Deathwing Abilities and Strategy
Welcome to our Abilities page for Deathwing. Here, we give you an overview of every ability in Deathwing's kit. For each of them, we explain what it does, how to best use it, and how it works in combination with Deathwing's other abilities. We also give you strategy tips to play Deathwing efficiently.
Deathwing's Tips and Tricks
- Most of your damaging abilities have a significant casting delay until they hit. Take this into consideration and aim accordingly.
- Deathwing can only restore lost Armor Plates by using Dragonflight.
- On push-heavy maps such as Tomb of the Spider Queen or Towers of Doom, Burn Beneath My Shadow at Level 10 is a good choice. Use Cataclysm shortly before a Structure is about to fall to maximize value of the talent.
- When fighting melee Heroes, Destroyer Form is recommended. Against ranged Heroes, World Breaker's long distance abilities have an edge.
- Despite Deathwing being such a massive combatant, it is often wiser to avoid direct combat and reposition him globally via Dragonflight and push a lane away from the enemy team.
Molten Flame
- Cooldown: 3 seconds
After 1.5 seconds, Deathwing breathes a stream of flame, dealing 21 (+4% per level) damage every 0.125 seconds. Drains 30 Energy per second.
Molten Flame is a Basic Ability that deals a lot of damage to all foes standing in its area.
Deathwing cannot move or cast other Abilities while channeling it, so be sure to not be in a dangerous position before using it.
Keep in mind that Molten Flame consumes a lot of Energy, preventing Deathwing from using other Abilities for a few seconds if you channel it for 3 seconds.
We recommend using Molten Flame after enemies have been locked down in place by friendly crowd control to maximize its value.
Remember that you can use it while sieging as it deals damage to enemy Structures as well.
Incinerate
- Mana: 20
- Cooldown: 4 seconds
After 0.75 seconds, Deathwing flaps his wings, dealing 65 (+4% per level) damage to nearby enemies.
World Breaker: Lava Burst
Create a lava pool that damages and Slows.
Incinerate is a Basic Ability available only when Deathwing is in Destroyer Form that, after a short delay, deals damage to everyone in a relatively big area around Deathwing.
While it does not deal a large amount of damage itself, both the cooldown and the Energy cost are relatively low and as such Incinerate can be use whenever available, especially if Deathwing is surrounded by multiple enemies.
Lava Burst
- Mana: 15
- Cooldown: 6 seconds
After a 1 second delay, deal 30 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies in an area and create a pool of magma that deals 24 (+4% per level) damage per second and Slows enemies by 35%. Lasts 6 seconds.
Destroyer: Incinerate
Damage enemies near Deathwing.
Lava Burst is a Basic Ability available only when Deathwing is in the World Breaker Form that, after a short delay, spawns a small lava pool in a target area that damages and Slows enemies inside.
Thanks to its cooldown and duration being the same, you can easily use Lava Burst as a powerful zoning tool that will force enemy Heroes to choose between taking damage and changing path.
Onslaught
- Mana: 20
- Cooldown: 5 seconds
After 0.5 seconds, Deathwing lunges in a direction dealing 38 (+4% per level) damage to enemies and Slowing them by 35% for 2 seconds. Deathwing bites enemies at the end of the lunge, dealing an additional 72 (+4% per level) damage.
World Breaker: Earth Shatter
Damage and Stun enemies in two lines.
Onslaught is a Basic Ability available only when Deathwing is in Destroyer Form that, after a short delay, makes Deathwing lunge in the chosen direction.
While it does not make Deathwing faster at traveling from a point to another, Onslaught is the only reliable source of mobility that Deathwing has access to. Use it as a form of engage, to dodge enemy Abilities, or to quickly disengage.
Earth Shatter
- Mana: 25
- Cooldown: 12 seconds
Create a fissure of earth that deals 90 (+4% per level) damage to enemies hit and Stuns them for 0.75 seconds.
Destroyer: Onslaught
Lunge in a direction.
Earth Shatter is a Basic Ability available only when Deathwing is in the World Breaker Form which creates two fissures on the ground that damage and Stun enemies hit.
You can use it to interrupt enemy Heroes who are trying to channel an Ability.
Cataclysm
- Heroic
- Cooldown: 90 seconds
After 2 seconds, Deathwing flies in the targeted direction, dealing 90 (+4% per level) damage on impact and leaving scorched ground that deals 36 (+4% per level) damage a second. Lasts 6 seconds.
Cataclysm is a Heroic Ability that, after 2 seconds of delay, makes Deathwing fly over a wide and long area, dealing damage to enemies who touch that zone during the next 6 seconds.
To avoid that enemy Heroes will simply walk out from the fire, use Cataclysm in conjunction with crowd control provided by the rest of your team and/or when the enemy team is near a choke point.
As good as Cataclysm is when used offensively, sometimes using it defensively to escape an enemy assault can be the wisest approach. Not only will Deathwing fly a considerable distance away, but he can even fly over impassable terrain to completely deny the enemy team any chance to take him down. When using it this way, it is crucial to anticipate its cast time to compensate the huge delay it has before actually going off.
Deathwing can use this Heroic Ability from Level 1, but it will have almost 4 minutes of cooldown when the game starts.
Aspect of Death
- Passive
Deathwing is fitted with 4 Armor Plates which grant 10 Armor each. Every 25% Health lost causes Deathwing to lose a plate. Plates are only restored when Dragonflight is used, based on the amount of Health Deathwing has when landing.
Deathwing is also a mighty Dragon Aspect who is permanently Unstoppable and deals 100% additional Spell Damage to Heroes, but views his allies with contempt and ignores any of their friendly effects.
Aspect of Death is a Trait that is a unique mechanic that provides Deathwing with a surprising amount of survivability on the battlefield. Every 25% health lost causes him to lose one Armor Plate, lowering Deathwing's innate Armor by 10. The lost Armor can only be rebuilt when Dragonflight is used and Deathwing restores health while up in the air.
Due to his massive dragon body, Aspect of Death also causes Deathwing to be immune to any form of enemy crowd control at the cost of also ignoring any form of allied buffs and healing.
Form Switch
Switches Deathwing between Destroyer and World Breaker forms, each granting access to two unique Basic Abilities.
Incinerate damages enemies around Deathwing and Onslaught allows him to lunge at enemies.
Lava Burst creates a Slowing area and Earth Shatter Stuns enemies in two lines.
Form Switch is a Basic Ability that, after 2 seconds of delay, makes Deathwing switch from Destroyer Form to World Breaker Form, or the other way around.
We strongly recommend avoiding to use Form Switch while surrounded by enemy Heroes as you will take unnecessary damage during its initial delay.
Dragonflight
- Cooldown: 45 seconds
After 3 seconds, fly into the sky, becoming Immune to all effects and gaining 2.5% Health per second. Once cast, this ability cannot be interrupted. Cannot be cast for 4 seconds after taking damage, Basic Attacking or casting an Ability.
Dragonflight is a Mount replacement Ability that, after 3 seconds of delay, allows Deathwing to fly in the air for 8 seconds or more. During that time, Deathwing regenerates 2.5% maximum Health per second. Once that time is over, Deathwing will be able to land wherever he has vision by using either Destroyer or World Breaker. Deathing's Form after landing will be based on which Ability has been used to land.
Before landing, remember that you will not be able to use any Ability for 4 seconds after landing, and keep in mind that Destroyer Form is better when Deathwing is fighting at melee range and World Breaker Form is better when fighting from the distance, therefore you should avoid landing with World Breaker in the middle of the enemy team.
Changelog
- 08 Oct. 2020: Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
- 26 Nov. 2019: Added Deathwing to the Heroes section.
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Elitesparkle is a multiple times Master player in Europe who plays Heroes of the Storm since its release. He is an active member of the community who likes to teach new and veteran players all he knows about his favorite game.
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