Another round of Kael'Thas changes, a Gazlowe Buffer and of course, the newest support hero Auriel-- these changes and more are now live!
Auriel is already a big deal and we get it, but what about the other heroes to be changed? Kael'Thas, Tracer, Leoric, and even Gazlowe has gotten some pretty big changes and after playing them all, here are my day 1 verdicts:
Gazlowe
Gazlowe has always had access to Clockwork Steam fists, but the added quest component has made it a much more desireable pick. As a result, Gazlowe is strictly better this patch, and even if that is so small, it still allows for moments like this.
Verdict: Have some fun in quick match, but Gazlowe won't hit the draft screen any time soon.
Kael'thas
Gravity Crush is a huge loss to Kael'thas and so was Sun King's Fury. Kael'Thas used to get a huge spike in late game PvE objectives on maps like Garden of Terror and Battlefield of Eternity, but that simply isn't possible anymore. His single target damage has been stripped but, in theory, it has been made up with an increase in AoE damage. Arcane Dynamo isn't what you want in a level 16 talent, however the extra ranged from Flamethrower at 20 is pretty good.
Verdict: Skilled Kael'thas players will find a way to melt faces, but I would think twice before instantly picking or banning him. Save that for Li-Ming / Falstad / Greymane.
Kerrigan
Nothing has changed here. Maelstrom was nerfed slightly but honestly, Maelstrom isn't what makes Kerrigan good. All of her prior buffs are still in full effect and she is a forced to be reckoned with at the hands of an experienced player.
Verdict: Still pick Kerrigan. Still get killed by her combo. Still first pick on Infernal Shrines.
Tracer
I like playing Tracer because it feels like easy mode. A confident player can feel unkillable against an unorganized team, as old Tracer was just too impossible to punish thanks to Spatial Echo. Spatial Echo allowed for safe poking at virtually no risk.
But that was Old Tracer. New Tracer isn't so forgiving and requires you to get the kill in order to ensure your escape. Playing Tracer felt relatively the same, but those insane level 7 and level 20 power spikes don't exist any more. You have to try harder, focus up, and really think about your blinks.
Verdict: Unless you are Krohen, get used to a more cautious style of Tracer play. Personally, I think it's healthy for Tracer to less safe-- she is just as lethal in the hands of a pro.
Zagara
Blizzard says that Zagara has "few natural counters" and that her win rate is "sitting a bit too high". I can accept this justification for the Zagara nerfs, especially because her recent re-work have proven to only make the hero stronger. Personally, I don't like the nerf to the level 7 Bile Drop talent. I like seeing Infested Drop be used as more than just a "throw it near the enemy and forget" and rewarding the skill-shot element of the ability was cool.
Verdict: Zagara is still very strong. She was nerfed, but in the good way that makes her less overbearingly powerful and more nuanced.
Leoric and Nazeebo
I didn't get a chance to play Leoric or Nazeebo, but just looking at the patch notes gives a pretty clear idea that both of these heroes have been buffed in a good way. There is some awkwardness with Nazeebo's Zombie Wall buff making it harder to hit targets trapped in the wall with Plague of Toads, but I think the power of an unavoidable wall is worth this drop in potential DPS.
Royal Focus is an amazing wave clearing talent. I think this talent will be "extremely" powerful on maps like Black Hearts bay. Just put Leoric top and enjoy Royal Focus wave clear between both top and mid lanes!
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