Hogger is an infamous gnoll that plagued the adventures of many WoW players back in vanilla, and his legacy has continued on to today, being a boss in Stormwind Stockade and a card in hearthstone. I love the opportunity to introduce new races to the nexus, and Hogger has a particularly unique niche that he can fill.
In Hots, Hogger is a monster early on, swarming enemy heroes with overwhelming power, just as he did in WoW. His goal (along with his level 1 talents) is to push his team far ahead early on and close out games early; he falls off incredibly hard late game. Late game, he turns into a more supportive character, offering disruption and vision with his Gnolls.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Bruiser
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 Second CD
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
Bane of Elwynn
Trait (Passive)
Hogger gains 50% increased damage dealt, 30 Armor, and 20% increased movement speed. Every time the enemy team levels up, he loses 2.5% of his increased damage, 1.5 of his Armor, and 1% of his increased movement speed. (No benefit upon reaching level 21).
Explanation: The idea of Hogger is to dominate the game early on, allowing your team to scale very quickly. Unfortunately, just as Hogger lost his power as players leveled in Warcraft, Hogger quickly loses his power and quickly becomes weaker than every other character by the time the enemy team gets to level 20.
Vicious Slice
Q (7 sec Cooldown)
Hogger slices in a 30 degree wide, 3 unit long cone, dealing 200 (+4% per level) damage to any enemies hit. Enemy Heroes start to bleed for 4 seconds, dealing 1.5% of their maximum health in damage every second.
Explanation: Vicious Slice is Hogger’s primary damaging tool, with both an upfront damage component and a set percentage health damage component. This means that Hogger will deal good damage at the start of the match, but have some use later on, as even when he has no boosted damage, he still has percent health damage.
Head Bash
W (10 sec Cooldown)
Hogger charges 4 units in a line, headbutting the first enemy hit, dealing 180 (+4% per level) damage and stunning the enemy for 1 second. The enemy is then slowed by 50% for 1 second.
Explanation: Head Bash is Hogger’s engage and one of his better CC tools. It is fairly simple, but can be used to quickly combo the enemy with Maddening Howl.
Maddening Howl
E (10 sec Cooldown)
Hogger howls in a 70 degree wide, 5.5 unit long cone after a .25 second delay, fearing all enemies in the cone for 1.25 seconds. If the enemy runs into a wall, they instead become taunted. All Gnolls in his Pack are granted 50% increased attack speed for 3 seconds.
Explanation: Maddening Howl is another powerful; disruption tool that brings two uncommonly used disruption effects to a basic ability. The theme of fearing an enemy, or cornering them and making them fight you, emphasizes just how fearsome a foe Hogger is.
Hogger’s Pack
1 (15 sec Cooldown)
Hogger summons a Gnoll to a location within 5 units to patrol a 5 unit long vector for up to 1 minute or until killed, attacking enemies that near it. If Hogger moves within 2 units of the Gnoll, it will join his Pack, following him around and attacking enemies he is attacking. Gnolls have 425 (+4% per level) health. Hogger can have a total of two Gnolls in his Pack at any one time, and Gnolls in his Pack do not have a duration.
Explanation: Hogger’s pack is another draw of the character, creating a swarm based playstyle that will feel reminiscent to players who fought Hogger back in the day. Maintaining his Pack is a major part of Hogger’s strength.
Cannibalize
Heroic #1 (45 sec CD)
Hogger starts to cannibalize a nearby dead allied or enemy Hero over 3 seconds, healing 25% of his maximum health every second. If Hogger is dealt 10% of his health in damage while channeling, he stops eating and enters a rage, gaining the full effects of Bane of Elwynn, regardless of enemy level, for 8 seconds. Gnolls that are a part of his Pack can be controlled while he is feasting, allowing him to direct them to attack enemies.
Explanation: Gnolls are known for eating whatever and whenever, as long as they can get a next meal. They are scavengers. To bring this out, I wanted to emphasize the vicious nature of the gnoll by adding their ability to eat anything.
Call the Pack
Heroic #2 (50 sec Cooldown)
(Passive) Increases the maximum number of Gnolls that can be in Hogger’s Pack to 4.
(Active) Hogger calls upon his pack, summoning (up to) two Gnolls that join his Pack. In addition, for 15 seconds, his Gnolls and him deal 25% increased damage and his cooldowns are reduced by 2 seconds.
Explanation: As opposed to a powerful heal, Call the Pack gives Hogger some more swarm based play, able to overwhelm enemies with a swarm of gnolls. This also increases his power significantly, being more offensive than Cannibalize.
Tier 1
• Bounty: The enemy team gains experience 50% slower through Hero kills. This effect is lost for two minutes when Hogger is killed, and he rewards 50% increased experience. Upon reaching level 10, this talent is lost and Hogger’s respawn time is reduced by 25%.
• Hunting Party: Hogger’s team passively earns experience every second. Upon reaching level 10, this talent is lost and Hogger’s allies gain 15% increased movement speed while near an enemy Hero under 30% health.
• Sabotaging Scavengers: The enemy team’s Healing Fountains restore 50% less healing and mana, and their structures deal 20% less damage. Upon reaching level 10, this talent is lost, and enemies damaged by Hogger’s Gnolls receive 25% less healing for 3 seconds.
Tier 2
• Appetizing Humans: [QUEST!] Every time a minion dies near Hogger, he gains .5 Attack Damage. Heroes that die nearby grant 5 Attack Damage. This can stack up to 40 Attack Damage. [Reward] Hogger heals for 35% of the damage he deals to enemies afflicted by Vicious Slice with basic attacks.
• Overwhelm Weaklings: Head Bash deals 100% increased damage if it hits a feared or taunted enemy. Maddening Howl reduces the armor of enemies who are stunned when hit by 15 for 3 seconds.
• Independent Scouts: Gnolls that are not a part of Hogger’s Pack have 30% increased sight radius, reveal stealthed enemies within a short range, and have a ranged attack that deals 25% increased damage.
Tier 3
• Riverpaw Slayers: Gnolls are replaced with Riverpaw Slayers, which deal 25% increased damage, and instantly execute enemy minions and mercenaries that fall below 25% health.
• Riverpaw Shaman: Gnolls are replaced with Riverpaw Shaman, which will heal him when he falls below 50% health for 140 (+4% per level). This has a 12 second cooldown.
• Riverpaw Bashers: Gnolls are replaced with Riverpaw Bashers, which follow Hogger when using Head Bash. If they collide with enemies during the dash, the enemy is stunned for .3 seconds cumulatively. This stun duration can lengthen Hogger’s Head Bash as well.
Tier 4
• Cannibalize: Hogger starts to cannibalize a nearby allied or enemy Hero over 3 seconds, healing 25% of his maximum health every second. If Hogger is dealt 10% of his health in damage while channeling, he enters a rage, gaining the full effects of Bane of Elwynn, regardless of enemy level, for 8 seconds. Gnolls that are a part of his Pack can be controlled while he is feasting, allowing him to direct them to attack enemies.
• Call the Pack: (Passive) Increases the maximum number of Gnolls that can be in Hogger’s Pack to 4. (Active) Hogger calls upon his pack, summoning (up to) two Gnolls that join his Pack. In addition, for 15 seconds, his Gnolls and him deal 25% increased damage and his cooldowns are reduced by 2 seconds.
Tier 5
• Rending Slice: Vicious Slice slows enemies hit by 25% for 4 seconds. Hogger’s basic attacks against enemies slowed by this deal an additional 30% damage.
• Dizzying Crack: Skull bash slows the enemy for three seconds instead of one second, and their ability cooldowns do not depreciate while slowed by Head Bash. However, the slow is decreased from 50% to 35%.
• Booming Cackle: Maddening Howl has 15% increased range and now hits all enemies around Hogger instead of just in a cone.
Tier 6
• Thick Hide: Hogger gains 25 Armor while above 50% health.
• Omnivore: When an enemy is killed while affected by Vicious Slice, he is healed for 10% of the enemy’s maximum health.
• Slippery Fugitive: When Hogger is affected by a stun, root, or fear effect, it is instantly removed, and Hogger gains 20 Armor for 3 seconds. This can happen once every 15 seconds.
Tier 7
• Nothing to Waste: When a Gnoll dies, its corpse remains for 6 seconds, becoming an eligible target of Cannibalize. In addition, whenever a Gnoll that is a part of Hogger’s Pack kills an enemy, they are healed for 20% of their maximum health.
• Vicious Butchering: While Call the Pack is active, Gnolls in Hogger’s Pack mimic his Vicious Slice, dealing 50% damage.
• Raid Boss: Bane of Elwynn is replaced with Hogger’s Fury, which increases his health by 30%, and his attack speed by 50% while below 25% health. If interrupted while using Cannibalize, he gains 50% increased damage dealt and 30 Armor, as well as 20% increased movement speed.
• Pack Hunter: For every Gnoll in Hogger’s Pack, Hogger and all his Gnolls gain 15% increased attack speed.