This post was being worked on before the game was pronounced discontinued. I am finishing it more for myself than anything else.
Mannoroth is one of the most crucial demons that appears in the Warcraft storyline. An important player in the War of the Ancients during the time of the Night Elves, the one who gave the orcs the unholy powers of the Burning Legion, and the most powerful commander during the return of the Legion on Draenor, Mannoroth is a formidable foe. If anyone deserves an addition in the game, it is him.
In HotS, Mannoroth takes on the role of an unstoppable march of death, walking into enemy territory with no fear as he rains down destruction on all enemies in his wake. His extreme displacement tools and area denial offer him a solid role as a main tank, offset by his complete lack of effective mobility. He also lacks any real defensive abilities, and relies on his large health pool and trait for survival.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Tank
Hide of the Annihilan
Z (Mount) – Passive
Mannoroth can not be displaced or rooted. Slows are 50% less effective on him and have half the duration. Mannoroth’s movement priority is always above all other units, and he can displace them out of the way by moving into them.
Explanation: As Mannoroth is a large and unstoppable beast of the legion, this mount replacement seemed necessary.
Unrelenting March
Trait (Passive)
Whenever Mannoroth hits an enemy Hero with an ability, or after taking 10% of his maximum health in damage, he gains a stack of Unrelenting for 6 seconds, which stacks up to 10 times. Each stack increases his movement speed by 3% and increases his cooldown refresh rates by 2.5% per stack. While at 5 stacks or above, Mannoroth is healed for 1% of his maximum health every second. While at 10 stacks, the healing is doubled.
Explanation: Unrelenting March is an incredibly important core to the character, as it provides him with much needed healing, and encourages players to continue the conquest constantly. Allowing his stacks to fall off during a fight can be quite devastating for him, and he needs to have as many stacks as possible to really control the battlefield and stay alive.
Glaive of Destruction
Q (7 sec Cooldown)
Every time Mannoroth uses Glaive of Destruction, it switches between two forms.Felseeker: Mannoroth hesitates for .5 seconds before cleaving in a 4 unit long semicircle in a target direction, dealing 170 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit within. This also knocks all enemies hit by the swing to the edge of its radius.
Massive Puncture: Mannoroth hesitates for 1 second before unleashing a fel-infused strike in a 2 unit wide, 6 unit long blast, dealing 170 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit and reducing their Spell Armor by 15 for 3 seconds.
Explanation: I knew I wanted to include his most iconic ability from Hellfire Citadel in this version of him, but I toiled on nailing a single incarnation of it. I decided to go with an ability that changes every time you use the ability, so that he needs to plan ahead for the best uses. The drastic cooldown refresh rate from Unrelenting March allows him to swap between the uses much more quickly, forcing the player to think on their toes.
Howl of Terror
W (9 sec Cooldown)
Mannoroth takes a deep breath over up to 1.2 seconds, with .4 seconds being the minimum, then unleashes a howl of terror in a radius around him, starting at 2 units and building to 6 units if the ability is held down longer. All enemies hit are feared for 1 second, then marked with Terror for 3 seconds, becoming unable to use movement abilities and dealing 25% less damage to Mannoroth.
Explanation: Howl of Terror is an iconic Warcraft III ability, and I knew I wanted to include it to enhance his Tank identity. I decided to go with this incarnation to make the ability feel more interesting to use without sacrificing flavour.
Rain of Fire
E (14 sec Cooldown)
Mannoroth calls down a rolling fel firestorm in a 4 unit long, 5 unit wide area, centered on him, moving towards a target direction. While Mannoroth is within the area, the fel firestorm will continue to move at a pace equal to 85% of Mannoroth’s current movement speed. Every .25 seconds, up to three random enemies in the area are dealt 15 (+4% per level) damage and are slowed by 15% for .5 seconds. This slow does not stack, but does refresh. This ends when Mannoroth exits the area. Only one Rain of Fire area can be active at any given time.
Explanation: Rain of Fire is the most iconic ability in this kit’s identity. This ability allows Mannoroth to easily build up Unrelenting March while cementing him as an effective battlefield control Tank. Many people have struggled with putting Rain of Fire on Mannoroth, and I knew this is what I wanted to do with the idea.
Burning Crusade
Heroic #1 (120 sec Cooldown)
Mannoroth extends his wings out 2 units on either side of him as he marches down a 7 unit long path. While marching, any enemy he collides with is pushed along with him (this does not prevent the enemy from taking actions). While marching, all enemies within 3 units of him (or his wings) are dealt 40 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds. In addition, while marching, Mannoroth is Unstoppable, gains 30 Armor, cannot cancel this ability, and his wings absorb all projectiles, applying damage and effects to Mannoroth instead.
Explanation: Mannoroth is nothing without his intimidating wings and imposing form. Since Mannoroth doesn’t have any inherent mobility in his kit, I thought adding a soft engage to his kit as a unique heroic would fit him quite well.
Mark of Doom
Heroic #2 (80 sec Cooldown)
Mannoroth channels on an enemy Hero within 5 units of him for 1 second before infusing them with Doom for 6 seconds. While Doom is active, they are dealt 60 (+4% per level) damage every second, and have their damage dealt reduced by 25% for the duration. Within the last 2 seconds, if the enemy remains within 7 units of Mannoroth, he can activate this ability again to cause a Doomguard to swoop down and drag the enemy to him, dealing 200 (+4% per level) damage. The enemy is stunned while being dragged, and for .5 seconds afterwards.
Explanation: If the Mannoroth player is feeling a bit more cheeky, they can sacrifice the personal massive teamfight engage and instead go for a powerful pull of an enemy Hero if they play the ability correctly. Obviously, adding a point and click pull is incredibly powerful and can feel quite unfair, so I added multiple ways to interact with the ability and escape it.
Tier 1
• Annihilan’s Rage: Every 20 seconds, Mannoroth’s next ability will grant him 4 stacks of Unrelenting March. While at maximum stacks of Unrelenting March, every additional stack gained over the maximum grants him 1% of maximum health in shield which lasts for 8 seconds, and can stack infinitely.
• Glaive Combo: After using Glaive of Destruction, Mannoroth’s next basic attack will gain 200% attack speed and deal 50% increased damage. Each empowered basic attack grants Mannoroth 2 stacks of Unrelenting March, or heals him by 2% of his maximum health if at full stacks.
• Link of the Legion: (Toggle) When an allied Hero within 7 units is hit by a Stun, Mannoroth will instead be affected by it and gain 4 stacks of Unrelenting March. This has a 45 second cooldown, and every time Mannoroth gains a stack of Unrelenting March over the maximum, the cooldown of LInk of the Legion is reduced by 3 seconds per stack exceeded.
Tier 2
• Clinging Flames: Rain of Fire’s slow can now stack up to 4 times, and its duration is increased by .5 seconds. However, each stack only slows for 10%.
• Cloak of Felfire: Mannoroth deals 17 (+4% per level) damage per second to all enemies within 4 units of him. This damage is doubled if Mannoroth is within the radius of Rain of Fire.
• Guard of Sargeras: Allied heroes within the area of Rain of Fire gain 10 Armor. Mannoroth benefits from 20% increased healing while within Rain of Fire’s area.
Tier 3
• Standard of Destruction: After using Felseeker, Mannoroth stabs his glaive into the ground over a .5 second cast, empowering a 4 unit radius around him for 4 seconds. While in the area, Mannoroth and any allied Hero gains 10% increased damage dealt and 10 Armor.
• Boneshaker: Howl of Terror now deals 130 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit. Mannoroth deals 25% increased damage to enemies affected by Terror.
• Fear, Mortals!: If Mannoroth deals three instances of damage to an enemy Hero marked with Terror, its duration will be increased by 1.5 seconds and the damage reduction will be empowered from 25% to 40%.
Tier 4
• Burning Crusade: Mannoroth extends his wings out 2 units on either side of him as he marches down a 7 unit long path. While marching, any enemy he collides with is pushed along with him (this does not prevent the enemy from taking actions). While marching, all enemies within 3 units of him (or his wings) are dealt 40 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds. In addition, while marching, Mannoroth is Unstoppable, gains 30 Armor, cannot cancel this ability, and his wings absorb all projectiles, applying damage and effects to Mannoroth instead.
• Mark of Doom: Mannoroth channels on an enemy Hero within 5 units of him for 1 second before infusing them with Doom for 6 seconds. While Doom is active, they are dealt 60 (+4% per level) damage every second, and have their damage dealt reduced by 25% for the duration. Within the last 2 seconds, if the enemy remains within 7 units of Mannoroth, he can activate this ability again to cause a Doomguard to swoop down and drag the enemy to him, dealing 200 (+4% per level) damage. The enemy is stunned while being dragged, and for .5 seconds afterwards.
Tier 5
• Spirit of Domination: While Mannoroth is above 75% health or below 25% health, his basic attacks reduced all of his cooldowns by 1.5 seconds. When Mannoroth reaches 25% health once every 20 seconds, this effect doubles for 4 seconds and he gains a 400 (+4% per level) health shield.
• Oppression of the Weak: When Howl of Terror hits an enemy Hero, his next cast of it will charge up 30% faster. If Howl of Terror interrupts an enemy Hero’s movement ability, its cooldown will be reduced by 35%.
• Shadowflame: When Rain of Fire comes off of cooldown, Mannoroth curses all enemies within 5 units of him, stunning them for .5 seconds. Rain of Fire has its speed increased by 5%, its cooldown reduced by 2 seconds, and its dimensions increased by 20%.
Tier 6
• Path of Conquest: (Active) Mannoroth chooses a target direction and declares a march in that direction over 3 seconds, increasing the damage and movement speed of all allied Heroes with a 8 unit wide, infinitely long area as long as they are moving in the indicated direction. The duration does not depreciate if Mannoroth is moving in the targeted direction.
• Weeping Earth: When Mannoroth uses Glaive of Destruction, the ground it hits becomes infested with burning flame, dealing 15 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies in the area every .5 seconds enemies remain in the area. The ground remains corrupt for 4 seconds, and then becomes immunized to the effect for 30 seconds.
• Total Incineration: Every 2 seconds a Rain of Fire is active, its damage is increased by 20%. After 8 seconds active, Rain of Fire starts to deal damage to enemy Heroes equal to 5% of their maximum health each tick.
Tier 7
• Devastating Impact: At the end of Burning Crusade’s push, all enemies getting dragged along are dealt 400 (+4% per level) damage and are stunned for 1.25 seconds.
• Ered’ruin Winguard: When Mannoroth activates Mark of Doom to summon a Doomguard, any enemy Hero within 4 units of the enemy will be marked with Doom after 1 second.
• Sargeras’s Might: Mannoroth’s first basic attack against an enemy Hero once every 15 seconds deals an additional 12% of their maximum health in bonus damage. If an enemy Hero within 8 units dies, this is reset on all enemy heroes.
• Blood of Mannoroth: While Mannoroth is below 50% health, all allied heroes (including himself) within 5 units gain 10% increased movement speed, heal themselves for 3% of their maximum health per second, and deal 15% increased damage. When Mannoroth dies, this effect continues to persist in the radius around his body.