Heroes of The Storm is Increasing Gold Gain, Adding New Maps

[Steven Bogos]

Heroes of The Storm is Increasing Gold Gain, Adding New Maps

A whole bunch of new Heroes of The Storm info was dropped at PAX East this year.

As well as announcing its the game being too expensive [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/140033-Heroes-of-the-Storm-Tournament-Will-Award-Winner-With-College-Tuition].

First, check out Sylvanas's debut trailer below:


Sylvanas is classified as a Specialist, but has abilities that are very close to an Assassin. Her abilities are as follows:

Passive - shuts down minions, towers, forts with auto-attacks.
Q - Withering Fire - Core ability ... fire while on the move, high amount of burst damage
W - Shadow Dagger - Damage over time, spreads from minion to minion.
E - Haunted Waves - Can teleport to a clone, used for charging forward or escaping.
Ultimate 1: Wailing Arrow - shoots an arrow that does damage and silences in an area.
Ultimate 2: Mind Control - takes control of enemy mercenaries.

Next, check out the Tomb of the Spider Queen trailer:


The Tomb of the Spider Queen is a new map set in an underground location - a very different setting from all of the current maps. The map objective will revolve around collecting gems from spiders, which will summon the Spider Queen to help your team if you get enough.

Lastly, there have been a few tweaks to player progression. First up, level 30 players will no longer be "talent gated" and will have access to all of a heroes talents at hero level 1. Next up, base gold gain has been increased, and there will the addition of 2,000 bonus gold at account levels 20, 25, 30, 35, 40. Additionally, Heroes can now be leveled up to hero level 20, with 1,250 gold being granted at hero level 15, and 2,500 at hero level 20. Finally, all players will receive a free 7 Day Stimpack at Account Level 10.

It really looks like Blizzard has been listening carefully to fan feedback during the game's Beta phase. If only they would considering offering an all-in-one hero bundle [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/13034-Making-Heroes-of-the-Storm-s-Pricing-Structure-More-Accessible], I would be perfectly content...

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[Subbies]

Awwwwwww yissss, can wait for the new map, it looks awesome. And I can't say no to MOAR GOLD. Now they just need to add hats and I'm set for life

 

[The Wykydtron]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss? I'm trying to save for Sylvanas on her launch and that will be the first thing I test. I would say they wouldn't do something that imbalanced but this is a game where Hammer can set her level 20 ult on a loop to hit the enemy Core endlessly until it dies and there is nothing the enemy team can do about it or Raynor siccing the Hyperion on forts then walking away scot free as it goes down for free.

Good thing they're upping that atrocious lack of gold gain too.

Also I really want a Deathwing map. Like he could carpet bomb mid for your team or something for massive damage.

 

[laggyteabag]

This looks pretty sweet and Sylvanas looks like a blast to play, but I would imagine that she will be very annoying with her Q and E in 1v1 engagements. The new map also looks quite fun, even if most of the map objectives seem to revolve around collect X or capture Y.

I am pretty excited, especially for the gold bonuses. If it is retrospective (I cannot imagine that it isn't), I will have 8,000 gold and a stim pack to look forward to.

 

[VanQ]

Think they read your article, Steven?

OT: Oh shit! Sylvanus! A new map! Gold gain increase!

Everything about this looks sweet.

 

[laggyteabag]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss?

That is a very good question. On one hand, that would be a bit powerful, but on the other, it is an ultimate ability.

Thinking about the ability in general, I can't imagine that many people would take Mind Control over Wailing Arrow in most cases anyway, at least unless the mind control ability has a crazy low cooldown because getting one mercenary every 60 seconds seems a bit weak to me, especially when it is compared to an AoE damage and silence.

If you could mind control Boss, I would think that mind control would go from being quite weak, to being a very strong, if situational, ultimate ability. It is just a question as to if that particular aspect of the ability would be overpowered or not.

 

[laggyteabag]

Oops. Double post.

 

[Steven Bogos]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss?

That is a very good question. On one hand, that would be a bit powerful, but on the other, it is an ultimate ability.

Thinking about the ability in general, I can't imagine that many people would take Mind Control over Wailing Arrow in most cases anyway, at least unless the mind control ability has a crazy low cooldown because getting one mercenary every 60 seconds seems a bit weak to me, especially when it is compared to an AoE damage and silence.

If you could mind control Boss, I would think that mind control would go from being quite weak, to being a very strong, if situational, ultimate ability. It is just a question as to if that particular aspect of the ability would be overpowered or not.

I imagine it would take control of an entire camp. This would be a pretty awesome ability, as you could instantly steal your opponent's hard came whenever it came up

 

[shintakie10]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss? I'm trying to save for Sylvanas on her launch and that will be the first thing I test. I would say they wouldn't do something that imbalanced but this is a game where Hammer can set her level 20 ult on a loop to hit the enemy Core endlessly until it dies and there is nothing the enemy team can do about it or Raynor siccing the Hyperion on forts then walking away scot free as it goes down for free.

Good thing they're upping that atrocious lack of gold gain too.

Also I really want a Deathwing map. Like he could carpet bomb mid for your team or something for massive damage.

Don't think I understand why people bring up the Hammer thing. The only way to kill a core with that over time is to aim it up/down since the travel time is less. If you don't then the shield regenerates more damage than the bullet does. If you do do that though, it takes a really long time for the core to go down to that specifically and it removes her ability to actually use an ultimate in normal fights. Plus you have to upgrade the ability in the first place which means you miss out on 20% attack speed/range or increased damage every 5 seconds.

The Raynor thing is a bit strange though. The only downside is losing the ability for team fights, which isn't a small thing by any stretch, but wiping out a fort, especially the last fort to spawn catapults, is extremely helpful for there not being much counterplay.

Tomb of the Spider Queen looks fun though. I like the addition of the spider themed melee units.

I'm actually hopin they go back and change the older maps to have similar ideas. The pirate map can have straight up pirate minions and pirate themed mercs. The dragon map can have cool dragon themed enemies, like WoW style drakenoids and stuff. Plant map, plant enemies and such.

Its a cosmetic thing so I don't expect it to ever happen any time soon, but it'd still be nice to see.

Also Sylvannas looks fun. Maybe I'll finally have a specialist I actually enjoy whenever that daily pops up.

 

[laggyteabag]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss?

That is a very good question. On one hand, that would be a bit powerful, but on the other, it is an ultimate ability.

Thinking about the ability in general, I can't imagine that many people would take Mind Control over Wailing Arrow in most cases anyway, at least unless the mind control ability has a crazy low cooldown because getting one mercenary every 60 seconds seems a bit weak to me, especially when it is compared to an AoE damage and silence.

If you could mind control Boss, I would think that mind control would go from being quite weak, to being a very strong, if situational, ultimate ability. It is just a question as to if that particular aspect of the ability would be overpowered or not.

I imagine it would take control of an entire camp. This would be a pretty awesome ability, as you could instantly steal your opponent's hard came whenever it came up

The Twitch stream (49:40) [http://www.twitch.tv/pax2/b/633377001] that demonstrated Sylvanas' abilities only showed her capturing one siege golem when she cast the ability, that being said though, maybe her level 20 ultimate talent improves it to a whole camp, or maybe it reduces the cooldown or gives multiple charges, but what was shown only shows her being able to control a single mercenary (or apparently minions too) per cast. But as always, beta is beta, so I am not going to hold it against them just yet as everything is subject to change.

 

[Newage]

I'm actually hopin they go back and change the older maps to have similar ideas. The pirate map can have straight up pirate minions and pirate themed mercs. The dragon map can have cool dragon themed enemies, like WoW style drakenoids and stuff. Plant map, plant enemies and such.

Actually, the mercs on blackheart's Bay are themed with the map. Bruisers use anchors as weapons, and siege minions have pirate hats and cannons. And of course the Doubloon camps are skeletal pirates.

 

[shintakie10]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss?

That is a very good question. On one hand, that would be a bit powerful, but on the other, it is an ultimate ability.

Thinking about the ability in general, I can't imagine that many people would take Mind Control over Wailing Arrow in most cases anyway, at least unless the mind control ability has a crazy low cooldown because getting one mercenary every 60 seconds seems a bit weak to me, especially when it is compared to an AoE damage and silence.

If you could mind control Boss, I would think that mind control would go from being quite weak, to being a very strong, if situational, ultimate ability. It is just a question as to if that particular aspect of the ability would be overpowered or not.

I imagine it would take control of an entire camp. This would be a pretty awesome ability, as you could instantly steal your opponent's hard came whenever it came up

The Twitch stream (49:40) [http://www.twitch.tv/pax2/b/633377001] that demonstrated Sylvanas' abilities only showed her capturing one siege golem when she cast the ability, that being said though, maybe her level 20 ultimate talent improves it to a whole camp, or maybe it reduces the cooldown or gives multiple charges, but what was shown only shows her being able to control a single mercenary (or apparently minions too) per cast. But as always, beta is beta, so I am not going to hold it against them just yet as everything is subject to change.

The news page states that the cooldown is variable depending on the strength of the mob. How variable I have no idea, but they did show her capturing a catapult as well as mercs. No idea about bosses.

 

[loa]

So when does this come out for the unwashed masses to play?

 

[The Wykydtron]

Does that Mind Control work on Boss? I'm trying to save for Sylvanas on her launch and that will be the first thing I test. I would say they wouldn't do something that imbalanced but this is a game where Hammer can set her level 20 ult on a loop to hit the enemy Core endlessly until it dies and there is nothing the enemy team can do about it or Raynor siccing the Hyperion on forts then walking away scot free as it goes down for free.

Good thing they're upping that atrocious lack of gold gain too.

Also I really want a Deathwing map. Like he could carpet bomb mid for your team or something for massive damage.

Don't think I understand why people bring up the Hammer thing. The only way to kill a core with that over time is to aim it up/down since the travel time is less. If you don't then the shield regenerates more damage than the bullet does. If you do do that though, it takes a really long time for the core to go down to that specifically and it removes her ability to actually use an ultimate in normal fights. Plus you have to upgrade the ability in the first place which means you miss out on 20% attack speed/range or increased damage every 5 seconds.

The Raynor thing is a bit strange though. The only downside is losing the ability for team fights, which isn't a small thing by any stretch, but wiping out a fort, especially the last fort to spawn catapults, is extremely helpful for there not being much counterplay.

Tomb of the Spider Queen looks fun though. I like the addition of the spider themed melee units.

I'm actually hopin they go back and change the older maps to have similar ideas. The pirate map can have straight up pirate minions and pirate themed mercs. The dragon map can have cool dragon themed enemies, like WoW style drakenoids and stuff. Plant map, plant enemies and such.

Its a cosmetic thing so I don't expect it to ever happen any time soon, but it'd still be nice to see.

Also Sylvannas looks fun. Maybe I'll finally have a specialist I actually enjoy whenever that daily pops up.

Wait have you not played the specialist glory that is Zagara? The permapushing, ungankable Zerg ***** who just eats towers for breakfast. I make a minigame off covering the entire map with creep, take the Nydus Worm ult because you are not helping with Devouring Maw because 9/10 times you'll make Jaina full combo nothing (ty zag gg noob team) set a worm in top, bot and base, cover your side in creep so you can see people coming, push until people try to kill you, get into your worm, teleport to the other worm across the map and push there. Repeat.

Granted that's basically all she CAN do, her teamfight is non existent, what are gonna do to them? Get your Banelings and Roachlings effortlessly sidestepped then summon one weak little Hydralisk on someone?

Hammer's level 20 is the game secure ult if one team has lost the shield on Core in attempted pushes. The shield will never have time to come back up again and she's basically set the game on a timer, her team wins if her team can stall you out for long enough. I never ulted for teamfights when I played her, she doesn't need it really with that range, kite and "lol cya nerds" speed buff mount ability. I love that mount replacement ability. It removes the root animation when you have to get out of siege mode sharpish, she goes from rooted to mach speed instantly if you just hit Z. If you really have a full teamfighting comp that you want to fit in with, pick the other ult instead.

I never rely on the Hyperion in fights exactly, the way it drifts forward can waste a lot of its damage potential quite quickly depending on how the fight is going. It relies on people sitting in it for extended periods of time (though if you can get people to sit in it for its entire duration it's crazy damage) so it's not the wombo combo ability it looks like it should be. The fact that it drifts forwards is one of reason why it's so good against forts too, Raynor doesn't even need to be close to that fort to Hyperion it down. 'S like, you could get a loada damage on the other team if you play it well but you can always get maximum damage potential on forts just be pointing it in the general direction of a fort y'know? The moment I read that the Yamato Cannon was a level 10 skill now I was convinced Hyperion would be the "fuck your structures" move.

Also can they buff Shit Elf Tyrande already? God, the level of underpowered is real. Whenever I see one in game I say "it's fine guys we're 4v5" cuz she's so fuckin' useless. Unless you count disrupting the coins with global Owl, then I admit she has contributed to the team slightly. Her moves are alright but the numbers just ain't there aside from the gimmick Owl snipe build.

Starfall is at least accurate to its Hearthstone counterpart though, it deals 5 damage to an enemy.

 

[Zato-1]

Think they read your article, Steven?

You mean that article that was factually incorrect and when I pointed this out to Steven, he ignored me? The one that was a train wreck because its main point about how the game's pricing structure was unacceptable was simply wrong, because everything was not, in fact, more expensive in HotS than in LoL? Yeah, pretty sure that's the one you mean.

I find it shameful that instead of going back and issuing a correction for the earlier article, they're doubling down on this. I thought The Escapist had more journalistic integrity than Buzzfeed.

 

[gamegod25]

Why spiders? Why couldn't it be follow the butterflies...

OT Both look pretty interesting, though I'm much more interested in getting retroactive bonuses like all that gold and the stim pack.

 

[DocJ]

Sylvanas? Heck yes. She might be awesome enough to break me out of my DPS LiLi streak. Which is almost too awesome and hilarious to pass up.