Nozdormu is one of the coolest dragons in the warcraft universe, and is my personal favorite. While Chromie already made it in, she doesn’t really play on the time theme very effectively, so I took a crack at it. This is an updated version of my first concept years ago, which can be found here: Heroes of the Storm Forums
In HotS, Nozdormu is a very aggressive support, who lacks real healing but offers a variety of damage and utility options for his team. His ability to manipulate time offers new tools for the player.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Support
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 Second CD
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
Timeways
Trait (30 sec Cooldown)
Nozdormu seals an ally or himself in time for 3 seconds. After that time, the effected ally is returned to the health that they were at the point of affliction, and then are healed by 120 (+4% per level). If the ally’s health was already higher when the seal expires, the health is not changed.
Explanation: Being able to refresh mortals and grant immortality is a tool Nozdormu and his consorts have used before. As a support, being able to restore his enemies using time magic felt like an easy thing for Nozdormu to be able to do. However, as he is in human form, his powers are limited.
Temporal Blast
Q (5 sec Cooldown)
Nozdormu blasts a 1 unit radius area within 6 units with time magic, dealing 150 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit and applying a stack of Temporal Displacement to them that lasts 6 seconds. Temporal Blast deals 10% increased damage for each stack of Temporal Displacement on the enemy, and has its cooldown reduced by .5 seconds for each stack of Temporal Displacement already on enemies hit. Stacks up to 5 times.
Explanation: A powerful, spammable damaging tool for Nozdormu that helps him pressure in lane as well as deal large damage to enemies who contest with him for too long. The mana cost never decreases, however, so constantly spamming Temporal Blast will quickly drain your mana.
Amplify Time
W (12 sec CD)
Nozdormu speeds up an ally’s time within 6 units, increasing their attack speed and movement speed by 25% for 4 seconds, and causing CC on them to deteriorate 25% faster.
Explanation: Since Chromie was added in, and does not have too much time manipulation, I thought an ability that sped up allies and causes negative effects on them to time out faster would be a unique and interesting tool for Nozdormu to have as a support.
Epoch Misallocation
E (15 sec Cooldown)
Nozdormu causes an enemy within 8 units to become disassociated with time, dealing 60 (+4% per level) damage every second for 4 seconds, and slowing them by 30% over the duration. In addition, while effected, the enemy has all heals, shields, and buffs from their allies applied only when Epoch Misallocation ends.
Explanation: I wanted a unique disruption effect to bring out Nozdormu’s use in a team. Epoch Misallocation helps Nozdormu make his way into the cast as an aggressive support with the combination of the large damage from Temporal Blast and either the CD reductions from Hourglass of Time or heavy disables from Sands of Time.
Sands of Time
Heroic #1 (100 sec Cooldown)
Nozdormu channels for 1 second and then enters his dragon form, floating in the air. Nozdormu causes the Sands of Time to enshroud the battlefield, slowing all enemies and enemy projectiles by 25%. Casting speed (on abilities and mounting), hearthstone speed, and AoE delays are also affected. Effects last for 6 seconds. While in the air, Nozdormu can still be attacked, and can still cast abilities, which have twice the usual range.
Explanation: All of the dragon aspects should have the option to be in their mortal form and dragon form, as can be seen by Alexstrasza. I wanted to make each transformation restricted to a different way. The ability to slow down time itself would be a severe challenge to code into the game, but it would be very interesting if it made its way as a part of Nozdormu’s abilities.
Hourglass of Time
Heroic #2 (120 sec Cooldown)
Nozdormu summons the Hourglass of Time at a target location that spins and releases its power in an area around it. Allies in the area are healed by 4% of their maximum health each second and their basic ability CDs expire at 400% the rate. The Hourglass lasts 5 seconds.
Explanation: One of the most presented connections to Nozdormu in World of Warcraft was the Hourglass of Time from End Time. Embodying Nozdormu’s powers and being able to make a beautiful graphical appearance in Heroes of the Storm made this ability feel fun to make. The effect is unique and has not been explored much in other MOBA’s, but as the Dragon Aspect of Time, a heroic that rapidly refreshed CDs was fitting. The Hourglass can be used offensively and defensively, and requires Nozdormu to place in carefully at a point that allies will be at and able to stay.
The rest of my concepts can be found at my compendium, here: Heroes of the Storm Forums
Tier 1
• Resonance Sands: Each stack of Temporal Displacement grants a mana refund amount of 10% (up to 50%), and Nozdormu is healed by 25% of the damage dealt. If Nozdormu is at or above 75% health, the lowest health nearby allied Hero is instead healed.
• Shell of Sand: While allies are effected by Amplify Time, they gain 25 Armor and heal by 44 (+4% per level) every .25 seconds a CC effect is being depreciated.
• Prolonged Blessing: Regeneration Globes collected near Nozdormu heal all allies that collected them by 300% the amount over 300% the duration.
Tier 2
• Distortion Bomb: Each appliance of Temporal Displacement also applies a stack of Distortion Bomb that deals 40 (+4% per level) damage per stack to the enemy after Temporal Displacement expires.
• Diffusion of Destiny: Epoch Misallocation also reduces an enemy’s armor by 15.
• Future Strength: Amplify Time also increases all damage the ally deals by 30% for the duration.
Tier 3
• Refreshing Speed: Amplify Time now causes all negative effects to deteriorate 50% faster, rather than just CC effects 25% faster.
• Repeated Past: If Timeways detonates on an ally effected by Amplify Time, the duration of Amplify Time is refreshed.
• Gaze into the Future: Can be activated to reveal the map for 2.5 seconds after a .5 second channel.
Tier 4
• Sands of Time: Nozdormu channels for 1 second and then enters his dragon form, floating in the air. Nozdormu causes the Sands of Time to enshroud the battlefield, slowing all enemies and enemy projectiles by 25%. Casting speed (on abilities and mounting), hearthstone speed, and AoE delays are also affected. Effects last for 6 seconds. While in the air, Nozdormu can still be attacked, and can still cast abilities, which have twice the usual range.
• Hourglass of Time: Nozdormu summons the Hourglass of Time at a target location that spins and releases its power in an area around it. Allies in the area are healed by 4% of their maximum health each second and their basic ability CDs expire at 400% the rate. The Hourglass lasts 5 seconds.
Tier 5
• Blur in Time: Epoch Misallocation also applies the untalented effets to the nearest enemy Hero within 5 range.
• Obscured Fate: Upon Timeways detonating, the ally effected becomes invulnerable and cloaked for .75 seconds.
• Past Chains: Each stack of Temporal Displacement also slows the enemy by 5%.
Tier 6
• Time Break: Reduces the CD of Temporal Blast by 1.5 seconds and increases its damage by 20%.
• Shattered Time: If an enemy dies while under the effects of Epoch Misallocation, its cooldown is refreshed. In addition, Epoch Misallocation lasts 1 second longer.
• Open Time: Reduces the CD of Timeways by 20 seconds.
Tier 7
• Distortion: Once per cast of Sands of Time, Nozdormu may reactivate the ultimate to cast Distortion, causing time to stop at a target location for 1 secon after a .5 second delay, stopping all enemies and enemy attacks. Allies can move through the distortion and attack stopped enemies.
• Eternal Freedom: Allies are Insyoppable while within the Hourglass’s area and are healed by 6% each second rather than 4%.
• Eternal Life: Timeways grants the targeted ally Unkillable while its effects persist, and its duration is increased by 1 second.
• Blessing of the Bronze: Activate to grant an allied Hero 15% reduced cooldowns until they die. Cannot be used on Nozdormu, or on a Hero who already has Blessing of the Bronze. 40 sec Cooldown.