The next patch for Heroes of the Storm has been fully detailed, and it’s a big one.
The update is now live on the public test realm, as is the newest map, the recently revealed Infernal Shrines. As already announced, this is a three-lane, Diablo-themed map where players fight to summon bosses who both push the nearest lane and seek out nearby enemy players.
While the map is available alongside the patch on the PTR, Blizzard says that it won’t be available in the live game at the same time as the patch itself. Additionally, during the testing period, it’ll be the only map playable on the PTR (outside of custom games).
Kharazim, the HotS version of Diablo III’s Monk, arrives as part of this patch. He’s the first support-class character from the Diablo series, and can be customized to serve as a heavy damage dealer or a healer.
In terms of existing characters, there’s the usual raft of tweaks that are detailed on Blizzard’s website, many with comments from the development team. These changes include allowing Sgt. Hammer to enter siege mode more frequently (and for less mana) and giving her more health; giving Azmodan more viable alternatives to building up his Globe of Annihilation ability; and buffing Raynor overall.
Diablo III players will be entitled to a whole new slate of rewards with this new patch. Any Diablo III player who logs into HotS in the three weeks following the release of the patch will receive Diablo (the character) for free. Additionally, Malthael’s Phantom (a new mount) will be given for free to anyone who reaches level 70 with a seasonal character in Diablo III, beginning with season 4. And finally, players who hit level 12 will get a HotS-style portrait border and pennant for use in Diablo III.
Malthael’s Phantom isn’t the only new mount, as Diablo’s treasure goblin is also being added. Appropriately enough, he’ll only be purchasable with gold. Meanwhile, the treasure goblin you encounter at the start of games during the ongoing Eternal Conflict event has a new special quest tied to him: kill him 50 times and you’ll get a special portrait.
Another change of note, and one that could potentially be important for those trying to learn the game, is the ability to customize the AI’s difficulty. Players can choose from five options–Beginner, Recruit, Adept, Veteran, and Elite–to help adjust the experience in Versus AI mode, though the Elite-level difficulty is said to still be in development.
You can see the full patch notes here. The patch doesn’t yet have a release date, nor does Infernal Shrines, the game’s ninth map. The company recently revealed that, as more maps continue to be added, it could limit the number of them that are playable in matchmaking at any given time.
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