Sokahr is a Keywarden with quite an interesting look and the perfect palette for an interesting and unique playstyle. I was looking over the Diablo monsters (since Starcraft and Warcraft have gotten heroes based on units), and I discovered this one. I honestly love his look and was inspired with a kit for him instantly, so here it is.
In HotS, Sokahr is an ability using AoE Assassin focused on chaining his abilities together in the thick of battle, with most of his teamfight damage coming from his greatly empowered Dervish Dance.
Universe: Diablo
Role: Melee Assassin
Dune Drifter
Z (Mount) – 4 Second CD
Sokahr surrounds himself in a flurry of wind, increasing your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: This is a normal mount but special, since he has no body to ride a mount. Same as Kel’thuzad or Zagara.
Dervish Dance
Trait (12 sec Cooldown)
Sokahr enters a whirlwind of blades for 4 seconds, which deals 30 (+4% per level) damage every .25 second to enemies with a 4 unit radius area around him. Dervish Dance allows Sokahr to move at full speed, and he becomes immune to slows and roots while active. The area of Dervish Dance can pick up blades.
Explanation: Dervish Dance is the core of the kit, as it provides a great deal of the damage as well as enabling all of his abilities to become even stronger than they were before. This cements the ability combo-ing, AoE damage dealing, and close range aspects that I wanted out of the character.
Falling Blades
Q (10 sec Cooldown)
Sokahr marks three locations at his cursor’s location within 8 units every .25 seconds, sending a blade into the air every time an area is marked. .25 seconds after all blades are marked, all the blades fire forth at the location they were marked at, dealing 100 (+4% per level) damage in a .3 unit radius, 1 unit long rectangular radius. The blades stay in the ground until the ability comes off cooldown, allowing Sokahr to walk over them, reducing the cooldown of Falling Blades by 25% each time he picks up a blade.
Explanation: Falling Blades is a unique ability with an interesting targeting scheme, but can be incredibly hard to use, as it takes both prediction and accurate aim to bring out his best. Falling Blades adds some more consistent damage in a teamfight, but mostly is used for some waveclear and creative poke.
Reflection
W (7 sec Cooldown)
Requires Dervish Dance to be active. Sokahr uses his blades defensively for .75 seconds, reflecting any basic attack or projectile he receives back the direction it came, dealing 40% of the damage. If he is not in a Dervish Dance but there are blades on the ground nearby, he pulls all of them in, consuming them to gain the same effects for .25 seconds per blade.
Explanation: Reflection is a key part of Sokahr’s kit, as it brings most of his survivability. With little mobility, CC, or health, proper Reflections can be key to survival. However, this is also the most reliant on his other abilities, either Falling Blades or Dervish Dance.
Deathly Grip
E (10 sec Cooldown)
Sokahr throws a ghostly chain to up to two nearby enemies in 4 unit radius, prioritizing the nearest heroes. The enemies are slowed by 25% and have their healing received reduced by 50% for 3 seconds, or until they leave 7 units radius. If Dervish Dance is active or activated, enemies are instantly pulled to Sokahr and stunned for .5 seconds.
Explanation: Deathly Grip brings some much needed utility and CC to the character, making it easier to land Falling Blades as well as making a powerful set-up tool for Dervish Dance damage. The short range is key to emphasizing the close range playstyle I envisioned, and making a pull not too overpowered.
Vortex
Heroic #1 (45 sec CD)
Sokahr immediately enters an untalented Dervish Dance, with a 50% increased radius. In addition, while in a Dervish Dance, enemies in the area are pulled towards Sokahr slightly every .5 seconds.
Explanation: Vortex is a reference to the enchant Sokahr has, and it is a powerful consistent teamfight tool, bringing good damage, disruption, and defense to a teamfight. The fact it counts as a Dervish Dance makes it empower all of his abilities in the same way Dervish Dance does.
Sand Ghast
Heroic #2 (60 sec Cooldown)
Sohkar pulls all enemies within 4 units to him and then bolts in a target direction 5 units in a blast of sand, pulling enemies with him. Both enemies and Sohkar are untargetable while in flight. This deals 240 (+4% per level) damage to enemies hit.
Explanation: Sand Ghast, while quite similar to Vortex in its goal as a teamfight AoE disruption, has a very different use. As opposed to using it in the middle of the teamfight for some minor disruption and damage, Sand Ghast is to secure picks on portions of the team, as he can pull a key enemy or two into his team. Or, he can pull the enemy frontline over a wall, making it hard for them to protect their team. The uses make this a powerful tool.
Tier 1
• Trail of Death: Falling Blades’s blades deal 22 (+4% per level) damage when enemies walk over them, once every 1.5 seconds. When Sokahr picks up a blade, he spins, dealing 48 (+4% per level) damage. Enemies hit directly by a blade are dealt the walk over damage instantly.
• Undying Revenant: [QUEST!] Successfully deflect an attack with Reflection. [Reward] After deflecting attacks with 10 Reflections, Sokahr’s abilities heal him for 10% of the damage he deals. After 20 Reflections, Sokahr’s abilities heal him for 20% of the damage he deals. After 30 Reflections, Sokahr’s abilities heal him for 30% of the damage he deals. All progress is lost on death.
• Death Throngs: Deathly Grip reduces enemies’ healing received by 75%, up from 50%, and instantly break shields upon pulling enemies.
Tier 2
• Hook, Line, Sinker: If an enemy chained with Deathly Grip is hit by Falling Blades, they are pulled to Sokahr as if he was in a Dervish Dance. Pulling an enemy in this way reduces the cooldown of Deathly Grip by 2.5 seconds.
• Chained Down: Deathly Grip has its movement speed slow increased from 20% to 40%, and the stun duration for pulling enemies increased from .5 seconds to .75 seconds.
• Whipping Winds: Sokahr passively moves 10% faster. This is further increased to 20% while in a Dervish Dance.
Tier 3
• Back and Forth: If Sokahr successfully deflects an attack with Reflection, Sokahr can reactivate the ability within 1.5 seconds to recast it. This recast cannot activate Back and Forth.
• Magebreak Chains: Pulling an enemy with Deathly Grip reduces the enemy’s spell power by 35% for 4 seconds.
• Arcane Casing: Sokahr gains a passive 10 Armor. This is further increased to 25 while in a Dervish Dance.
Tier 4
• Vortex: Sokahr immediately enters an untalented Dervish Dance, with a 50% increased radius. In addition, while in a Dervish Dance, enemies in the area are pulled towards Sokahr slightly every .5 seconds.
• Sand Ghast: Sohkar pulls all enemies within 4 units to him and then bolts in a target direction 5 units in a blast of sand, pulling enemies with him. Both enemies and Sohkar are untargetable while in flight. This deals 240 (+4% per level) damage to enemies hit.
Tier 5
• Evasive Dance: Reflection grants 15% increased movement speed while active, lasts .25 seconds longer, and not grants Sokahr untargetability.
• Bound in Afterlife: Deathly Grip now throws chains to up to 4 neary enemies, and has a 15% increased range.
• Torment’s Reach: The ranges of Sokahr’s abilities are increased by 10%. This is further increased to 30% while in a Dervish Dance.
Tier 6
• Piercing Tips: Each time a blade from Falling Blades hits an enemy, all subsequent blades from that cast deals 75% increased damage (150% bonus on the last hit). If all three blades hit the same enemy, they are dealt 5% of their maximum health in bonus damage.
• Magewraith’s Wrath: Deathly Grip reduces enemies’ Spell Armor by 25 for 3 seconds.
• Bladed Punishment: Sokahr deals 10% increased damage with his abilities. This is further increased to 25% increased damage while in a Dervish Dance.
Tier 7
• Sand Trap: The pull strength of Vortex is increased by 50% and enemies in a 2.5 unit radius around the Dervish Dance are also pulled towards Sokahr at the original strength.
• Habuub: When Sokahr uses Sand Ghast, he first surges in a target direction in a burst of sand (untargetable for the duration) before performing the ability after a .5 second delay.
• Sword Juggler: When using Reflection, three blades are tossed in a triangular pattern away from Sokahr (just out of range of Dervish Dance), which last for up to 4 seconds.
• Unerring Twister: Every time an enemy is damaged by Dervish Dance, the cooldown of Dervish Dance is reduced by .25 seconds.