Exarch Maladaar was a high-ranking Draenei in charge of Auchindoun’s defenses and perseverance. As a member of the Council of Exarchs, he was a major Draenei Leader that served directly under Prophet Velen. Guardian of the dead and seeker of truth lost, he faced tragedy in both timelines at the hands of the horde and the burning legion’s servants.
In HotS, Maladaar is a support that can become immensely powerful from killing enemy heroes, greatly increasing his ability to protect his team and destroy his enemies with each death he participates in. He has a tertiary resource, Souls, that he can use to empower his basic abilities.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Support
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 sec Cooldown
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
Avenge the Fallen
Trait (Passive)
Maladaar collects souls using his other abilities, which stack up to 3. When Maladaar participates in the takedown of an enemy Hero, he gains full Souls, and becomes overcharged for 8 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. If overcharged once, his cooldowns refresh at 150% the rate. If overcharged two times, he gains 20% movement speed and is healed for 25% of the damage he deals. If overcharged three times, he is consumed by a swirl of spirits that swarm within 5 units of him, dealing 65 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies within every second and reducing the spell armor of all enemies within by 25.
Explanation: Avenge the Fallen is one of the key features of Maladaar’s power fantasy, and what really differentiates him from other Supports. While most games have the teamfight hypercarry role placed on the assassin, I thought it would be interesting to be on a support.
Soul Expulsion
Q (5 sec Cooldown)
Maladaar channels in a target 6 unit long line for 3 seconds, draining the life force from all enemies within for 4 seconds, dealing 60 (+4% per level) damage every .5 seconds. If an enemy minion drops below half health during this time, they are instantly executed, granting Maladaar 1 Soul. Maladaar is instead healed for 50% of the damage dealt to Heroes.
Explanation: Soul Expulsion is Maladaar’s main way to extract Souls for use in his abilities. In the laning phase, he can harvest Souls for later use against his enemies, empowering his other abilities. Later on, he can use this as a way to sustain himself in a fight.
Spirit Bind
W (7 sec Cooldown)
Maladaar calls upon the souls of the dead to grasp at a target 2 unit radius location within 6 units over 1.5 seconds. Enemies within are dealt 35 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds and are slowed by 10% every .25 seconds, stacking until it reaches 60% slow at 1.5 seconds. Any enemy that reaches a 60% slow is rooted for 1 second.If Maladaar activates the ability again, he can consume 1 Soul to cause the Spirit Bind area to instantly tick again on all enemies within the area, dealing normal damage and applying the stacking slow. This has a .1 second internal cooldown.
Explanation: Soul Bind is Maladaar’s main disruption tool, and can he expend Souls to root enemies faster. This is Maladaar’s main offensive spender of Souls, and the root greatly assists with landing his Soul Expulsion on enemy Heroes longer.
Guard of Auchindoun
E (6 sec Cooldown)
Maladaar grants an allied Hero a 320 (+4% per level) shield for 5 seconds, and an additional 120 (+4% per level) shield that only blocks spell damage.If Maladaar activates the ability again, he can consume 1 Soul to cause all allied Heroes shielded by Guard of Auchindoun to increase the spell shield amount by 120 (+4% per level) and become Unstoppable for 0.5 seconds.
Explanation: Guard of Auchindoun is Maladaar’s main defensive tool, able to protect his allies with a standard shield as well as an additional ability damage shield on top. This is a unique effect in Heroes of the Storm. Maladaar can also expend his Souls through this ability for flexible CC cleanses.
Exorcism
Heroic #1 (110 sec Cooldown)
Maladaar marks a 3 unit radius area within 7 units and, after a 1 second channel, exorcizes the souls of all within the area, living or dead. All enemy Heroes within the area are dealt 550 (+4% per level) damage and are executed if below 15% maximum health. Every kill obtained in this way grants Maladaar’s team 20% increased experience.
Explanation: I knew immediately that I wanted both heroics for Maladaar to be built like Assassin heroics with support twists, since that perfectly matches what Maladaar is trying to accomplish as a Support. Exorcism gives him an easy way to finish off enemies in a teamfight with an execute, and giving his team more experience for each kill he succeeds in.
Avatar of the Martyred
Heroic #2 (60 sec Cooldown)
Maladaar summons forth the Avatar of the Martyred, which dashes in a straight line away from Maladaar for 8 units, dealing 450 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit along the path. If an enemy Hero is slain within 1.5 seconds of being hit by the Avatar of the Martyred, its cooldown is refreshed.
Explanation: Avatar of the Martyred is a reference to his main timeline appearance. This ability also encourages Maladaar to finish off enemies with it, and allows him to contribute large amounts of teamwide damage if he can keep finishing off enemies.
Tier 1
• From Death, Life: Whenever Maladaar overcaps Souls for any reason, the Soul is consumed to haunt the nearest allied Hero within 14 units, healing them by 30 (+4% per level) health every .25 seconds for 1.5 seconds, then healing them for 12% of their missing health.
• Touch of Shirrak: Any enemy Hero damaged by Soul Expulsion has their damage reduced by 25% for 2.5 seconds. This is refreshed whenever they are damaged by Soul Expulsion again, or when they cast an ability.
• Wisdom of the Forgotten: When Guard of Auchindoun has been off cooldown for 3 seconds, it is cast on the nearest allied Hero within 6 units for no mana cost, and Maladaar gains 1 Soul. Every time Maladaar deals damage to an enemy Hero, the cooldown of Guard of Auchindoun is reduced by .15 seconds, and if it is off cooldown, the time until the next free cast is reduced by .15 seconds instead.
Tier 2
• Soulbinder: Maladaar’s maximum Souls are increased to 5, and while below 3 Souls, he generates 1 every 6 seconds.
• Grim Harvest: Every time Soul Expulsion deals a combined 350 (+4% per level) damage to enemy Heroes, Maladaar gains 2 Souls instantly. Maladaar can now consume Souls to empower his other abilities while channeling Soul Expulsion.
• Shadows of Karabor: Spirit Bind grants Maladaar a Soul for each enemy it roots. Enemies that are rooted are also dealt an additional 100 (+4% per level) damage.
Tier 3
• Raised Dead: Maladaar gains 5% increased movement speed. For each stack of overcharged from Avenge the Fallen that he has, the movement speed is increased by 10%. Instead of gaining movement speed from 2 stacks of overcharged, he instead becomes immune to all slows and roots.
• Shifting Shadows: Maladaar can now move while channeling Soul Expulsion, and it will keep its original direction as he moves.
• Body and Soul: When an allied hero is shielded by Guard of Auchindoun, they gain 20% increased movement speed for 1.5 seconds. This cannot stack, but can refresh.
Tier 4
• Exorcism: Maladaar marks a 3 unit radius area within 7 units and, after a 1 second channel, exorcizes the souls of all within the area, living or dead. All enemy Heroes within the area are dealt 550 (+4% per level) damage and are executed if below 15% maximum health. Every kill obtained in this way grants Maladaar’s team 20% increased experience.
• Avatar of the Martyred: Maladaar summons forth the Avatar of the Martyred, which dashes in a straight line away from Maladaar for 8 units, dealing 450 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit along the path. If an enemy Hero is slain within 1.5 seconds of being hit by the Avatar of the Martyred, its cooldown is refreshed.
Tier 5
• Soul Snatch: Every 10 seconds, Maladaar’s next basic attack will deal spell damage, deal 50% increased damage, reduce the enemy’s Spell Armor by 20 for 3 seconds, and generate 2 Souls.
• Hastened Afterlife: When Soul Expulsion finishes its full cast, all enemies still in the are are dealt 200 (+4% per level) damage and Maladaar restores a Soul for each enemy Hero hit. For each enemy rooted by Spirit Bind, the next cast of Soul Expulsion will be hastened by 10%.
• Crypt Retribution: When either shield from Guard of Auchindoun fades, either by damage or duration, all enemies within 3 units of the shielded ally are dealt 70 (+4% per level) damage and are slowed by 20% for 1.5 seconds.
Tier 6
• Soulpriest’s Ascent: While Maladaar is overcharged by Avenge the Fallen, he generates a Soul every 2 seconds. Additionally, whenever Maladaar would spend a Soul, he doubles the effects of each Soul spent.
• Warden’s Grasp: Whenever an enemy is rooted by Spirit Bind, the radius of the next cast of Spirit Bind is increased by 15%. If the last two Spirit Binds have rooted at least one enemy Hero, Maladaar’s spell power is increased by 15%.
• Arbiter’s Radiance: Guard of Auchindoun’s normal shield amount is increased by 50%, and both shield’s duration is increased by 4 seconds.
Tier 7
• Funeral Rites: If Maladaar has 3 Souls when he casts Exorcism, all enemies in the area upon cast are rooted for .5 seconds. The execute threshold is increased by 5%, and for each enemy Hero killed, Maladaar permanently gains 2.5% increased spell damage.
• Watchmen of the Tomb: After an Avatar of the Martyred travels its full length, it will remain at its end location for 2 seconds, refreshes each time Maladaar casts Avatar of the Martyred. At the end of the 2 seconds, each Avatar of the Martyred returns to Maladaar, dealing the damage and effects again to all enemies in the path, and refreshing the cooldown if the return kills any enemy Heroes.
• Call of the Auchenai: When an allied Hero dies within 8 units of Maladaar, its Soul will remain at the killed location for 7 seconds. If Maladaar hits the Soul with Soul Expulsion for at least 2 seconds, the respawn timer of the killed allied Hero will be reduced by 35%.
• Torn Spirits: Maldaar now becomes overcharged from Avenge the Fallen each time an allied hero within 7 units dies as well. In addition, Maladaar can become Overcharged two additional times. His fourth Overcharge provides no bonuses, but if he reaches 5 charges of Overcharged, he doubles all other bonuses from Avenge the Fallen.