Get an Early Look at Eight New Hero Talent Trees

February 27th by Blizzard Entertainment
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The War Within expansion introduces Hero Talents as a new update to World of Warcraft classes. They are an evergreen form of character progression for each class specialization that introduces new powers and class fantasies. Feedback is critical to us as a part of creating an impactful and fun addition to the game, so we are sharing our goals for Hero Talents with the community to get first impressions of them and learn how well we’re meeting those goals.

In this article, we take a closer look at the philosophies around Hero Talents for eight more trees: Elune’s Chosen and Wildstalker Druids, Scalecommander Evoker, Herald of the Sun and Templar Paladins, Trickster Rogue, Diabolist Warlock, and Colossus Warrior.

Index

What Are Hero Talents?

Hero Talents are new, self-contained talent trees that players unlock access at level 71. Hero Talents build on the abilities and talents of current classes and specializations. Players can choose a single Hero Talent tree to activate on a character and these talents can be changed in the same way class talents can be currently changed in the game. There are three Hero Talent trees for each class (excepting druid with four and demon hunter with two).  Each specialization has two Hero Talent trees they can choose between, and each of these trees is available as an option for two specializations.

For example, warriors have three Hero Talent tree options: Slayer, Colossus, and Mountain Thane. Fury has access to Mountain Thane and Slayer, Protection has access to Mountain Thane and Colossus, and Arms has access to Colossus and Slayer.

There are 11 nodes in a Hero Talent tree. The first of these unlocks with the system at level 71, and you earn 1 talent point per level from level 71 to 80, so you get every talent in the tree by level 80. Hero Talents will have starter builds available, and your saved builds will save your Hero Talent choices as well.

What to Expect from Hero Talents

Each Hero Talent tree starts with a “keystone” talent that introduces the core mechanic and concept of the tree. This could be a new ability, an enhancement to an existing ability or cooldown, or a new buff you can trigger. The bottom talent of each tree is a “capstone” talent that builds on the core themes of the tree or adds new power to the keystone.

Each tree will offer or modify some class utility and include defensive bonuses that are useful to all specializations. We are aiming for all trees to be about equal in the amount of utility and defensiveness they provide. Trees for characters that can take on a tanking role may have some additional defense bonuses that will be less valuable to healers or damage dealers (DPS), such as bonuses to tank talents or cooldowns. Three or four nodes in each tree will be choice nodes where you can choose between two options.

Hero Talents are meant to add enough damage or healing throughput to be significant without being so important that these new talents overshadow your current class and spec tree talents. Most Hero Talent trees add new visual effects to classes, both to communicate what they’re doing and bring their class fantasies to life. However, these are not complete visual reworks – your class and spec are still the same at their core, and that will continue to come through.

Maintaining Freedom to Choose

We want players to be free to choose the Hero Talent tree that has the gameplay, visuals, or flavor that they prefer. Our goal is for both options to feel similarly effective in raid dungeons, Mythic+, and PvP. We're working to avoid abilities or bonuses in Hero Talents that could make a certain tree feel "required" for activities where we can.

We know that for some players, prioritizing total throughput is the most important thing to them, even if the difference between choices seems small. That’s okay but keeping Hero Talent balance close is one of our priorities so that players can play what they prefer and still be viable in any content.

How We Chose Hero Talent Concepts

Since we announced Hero Talents at BlizzCon, it's been great to see all the conversation and speculation surrounding the 39 Hero Talent titles. We'd like to share some of the thinking that went behind choosing those concepts.

Each Hero Talent concept must be appropriate for both of the specs that can use it. Some concepts build on overlaps in abilities or flavors between the two specs that can use it, like Colossus warriors, which are as mighty as Arms warriors and as imposing as Protection warriors. Others create new themes that are appropriate for both specs, like Fatebound rogues.

Hero Talents also retain your combat role and the gear that you use so that you're not competing for new types of gear. For iconic Warcraft character archetypes, we wanted to be sure that we could deliver on their fantasy with World of Warcraft’s classes. Blademasters just wouldn’t be Blademasters without abilities like Wind Walk and Mirror Image, but those abilities don’t fit in a warrior’s toolkit.

Lastly, there are several iconic character archetypes that are strongly tied to specific races and factions, such as Keeper of the Grove or Mountain Thane. It’s exciting to embody these storied archetypes, but we want to ensure that characters of every race and faction can see themselves as those archetypes. We’re open to feedback on what feels good for your characters versus what is frustrating.

Gameplay and Hero Talents

We have several goals for what it feels like to play World of Warcraft with Hero Talents. Here are some of our guiding principles for how they affect your capabilities, your rotation, what you pay attention to in combat, and your user interface.

We like to say on the team that our goal for Hero Talents gameplay is for them to make you “what you are, but more.” We know that many of you have long histories with your favorite classes, and you play them because you like their gameplay and the spells and abilities that matter in their rotation, whether it’s the spinning plates of Affliction, the cycles of Arcane, or the frenetic reactivity of Fury. Hero Talents don’t override what matters to a class. You should feel like you’re playing your spec with a twist or a boost and not as if the things you care about have become unimportant or been replaced.

A Hero Talent tree might add new behavior or bonuses to an existing ability, like Keeper of the Grove’s bonuses to Force of Nature and Grove Guardian treants. They might occasionally reset the cooldown on abilities or replace spells with more powerful versions. They might make it easier to maintain important buffs or grant additional resources at key moments.

One thing that we’re keeping a close eye on is complexity. Classes in WoW have a lot of abilities and talents, and there’s a lot to learn about each one. We want Hero Talents to add new fun without creating new burdens, either in customizing or playing a character. Most Hero Talent trees do not add new buttons that players will need to add to their action bar or find a new keybind for. There will be additional opportunities for players to express their skill, but we’re trying not to add things like complex maintenance buffs that increase the cognitive load for everyone playing a class. Most of the choices a player will make about how complex they want their rotation to be will continue to be made in their class and spec talent trees.

Some Hero Talents do require you to take certain talents in your class or spec trees to access their powers. This is often because those talents fit the flavor and theme of that specific Hero Talent tree. The Mountain Thane warrior tree enhances Avatar and Thunder Clap, Templar paladin gives extra power to Wake of Ashes, and Elune’s Chosen druids can cast a particularly strong Fury of Elune. However, a Hero Talent tree will only ever require or enhance a small number of class or spec talents. It's important to us that there still is freedom in customizing your class build.

Show Us the Hero Talent Trees!

Over the coming months, we’ll continue to share full designs for Hero Talent trees from The War Within. We’re excited to hear what you think of them.

Below, you’ll find the Hero Talents for Elune’s Chosen and Wildstalker Druids, Scalecommander Evoker, Herald of the Sun and Templar Paladins, Trickster Rogue, Diabolist Warlock, and Colossus Warrior.

Specializations: Balance and Guardian

Dedicate yourself to the Moon Goddess, increasing your control over the moon and stars. Infuse abilities with astral might and call down potent lunar magic from the sky.

ELUNE’S CHOSEN KEYSTONE

Boundless Moonlight:

  • Fury of Elune (Balance and Guardian) now ends with a flash of energy, blasting nearby enemies for Astral damage.
  • Full Moon (Balance) calls down 2 Minor Moons that deal Astral damage and generate 3 Astral Power.
  • Lunar Beam (Guardian) now causes you to leech life equal to 10% of all damage dealt to enemies within the beam.

ELUNE’S CHOSEN ROW 1

Moon Guardian: (Balance) Moonfire and Starfire generate 2 additional Astral Power. (Guardian) Free automatic Moonfires from Galactic Guardian generate 5 Rage.

Lunar Insight:Moonfiredeals 10% additional damage.

Glistening Fur:Bear Form and Moonkin Form reduce Arcane damage taken by 6% and all other magic damage taken by 3%.

ELUNE’S CHOSEN ROW 2

Lunar Amplification:Each non-Arcane damaging ability you use increases the damage of your next Arcane damaging ability by 3%, stacking up to 3 times.

Atmospheric Exposure: Enemies damaged by Full Moon, Fury of Elune, or Lunar Beam take 4% increased damage from you for 6 seconds.

Choice Node: Moondust and Elune’s Grace

  • Moondust:Enemies affected by Moonfire are slowed by 30%.
  • Elune’s Grace: Using Wild Charge in Bear Form or Moonkin Form incurs a 3 second shorter cooldown.

ELUNE’S CHOSEN ROW 3 

Choice Node:Stellar Command and Lunar Calling

  • Stellar Command Increases the damage of Full Moon by 15% (Balance). Increases the damage of Lunar Beam by 30% (Guardian.) Increases the damage of Fury of Elune by 15% (Balance/Guardian.)
  • Lunar Calling:Starfire deals 40% increased damage to its primary target, but no longer triggers Solar Eclipse. Thrash now deals Arcane damage, and its damage is increased by 12%.

Choice Node: The Light of Elune and Astral Insight

  • The Light of Elune: Moonfire damage has a chance to call down Fury of Elune to follow your target for 3 seconds and generates 18 Astral Power or Rage over its duration.
  • Astral Insight: Incarnation: Chosen of Elune and Incarnation: Guardian of Ursoc increase Arcane damage from spells and abilities by 10% while active. Convoke the Spirits duration and number of spells cast increased by 25%.

Choice Node: Arcane Affinity and Lunation

  • Arcane Affinity: All Arcane damage from your spells and abilities is increased by 3%.
  • Lunation: Your Arcane abilities reduce the cooldown of Fury of Elune by 2 seconds and the cooldown of New Moon, Half Moon, and Full Moon by 1 second. Your Arcane abilities reduce the cooldown of Lunar Beam by 3 seconds.

ELUNE’S CHOSEN CAPSTONE

The Eternal Moon: Increases the power of Boundless Moonlight:

  • Fury of Elune (Balance and Guardian): The flash of energy now generates 6 Astral Power or 6 Rage and its damage is increased by 50%.
  • Full Moon (Balance): New Moon and Half Moon now also call down 1 Minor Moon.
  • Lunar Beam (Guardian): Lunar Beam increases Mastery by an additional 8%, deals 30% increased damage, and lasts 3 seconds longer

Specializations: Feral and Restoration

Wildstalkers are druids who feel such an affinity for the remote wilds of the world that they live amongst them, mostly in cat form, hunting to perpetuate the cycle of life and death and destroy those who would despoil nature. They use their healing powers to restore life to barren spaces and the creatures who live there.

WILDSTALKER KEYSTONE

Thriving Growth: Rip and Rake damage has a chance to cause Bloodseeker Vines to grow on the victim, dealing bleed damage over 6 seconds.&

Wild Growth, Regrowth, and  Efflorescence have a chance to cause Symbiotic Blooms to grow on the target, healing over 6 seconds. Multiple instances of these can overlap.

WILDSTALKER ROW 1

Hunt Beneath the Open Skies: Damage and healing while in Cat Form increased by 5%. Moonfire and Sunfire damage increased by 10%.

Strategic Infusion: Tiger’s Fury and attacking from Prowl increases the chance for Shred, Rake, and Brutal Slash to critically strike by 8% for 6 sec. Casting Regrowth increases the chance for your periodic heals to critically heal by 10% for 6 sec.

Wildstalker’s Power:Rip Damage increased by 6%. Ferocious Bite damage increased by 4%. Rejuvenation healing increased by 3%. Efflorescence and Lifebloom healing increased by 6%.

WILDSTALKER ROW 2

Wildstalker’s Prescence:Wild Growth and Rake last 20% longer.

Choice Node:Entangling Vortex and Flower Walk

  • Entangling Vortex: Enemies pulled intoUrsol’s Vortex are rooted in place for 6 seconds. Damage may cancel the effect.
  • Flower Walk: During Barkskin your movement speed is increased by 10% and every second flowers grow beneath your feet that heal up to 3 nearby injured allies.

Choice Node: Bond with Nature & Harmonious Constitution

  • Bond with Nature: Healing you receive is increased by 10%.
  • Harmonious Constitution: Your Regrowth’s healing on yourself is increased by 50%.

WILDSTALKER ROW 3

Choice Node: Resilient Flourishing and Root Network

  • Resilient Flourishing: Bloodseeker Vines and Symbiotic Blooms last 2 additional seconds. When a target afflicted by Bloodseeker Vines dies, the vines jump to a nearby unaffected target for their remaining duration.
  • Root Network: Each active Bloodseeker Vine increases the damage your abilities deal by 2%. Each active Symbiotic Bloom increases the healing of your Lifebloom and Wild Growth by 2%.

Bursting Growth: When Bloodseeker Thorns expire they explode in thorns, dealing physical damage to nearby enemies. Damage reduced above 5 targets. When Symbiotic Blooms expire, flowers grow around their target, healing them and up to 3 nearby allies.

Choice Node: Twin Sprouts and Implant

  • Twin Sprouts: When Bloodseeker Vines or Symbiotic Blooms grow, they have a 10% chance to cause another growth of the same type to immediately grow on a valid nearby target.
  • Implant: Feral Frenzy immediately causes a Bloodseeker Vine to grow on the target. Casting Regrowth that is made instant via Nature’s Swiftness causes a Symbiotic Bloom to grow on the target. 

WILDSTALKER CAPSTONE

Vigorous Creepers: Bloodseeker Vines increase the damage your abilities deal to affected enemies by 10%. Symbiotic Blooms increase the healing your spells do to affected targets by 8%.

Specializations: Augmentation and Devastation

Scalecommanders are the chosen generals of the Dracthyr, specializing in calling targets and inspiring those around them. They are experts in using flight during a battle, and are often seen leading the charge while in the sky.

SCALECOMMANDER KEYSTONE

Mass Eruptions / Mass Disintegrate: Empower spells cause your next Disintegrate (Devastation) and Eruption (Augmentation) to strike up to 3 targets. When striking less than 3 targets, Disintegrate or Eruption damage is increased by 25% for each missing target.

SCALECOMMANDER ROW 1

Might of the Black Dragonflight: Black spells deal 10% increased damage.

Bombardments: Mass Disintegrate marks your primary target for destruction for the next 10 seconds. You and your allies have a chance to trigger a Bombardment when attacking marked targets, dealing Volcanic damage split amongst all nearby enemies.

Onslaught: Entering combat grants a charge of Burnout, causing your next Living Flame to cast instantly.

SCALECOMMANDER ROW 2

Melt Armor: Deep Breath (Devastation) and Breath of Eons (Augmentation] cause enemies to take 20% increased damage from Bombardments and Essence abilities for 12 seconds.

Wingleader: Bombardments reduce the cooldown of Deep Breath (Devastation) and Breath of Eons (Augmentation) by 1 second for each target struck, up to 3 seconds.

Unrelenting Siege: For each second you are in combat, Azure Strike and Living Flame deal 1% increased damage, up to 50%.

SCALECOMMANDER ROW 3

Choice Node: Hardened Scales and Menacing Presence

  • Hardened Scales: Obsidian Scales reduces damage taken by an additional 5%.
  • Menacing Presence: Knocking an enemy up or backward reduces their damage done to you by 15% for 8 seconds.

Choice Node: Extended Battle and Diverted Power

  • Extended Battle: Essence abilities extend Bombardments by 1 second.
  • Diverted Power: Bombardments have a chance to generate Essence Burst.

Choice Node: Nimble Flyer and Tailwinds

  • Nimble Flyer: While Hovering, damage taken from area of effect attacks is reduced by 10%.
  • Tailwinds: Deep Breath (Devastation) and Breath of Eons (Augmentation) reset the cooldown of Hover.

SCALECOMMANDER CAPSTONE

Maneuverability: Deep Breath (Devastation) and Breath of Eons (Augmentation) can now be steered in your desired direction. In addition, Deep Breath (Devastation) and Breath of Eons (Augmentation) burn targets for Volcanic damage over 12 seconds.

Specializations: Holy and Retribution

Heralds of the Sun infuse themselves with Radiant Solar energy to inflict burns on enemies and cauterize their allies’ wounds. They are deeply bonded to this power and can manifest potent solar rays while fully connected to the Light.

HERALD OF THE SUN KEYSTONE

Sunspot: Wake of Ashes (Retribution) and Holy Prism (Holy) cause your next 2 Holy Power spending abilities to create a Sunspot on your target, dealing Radiant damage or healing over 8 seconds. 10% of Sunspots damage and healing radiates to nearby allies or enemies, reduced beyond 5 targets.

HERALD OF THE SUN ROW 1

Choice Node: Morning Star and Gleaming Rays

  • Morning Star: Every 5 sec, your next Sunspot’s damage or healing is increased by 5%, stacking up to 10 times. Morning Star stacks twice as fast while out of combat.
  • Gleaming Rays: While a Sunspot is active, your abilities that use Holy Power deal 10% increased additional damage or healing.

Eternal Flame: Heals an ally immediately and over an additional 20 seconds. Healing increased by 25% when cast on self. Replaces Word of Glory, costs 3 Holy Power.

Luminosity: Critical strike chance of Hammer of Wrath and Divine Storm (Retribution) and Holy Shock and Light of Dawn (Holy) increased by 10%.

HERALD OF THE SUN ROW 2

Choice Node: Illumine and Will of the Dawn

  • Illumine: Sunspots reduce the movement speed of enemies by 50% and increase the movement speed of allies by 20%.
  • Will of the Dawn: Movement speed increased by 5% while above 80% health. When your health is brought below 35%, your movement speed is increased by 40% for 5 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 60 seconds.

Choice Node: Eternal Sun and Lingering Radiance

  • Eternal Sun: Sunspot’s duration is increased by 2 seconds and Eternal Flame’s duration is increased by 3 seconds.
  • Lingering Radiance: Sunspots leave an Eternal Flame for 12 seconds on allies or a Greater Judgment on enemies when they expire or are extended.

Sun Sear: Hammer of Wrath and Divine Storm (Retribution) and Holy Shock and Light of Dawn (Holy) critical strikes cause the target to burn for additional Radiant damage over 4 seconds or be healed for over 4 seconds.

HERALD OF THE SUN ROW 3

Aurora: After you cast Wake of Ashes (Retribution) or Holy Prism(Holy) gain Divine Purpose.

Solar Grace: Your Haste is increased by 4% for 12 seconds each time you apply a Sunspot. Multiple stacks may overlap.

Second Sunrise: Hammer of Wrath and Divine Storm (Retribution]) and Holy Shock and Light of Dawn (Holy) have a 15% chance to cast again at 30% effectiveness.

HERALD OF THE SUN CAPSTONE

Sun’s Avatar: During Avenging Wrath, you become linked to your Sunspots, causing Radiant damage to enemies or healing to allies that pass through the beams, reduced beyond 5 targets.

Activating Avenging Wrath applies 4 Sunspots onto nearby allies or enemies and increases Sunspot’s damage and healing by 20%.

Specializations: Protection and Retribution

Templar stop at nothing to fulfil their divine purpose of bringing justice and purging the wicked. They call down hammers of light and unleash devastating combinations of Physical and Holy attacks that vanquish their enemies.

TEMPLAR KEYSTONE 

Light's Guidance: Wake of Ashes (Retribution) and Eye of Tyr (Protection) are replaced with Hammer of Light for 12 seconds after they are cast.

  • Hammer of Light: Hammer down your enemy with the power of the Light, dealing Holy damage to the target and up to 4 nearby enemies. Additionally, calls down Empyrean Hammers from the sky to strike 3 nearby enemies for Holy damage. Costs 5 Holy Power. 

TEMPLAR ROW 1 

Choice Node: Templar’s Watch and For Whom the Bell Tolls 

  • Templar’s Watch: Hammer of Light, Wake of Ashes (Retribution), and Eye of Tyr (Protection) deal 30% increased damage when striking only 1 enemy. This amount is reduced by 6% for each additional target struck. 
  • For Whom the Bell Tolls: Divine Toll grants up to 100% increased damage to your next 3 Judgments when striking only 1 enemy. This amount is reduced by 20% for each additional target struck. 

Shake the Heavens: After casting Hammer of Light, you call down an Empyrean Hammer on a nearby target every 2 seconds for 8 seconds. 

Empyrean Hammer: When Empyrean Hammer critically strikes, 60% of its damage is dealt to nearby enemies. Enemies hit by this effect deal 5% reduced damage to you for 8 seconds. 

TEMPLAR ROW 2 

Sacrosanct Crusade: When you cast Wake of Ashes (Retribution) or Eye of Tyr (Protection), gain Shield of Vengeance at 10% effectiveness. 

Higher Calling: Crusader Strike, Hammer of Wrath, and Blade of Justice (Retribution) and Judgment (Protection) extend the duration of Shake the Heavens by 1 second. 

Choice Node: Bonds of Fellowship and Unrelenting Charger 

  • Bonds of Fellowship: You receive 20% less damage from Blessing of Sacrifice and each time its target takes damage, you gain 4% movement speed up to a maximum of 40%. 
  • Unrelenting Charger: Divine Steed lasts 2 seconds longer and increases your movement speed by an additional 30% for the first 3 seconds. 

TEMPLAR ROW 3 

Choice Node: Endless Wrath and Sanctification 

  • Endless Wrath: Calling down an Empyrean Hammer has a 10% chance to reset the cooldown of Hammer of Wrath and make it usable on any target, regardless of their health. 
  • Sanctification: Casting Judgment increases the damage of Empyrean Hammer by 10% for 10 seconds. Multiple applications may overlap. 

Hammerfall: Templar's Verdict and Divine Storm (Retribution) and Shield of the Righteous and Word of Glory (Protection) call down an Empyrean Hammer on a nearby enemy. While Shake the Heavens is active, this effect calls down an additional Empyrean Hammer. 

Undisputed Ruling: Hammer of Light applies Judgment to its targets and increases your Haste by 15% for 6 seconds (Protection). Additionally, Eye of Tyr grants 3 Holy Power.  

TEMPLAR CAPSTONE 

Light's Deliverance: You gain a stack of Light's Deliverance when you call down an Empyrean Hammer. At 50 stacks, casting Hammer of Light empowers you for 12 seconds to cast Hammer of Light an additional time for free. 

Specializations: Outlaw and Subtlety

Misdirection, dirty tricks, and flashing blades are on display when a Trickster enters a fight. A clever Trickster distracts an opponent with a devious misdirection or sword’s flourish then slashes the fool with a blade they never saw coming. Coins are taken, leaving pockets lighter and egos bruised.

TRICKSTER KEYSTONE

Unseen Blade: Feint now grants 2 Combo Points and quickly slashes with an Unseen Blade dealing damage to nearby enemies. Targets struck are Fazed for 5 seconds.

Fazed enemies take 5% more damage from you and cannot parry your attacks.

TRICKSTER ROW 1

Surprising Strikes: Attacks that generate Combo Points deal 25% increased critical strike damage to Fazed targets.

Choice Node: Smoke and Mirrors

  • Smoke: You take 5% reduced damage from Fazed targets.
  • Mirrors: Feint reduces area damage taken by an additional 10%.

Flawless Form: Killing Spree (Outlaw) and Secret Technique (Subtlety) grant Mastery for 5 seconds. Multiple applications may overlap.

TRICKSTER ROW 2

Choice Node: So Tricky and Don’t Be Suspicious

  • So Tricky: Tricks of the Trade’s threat redirect duration is increased to 1 hour.
  • Don’t Be Suspicious: Blind and Shroud of Concealment have 10% reduced cooldown. Pick Pocket and Sap range increased by 10 yards.

Devious Distractions: Distract and Killing Spree (Outlaw) and Secret Technique (Subtlety) cause targets to be Fazed for 10 seconds.

Choice Node: Thousand Cuts and Flickerstrike

  • Thousand Cuts: Slice and Dice grants 10% additional attack speed and gives your auto attacks a chance to trigger Unseen Blade.
  • Flickerstrike: Taking area damage while Feint is active or dodging while Evasion is active triggers Unseen Blade. This effect may only occur once every 5 seconds.

TRICKSTER ROW 3

Nimble Flurry: Killing Spree (Outlaw) and Secret Technique (Subtlety) deal 10% more damage and have a 10% reduced cooldown.

Choice Node: Cloud Cover and No Scruples

  • Cloud Cover: Distract now creates a cloud of smoke for 10 seconds and its cooldown is increased to 90 seconds. Attacks from within the cloud afflict targets with Fazed for 5 seconds.
  • No Scruples: Finishing moves have a 10% increased chance to critically strike Fazed targets.

Elaborate Twirl: Increases the duration of Flawless Form by 2 seconds.

TRICKSTER CAPSTONE

Coup de Grace: After 4 strikes with Unseen Blade, your next Dispatch (Outlaw), Eviscerate, or Black Powder (Subtlety)will be performed as a Coup de Grace, dealing 40% increased damage. If the primary target is Fazed, gain 5 stacks of Flawless Form.

Specializations: Demonology and Destruction

The defeat of the Legion has left many demons unbound and potent magics untouched. Bring the remnants of the Burning Crusade to heel, commanding greater demons once thought to be uncontrollable and wreak havoc across the battlefield using abyssal powers from the Twisting Nether.

DIABOLIST KEYSTONE 

Diabolic Ritual: Spending a Soul Shard grants Diabolic Ritual for 20 seconds. While Diabolic Ritual is active, each Soul Shard spent reduces its duration by 1 second. When Diabolic Ritual expires you gain Demonic Art, causing your next ability that costs Soul Shards to summon an Overlord, Mother of Chaos, or Pit Lord that unleashes a devastating attack against your enemies. 

DIABOLIST ROW 1 

Cloven Souls: Enemies damaged by your Overlord have their souls cloven, increasing damage taken by you and your pets by 10% for 20 seconds. 

Touch of Rancora: Diabolic Ritual increases the damage of your next ability that costs Soul Shards by 30% and reduces its cast time by 50%. 

Secrets of the Coven: Mother of Chaos empowers your next Shadow Bolt or Incinerate to become Demonfire Barrage. 

  • Demonfire Barrage: Channel a barrage of 4 Shadow Bolts or Incinerates toward the enemy target over 1.5 seconds. 

DIABOLIST ROW 2 

Choice Node: Soul-Etched Circles and Annihilan’s Bellow

  • Soul-Etched Circles: You always gain the benefit of Soulburn when casting Demonic Circle: Teleport, increasing your movement speed by 50% and making you immune to snares and roots for 6 seconds. 
  • Annihilan's Bellow: Howl of Terror cooldown is reduced by 15 seconds and range is increased by 5 yards. 

Choice Node: Cruelty of Kerxan and Infernal Machine 

  • Cruelty of Kerxan: Nether Portal, Summon Demonic Tyrant, and Summon Infernal grant Diabolic Ritual and reduce its duration by 3 seconds. 
  • Infernal Machine: Abilities that cost Soul Shards decrease the duration of Diabolic Ritual by 1 additional second while your Demonic Tyrant, Nether Portal, or Infernal is active.

Choice Node: Infernal Vitality and Infernal Bulwark 

  • Infernal Vitality: Unending Resolve heals you for 30% of your maximum health over 10 seconds. 
  • Infernal Bulwark: Unending Resolve grants Soul Leech equal to 10% of your maximum health and increases the maximum amount Soul Leech can absorb by 10% for 8 seconds.

DIABOLIST ROW 3 

Flames of Xoroth: Fire damage increased 2% and damage dealt by your demons is increased 2%. 

Abyssal Dominion: Grimoire: Felguard and Cataclysm gain additional effects: 

  • Grimoire: Felguard (Demonology) lasts 3 seconds longer and its cooldown is reduced by 30 seconds. 
  • Casting Cataclysm (Destruction) summons an Overfiend that casts Chaos Bolt 2 times at 80% effectiveness before departing. 

Gloom of Nathreza: Hand of Gul'dan deals 15% increased damage for each Soul Shard spent. Enemies marked by your Havoc take 5% increased damage from your single target spells. 

DIABOLIST CAPSTONE 

Ruination: Summoning a Pit Lord causes your next Hand of Gul'dan or Chaos Bolt to become Ruination. 

  • Ruination: Call down a demon-infested meteor from the depths of the Twisting Nether, dealing Chaos damage on impact to all enemies within 8 yards of the target and summoning 3 Wild Imps. 

Specializations: Arms and Protection

Colossus Warriors are the peak of pure physical might and resilience. They are veterans of countless battles and have the scars to show for it. Colossus’ know not only how to take a hit and keep going, but how and where to put their strikes to use to ensure their enemies don’t.

Developer’s Note: The Warrior tree will be updated in the War Within to make the Shockwave talent more easily accessible via class talents.

We wanted to call this out as the Colossus tree interacts with Shockwave in a few places.

COLOSSUS KEYSTONE

Demolish: Unleash a series of precise and powerful strikes against your target and enemies within 8 yards of it. You can block, parry, and dodge while using this ability. 45 second cooldown.

COLOSSUS ROW 1

Martial Expert: Your critical strike damage is increased by 10% and the amount blocked by your critical blocks is increased by 10%.

Colossal Might: Mortal Strike and Shield Slam grant a stack of Colossal Might. Colossal Might increases damage dealt by Demolish by 10% and stacks up to 5 times. Demolish consumes Colossal Might.

Choice Node: Boneshaker and Earthquaker

  • Boneshaker: Shockwave's stun duration is increased by 2 seconds.
  • Earthquaker: Shockwave also knocks enemies into the air, and its cooldown is reduced by 5 seconds.

COLOSSUS ROW 2

Choice Node: One Against Many and Arterial Bleed

  • One Against Many: Shockwave, Cleave, Whirlwind, and Revenge deal 5% more damage per target affected up to 5.
  • Arterial Bleed: Colossal Might increases the damage of Rend and Deep Wounds by 2% per stack.

Tide of Battle: Colossal Might increases the damage of Overpower and Revenge by 2%.

Choice Node: No Stranger to Pain and Rally

  • No Stranger to Pain: Total damage prevented by Ignore Pain increased by 15%.
  • Rally: Taking damage has a low chance to give you a Second Wind for 2 seconds.

COLOSSUS ROW 3

Practiced Strikes: Mortal Strike and Shield Slam damage increased by 15%.

True Might: Mortal Strike and Shield Slam critical strikes grant an additional stack of Colossal Might.

Mountain of Muscle and Scars: You deal 5% more damage and take 2.5% less damage. Size increased by 5%.

COLOSSUS CAPSTONE

Unstoppable Force: Colossal Might now stacks 10 times. If you were to gain an additional stack of Colossal Might but are already at max stacks, the cooldown of Demolish is reduced by 2 seconds. While channeling Demolish, you are grounded, making you immune to stuns and effects that move you.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and sharing more as we progress.

Visit our first and second preview articles to learn more about additional Hero Talents in development.