Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard’s MOBA, has received a new patch, focused on balance. The update will rework Blaze, one of the tanks in the game, to give a popular ability earlier in the game. Blizzard also highlighted changes to Muradin Storm Bolt and Stitches getting nerfed, in addition to some bug fixes.
Heroes of the Storm combines iconic Blizzard characters from across all of its games, putting characters from Diablo, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and more together on a single battlefield. Sometimes, it even has skins so characters can cosplay as each other, like a Soldier 76 skin for Starcraft’s Jim Raynor. The game has been on Blizzard’s back burner since 2018 when the company decided to cancel its esports tournaments and move developers onto other titles.
The June 15 balancing patch provides changes to 12 heroes in addition to some bug fixes. You can read the full notes on Blizzard’s website or below:
HEROES OF THE STORM BALANCE PATCH NOTES – JUNE 15, 2021
General
- Loan Talents have been renamed to Gambit Talents.
Heroes
Tank
Blaze
Base
- Flame Stream [Q]
- Additionality functionality: Hitting an enemy with both streams of Flame Stream deals 120 damage. This additional hit triggers Flame Stream’s Pyromania cooldown reduction.
Talents
- Level 1
- New Habits [D]
- Pyromania cooldown reduction from Regeneration Globes reduced from 8 to 6 seconds.
- Level 7
- Crossfire [Q]
- Suppressive Fire [Q]
- Nanomachine Coating [W]
- Fuel Leak [E]
- Level 13
- Grill and Kill [W]
- Moved from Level 7.
- Changed functionality: Ignited Oil Spill damage bonus now granted instantly.
- Ignited Oil Spill damage bonus increased from 35% to 45%.
- Hero hits for quest completion reduced from 60 to 30.
- Quest Reward Ignite duration increased from 2 to 2.5 seconds.
- Adhesive Petroleum [W]
- Moved from Level 7.
- Additional functionality: Enemies standing in Oil Spill when its Ignited take 35% more Basic Attack damage from Blaze for 3 seconds.
- (New) Collision Course [E]
- Jet Propulsion deals an additional 325 damage to its collision target.
Developer Comment: Crossfire has always been a wildly popular talent, so we’re bringing it baseline. With this early addition of damage, we’re comfortable pushing back his damage talent tier and swapping it with his impactful tanking talents.
Garrosh
Base
- Into the Fray [Active]
- Moved from Level 7.
- Armor reduced from 25 to 20.
Talents
- Level 7
- Intimidation [Q]
- Attack Speed reduction reduced from 40% to 30%.
- Oppressor [W]
- Changed from a Passive talent to a Bloodthirst [W] talent.
- Spell Power reduction reduced from 40% to 30%.
- Additional functionality: Bloodthirst also applies the Spell Power reduction.
- (New) Lok-tar Ogar! [Active]
- Increase Into the Fray Armor by 20.
- Into the Fray’s cooldown is reduced by 12 seconds for each enemy Hero hit.
Developer Comment: Into the Fray has become a crucial part of what is expected from Garrosh, so we’re just giving in to the mad Warchief. We’re also mildly lowering the power of his level 7 talents to make up for this addition.
Johanna
Base
- Iron Skin [D]
- Shield increased from 674 to 810.
Talents
- Level 4
- Hold Your Ground [D]
- Shield percent increase reduced from 60% to 40%.
- Level 7
- Sins Exposed [Q]
- Healing reduction increased from 25% to 35%.
- Steed Charge [D]
- Cooldown reduced from 30 to 20 seconds.
- Level 10
- Falling Sword [R1]
- Damage Increased from 150 to 225.
- Level 13
- Holy Fury [Passive]
- Periodic damage increased from 12 to 15.
Developer Comment: Hold Your Ground’s talent tier has some competitive options, but it still feels more necessary than we’d like. We’re baking in some of its benefit, and those who love the talent will still have its current power – Hold Your Ground’s shield is increasing from 1078.4 to 1134. Johanna has landed fairly well, so we’re also lightly helping some of her weaker talents.
Muradin
Base
- Storm Bolt [Q]
- Adjusted functionality: No longer has a baseline Quest. Upon reaching level 10, Storm Bolt pierces an additional target. Basic Attacks reduce the Cooldown of Storm Bolt by 1 second and restore 3 Mana.
Talents
- Level 1
- Perfect Storm [Q]
- New functionality:
- Quest: Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes increase Storm Bolt’s damage by .5.
- Quest: If an enemy Hero is killed within 3 seconds of being hit by a Storm Bolt, increase Storm Bolt’s damage by 10.
Developer Comment: We have never been really happy with Storm Bolt having a baseline quest as it causes players to play sub-optimally during the early portions of the game while stacking. Instead of removing the power of it, we have decided to automatically unlock its functionality when Muradin hits level 10. Alongside this change, we also took the opportunity to redesign Perfect Storm to reward both aggression and the proper use of Storm Bolt.
Stitches
Base
- Vile Gas [D]
- Duration increased from 3 to 4 seconds.
Talents
- Level 1
- Hungry For More [Passive]
- Maximum Health bonus reduced from 30 to 25.
- Level 4
- Playtime! [W]
- Slam Inner Area cooldown reduction increased from 1 to 1.5 seconds.
- Vile Cleaver [D]
- Additional functionality: Slam applies Vile Gas to all targets hit.
- Tenderizer [Passive]
- Healing reduced from 2% to 1.75%.
- Level 7
- Serrated Edge [Q]
- Hook cooldown reduction reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Putrefaction [Trait]
- Healing reduction increased from 30% to 40%.
- Vile Gas healing increased from 60% to 75%.
- Level 13
- Meat Hook [Q]
- Healing per second reduced from 5% to 4%.
- Duration increased from 4 to 5 seconds.
- Chop Chop [Q/Trait]
- Duration reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Attack Speed bonus reduced from 50% to 40%.
- Additional functionality: Basic Attacks against Heroes refresh the duration.
- Level 16
- Digestive Juices [E]
- Devour cooldown reduction reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Damage reduction duration reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Level 20
- Hungry Hungry Stitches [R2]
- Additional functionality: Heroes are Slowed by 75% for 1 second after Gorge ends.
- Master Hooker [Q]
- Hook cooldown reduction reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Healing reduction reduced from 100% to 75%.
Developer Comment: Stitches is successfully lumbering his way through the Nexus in his own way – with a massive health pool and lots of healing. We think a small reduction on both ends will be healthy without tripping him up. We’re also reducing his Hook cooldown reduction on both Serrated Edge and Master Hooker, so Stitches will have to work harder to play with his food.
Bruiser
Imperius
Base
- Basic Attack
- Damage increased from 122 to 126.
- Solarion’s Fire [W]
- Damage increased from 100 to 110.
Talents
- Level 4
- Battle Hunger [Trait]
- Bonus healing increased from 70% to 80%.
- Level 7
- Blaze of Glory [W]
- Damage increased from 150 to 185.
- Holy Fervor [Active]
- Additional functionality: Casting Molten Armor grants Holy Fervor for 2 Basic Attacks.
- Level 20
- Unrelenting Descend [R2]
- Additional functionality: Descending from the Heavens restores Imperius for 30% of his maximum Health and Mana.
Developer Comment: Flash of Anger has overshadowed Imperius’ other level 7 talents for a while, as it was the premier option for both AoE damage and survivability. With buffs to both Blaze of Glory and Holy Fervor, along with a sizable increase in base power, we hope to see more Imperius action.
Healer
Anduin
Base
- Pursued By Grace [D]
- Healing increased from 26 to 32.
- Flash Heal [Q]
- Mana cost reduced from 25 to 20.
- Healing increased from 270 to 280.
- Chastise [E]
- Cooldown reduced from 10 to 9 seconds.
Talents
- Level 1
- Evenhanded Blessings [Q]
- Healing bonus increased from 10 to 15%.
- Lightwell [Active]
- Cooldown reduced from 80 to 75 seconds.
- Individual healing cooldown reduced from 1 to .875 seconds.
- Level 4
- Surge of Light [E]
- Cooldown reduction increased from .5 to .75 seconds.
- Level 7
- Binding Heal [Q]
- Healing increased from 115 to 135.
- Desperate Prayer [Active]
- Cooldown reduced from 40 to 35 seconds.
- Healing increased from 360 to 375.
- Level 16
- Renew [Q]
- Healing per second increased from 26 to 30.
- Duration increased from 5 to 6 seconds.
- (New) Inner Focus [Active]
- New functionality:
- Activate to reset the cooldown of Flash Heal and its next cast heals for 25% more.
- Damaging enemy Heroes reduces this cooldown by 1 second.
- 20 second cooldown.
Developer Comment: Anduin is performing a little lower than we’d like, so we’re buffing his base power as well as his under picked talents. Players have asked for Inner Focus, so we’re returning it with a slightly different flavor – please let us know how this feels to play with.
Brightwing
Base
- Soothing Mist [D]
- Healing increased from 105 to 115.
- Cooldown reduced from 100 to 90 seconds.
- Phase Shift [Z]
- Cooldown reduced from 50 to 40 seconds.
Talents
- Level 1
- Hyper Shift [Z]
- Cooldown reduction reduced from 1.5 to 1 second.
- Level 7
- Peekaboo! [Z]
- Shield duration reduced from 5 to 4 seconds.
- Critical Mist [D]
- Heal bonus increased from 100% to 140%.
- Level 13
- Pixie Boost [E]
- Initial Move Speed bonus increased from 40% to 50%.
- Level 20
- Intensive Winds [R2]
- Changed functionality: No longer increases Emerald Winds’ Mana cost.
- Faerie Protector [Active]
- Additional functionality: [Passive] – Pixie Dust always bounces back and applies to Brightwing.
- Speedy Dragon [Passive]
- Additional functionality: Reduce Phase Shift’s cast time to 1 second.
Developer Comment: We’d prefer a Brightwing that isn’t as dependent on Hyper Shift, so we’re reducing its cooldown reduction alongside Phase Shift’s base cooldown. While we’re here we’re sprucing up Brightwing’s level 20 talents, so Brightwing is ready for some new friends!
Stukov
Talents
- Level 1
- Fetid Touch [W]
- Additional functionality: Basic Attacks become ranged and Slow enemies by 15% for 1.5 seconds but deal 50% less damage.
- Reactive Ballistospores [Active]
- Adjusted functionality:
- Activate: Instantly spread a Weighted Pustule to all nearby enemy Heroes (60 Second cooldown).
- Passive: While below 50% maximum Health, Bio Kill-Switch cooldown refreshes 150% faster.
- Low Blow [E]
- Additional functionality: Lurking Arm persists for an additional 1 second after it is cancelled.
- Spine Launcher [Passive]
- Level 4
- Biotic Armor [Q]
- Physical Armor from activating Bio-Kill Switch from 75 to 50.
- Level 7
- Targeted Excision [D]
- Activating Bio Kill-Switch while exactly 1 enemy Hero is affected by Weighted Pustule now sets your Bio Kill-Switch to 8 seconds instead of 5.
- Level 13
- Lingering Spines [E]
- Virulent Reaction [D]
- Root duration from 2 to 1.5 seconds.
Developer Comment: Stukov had a couple of fun talents that were being overshadowed by stronger and/or more synergistic ones. We didn’t want to lose their flavor, so we baked their current functionality into existing talents that were in need of a little love themselves.
Ranged Assassin
Orphea
Talents
- Level 1
- En Pointe [Q]
- Additional functionality: Hitting Heroes with the end of Shadow Waltz grants an additional 1 Chaos.
- Growing Nightmare [E]
- Changed functionality: Initial damage bonus changed from Dread’s eruption to both Dread’s wave and eruption.
- Initial damage bonus increased from 40% to 50%.
- Quest reward damage bonus increased from 25% to 50%.
- Level 20
- Monster Within [R1]
- Additional functionality: Cooldown reduction continues for 5 seconds after Eternal Feast ends.
- Engulfing Oblivion [R2]
- Armor reduction increased from 25 to 50.
- Final Toccata [Active]
- Duration reduced from 6 to 5 seconds.
- Additional functionality: Dashing increases Final Toccata’s duration by 1 second.
Developer Comment: Orphea players have correctly recognized the power of both Ancestral Strength (level 1) and Eldritch Conduit (level 20). Therefore, we’re buffing their competitors and seeing what happens.
Raynor
Base
- Basic Attack
- Damage increased from 92 to 98.
- Penetrating Round [Q]
- Damage increased from 190 to 205.
Talents
- Level 1
- Ace in the Hole [Trait]
- Talent changed from [Q] to [Trait].
- Changed functionality: Damage bonus now affects all Raynor’s damage.
- Damage bonus reduced from 25% to 10%.
- Level 20
- Execute Orders [Passive]
- Execute Orders is no longer able to be picked in ARAM games.
Developer Comment: Jimmy ain’t fought his last battle yet. We’re returning Ace in the Hole to its original functionality, mostly in response to player sentiment, but also to open up a Basic Attack build that isn’t Gambit dependent. As always, thanks for your feedback! We have decided to remove Execute Orders from ARAMs, as we think even a less powerful version is still not healthy for the game mode.
Valla
Talents
- Level 1
- Puncturing Arrow [Q]
- Damage bonus per initial Hero hit increased from 6 to 7.
- Fire At Will [W]
- Damage bonus per Hero hit decreased from 4 to 2.
- Additional functionality:
- Quest: After hitting 20 Heroes, gain 40 additional Multishot damage.
Developer Comment: Valla is still settling into her place in the Nexus, but it’s been clear that her Multishot is hitting too hard. We’re heavily reducing Fire At Will’s ability to scale, while giving it an early push of damage.
Bug Fixes
Heroes
- Anduin
- Renew’s effect is no longer lost by dying.
- Moral Compass’s range bonus is no longer lost by dying.
- Johanna
- Falling Sword no longer impacts enemy Heroes twice.
- Lúcio
- Mixing Fire’s cooldown reduction has been updated to match its tooltip.
- Malfurion
- Serenity no longer increases Tranquility’s duration.
- Serenity’s tooltip has been updated to match its increased healing.
- Ragnaros
- Meteor Bomb’s bonus damage is no longer lost by dying.
