Heroes of the Storm Balance Patch Notes - March 2, 2021

Official Patch Notes v 2.53.2

Heroes of the Storm has just been updated with Hero balance changes! Read on for details.

Heroes

TANK BRUISER HEALER MELEE ASSASSIN RANGED ASSASSIN
Diablo Artanis Alexstrasza Illidan Chromie
Mal'Ganis Hogger Li Li Falstad
Muradin Ragnaros Lucio Fenix
Tyrael Malfurion Mephisto
Whitemane Tracer

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Tank

Diablo

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Feast on Fear [Q/E]
      • Healing per second reduced from 4% to 2.5%.
      • Additional functionality: Now heals immediately when first applied.
  • Level 4
    • Sacrificial Soul [Q]
      • Base Armor reduced from 25 to 20.
      • Armor at 100 Souls reduced from 50 to 40.
      • Armor duration reduced from 4 to 3 seconds.
    • Life Leech [Passive]
      • Base healing reduced from 2% to 1.75%.
      • Healing at 100 Souls reduced from 4% to 3.5%.
  • Level 13
    • Hellfire [W]
      • Damage per second increased from 17 to 30.
  • Level 16
    • Debilitating Flames [W]
      • Slow per hit increased from 5% to 6%.
      • Slow amount required to affect damage dealt reduced from 25% to 24%.

Developer Comment: We're happy with the Lord of Terror's ability to wage wanton destruction, but we think he should do so at greater risk to himself. The hits to his survivability may be too heavy handed, in which case we are ready to grovel for Diablo's forgiveness and resolve it with our next update. While we're here, we had an excuse to tune up Fire Stomp's later tier talents.

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Mal'Ganis

Stats

  • Health increased from 2550 to 2600.
  • Health Regeneration increased from 5.31 to 5.41.
  • Basic Attack damage increased from 92 to 96.

Abilities

  • Fel Claws [Q]
    • Damage increased from 63 to 66.
  • Night Rush [E]
    • Cooldown reduced from 16 to 14 seconds.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Time to Feed [Passive]
      • Adjusted functionality: Mal'Ganis heals for 70 when damaging an enemy Hero. This can only occur every 6 seconds per enemy, but is also refreshed when they are Slept by Night Rush.
  • Level 4
    • Fueled by Torment [W]
      • Healing increased from 11 to 12.
    • Echo of Doom [W]
      • Damage increased from 66 to 68.
  • Level 7
    • Will of Tichondrius [Q]
      • Additional Stun duration increased from 0.25 seconds to 0.5 seconds.
    • Spreading Plague [E]
      • Damage increased from 30 to 33.
  • Level 13
    • Blood Rush [Trait]
      • Duration reduced from 8 to 6 seconds.
  • Level 16
    • Frenzied Assault [Passive]
      • Attack Speed duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
    • Blind as a Bat [Active]
      • Cooldown reduced from 80 to 60 seconds.
      • Cooldown reduction from final slash of Fel Claws reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
      • No longer sets Fel Claws on cooldown when it expires.

Developer Comment: Mal'Ganis has fallen off the list of tanks that are considered when drafting, and we hope this lift upwards leaves him on more solid footing. We also looked to level out the benefit from some underperforming talents, in particular Time to Feed now always heals for 80% of its previously conditional amount, and has a new bonus for Sleeping enemies. That said, Blood Rush has had a mild reduction in duration that should not be noticed while fighting, but will increase how often it is reset between scuffles.

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Muradin

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Perfect Storm [Q]
      • Damage bonus reduced from 5 to 4.
    • Dwarf Block [E]
      • Block charges no longer have a duration.
  • Level 4
    • Thunder Burn [W]
      • Damage increased from 50% to 75%.
  • Level 10
    • Avatar [R1]
      • Bonus Health reduced from 1053 to 1000.
  • Level 13
    • Bronzebeard Rage [Q]
      • Adjusted functionality: Deal 15 damage per second, healing for 75% of the damage dealt. Hitting an enemy Hero with Storm Bolt increases this damage by 200% for 3 seconds.
  • Level 16
    • Dwarf Launch [E]
      • Dwarf Toss cooldown reduction reduced from 3 to 2 seconds.

Developer Comment: Muradin has spent a long time being a consistent Tank, and has slowly drifted upwards in power. Sharpening Bronzebeard Rage should reduce Muradin's overall healing while allowing skillful play to earn a moment of its previous strength.

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Tyrael

Abilities

  • Archangel's Wrath [Trait]
    • Duration increased from 3.5 to 4 seconds.
    • Damage reduced from 550 to 450.
    • Movement Speed increased by 20%.
    • Additional functionality: Enemies within Archangel Wrath's radius deal 50% less damage. Enemies hit by Archangel's Wrath deal 50% less damage for 3 seconds.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Justice for All [W]
      • Shield bonus for allies increased from 75% to 80%.
    • Ardent Restoration [Passive]
      • Additional functionality: Quest: Every Regeneration Globe collected increases the heal-over-time effect by 1%.
  • Level 4
    • Stalwart Angel [Q]
      • Armor duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
    • Bound by Law [Q]
      • No longer increases El'Druin's Might's Slow.
      • Additional functionality: Every enemy Hero hit by El'Druin's Might heals Tyrael for 3% of his maximum Health.
    • Divine Vigor [E]
      • Basic Attack heal decreased from 75% to 70%.
  • Level 7
    • Reciprocate [W]
      • Shield expiration damage increased from 170 to 190.
  • Level 10
    • Sanctification [R2]
      • Cooldown reduced from 100 to 90 seconds.
  • Level 16
    • Horadric Reforging [Q]
      • Cooldown per Basic Attack increased from 1.5 to 2 seconds.

Developer Comment: There are so many things that we want to do with Tyrael in the future but for the time being we wanted to add some more utility to his Trait while adding some fun additions to some other under-performing Talents.

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Bruiser

Artanis

Abilities

  • Blade Dash [Q]
    • Initial damage increased from 57 to 63.

Talents

  • Level 4
    • Psionic Synergy [E]
      • Duration increased from 3 to 5 seconds.
  • Level 7
    • Solarite Reaper [Q]
      • Damage bonus increased from 150% to 175%.
  • Level 13
    • Graviton Vortex [E]
      • Phase Prism cooldown reduction increased from 1.75 to 2 seconds.

Developer Comment: Artanis has been finding more and more of his success by focusing on taking Basic Attack talents, so we're trying to even out his choices.

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Hogger

Abilities

  • Hogg Wild [E]
    • Damage reduced from 36 to 32.

Talents

  • Level 4
    • Brute Force [Q/Trait]
      • Damage bonus from hitting Heroes with Staggering Blow increased from 1 to 2.

Developer Comment: The last set of balance adjustments have left Hogger in a pretty good spot, but Hogg Wild's damage could stand to drop slightly.

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Ragnaros

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Sulfuras Hungers [Q]
      • Quest requirement reduced from 30 to 25.
      • Quest reward damage bonus increased from 90 to 100.
  • Level 7
    • Hand of Ragnaros [Q]
      • Adjusted functionality: If Empower Sulfuras hits 2 Heroes, refund 10 mana and its cooldown recharges 100% faster for 4 seconds.
  • Level 13
    • Cauterize Wounds [Q]
      • Healing increased from 40% to 45%.
  • Level 16
    • Meteor Bomb [W]
      • Additional functionality: Meteor Bomb deals an additional 30% damage near its center.

Developer Comment: These changes are simply looking to help out some weaker talents. Hand of Ragnaros is still providing the same benefit in the same situations as before, and now also helps Ragnaros recover from a swing that failed to meet its requirement.

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Healer

Alexstrasza

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Live and Let Live [Q]
      • Gift of Life's cooldown recharge increased from 100% to 125%.
    • Circle of Life [W]
      • Globes required for unlocking second tier quest reduced from 20 to 15.
  • Level 7
    • Lifeblossom [Q]
      • Additional functionality: Reduces the cost of Gift of Life to 10% maximum Health.
  • Level 16
    • Draconic Discipline [D]
      • Dragonqueen duration bonus reduced from 7 to 6 seconds.

Developer Comment: While our Dragon Queen's Talent Tree is in a pretty healthy spot, there were a couple of outliers that could be improved. On the opposite side Draconic Discipline was slightly stronger than we would like so we removed a second from the duration increase.

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Li Li

Abilities

  • Blinding Wind [E]
    • Additional functionality: Slows enemies hit by 15% for 1.5 seconds.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Serpent Sidekick [W]
      • Moved from level 4.
      • New functionality: Cloud Serpent no longer costs Mana and while Fast Feet is active its cooldown refreshes an additional 75% faster.
    • Eager Adventurer [Trait]
      • Duration and Mana Regeneration bonuses increased from 125% to 150%.
  • Level 4
    • Wind Serpent [W]
      • Moved from level 1.
      • New functionality: Cloud Serpent grants it bearer 10% increased Move Speed. Casting Blinding Wind increases this bonus to 20% for 3 seconds. Passive: Cloud Serpent attacks 25% faster.
    • Safety Sprint [Active/Trait]
      • New functionality: Activate to gain Fast Feet, 30 Armor, and 30% Movement Speed for 3 seconds. Passive: While Fast Feet is active, gain 10 Armor.
      • Cooldown increased from 25 to 30 seconds.
  • Level 7
    • Mass Vortex [E]
      • Moved from level 13.
    • Let's Go! [Active]
      • Healing amount increased from 140 to 160.
  • Level 10
    • Water Dragon [R2]
      • Cooldown increased from 45 to 50 seconds.
      • Mana cost increased from 50 to 60.
  • Level 13
    • Lightning Serpent [W]
      • Moved from level 7.
      • Bounce attack no longer requires Heroic targets.
    • Gale Force [E]
      • Basic Attack damage bonus increased from 75% to 100%.
    • Hindering Winds [E]
      • New functionality: Increase Blinding Wind's Slow amount to 30% and its duration to 2 seconds.
  • Level 16
    • Blessings Of Yu'lon [W]
      • New functionality: Cloud Serpent grants its bearer 10% increased healing received and heals them for 0.5% of their maximum health each time it attacks.
  • Level 20
    • Shake It Off (Trait)
      • New unctionality: Gain 35 Armor while Stunned, Silenced, or Rooted. Passive: Increase Fast Feet's cooldown refresh bonus to 75%.

Developer Comment: After a brief visit to far-away fields of eternal conflict, Li Li returns to the Nexus with a new-found penchant for friendship. We didn't like how mandatory the old Hindering Winds talent felt, so we made some of its functionality baseline and repositioned some Blinding Wind talents to make her 'offensive' build more potent. We've also redesigned many of Li Li's Cloud Serpent talents to make them more individually meaningful and to make the collective Cloud Serpent build have more of an identity and purpose of its own.

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Lucio

Talents

  • Level 10
    • High Five [R2]
      • Movement speed while skating to target increased by 25%.

Developer Comment: Let's gooooooooo!

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Malfurion

Talents

  • Level 1
    • All Level 1 Talents have been moved to Level 4.
    • Strangling Vines [E]
      • Removed.
    • New Talent: Emerald Dreams [E]
      • Entangling Roots Sleeps enemies for 2 seconds after its Root expires.
    • Deep Roots [E]
      • Quest: Hitting enemy Heroes with Entangling Roots permanently grants 10 Mana.
  • Level 4
    • All Level 4 Talents have been moved to Level 1.
    • Shan'do's Clarity [D]
      • Additional functionality: Gain an extra charge of Innervate.
  • Level 13
    • Hindering Moonfire
      • Slow duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.

Developer Comment: We decided to add an additional quest to Malf's Talent Tree and in doing so wanted to bring them online earlier in the game. Swapping the level 1 and 4 Talent tiers will allow players more time to stack their Broccoli...errrr, Treant damage or Mana Pool. On the same tier, Strangling Vines was always a bit of an oddball Talent so we decided to bring in something a bit more flavorful!

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Whitemane

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Righteous Flame [E]
      • Attack Speed bonus increased from 25% to 40%.
      • Attack Speed duration reduced from 4 to 3 seconds.
  • Level 4
    • Unwavering Faith [Q]
      • Attack Damage bonus from 15% to 20%.
  • Level 10
    • Scarlet Aegis [R1]
      • Heal increased from 250 to 300.
  • Level 13
    • Scarlet Wrath [Trait]
      • Duration bonus of Zeal for Basic Attacks increased from .5 to .75 seconds.
      • Cooldown reduction of Zeal Activation from Basic Attacks increased from 1 to 4 seconds.
  • Level 16
    • Radiance [Q]
      • Armor gain increased from 10 to 15.

Developer Comment: When Whitemane's rework first came out her Basic Attack build was slightly too strong and we pulled back on it quite a bit. Since then it has started to wane so we are giving back some of its previous punch.

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Melee Assassin

Illidan

Talents

  • Level 4
    • All Level 4 Talents have been moved to Level 7.
  • Level 7
    • All Level 7 Talents have been moved to Level 4.
    • Unbound [W]
      • Hero hits for quest completion reduced from 30 to 15.

Developer Comment: We don't mind when Illidan players prefer to shy away from teamfights earlier in the game, but we want to make sure it's not the only option. We're swapping his healing talent tier with his mobility talent tier to help achieve this.

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Ranged Assassin

Chromie

Abilities

  • Time Trap [E]
    • Health reduced from 500 to 400.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Once Again the First Time [Q]
      • Additional functionality: Quest reward increases Echo mimic damage from 40% to 45%.
    • Timewalker's Pursuit [Passive]
      • Area reveal duration increased from 2 to 4 seconds.
      • Spell Power reduced from 15% to 10%.
  • Level 2
    • Time Troubles [E]
      • Enemy Armor reduction reduced from 20 to 15.
      • Allied Armor increased from 20 to 30.
  • Level 5
    • A Proper Greeting [Passive]
      • Additional damage dealt reduced from 25% to 20%.
      • Duration reduced from 5 to 3 seconds.
  • Level 8
    • Slowing Sands [R1]
      • Mana cost increased from 3 to 5 per second.
      • Cast range reduced from 10 to 8.
  • Level 18
    • Unraveling [R1]
      • Spell Armor reduction increased from 7 to 10.

Developer Comment: We're seeing a trend of high level Chromie players combining easy and consistent talents. We like these talents, but we don't believe that they should continue to be the best options for our best players, so we're reducing their raw power. We're also increasing available counterplay for Time Trap and Slowing Sands.

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Falstad

Abilities

  • Hammerang [Q]
    • Hammerang damage reduced from 121 to 80.
    • Additional functionality: Hammerang can be reactivated mid-flight to explode, dealing 95 damage around the Hammer.
  • Lightning Rod [W]
    • Additional functionality: Lightning Rod deals 100% additional damage to Minions and Mercenaries.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Wingman [Active]
      • Removed.
    • Seasoned Marksman [Passive]
      • Removed.
    • Gathering Storm [Q]
      • Damage bonus per quest stack changed from 2 to 0.2%.
      • Mana refund reduced from 10 to 6.
      • Additional functionality: Quest progress is gained from Hammerang's explosion.
    • New Talent: Dishonorable Discharge [W]
      • Reduce Lightning Rod's cooldown by 3 seconds, and Takedowns reset its cooldown.
      • Quest: After 3 Lightning Rod strikes, subsequent strikes on enemy Heroes increases its damage by 1%, up to 75%.
    • New Talent: Frequent Flyer [Active]
      • Activate Frequent Flyer to gain 40% Attack Speed and Tailwind for 5 seconds.
      • Quest: Minion kills grant 0.2 Basic Attack Damage, and Hero Takedowns grant 0.5 Basic Attack Damage.
  • Level 7
    • BOOMerang [Q]
      • New functionality: Hammerang's explosion deals 75% additional damage, and reduces Spell Armor of enemy Heroes hit by 15 for 3 seconds.
  • Level 13
    • Giant Killer [Passive]
      • Removed.
    • New Talent: Sustained Winds [D]
      • Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes deal bonus damage equal to 1.5% of the Hero's maximum Health, increased to 2% while Tailwind is active.
  • Level 16
    • Crippling Hammer [Q]
      • Bonus Hammerang Slow reduced from 35% to 25%.
      • Additional functionality: Hammerang's explosion also Slows.

Developer Comment: For as long as Falstad has had the BOOMerang talent, there have been players that have wanted it to be a part of Falstad's base kit. So, we're giving it a try and seeing what happens! We've also altered early talents to be less reliant on slaying Minions to unlock their strength. While Falstad is no longer able to Bribe Mercenaries with Wingman, we hope the Lightning Rod bonus damage makes up for it.

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Fenix

Talents

  • Level 4
    • Inhibiting Energy [W]
      • New functionality: Every 10 seconds, your next Basic Attack with Phase Bomb active Slows targets hit by 60%, rapidly decaying over 1.5 seconds.
  • Level 13
    • Dampening Field [Trait]
      • Spell Armor increased from 25 to 30.
  • Level 16
    • Photonic Weaponry [Trait]
      • Damage bonus increased from 15% to 20%.
    • Arsenal Overcharge [Passive]
      • Additional functionality: Basic Attacks with Phase Bomb active reduce Ability cooldowns by .5 seconds per Hero hit.
  • Level 20
    • New Talent: Armageddon Beam [R2]
      • Planet Cracker's width increases by 100% over 1.5 seconds. Passive: Reduce the cooldown of Planet Cracker by 40 seconds.

Developer Comment: Get your side steps and shoop de whoops ready, cause there's a big new lazer in town. Overall, Fenix is in a good spot, but there are still some talents that are underperforming compared to other choices at their tier. We've also taken Inhibiting Energy in a new direction as the old version was a bit too inconsistent.

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Mephisto

Abilities

  • Skull Missile [Q]
    • Launch delay reduced from .75 to .625 seconds.
    • Missile speed increased from 17 to 19.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Unyielding Power [Q]
      • Adjusted functionality: Second tier quest reward now grants an additional charge of Skull Missile.
  • Level 7
    • Ghastly Armor [E]
      • Armor increased from 20 to 25.
  • Level 13
    • Abhorred Skull [Q]
      • Adjusted functionality: Skull Missile deals 40% more damage to Heroes under 50% health.

Developer Comment: Mephisto's Skull Missile talents are underperforming across the board, so we're looking to make the ability slightly more consistent baseline and injecting a little more power into its talents.

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Tracer

Abilities

  • Melee [W]
    • Pulse Bomb charge generation reduced from 6/12 to 5/10.
  • Pulse Bomb [R]
    • Target damage increased from 288 to 298.
    • AoE damage increased from 144 to 149.

Talents

  • Level 1
    • Parting Gift [E]
      • Number of bombs increased from 3 to 6.
      • Pulse Bomb Charge increased from 5 to 7 %.
      • Damage reduced from 250 to 240.
      • Added functionality: Heroes hit by bombs are also slowed by 60% for .75 seconds.
  • Level 4
    • Leeching Rounds [Trait]
      • New functionality: Increase the healing from Basic Attacks by up to 200%, increasing based on Tracer's missing health.
    • Is That a Health Pack?! [Passive]
      • New functionality: Collecting a Regen Globe instantly heals Tracer for 10% of her maximum Health and reduces the cooldown of Healing Fountain by 15 seconds.
      • New functionality: Drinking from a Healing Fountain instantly heals Tracer for 20% of her maximum Health.
  • Level 13
    • Untouchable [Q/Trait]
      • Maximum damage bonus reduced from 30 to 25%.
      • Movement speed bonus duration reduced from 2 to 1.5 seconds.
    • Jumper [Q]
      • Cooldown reduction increased from 125 to 150%.
      • Shield amount increased from 6 to 8% maximum Health.
    • Telefrag [E]
      • Cooldown reduction reduced from .3125 to .1875.
      • Damage increased from 160 to 175.
      • Added functionality: Tracer becomes Unkillable for 1 second after arriving at the recall location.

Developer Comment: Tracer's Recall talents are underperforming while a few other talents are overperforming, so we're making adjustments to both to even her out a bit.

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