Evolving Zerg Multiclass Hero idea (Yggdrasill maybe)

Hero and Skin Suggestions
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So I had a general concept idea for a Zerg hero that “evolved” as it gained new talents. This could be a good concept to introduce another multiclass hero to the mix after all this time of Varian being the only one (and technically Cho’Gall).

I didnt come up with a kit or anything but I just kind of like the general idea of starting out as a Zergling (or even a useless larva until the first talent is selected). Then “evolving” as you level up. In the OG games, you’d Evolve a Zergling into a Hydralisk, and then into a Lurker/Mutalisk.

It has been a while since I played the game But I remember there being a sort of order you evolved units in order to get the strongest ones. So someone with SC knowledge could really lay down some ideas here. I just like the idea of an Ultralisk tank that is actually a tank unit and not just Kerrigans ult. Or a Guardian ranged DPS that you have to go from Hydralisk/Mutalisk/Guardian to get to. There are tons of new units in SC2 so there are potentially a few things you could do. I guess level 1 would be the initial “class choice” (melee dps, ranged dps or tank)… perhaps even a healer route? This could be similar to Kharzim with a choice in “passive” ability or it could be more like Varian with a build defining talent choice early on. I feel like the Kharazim route would be easiest to code, the initial choice of talent would ultimately be something like (Evolve zergling, Evolve Hydralisk, Evolve x) This would just simplify the whole model evolving process further down the line because each unit has a different evolution tree to begin with (we may have to cheat the lore a little for the sake of the gameplay experience)

A lot of assets already exist in game that can just be resized/reskinned. With the addition of Braxis Hold, there’s pretty much a model for most zerg units, although I’ve never played SC2 and I know there are a ton more that have never been seen in the Nexus. A “primal zerg” theme is also possible although Dehaka kind of allready fulgills that “evolving” theme albeit not a multiclass and he really updates his model rather than changing entirely

If you have any sweet ideas for this lay them out, I’d love to see an “evolving zerg” hero that fits the multiclass category with style

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Sounds like a Murky skin.

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Yea, you can come up with a better name if you want. Pretty sure it was also a WoW battle pet.

Could just name it Larval Zerg since the first unit model will undoubtedly be the larva which then evolves into 1 of several other models upon selecting the first talent

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I attempted something similar back on the old forums with Lurk the Evolved Lurker, basically i changed him via his heroics and he would’ve been classified as a Multiclass but i built hit kit before Varian was even a thing.

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I’d love to see your work if you have it backed up somewhere. I’m guessing the old post is gone now.

So Im sort of envisioning at this point: Starting as a larva you select a talent like (evolve Hydralisk/Evolve Zergling). Setting your melee or ranged autoattack from the start

Hydralisk->Lurker/Impaler would technically be the ranged assassin path… perhaps guardian is the level 20 or something (Mutalisk being the level 10 and if they are really smart about it, some universal option that fits every class so theres always two level 10 choices)… or perhaps you dont even think about it and they just change form at level 10 while the ults are universal to begin with… I kinda like the option of staying a hydralisk the whole game because I miss Venomancer but whatever the devs think is the best way to do it will likely be just that.

I really need help with lore though because in my head, melee dps route would be something like
Zergling->Roach->Ravager (I know we are cheating the lore a little here and techically theres a progressive depart from melee dps, perhaps we juggle the idea of one ranged dps being mage and the other being autoattacks)

Tank route sounds really hard to imagine as Ultralisk is undoubtedly the best unit for it and I dont think they have an evolution path in the game… so maybe this multiclass alternates as a healer/specialist with some of those other crazy units they added in SC2.

The amount of work that could potentially go into this is endless, so gotta be concise with our goals so that devs aren’t overwhelemed with the possibilities.

The biggest problem is coming up with the kit:
Do abilities change when you evolve like with the Odin ult?
Is the Ultimate just a low CD ability associated with the evolved Zerg and the other abilities universal
Burrow was pretty universal for zerg units in general, maybe one ability changes depending on the ult selected, mutalisks dont burrow anymore and can replace the function of the button while lurkers replace another ability

Update: Reading up on the wiki, perhaps rather than departing from the lore we instead fully embrace it and introduce Bronoliths, Zantar slugs, Slothein, mantis screamer, etc. Themeatically, we would start out as the original species and then evolve into the zerg unit (possibly very quickly, like level 4/7 since the path is chosen by chosing which species will be “assimiliated”). Most zerg units come straight from the larva so thematically its kind of impossible to have a multiclass tank option that evolves into the Ultralisk without considering the original unassimilated specie… most are also ranged dps… so perhaps there really is no option of a melee dps route and we just try and weave a specialist/support route into the mix

some ideas include
Bronolith->Ultralisk->Torrasque
Slothein->Hydralisk->Lurker or Impaler
Zantar Slug->Roach->Ravager
Mantis Screamer->Mutalisk->Viper or Guardian
Dune Runner->Zergling->Raptor or Swarmling
Corruptors?
Defilers?
Swarm hosts?

Another option is to just make the entire hero into an Overlord and all this other “evolved zerg” stuff is really just a “pet” unit to the overlord, kinda like Rexxar and misha/Overlord and his underling. Make this similar to Abathur in that the primary unit is basically non-combat and the class role fulfilled is an extention of the players talent choices. Or make it like TLV but with two units, giving the Overlord some baseline function and his underling using the majority of the ability slots(possibly added via talent just like TLV). This option gives us a true hero to bring into the nexus: Yggdrasill

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Luckily i kept my old mega threads link in the old forums which has dozens of links attached to it including this one, Heroes of the Storm Forums

It was based on a already evolved unit but it allowed further evolutions, i tried the Larval state kit before and didn’t go well for me so i abandoned it awhile back.

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I love the “Consume” idea although I can see the meta quickly turning into a “consume the health orb dropping allied unit so the enemy can never receive one”. So devs may consider some limitations to it in that regard. Perhaps the feels can just be tied into a mechanic similar to Voodoo ritual in that it passively increases regeneration when an allied minion dies within range.