attacks better?

...

Wrath was best, easiest to build up in 4 man, which is where he should be now and added to burst.

16 hours ago, Ssheuss said:

...

Unwavering Faith (Q) was already a "meh" talent now its totally useless 

...

Unwavering Faith was the best, where did you get it was worst? It's what allowed you to spam Qs everywhere, which made it even more insane with level 16 that healed everyone with zeal if you had 3 desperation.
Not sure if you tried it actually, but I did, by far was best.

Edited August 23, 2018 by SleepySheepy
Clarity

[SleepySheepy 41]

Patch notes have multiple mistakes, but most important one I've seen is about Glacial Spike and Chains.
It says duration under Glacial Spike, yet in game, Chains have there grace period reduced to 3s (hate that change).
Since you should always start with Chain on person, then Glacial Spike which explodes after 4s, it makes it so new talent damage part is garbage... Unless you want to use it for waveclear.

[Erathis 53]

On 8/23/2018 at 6:23 AM, SleepySheepy said:

Unwavering Faith was the best, where did you get it was worst? It's what allowed you to spam Qs everywhere, which made it even more insane with level 16 that healed everyone with zeal if you had 3 desperation.
Not sure if you tried it actually, but I did, by far was best.

Agreed, Unwavering was hands down the best pick before and still works just as well post nerf (though my testing was using it with a primary E build, not a focused Q build).  High Inquisitor can be set up to get you a lot of mana back but Unwavering Faith removes the need for mana entirely on top of giving you an emergency shield.  Honestly it's still the only level 4 talent for her IMO.