Whaaaat? Yup! Heroes of the Storm has received a fairly major patch today, focusing on a hero rework for Arthas, a new mount, and plenty of balance adjustments. We also see an interesting change which is the removal of the unranked mode. Considering the population of the game has been greatly reduced from its prime time, we can't say we're surprised and almost surprised that it took this long.
Why is Blizzard pushing out so many updates to the game? No clue but it sure is interesting!
Quote From Blizzard
New Mount: Scrapper Mad Axe Mono Wheel
Unranked Mode has been removed.
Respawn timers have been reduced in the mid-to-late game. By level 22, respawn timers are back at 65 seconds.
Updated Homescreen and Startup Music.
Big Map Updates
Haunted Mines makes a return in Quick March, Garden of Terror is now available in customs, and Warhead Junction's nuke take just a little bit more time to cast but does plenty of more damage.
Quote From Blizzard
Garden of Terror Classic
The original Garden of Terror has returned to Custom Games!
The name has been changed to Garden of Terror Classic to differentiate from the current Garden of Terror.
Haunted Mines
Haunted mines has returned to Quick Match!
The Mine Golem now drops an additional 10 Skulls over the course of its lifetime.
Map objective is now complete when one team collects 55 Skulls, rather than when all 100 Skulls have been collected.
Hero vision is reduced while in the mines.
Warhead Junction
Cast time for Nuke increased from 2.5 seconds to 3 seconds.
Cast time for Nuke now breaks upon taking damage.
DoT damage from Nuke increased by 100%.
Damage to Forts and Keeps from Nuke increased from 100% to 125%.
Arthas Rework
Arthas has received a complete rework. Yes, in 2026, Blizzard has actually remade one of the original heroes. What a time to be alive!
Quote From Blizzard Base
Death Coil [Q]
Mana: 40.
Cooldown: 9 seconds.
Deals 164 damage to target enemy.
Can be self-cast to heal for 262 Health.
Howling Blast [W]
Mana: 50.
Cooldown: 10 seconds.
Root enemies within the target area for 1.25 seconds and deals 68 damage.
Frozen Tempest [E]
Mana: 13 per second.
Cooldown: 1 second.
Deals 36 damage per second to nearby enemies and Slow their Movement Speed by 10% per second, stacking up to 40%. Heroes hit also have their Attack Speed Slowed by 10% per second, stacking up to 40%. Frozen Tempest's effects last for 1.5 seconds.
Army of the Dead [R]
Charge Cooldown: 18 seconds.
Consume all charges to summon an equal number of Ghouls that last 15 seconds and attack for 20 damage. Ghouls can be sacrificed to heal Arthas for 240 Health. Stores up to 6 charges.
Every time an enemy minion dies nearby, reduce the charge cooldown of this ability by 1 second. Takedowns reduce the charge cooldown of this ability by 6 seconds.
Summon Sindragosa [R]
Mana: 100.
Cooldown: 100 seconds.
Deals 230 damage and Slows enemies by 60% for 4 seconds. Also disables Minions, Mercenaries, Monsters, and Structures for 20 seconds.
Frostmourne Hungers [D]
Cooldown: 12 seconds.
Activate to make Arthas' next Basic Attack strike immediately and deal 71 bonus damage. Dealing damage restores 40 Mana.
QUEST: Killing a Minion or hitting a Hero with Frostmourne Hungers permanently increases its bonus damage and Arthas' Basic Attack damage by 1.
Talents
Level 1
Frost Presence
Increase the area of Howling Blast by 20%.
QUEST: Root enemy Heroes with Howling Blast.
REWARD: After Rooting 15 Heroes, Howling Blast's range is increased by 20% and it hits enemies in its path.
REWARD: After Rooting 30 Heroes, Death Coil Slows Heroes hit by 50% for 0.75 seconds.
Borean Winds
After Frozen Tempest has been active for 2 seconds, Arthas gains 10% Movement Speed.
PASSIVE: Frozen Tempest's Slowing effects last an additional 0.5 seconds and its Mana cost is reduced by 4 per second.
Rime
Every 5 seconds, gain 75 Physical Armor against the next enemy Hero Basic Attack, reducing the damage taken by 75%. Stores up to 3 charges.
PASSIVE: While Arthas is Slowed, Rooted, or Stunned he heals 24 Health a second.
Level 4
Shattered Armor
Enemy Heroes hit by Howling Blast have their Armor reduced by 15 for 4 seconds.
Icy Talons
Gain 3% Attack Speed for 2 seconds every time a Hero is damaged by Frozen Tempest, to a maximum of 60%.
Frost Strike
Frostmourne Hungers deals an additional 115 Ability damage in an area and Slows Heroes hit by 20% for 2 seconds.
Level 7
Immortal Coil
Gain the healing effect of Death Coil even when used on enemies. If Death Coil is used on Arthas, it heals for an additional 75% bonus healing and its cooldown is reduced by 3 seconds.
Rune Tap
Every 3rd Basic Attack heals Arthas for 5% of his max Health.
PASSIVE: Each stack of Frostmourne Hungers increases Arthas' Maximum Health by 10.
Icebound Fortitude
Cooldown: 35 seconds.
Activate to gain 25 Armor and reduce the duration of Stuns, Slows, and Roots against Arthas by 75% for 3 seconds.
Each Hero Rooted by Howling Blast reduces the cooldown of this ability by 2 seconds.
Level 13
Deathlord
If Death Coil is used on an enemy Hero, launch an additional Death Coil at a nearby enemy Hero.
PASSIVE: Death Coil deals more damage the lower Arthas' current Health is, to a maximum of 50% bonus damage.
Deathchill
Howling Blast's damage is increased by 2 for each stack of Frostmourne Hungers.
Howling Blast deals 100% additional damage and Roots for an additional 0.25 seconds against Heroes under 50% Health.
Biting Cold
Each second an enemy is damaged by Frozen Tempest, it deals 15% bonus damage, up to 75% bonus damage.
Level 16
Remorseless Winter
Enemy Heroes that remain within Frozen Tempest for 2.5 seconds are Rooted for 1.25 seconds and heal Arthas for 3% of his maximum Health. This effect has an 8 second cooldown per target.
Frostmourne Feeds
Reduce the cooldown of Frostmourne Hungers by 6 seconds. Arthas heals for 75% of the Basic Attack damage dealt by Frostmourne Hungers.
Anti-Magic Shell
Cooldown 60 seconds.
Activate to make Arthas immune to Spell Damage for 4 seconds and heal Arthas for 25% of the damage prevented.
Level 20
Legion of Northrend
Reduce Army of the Dead's charge cooldown by 5 seconds.
Each charge consumed spawns an additional Ghoul to attack nearby enemies. These Ghouls cannot be sacrificed.
Absolute Zero
Sindragosa flies twice as far. Enemy Heroes are Rooted for 2.5 seconds, and then Slowed by 60% for 4 seconds.
Death Pact
Instantly double your stacks of Frostmourne Hungers, but it no longer gains stacks from hitting Heroes or killing Minions.
PASSIVE: Takedowns grant 2 stacks of Frostmourne Hungers.
Path of Frost
Activate to instantly Mount with 10% additional Movement Speed. Taking damage does not dismount Arthas from this mount. Lasts up to 5 seconds.
When Arthas dismounts, Slow all nearby enemies by 30% for 2 seconds and deal 66 damage.
Hero Balance
Quote From Blizzard Chen
Base
Keg Smash [W]
Breath of Fire initial decreased from 85 to 40.
Breath of Fire duration increased from 3 seconds to 6 seconds.
Breath of Fire no longer costs Energy.
Keg Smash energy cost increased to
3540 from 30.Fortifying Brew [D]
Drinking now stops additional commands for a fraction of a second.
Talents
Level 1
Accumulating Flames
Moved from Level 4 to Level 1.
REWORK: Quest: Gain stacks from hitting Heroes with DoT damage from Breath of Fire. Each stack provides 0.25 damage. At 20 damage, Keg Smash becomes ranged. Mythic Reward: At 75 damage, Breath of Fire redcues enemy Armor by 20 and is refreshed from Chen's Basic Attacks.
Level 4
Eye of the Tiger
Moved from Level 1 to Level 4.
Level 7
Elusive Brawler
Movement Speed reduced from 30% to 20%.
Level 10
Wandering Keg
Cooldown increased from 50 seconds to 60 seconds.
Level 13
Pressure Point
Slow duration increased from 1 second to 1.5 seconds.
Deathwing
Base
Onslaught [E]
Cooldown increased from 5 seconds to 6 seconds.
Dragonflight [Z]
Cooldown increased from 15 seconds to 20 seconds.
Talents
Level 16
Gaze onto Destruction
Duration reduced from 5 seconds to 3.5 seconds.
Falstad
Talents
Level 1
Frequent Flyer
Range to receive kill credit reduced from 14 to 8.5.
Garrosh
Base
Wrecking Ball [E]
Range reduced from 6.5 to 6.
Search range reduced from 2.5 to 2.25.
Talents
Level 1
Unrivaled Strength
Ranged bonus reduced from 20% to 15%.
Gazlowe
Base
Rock-It! Turret [Q]
Turret Health increased from 510 to 600.
Health decays over 20 seconds (from 17).
Talents
Level 10
Robo-goblin
Damage per second increased from 90 to 100.
Mal'Ganis
Base
Necrotic Embrace [W]
Now benefits double the amount from Vampiric Touch.
No longer provides 25 Armor for 3 seconds.Now provides 15 Spell Armor for 3 seconds.
Damage increased from 110 to 121.
Talents
Level 1
Will of Tichondrius
Moved from Level 7 to Level 1.
REWORK: Hit Heroes with Fel Claws to gain 0.5 damage. Hit 4 Heroes in the first two swipes to cause the last wipe to provide 2 additional damage. Upon reaching 40 stacks, Fel Claws now steals 4% health from opponents and Stuns for an additional 0.5 seconds.
Level 4
Vampiric Aura
Moved from Level 1 to Level 4.
Self healing increased from 30% to 40% and healing of nearby Allies increased from 15% to 20%.
Might of Sargeras
Now provides 35 Armor for 3 seconds when using Necrotic Embrace.
Level 7
Fueled by Torment
Moved from Level 4 to Level 7.
Now causes Necrotic Embrace to Slow by 25% for 3 seconds.
Medivh
Talents
Level 1
Winds of Celerity
Movement Speed bonus increased from 50% to
75%100%.Raven's Intellect
Bonus increased from 75% to
125%200%.Level 4
Raven Familiar
Slow reduced from 30% to 20%.
Level 7
Force of Magic
Spell Power increased from 30% to 35%.
Level 13
Circle of Protection
No longer increases the cooldown of Force of Will.
Level 20
Guardian of Tirisfal
Now also increases the range of Arcane Rift by 50%.
Muradin
Base
It's Hammer Time! [Q]
Muradin gains 5 stacks if a target dies within 3 seconds of being hit by Storm Bolt.
Stack requirement for pierce increased from 40 to 45.
Talents
Level 16
Dwarf Launch
Cooldown reduction decreased from 2 seconds to 1 second.
Level 20
Mountain King
Dwarf Toss cooldown increased by 2 seconds.
Thunder Clap cooldown increased by 2 seconds.Sgt. Hammer
Talents
Level 1
Maelstrom Rounds
Damage bonus increased from 30% to 40%.
Level 13
Hyper-Cooling Engines
Cooldown reduction no longer triggers off of Splash damage, but now triggers off of Structures.
Level 20
Advanced Lava Strike
Damage bonus increased from 50% to 65%.
Ultra-Capacitors
Cooldown reduction no longer triggers off of Splash damage, but now triggers off of Structures.
Thrall
Talents
Level 1
Crash Lightning
Amount stacks lost on death reduced from 6 to 4.
Echo of the Elements
Damage done by the chain lightning bounces rewarded from obtaining the Mythic Reward reduced from 85 to 70.Kill window increased from 1.5 seconds to 2 seconds.
Stack requirements increased from 20/40/100 to 20/50/125.
Second reward no longer provides an extra bounce.
Level 7
Rolling Thunder
Now also provides an extra bounce of Chain Lightning.
Tyrande
Base
Lunar Flare [E]
Tyrande gains 1 stack if the target dies within 3 seconds of being hit.
Mythic Reward now also increases Attack Range by 1.
Lunar flare damage from hitting a Hero reduced from 4% to
3.5%3%.Talents
Level 16
Quickening Blessing
Movement bonus increased from 20% to 25%.
Level 20
Commander of Sentinels
Cooldown of Sentinel increased by 3 seconds.
Bug Fixes
Quote From Blizzard General
Fixed an issue that caused Unstoppable targets to not be immune to Blinds.
Maps
General
Fixed an issue that caused Bosses to attack Summoned units.
Blackheart's Bay
Fixed an issue that caused the AI to have issues turning in coins.
Infernal Shrines
Fixed an issue that prevented Minions from pathing near the Arcane Punisher's beams.
Heroes
Base
Defense Matrix [W]
D.Va's Mech will now retarget Defense Matrix when controlled by an AI.
Deathwing
Base
Dragonflight [Z]
Fixed an issue that caused Dragonflight's cooldown to increase upon taking damage to only occur when the cooldown is below 4 seconds.
Garrosh
Level 4
In For the Kill
Fixed an issue that caused In For the Kill to not completely reset the cooldown of Bloodthirst.
Gul'dan
Base
Drain Life [W]
Fixed an issue that caused Drain Life to not always be interrupted if the target leaves its range.
Jaina
Base
Improved Ice Block [1]
Fixed an issue that caused Improved Ice Block and Ice Cold to not be used correctly by AI-controlled Jaina.
Kael'thas
Level 20
Rebirth
Fixed an issue that caused Rebirth to not be used correctly by AI-controlled Kael'thas.
Li Li
Base
Cloud Serpent [W]
Fixed an issue that caused Cloud Serpent to not be made visible when damaging a target while in the Fog of War.
Medivh
Level 10
Poly Bomb
Fixed an issue that caused Poly Bomb to not be used correctly by AI-controlled Medivh.
Nazeebo
Level 13
Superstition
Fixed an issue that caused Superstition to display a blank ability for the damage dealt by its Corpse Spider.
Samuro
Base
Mirror Image [Q]
Mirror Images will no longer move towards Samuro's attack move target point on creation.
Mirror Images will now properly have their AI enabled when Samuro has their AI enabled.
Stukov
Base
Weighted Pustule [W]
Fixed an issue that caused Weighted Pustule to be removed when an effect that removes Slows is applied.
Thrall
Base
Feral Spirit [W]
Fixed an issue that caused Feral Spirit to not be extended correctly if it is about to expire.
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