Blizzard has released another update for Heroes of the Storm, focusing on the following:
- Multiple heroes have had their difficulty level modified.
- Many abilities and basic attacks have been updated to either reveal targets for 2 seconds or no longer reveal targets.
- Balance tweaks on several heroes.
- Bug fixes on hero abilities.
This is now their third large-ish patch released this year, with the last one releasing just before BlizzCon being similar in patch notes length. There has been a lot of activity recently for the game and it makes us wonder if the recent Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and Xbox's Phil Spencer talking about supporting teams that want to "revisit some of the things that we have and do a full focus on it" gives a bit more of a chance that we could see a Heroes revival.
Come on guys, just let us know that you're working on bringing it back! Here are the full patch notes.
Quote From Blizzard General
Game Camera
- Camera Follow releash timer increased from 6 seconds to 12 seconds.
- You can now pan the camera further away from your Hero with Camera Lock enabled before it will prevent further panning.
User Interface
- Floating text display for last hits updated to golden display.
- Fixed an issue that allowed the Active Ability Hotkey Buttons to be dragged in the Hotkey Menu.
- Holding down Shift or Control will now also register as having the announcement modifier held for clicking on in the Top Bar.
ARAM
- Base experience value of Experience Globes increased from 80 to 160.
- Experience value of Melee Minions reduced from 84 to 0.
- Experience value of Wizard Minions reduced from 75 to 0.
- Experience value of Ranged Minions reduced from 72 to 0.
Observer
- Experience Globes will now be displayed as Blue for the team on the left and Grey for the team on the right.
- The Interface has been updated to display Misha, Olaf, Baleog, and Erik's health bars.
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's health bar in the Interface to only display the Pilot's health.
Recap
- Combat Healing will no longer register Mana or Shields restored to allied Heroes as Healing.
- Clutch Healer will now only register healing done to Health.
- Protector will now register damage prevented by Protected as Protection.
Maps
Alterac Pass
- Fixed an issue that caused Gnolls to reduce the armor of Evading targets.
Braxis Holdout
- Fixed an issue that caused Hellbats to reduce the armor of Evading targets.
Hanamura Temple
- Fixed an issue that caused the Recon Camp to have the scaling value reset when captured.
Warhead Junction
- Fixed an issue that caused Hellbats to reduce the armor of Evading targets.
Heroes
Abathur
- Fixed an issue that caused Envenomed Nest's Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Adrenal Overload to not apply to channeled Basic Attacks.
- Fixed an issue that caused Bombard Strain Locusts to not deal bonus damage to enemy Structures.
- Fixed an issue that caused Monstrosity to gain more than intended damage from Minion kills.
- Toxic Nest will no longer reveal attackers to Abathur during the Arming phase.
- Locust damage will no longer display as a critical against Structures. The damage bonus remains unaltered.
- Stab no longer reveals the area around the target and will now only reveal the target itself for 2 seconds.
- Spike Burst will now reveal the effected area for 0.75 seconds.
- Bombard Strain icon updated.
Alarak
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Blade of the Highlord while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Lightning Surge now reveal the primary target for 2 seconds.
- Deadly Charge will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Alexstrasza
- Fixed an issue that caused Cleansing Flame to grant Alexstrasza healing equal to the bonus health provided by Dragonqueen if Dragonqueen is active when activated.
- Fixed an issue that caused Abundance to display the healing preview after the heal has activated.
- Fixed an issue that caused Preservation to display the healing preview after the heal has activated.
- Fixed an issue that caused Pacify and Life Unbound to activate their on-heal from Dragonqueen Basic Attacks while Alexstrasza is Blinded.
- Fixed an issue that caused Dragonqueen Basic Attacks to not heal Invulnerable allies if they are in Alexstrasza's space.
- Fixed an issue that caused Cleansing Flame's cooldown to not be displayed on the talents tab of the scoreboard while Dragonqueen is active.
- Ancient Flame icon updated.
Ana
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to grant stacks of Dynamic Optics while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Contact Healing will now only cause Biotic Grenade's Healing and Damage to display as a critical if at least 2 Heroes are hit, instead of only requiring the talent to be taken.
Anduin
- Fixed an issue that caused Moral Compass to hit Invulnerable enemies.
Anub'arak
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that allowed select abilities to be activated while disabled if selected during the effects of Cocoon.
- Chitinous Plating icon updated.
Artanis
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Shield Overload to be reduced in cooldown from Basic Attacks while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blade of a Templar to slow targets while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Reactive Parry to grant stacks of Block from Twin Blades while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Reactive Parry to not grant a stack of Block from the third strike of Twin Blades.
- Fixed an issue that caused Plasma Burn's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
Auriel
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Reservoir of Hope to not display on the talents tab of the scoreboard as a quest talent.
- Sacred Sweep will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Detainment Strike will now reveal targets knocked back for 2 seconds.
- Crystal Aegis will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Azmodan
- Fixed an issue that caused All Shall Burn to detonate twice if Cydaea's Kiss is selected while active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Globe of Annihilation's warning indicator to be removed if another Azmodan's Globe of Annihilation lands nearby.
- Globe of Annihilation will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Blaze
- Fixed an issue that allowed select abilities to be activated while disabled if selected while inside the Bunker.
- Fixed an issue that caused Heat Treatment to not heal for a portion of the damage dealt by Pyromania.
- Basic Attack will now reveal the area for 0.75 seconds.
- Flame Stream will now reveal target hit for 2 seconds.
- Combustion will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Oil Spills created by Fuel Leak sight reduced from 7 to 1.5.
- Incinerator Gauntlets icon updated.
Brightwing
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Easy.
- Fixed an issue that caused Phase Shift to heal the target briefly after arrival, instead of on arrival.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blink Heal to heal Vehicles when cast on them.
- Invisible Friends will now preview the total healing that will be provided.
- Unstable Anomaly area reveal duration reduced from 1.5 seconds to 0.75 seconds.
- Unstable Anomaly will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Cassia
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Martial Law while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Static Electricity Lightning Bolts to heal for less than intended from Ring of the Leech.
- Fixed an issue that caused Static Electricity Lightning Bolts to not play impact sounds.
- Fixed an issue that caused Static Electricty Lightning Bolts to not display as criticals against Blinded targets.
- Fixed an issue that caused Lightning Fury Lightning Bolts to be considered as Static Electricity Lightning Bolts.
- Fend will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Surge of Light will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Surge of Light will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Martial Law icon updated.
- Imprisoning Light icon updated.
- Infinite Lightning icon updated.
Chen
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Accumulating Flame's duration increase to proc while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused the Earth Spirit's Basic Attacks to be incapable of killing Sgt. Hammer's Spider Mines.
- Earth Spirit's Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
Cho'Gall
- Fixed an issue that caused Fuel for the Flame to deal damage to targets Evading near the primary Basic Attack target.
- Fixed an issue that caused Fuel for the Flame to deal damage to the primary target while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Cthun's Gift to slow targets while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Consuming Blaze to not interrupt Mounts, Objective Channels, Sleeping on application.
- Fixed an issue that caused Molten Block's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Will of Gall is now considered a Quest talent.
- Fuel for the Flame will no longer always display as a critical.
- Consuming Blaze will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Shadowflame will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Dread Orb will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Runic Blast will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Twisting Nether will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Shadowbolt Volley will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Dread Orb will no longer grant sight into nearby Shrubs.
- Shadowbolt Volley will no longer grant sight into nearby Shrubs.
Chromie
- Fixed an issue that caused Sand Echo Basic Attacks to activate A Proper Greeting while Chromie is Blinded.
- Fixed an issue that caused Unravelling Sands's Spell Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Time Trouble's Armor increase to be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Shifting Sands active bonuses to be lost when slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused Shifting Sands to be granted before Sand Blast deals damage.
- Time Trap will no longer cause allies to be incapable of collecting Experience Globes while inside a Shrub for 2 seconds.
Deathwing
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Death Drop's Spell Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Molten Flame's button to be highlight while Deathwing is inside a Vehicle and the bonuses from Infernus would be active.
Deckard
- Fixed an issue that caused Potion of Shielding to increase Deckard's Self Healing when damage is prevented to allied Heroes.
- Fixed an issue that caused Horadric Staff to not be placed on cooldown while Blinded.
- Fixed an issue that caused Rejuvenation Potion to heal Leoric while Undying is active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Scroll of Identify to detect targets before the first quest milestone.
- Ancient Blessings will now reveal the area for 0.75 seconds.
Dehaka
- Fixed an issue that caused Dehaka to be immune to allied effects while Burrow is active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Burrow to not reveal negative effects when activated.
- Fixed an issue that caused Lurker Strain's knockback to be treated as a Stun.
- Fixed an issue that caused Lurker Strain's knockback to reveal the Dehaka while active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Lurker Strain's slow to reveal the target while active.
- Lurker Strain will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Lurker Strain no longer reveals around targets while they are being knocked back.
- Elongated Tongue icon updated.
Diablo
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Black Soulstone's health bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other health bonuses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Hell Fire's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Dying Breath Apocalypse to display incorrectly in the Death Recap.
- Soul Shield icon updated.
D.Va
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's AI to not activate Self-Destruct.
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va to be ejected early if the Mech takes select types of damage after being slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's Mech Basic Attacks to be capable of hitting multiple Sgt. Hammer Spider Mines at once.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks against Heroes in the bonus attack area to activate Nuclear Option while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's scoreboard entry on the talents tab to display incorrectly when she first spawns into the battleground.
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's entry in the killfeed to display incorrectly if she is slain by a unit that has since been removed from the battleground (Example: Minions after they have been killed).
- Fixed an issue that caused D.Va's Hero unit reference to not be updated correctly when D.Va respawns.
- Ejecting from the Mech will no longer cause Pilot D.Va to be capable of collecting Experience Globes while inside a Shrub for 2 seconds.
- Self-Destruct will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Self-Destruct will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Big Shot will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Boosters will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Mech Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Concussive Pulse will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Boosters damage will no longer display as a critical if the target is a valid bonus damage target for Rush-down.
- Aggression Matrix will now display floating text for the healing prevented.
- D.Va is now capable of pinging her Self-Destruct charge to her team.
- D.Va's Mech will now fill out the Death Recap when slain.
E.T.C.
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Guitar Hero to increase Guitar Solo duration while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
Falstad
- Fixed an issue that caused BOOMerang's Spell Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Hammerang Reactivation will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Hammerang's Returning projectile will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Selecting BOOMerang will no longer cause Hammerang's Reactivation to permanently display as a critical.
- Frequent Flyer icon updated.
- Sustained Winds icon updated.
Fenix
- Phase Bomb Splash now triggers Physical Attack-limited on-hit effects(meaning Block charges being consumed, Medivh's Raven Familiar firing if the target is a Hero).
- Fixed an issue that caused Mobile Offensive to not activate if Fenix only moves very briefly.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to refresh Divert Power: Weapons duration while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Phase Bomb Splash will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Mobile Offensive icon updated.
- Singularity Charge icon updated.
- Offensive Cadence icon updated.
- Divert Power: Weapons icon updated.
Garrosh
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Wrecking Ball, Into the Fray will now reveal targets hit by the landing for 2 seconds.
- Decimate will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Gazlowe
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Mecha-Lord's Armor increase while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Ark Reaktor turrets to deal increased damage.
- Fixed an isssue causing Gazlowe to be incapable to pinging the cooldown of EZ-PZ Dimensional Ripper to his team.
Genji
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Genji's Self Healing to not increase for the full damage prevented by Deflect.
- Deflect will no longer reveal the area it searches for targets when Genji takes damage with Deflect active.
- Zanshin icon updated.
Greymane
- Fixed an issue that caused Running Wild to not grant the cooldown reduction when casting Go For the Throat.
- Fixed an issue that caused Alpha Killer to be capable of activating on-death effects multiple times on enemies.
- Fixed an issue that caused Thick Skin to display duplicate Block visuals.
Gul'dan
- Fixed an issue that caused Fel Flame to be visible outside of the intended area after Pursuit of Flame is completed.
- Fixed an issue that caused Hunger for Power's healing modifications to be disabled while under the effects of Xul's Mortal Wound.
- Fixed an issue that caused Hunger for Power's healing increase to not be the correct value.
Hanzo
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Storm Bow to not activate Sharpened Arrowheads while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Storm Bow to activate Sharpened Arrowheads before the damage is dealt.
- Fixed an issue that caused Storm Bow's range bonus from charging to not be reset correctly.
Hogger
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Aggro Range to grant Rage if a Structure is within the search radius of Hogg Wild.
- Fixed an issue that allowed targeted abilities against the Ez-Thro Dynamite unit.
- Fixed an issue that allowed targeted abilities against the Loot Hoard unit.
- Fixed an issue that allowed targeted abilities against the chunk of Meat unit.
Illidan
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Unending Hatred to stop displaying bonus damage on the talents tab of the scoreboard after reaching the quest milestone.
- Fiery Brand icon updated.
Imperius
- Holy Fervor cleave reveals the area for 0.75 seconds.
Jaina
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Frost Bolt to deal damage on enemies behind the projectile.
- Fixed an issue that caused Frost Bolt to continue to deal damage after it has hit the maximum number of targets with Frost Shards selected.
- Frostbite Armor will now display Block visuals.
- Icefury Wand icon updated.
- Advanced Ice Block icon updated.
Johanna
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Easy.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blessed Momentum's Attack Speed bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other Attack Speed bonuses and maluses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Holy Fury's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blessed Shield to hit and target Invulnerable enemies.
- Heaven's Fury will no longer cause allies to be incapable of collecting Experience Globes while inside a Shrub for 2 seconds.
- Blessed Hammer will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
Junkrat
- Difficulty increased from Medium to Hard.
- Basic Attack Splash now triggers Physical Attack-limited on-hit effects (Example: Block charges will be consumed).
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attack splash to hit Invulnerable enemies.
- Fixed an issue that caused Frag Launcher to hit Invulnerable enemies.
- Fixed an issue that caused Frag Launcher to gain more than intended damage from Hero hits.
Kael'thas
- Difficulting updated from Hard to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Gravity Lapse to hit Invulnerable enemies.
- Burned Flesh will now display as a critical effect.
Kel'Thuzad
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Deathchill's marker to remain on the target if they gain Unstoppable.
- Fixed an issue that caused Power of Icecrown's active bonuses to be lost when slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Icy Grasp while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Hungering Cold while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused the Chilling Touch Basic Attacks to be incapable of killing Sgt. Hammer's Spider Mines.
- Kel'Thuzad can now attempt to cast Frost Nova over unpathable terrain.
- Kel'Thuzad's abilities in the command bar will no longer flash when Kel'Thuzad gains 15 stacks of Master of the Cold Dark.
Kerrigan
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Assimilation to increase Kerrigan's Self Healing when Shields granted.
- Fixed an issue that caused Sharpened Blades to gain quest progress from Hallucination Heroes (Nova Holo Decoys, Samuro Mirror Images, Abathur Ultimate Evolutions).
- Ultralisk Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Fury of the Swarm empowered Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Fury of the Swarm will no longer reveal targets hit by the splash area.
- Impaling Blades will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Primal Grasp's secondary explosion will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Psionic Shift will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Kharazim
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Deadly Reach's Attack Speed bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other Attack Speed bonuses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Insight to grant quest progress while Blinded or if the triggering enemy is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused non-Heroes to not be revealed by Spirit Ally.
Leoric
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Buried Alive's silence to be reduced in duration by Abolish Magic's duration reduction.
- Fixed an issue that caused Burning Despair's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Drain Hope and Drain Essence to remain active on targets after they enter a Vehicle.
- Leoric's Self Healing is no longer increased by Drain Essence's Undying death timer reduction.
- Leoric is no longer capable of activating Ossein Renewal while Undying is active.
- Wrath of the Bone King effect reveal duration reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.
Li Li
- Lightning Serpent's Bounces will now bounce to targets immune to area damage (Example: Sgt. Hammer Spider Mines).
- Lightning Serpent's Bounces will now target Passive targets (Example: Kharazim's Earth Ally and Spirit Ally).
Li-Ming
- Fixed an issue that caused Magic Missiles to not grant stacks of Force Armor when Tal Rasha's has been selected and Magic Missiles has not granted Spell Power.
- Fixed an issue that caused Teleport to not be completely refunded by Critical Mass and Illusionist while Aether Walker is active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Magic Missiles to hit Invulnerable enemies.
Lunara
- Fixed an issue that caused Invigorating Spores to be capable of activating on-death effects multiple times on enemies.
- Fixed an issue that caused Invigorating Spores to deal damage while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Invigorating Spores to deal damage on an attack that brings the target to full stacks of Nature's Toxin.
- Splintered Spear will no longer target Hidden or Neutral targets.
Lt. Morales
- Fixed an issue that caused Medidrone to be capable of healing Leoric while Undying is active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Healing Beam to remain active on a Minion after Sylvanas has cast Possession on the Minion.
Maiev
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Vengeful Knives to gain bonus damage from Physical damage while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks empowered by Umbral Bind to not grant Vengeful Knives stacks against the primary target.
- Fixed an issue that caused Containment Disc's Silence to be bypassable by casting an ability making the target immune to Silence as soon as the Time Stop expires.
- Fixed an issue that caused Bonds of Justice to stop displaying bonus damage on the talents tab of the scoreboard after reaching the quest milestone.
- Naisha's Memento's Bounces will now bounce to targets immune to area damage.
- Naisha's Memento will no longer bounce to Mercenaries that are not currently active.
Mal'Ganis
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Vanquish the Weak to apply the slow before the damage is dealt.
- Winged Guard will now display a Block visual.
- Blind as a Bat will now remove any nearby reveals placed by Mal'Ganis when cast.
- Fel Claws will now reveal targets for 2 seconds if Blind as a Bat is not active.
- Necrotic Embrace will now reveal targets for 2 seconds if Blind as a Bat is not active.
- Echo of Doom will now reveal targets for 2 seconds if Blind as a Bat is not active.
- Plague Bats will now reveal targets for 2 seconds if Blind as a Bat is not active.
- Seeker Swarm Bats will now only reveal targets for 2 seconds if Blind as a Bat is not active.
- The Night Beckons icon updated.
Malfurion
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Ysera's Gift to grant bonus healing while Malfurion is dead.
- Fixed an issue that caused Malfurion to be incapable to pinging the cooldown of Astral Communinion to his team.
Malthael
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Touch of Death to display floating text for healing prevented twice.
- Ethereal Existence will now display a Block visual at maximum stacks.
- Soul Rip no longer reveals the area.
Medivh
- Fixed an issue that caused the Hall of Storms to increase Raven Form's Movement Speed by more than intended.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Temporal Flux while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Using a Portal will no longer move the user's Camera.
Mei
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Polar Vortex's Attack Speed malus to stack multiplicatively with other Attack Speed bonuses and maluses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Cooling Servos while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Induce Hibernation to apply to non-Heroes.
- Skating Away now displays a Block visual.
Mephisto
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Lightning Reaction to not be affected by damage reduction if caused by a Shade of Mephisto's Lightning Nova.
Muradin
- Fixed an issue that caused Bronzebeard Rage's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to grant Perfect Storm progress while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Give Em' The Ax while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Grand Slam to grant a charge of Haymaker for each Hero that took part in the takedown.
- Storm Bolt will no reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Muradin is no longer revealed to the enemy if unseen when Thunder Burn empowered by Thunderstrike damages an enemy.
- Perfect Storm quest tracker icon updated.
Murky
- Fixed an issue that caused Big Tuna Kahuna's health bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other health bonuses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Time To Krill to heal the target Murky if they have selected Fish Tank.
- Fixed an issue that caused Time To Krill to not heal the applying Murky if they have selected Fish Tank.
- Murky no longer reveals in area around him after his Egg is slain.
- Octo-Grab will now reveal the target while active, instead of for a fixed 4 seconds in a 0.75 radius.
- Octo-Grab will now reveal the target for 2 seconds when first cast.
- Slime will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Pufferfish will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Nazebo
- Fixed an issue that caused Plague of Toads to hit Invulnerable enemies.
- Fixed an issue that allowed targeted abilities against the Plague of Toads unit.
Nova
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Holo Decoys to be revealed to the enemy when their border becomes visible.
- Fixed an issue that caused Holo Decoys to reveal the area around them when slain for 1 second.
- Fixed an issue that caused Anti Armor Shell's Physical Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Holo Decoy's damage readout in the Target Info Panel to display incorrectly with Anti-Armor Shells selected while their Basic Attack is on cooldown.
- Fixed an issue that caused Anti-Armor Shells to reduce the Physical Armor of the target before the damage is dealt.
- Triple Tap will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Precision Strike will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Explosive Snipe will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Snipe no longer reveals in an area around the target.
- Rapid Reprojection icon updated.
Orphea
- Difficulty increased from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Eldritch Conduit to not be empowered when gaining the 10th stack.
- Fixed an issue that caused Eldritch Conduit's empowered to be lost when slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused Eternal Feast to search for dead units.
- Fixed an issue that caused Dead Magic to deal damage if the splashed to target is Evading.
- Dead Magic now reveals the area for 0.75 seconds.
Probius
- Fixed an issue that caused Construct Additional Pylons to increase the damage of Pylon Overcharge by more than intended.
Qhira
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blood Rage to track units after they have been slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused Upstage to not be granted if the number of tracked targets is not reached due to targets dying from Blood Rage.
- Fixed an issue that caused Blood Rage's activation to grant a stack of Fatal Wounds.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Your Pain, My Gain while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Finishing Touch while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Finishing Touch to grant attack speed if the target is brought to below 50% of their Maximum Health.
- Basic Attacks no longer reveal targets hit.
- Swing Life Away now display Spell Armor visuals.
Ragnaros
- Lava Wave will no longer collect Experience Globes (NOTE: Last hits will still function).
- Fixed an issue that caused Tempered Flame to increase Ragnaros's Self Healing when Shields granted.
- Fixed an issue that caused Cauterize Wounds to not display correctly in the Death Recap.
- Fixed an issue that caused non-Heroes to not reduce the cooldown of Blistering Attacks with Empower Sulfuras.
Raynor
- Fixed an issue that caused Give em' Some Pepper damage to not display in the Death Recap.
- Fixed an issue that caused Give em' Some Pepper damage to not increase Raynor's relevant score entries.
- Fixed an issue that caused Give em' Some Pepper to only reveal Raynor's non-updating position if unseen when dealing damage to an enemy.
- Fixed an issue that caused Give em' Some Pepper to not be correctly modified by damage modification from other Heroes.
- Fixed an issue that caused damage dealt by Hyperion created by Execute Orders to display incorrectly in the Death Recap.
- Give em' Some Pepper will now reveal the area for 0.75 seconds.
Rehgar
- Fixed an issue that caused Elemental Conduit to increase Rehgar's Self Healing when damage is prevented to allied Heroes.
- Fixed an issue that caused Colossal Totem's recast to be available for less than the duration of Earthbind Totem.
- Fixed an issue that caused Hunger of the Wolf to activate while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Bloodlust to not apply to channeled Basic Attacks.
Rexxar
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Aspect of The Hawk's Attack Speed bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other Attack Speed bonuses and maluses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Misha to gain more Movement Speed than intended while Rexxar is Mounted.
- Fixed an issue that caused Unleash the Boars damage to not be modified by most forms of damage modification.
- Fixed an issue that caused Kill Command's damage bonus to be multiplicative.
- Fixed an issue that caused Wildfire's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Misha to lose the benefits of Primal Intimidation once slain.
- Wildfire Bear now reveals the target for 2 seconds.
Samuro
- Difficulty increased from Hard to Very Hard.
- Wind Walk healing increased from 1% to 3%.
- Way of the Wind healing reduced from 5% to 4%.
- Fixed an issue that caused Way of the Wind to increase Samuro's Healing score instead of his Self Healing score.
- Mirror Image reveal of nearby units on death now matches other Heroic units.
Sgt. Hammer
- Tank Mode Splash now triggers Physical Attack-limited on-hit effects (Example: Block charges will now be consumed).
- Tank Mode Splash will now trigger if the Sgt. Hammer is Blinded. Splash damage and triggering effects will still be prevented.
- Tank Mode Splash will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Tank Mode Splash attacks will no longer reveal targets hit.
Sonya
- Fixed an issue that caused Leap to not grant Unstoppable while active.
- Rampage icon updated.
Stitches
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Putrid Bile's Pools to not have their damage modified by other Heroes effects placed onto Stitches.
Stukov
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Reactive Ballistospores to not be reset correctly by Try Mode, Sandbox reset cooldowns.
- Fixed an issue that caused Reactive Ballistospores to deal more damage than intended when applying Weighted Pustule.
- Fetid Touch icon updated.
- Reactive Ballistospores icon updated.
- Reactive Ballistospores is now considered an active talent, instead of a Weighted Pustule talent.
Sylvanas
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Might of the Banshee Queen's active bonuses to be lost when slain.
- Fixed an issue that caused Remorseless to apply Overwhelming Affliction's slow when fired.
- Fixed an issue that caused Remorseless to not apply Black Arrows stacks while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Remorseless to not apply Black Arrows activated non-Hero Stun.
- Fixed an issue that caused Remorseless to not apply Mercenary Queen's Mercenary Stun.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Evasive Fire's duration refresh while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Lost Soul's cooldown reduction while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused enemies hit by Deafening Blast's bonus damge area to not be revealed for 2 seconds.
- Fixed an issue that caused enemies hit by Deafeaning Blast's bonus damage area to not be affected by Black Arrow's activated non-Hero stun.
- Fixed an issue that caused Catapults to grant more Experience than intended when Possessed.
- Remorseless will no longer bounce to Mercenaries that are not currently active.
- Remorseless will now bounce to targets immune to area damage.
- Wailing Arrow no longer reveals in a radius around Sylvanas when cast.
- Wailing Arrow will now reveal the search area for 0.75 seconds.
- Remorseless icon updated.
Tassadar
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Feedback's Physical Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Archon's Basic Attacks Spell Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Executor's Will to not increase Healing dealt.
- Fixed an issue that caused Oracle's passive healing to not be displayed in the Death Recap.
- Fixed an issue that caused Archon's Basic Attacks to reduce the Spell Armor of targets while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Khaydarin Amulet now requires the target to be visible to start the link.
- Khaydarin Amulet will now reveal the target for so long as the link remains active.
- Khaydarin Amulet will now bounce to targets immune to area damage.
- Khaydarin Amulet will no longer bounce to Invulnerable enemies.
- Archon Basic Attacks Splash will no longer reveal targets.
- Archon Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
The Butcher
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Butcher to lose more Meat than intended when slain.
- Cleaver no longer reveals targets hit.
- Cleaver will now reveal the search area for 0.75 seconds.
- Furnace Blast will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Butcher is no longer revealed to the enemy if unseen when Lamb to the Slaughter damages an enemy.
The Lost Vikings
- Viking Hoard will now display the stacks as a baseline quest in the talents tab of the scoreboard.
- Fixed an issue that caused It's a Sabotate to apply while Erik is Blinded.
- Fixed an issue that caused Hunka Burning Olaf's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Fixed an issue that caused Nordic Attack Squad to not be displayed correctly in the Death Recap.
- Baleog's Basic Attacks when fired from a distance effect reveal duration increased from 0.5 seconds to 0.75 seconds.
- Baleog's Basic Attacks when fired at close range will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Hunka Burning Olaf will now reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Nordic Attack Squad icon updated.
Thrall
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks while Windfury is active to grant stacks of Frostwolf Resilience while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Feral Resilience will now display Block visuals.
Tracer
- Fixed an issue that caused Heavy Handed's Armor reduction to not be removed by Stasis or Invulnerability.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Telefrag while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Quantum Spike Pulse Bombs will now explode at the same time as other Pulse Bombs when a unit is Hit, instead of 0.3125 seconds later.
- Fixed an issue that caused Is That a Healthpack?! to heal Vehicles if selected.
- Fixed an issue that caused Composition B + Quantum Spike to deal percent damage to non-Heroes.
- Fixed an issue that caused Parting Gift to hit Invulnerable enemies.
- Total Recall will now increase Tracer's Self Healing when Tracer is healed.
- Total Recall will now display floating combat text when Tracer is healed.
- Total Recall will now display in the Death Recap.
- Completing a Reload will now display floating combat text for the amount of Ammo restored.
- Locked and Loaded will no longer cause Basic Attacks to display as criticals.
- Locked and Loaded will cause the floating combat text for ammo restored by Reload to display as a critical.
- While Locked and Loaded is active, Tracer's Ammo Bar will have a slight pulsing glow around it. This is only visible to Tracer and her Allies.
- While Locked and Loaded is active, Tracer's Reload button on the Command Bar will have a pulsing glow around it.
- Ricochet now requires Tracer to have selected Tracer Rounds to reveal targets.
- Ricochet will now only bounce to visible targets.
- Ricochet will now bounce to targets immune to area damage.
- Ricochet will no longer bounce to Mercenaries that are not currently active.
- Bullet Spray will now reveal targets hit.
- Quantum Spike Pulse Bomb will now reveal identically to other Pulse Bombs, instead of in a larger radius.
- Untouchable icon updated.
Tychus
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Bob and Weave's Basic Attack range increase to display incorrectly in the status buff bar.
- Sizzlin' Attacks icon updated.
Tyrael
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Swift Retribution to not apply to channeled Basic Attacks.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Bound By Law while Blinded or if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Burning Halo's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Archangel's Wrath explosion will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Burning Halo icon updated.
- Burning Halo is now classed as a Passive talent.
- Horadric Reforging icon updated.
- Horadric Reforging is now classed as a Passive talent.
Tyrande
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Shadowstalk's healing over time to remain active on Leoric while Undying is active.
- Fixed an issue that caused Huntress Fury to not bounce to Deathwing.
- Fixed an issue that caused Sentinel's cooldown to be reset if a Hallucination is slain while revealed by Sentinel.
- Fixed an issue that caused Mark of Mending to not heal Evading allies.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attacks to activate Mark of Mending if the target is Evading.
- Fixed an issue that caused Elune's Chosen to heal for overkill damage.
- Tyrande is no longer revealed to the enemy if unseen when Empower damages an enemy.
- Shooting Star icon updated.
Uther
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Hard.
- Uther's Heroics will no longer be hidden while Spirit Form is active. He will not be capable of casting them.
- Fixed an issue that caused Holy Fire's damage aura to display as a critical when damage was not increased.
- Holy Radiance will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Holy Radiance will now reveal enemy targets hit.
- Divine Storm will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Divine Storm will reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Holy Fire icon updated.
Valeera
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Fixed an issue that caused Garrote to display incorrectly in the Death Recap after extended by Rupture.
- Eviscerate will now reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Ambush will now reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Cheap Shot will now reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Garrote will now reveal the target for 2 seconds.
- Sinister Strike will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Blade Flurry will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Blade Flurry will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Valla
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Manticore's stack display to be displayed incorrectly.
- Manticore icon updated.
Varian
- Fixed an issue that caused Second Wind to display as uncastable.
- Fixed an issue that caused Twin Blades of Fury's Attack Speed bonuses to stack multiplicatively with other Attack Speed bonuses and maluses.
- Fixed an issue that caused Juggernaut to be capable of activating on-death effects multiple times on enemies.
- Master at Arms will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Master at Arms will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
Whitemane
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Very Hard.
- Inquisition will now reveal targets for 2 seconds upon removal and for 0.5625 seconds each time damage is dealt.
- Inquisition will no longer reveal around the target.
- Divine Reckoning will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Searing Lash will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Saintly Greatstaff icon updated.
Xul
- Fixed an issue that caused Cursed Strikes to hit targets immune to area damage.
- Cursed Strikes will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Backlash will now reveal the area for 0.75 seconds.
- Shackler no longer reveals the area.
- Cursed Strikes no longer reveals targets hit.
Yrel
- Difficulty updated from Medium to Hard.
- Holy Wrath Splash now triggers Physical Attack-limited on-hit effects(meaning Block charges being consumed, Medivh's Raven Familiar firing if the target is a Hero).
- Dauntless will now display Block visuals.
- Holy Wrath area reveal duration reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.
- Aegis of Light no longer reveals the area.
- Vindication will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Righteous Hammer will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Avenging Wrath will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Zagara
- Fixed an issue that caused Banelings to not be affected by Defense Matrix.
- Mutalisk Basic Attacks will no longer bounce to Mercenaries that are not currently active.
- Mutalisk Basic Attacks will now bounce targets immune to area damage.
Zarya
- Difficulty updated from Easy to Medium.
- Fixed an issue that caused Defensive Shielding to not apply if the target already has select forms of Block.
- Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attack Splash to work incorrectly with Time Stop.
- Basic Attacks will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Basic Attacks no longer reveal targets hit.
- Explosive Barrier will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Explosive Barrier will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
- Feel the Heat icon updated.
Zeratul
- Difficulty updated from Hard to Very Hard.
- Cleave will now reveal the effect area for 0.75 seconds.
Zul'jin
- A Surprise For Ya no longer reveal targets.
- A Surprise For Ya will now only bounce to visible targets.
- A Surprise For Ya will now bounce to targets immune to area damage.
- A Surprise For Ya will no longer bounce to Mercenaries that are not currently active.
- Grievous Throw will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Twin Cleave will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Guillotine will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
- Buzzsaw will now reveal targets hit for 2 seconds.
Comments
How's the game now, compared to 10 years before? Is it worth playing again?
Maybe someone can write a deep article about it.
Also, it's free to play, right? Not sure it's gonna be released to steam as free.
Heroes of the Storm is probably too free. You can easily get every hero and pretty much any skin you want without spending a single penny, as long as you play every day and maximize your hero levels to get optimal chest drops. The game does use loot crates, but they're pretty un-predatory. You can buy everything directly, and you get so much gold and dust to craft things for free.
Not much has changed over the past couple of years. When I last played... in I don't know exactly when it was definitely better than its original launch (much more to do, many more characters, improved UI, etc.) so I'm going to assume other than the fact there aren't too many people playing which may impact queue times, the game is solid.
Free to play, I'm assuming Steam release will also be F2P should it happen. I should probably bust out my old datamining tools for the game and see if there are any references to Steam - assuming they still work.
I'd love to start creating some content around the game should time permit. We've definitely gotta have something happening to it soon.
All of these changes look like the try to improve the new player experience (again). If this isn't a setup of a future steam release, then I don't know what is. Well, that or a 3.0 re-release, but let's not kidd ourselfs here.
Yeah there's too much cleanup happening for this to be someone just having fun. Hopefully the eventual Steam release (and maybe even console??!?) leads to a boost in players and they go and start development again. It certainly wouldn't need a huge team, but a dozen folks could keep the game going with solid support for years to come.