Natalya is the Diablo II representative of the Assassin class, a beloved class that many wish to bring back into Heroes of the Storm. Diablo is always in need of some new characters, and I thought the Assassin would be the perfect character to give Diablo another Melee Assassin into their mix that plays vastly differently from other melee assassins in the game.
In HotS, Natalya is a ambush-oriented melee assassin who packs a ton of damage in her kit over time, along with several defensive options to keep her safe while finishing off her opponents. She also has the ability to use Shadow Warriors to duplicate her spells temporarily, greatly increasing her throughput.
Universe: Diablo
Role: Melee Assassin
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 Second CD
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
Fade
Trait (30 second Cooldown)
(Passive) When Natalya uses an ability, she gains 50 Armor and 15% increased movement speed for .75 seconds.
(Active) Natalya’s becomes invisible for 2 seconds.
Explanation: Fade is Natalya’s primary defensive tool, which is primarily used alongside her Blade Sentinel in order to keep her mobile and protected during her fight. Her other abilities can be used for short bursts of incredible armor to block very dangerous attacks before they hit her, like Pyroblast.
Blade Sentinel
Q (8 sec Cooldown)
Natalya targets a location within 5 units and throws a kunai to that location, striking any enemy in the path and stopping upon hitting the location. All enemies hit are dealt 65 (+4% per level) damage and enemies at the location have their damage reduced by 10% for 1 second. After impacting the enemy, it flies back to Natalya’s cast location, dealing damage again. If she or her Shadow Warrior catches the kunai (not including any mimicked kunai), it’s cooldown is reset.
Explanation: Blade Sentinel is Natalya’s primary damage tool from range, allowing her to output very large area damage over time if she is allowed to continue catching her blades. The travel speed of this blade is fast, but not guaranteed, so displacing her or punishing her can quickly end her damage stream. The damage shred adds an extra layer of defense to Natalya.
Shadow Warrior
W (14 sec Cooldown)
Natalya sends out a Shadow Warrior in a target resizeable 7 unit direction that remains at the end location for 5 seconds, having the same amount of health as Natalya upon use, and able to attack nearby enemies with phantom basic attacks, dealing 40% damage. When Natalya uses an ability, the Shadow Warrior will mirror the attack, though its targeting will instead be used at the nearest enemy, and their mirrored abilities will deal 40% damage.
Explanation: Shadow Warrior is a powerful tool that transforms Natalya’s damage over time nature to a burst phase. The Shadow Warrior can copy Natalya’s somewhat low damage, greatly amplifying her throughput. It can also be used to help her abilities stack their negative effects faster.
Shock Web
E (8 sec Cooldown)
Natalya will lay down a hexagonal shock web at a target 2.5 unit radius area within 3 units for 2.5 seconds, which causes all enemies that are moving on it to be dealt 40 (+4% per level) damage every 0.5 seconds. In addition, every time they are damaged by Shock Web, they have their armor reduced by 4 for 3 seconds, up to a maximum of 20.
Explanation: Shock Web can be a powerful damage and utility tool to be tossed in a teamfight, or to cut off an enemy’s escape route. It requires enemies to be on the area and moving to be of effect, so it is best combined with slows and abilities that force enemies to move.
Lightning Sentry
Heroic #1 (30 sec Recharge)
Natalya tosses a trap to a location within 4 units that arms after .5 seconds, shocking the two nearest enemies within 3 range every 0.25 seconds, dealing 15 (+4% per level) damage. This trap lasts for a total of 5 seconds, and has a maximum of three charges. For every other Lightning Sentry within 6 range, it’s radius is increased by 1.
Explanation: Natalya’s heroics are both similar in form, but in effect they have several key differences. Primarily, Lightning Sentries have lower potential damage, but are much easier to utilize and can grow to protect a larger area with trap networks. Moving very quickly can be extremely useful in this goal.
Wake of Fire
Heroic #2 (30 sec Recharge)
Natalya tosses a trap to a location within 4 units that arms after .5 seconds. After arming, the trap targets the nearest enemy Hero within 5 units and builds up an attack over 2 seconds before firing a great gout of fire in a wide line at that enemy for 3 seconds, dealing 30 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds to all enemies in the line. This trap lasts a maximum of 5 seconds. This has a maximum of three charges.
Explanation: Wake of Flame covers a smaller area than a Lightning Sentry and has a much longer delay time, but the Wake of Flame traps can output great amounts of damage in a short time if enemies are grouped up. This can be powerful when used in a wombo combo.
Tier 1
• Chain Technique: After 5 seconds of not being seen by an enemy Hero, Natalya’s next Blade Sentinel within 2 seconds of being seen pulls enemies hit by the impact point of the blade to Natalya’s cast location.
• Wait in Shadows: While a Shadow Warrior cannot be seen my an enemy Hero, it become inactive, pausing its duration as well as all effects it grants Natalya. The Shadow will also not take actions while inactive. The cooldown still ticks down while a Shadow Warrior is inactive, but using it will replace the previous Shadow Warrior.
• Muscle Shock: Enemies on Shock Webs have their movement speed slowed by 10% every .5 seconds, stacking up to 50%.
Tier 2
• Arcana-Dampening Powder: Blade Sentinel and Natalya’s basic attacks reduce an enemy’s spell power dealt by 4% for 5 seconds, stacking up to 10 times. After reaching 10 stacks, the spell power is reduced by an additional 20% (60% total).
• Stand Against Sin: While a Shadow Warrior is active, Natalya gains 30 Spell Armor.
• Neural Inhibitor: If an enemy reaches 20 Armor reduction from Shock Web, they are silenced for 1.5 seconds.
Tier 3
• Bladestorm: When Blade Sentinel has not been cast for the last 5 seconds, the next two casts will toss two additional blades to the target location, each .25 seconds after the first. These additional blades also return.
• Dark Alacrity: While a Shadow Warrior is active, Natalya gains 5% increased movement speed and 70% increased attack speed. The attack speed boost decreases by 10% and the movement speed boost increases by 5% every second.
• Overcharged Net: Shock Web now instantly deals 120 (+4% per level) damage to enemies in the cast area and reduces their armor by 13 for 3 seconds. Shock Web has a 1 second reduced duration.
Tier 4
• Lightning Sentry: Natalya drops a trap at her current location that arms after .5 seconds, shocking the two nearest enemies within 3 range every 0.25 seconds, dealing 15 (+4% per level) damage. This trap lasts for a total of 5 seconds, and has a maximum of three charges. For every other Lightning Sentry within 6 range, it’s radius is increased by 1.
• Wake of Flame: Natalya drops a trap at her current location that arms after .5 seconds. After arming, the trap targets the nearest enemy Hero within 5 units and builds up an attack over 2 seconds before firing a great gout of fire in a wide line at that enemy for 3 seconds, dealing 30 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds to all enemies in the line. This trap lasts a maximum of 5 seconds. This has a maximum of three charges.
Tier 5
• Darkened Blade: The Shadow Warrior will now dash to Natalya’s location upon casting Blade Sentinel. In addition, the Shadow Warrior’s Blade Sentinel casts will prioritize enemies that have their damage reduced.
• Eclipse: When a Shadow Warrior deals damage to a nearby enemy Hero with its basic attack, they become marked for 3 seconds. Natalya’s next basic attack against the enemy will cause the Shadow Warrior to leap to the enemy, basic attacking immediately.
• Shifting Shadows: When a Shadow Warrior is within 4 units of a Shock Web, it becomes empowered, disallowing enemies from stopping their movement while on it.
Tier 6
• Fatal Touch: While Fade is active, Natalya’s basic attacks deal 35% increased damage, and every time Fade is activated, her current Shadow Warrior has its duration increased by .5 seconds.
• Razorguard: Blade Sentinel now has 2 charges, but it’s cooldown is increased by 4.
• Expanding Trap: Shock Web’s radius is increased by 25%, and every time a Hero is damaged by Shock Web, it’s cooldown is decreased by .25 seconds.
Tier 7
• Death Sentry: If any enemy Hero dies while being targeted by the Lightning Sentry, they explode, dealing 10% of their maximum health to all other enemies in the Sentry’s range
• Combustible Fuel: Wake of Flame traps last 1 second shorter, but their delay before firing is reduced by 1 second as well. When a Wake of Flame trap terminates, it will explode in a 5 unit area around it, dealing 250 (+4% per level) damage.
• Shadow Master: Shadow Warrior now summons a Shadow Master, which has a constant 25 Armor and deals 75% of Natalya’s damage instead. In addition, upon summoning the Shadow Master, it will unleash a Phoenix Strike in a 4 unit radius around it, dealing 200 (+4% per level) damage and stunning all enemies for 1 second.
• Burst of Speed: Increases the movement speed bonus of Fade from 15% to 45%.