Vereesa Windrunner is an often overlooked character from the Warcraft universe, but is part of three key sisters who still have an impact on the world. Sister to both Alleria and Sylvanas, Windrunner is a fiercely loyal high elf ranger dedicated to protecting the alliance, and, above all, the alliance city of Dalaran. Vereesa was the wife of Rhonin, friend to Jaina, and a key player in the defeat of the Legion. In this incarnation, I want Vereesa to use a japanese longbow to differentiate her from the other bow users in the game (especially her sister).
In HotS, Vereesa is an addition to the basic attack focused consistent ranged damage dealer cast, but focuses on slower, high impact damage shots for very long range. Vereesa also has a very strong global impact with her accessible from level 1 global shots, but each shot requires a ton of pre-planning and accuracy to land, making her global power limited. In her entirety, Vereesa is focused around dealing high damage from long range, but lacks defensive tools and escape options if caught out.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Ranged Assassin
Summon Mount
Z (Mount) – 4 sec Cooldown
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: There is no need for a special mount.
With the Wind
Trait (5 sec Cooldown)
Vereesa deals 10% more damage with her abilities and basic attacks for every 1 unit it travels before hitting its target, up to an 80% bonus.
Explanation: With the Wind compliments Vereesa’s priority on long range damage dealing, as her damage is far less effective when used from a short range. If the enemy team advances on her position, her potential to deal damage will be gravely diminished.
Falcon Arrow
Q (9 sec Cooldown)
Vereesa charges for .35 seconds and then fires a magical arrow with the image of a falcon in a 9 unit line, dealing 140 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit by the arrow, and marking them for 4 seconds. While marked, Vereesa’s next basic attack against them consume the mark to deal 40 (+4% per level) bonus damage and slowing them by 25% for 1 second.
Explanation: Falcon Arrow gives Vereesa a way to keep enemies at arms length and empowers her damage slightly to make her more bursty. The key thing to note here is that the mark consumption damage will benefit from With the Wind.
Quel’dorei Archery
W (.15 sec Cooldown)
(Passive) While Quel’dorei Archery is toggled off, Vereesa gains 15% increased movement speed.
(Toggle) Vereesa increased her basic attack range by 3.5, but each basic attack causes Vereesa to draw back over a .5 second channel before she fires the shot. If the enemy moves out of range before the shot is fired, it is interrupted. Vereesa cannot gain attack speed while this is toggled on.
Explanation: Quel’dorei Archey brings Vereesa’s kit together, allowing her basic attacks to fully benefit from WIth the Wind, but requiring her to stay in place for periods of time lining up her shots. The bonus range can be a great boon, but the loss of movement speed and the inability to gain attack speed limits her somewhat, so the player must choose,
Camouflage
E (12 sec Cooldown)
Vereesa blends into invisibility over a 1.5 second delay, which then lasts for 3 seconds afterwards. This is not broken from basic attacking, but Vereesa is slowed by 15% while invisible.
Explanation: Camouflage is a powerful defensive tool that can allow Vereesa to take up a better position or continue poking enemies from a distance. The heavy delay and short duration restrains this ability in its use, but being able to enter full invisibility (no shimmer) and still be able to basic attack is quite powerful. Taking damage will still break the effects as usual.
Spellstrike
Heroic (2 sec Cooldown)
(Passive) This is available at level 1. Vereesa has three secondary abilities, which each has its own charge cooldown. In order to use this ability, one of the spells needs to be enchanted onto her next Spellstrike.
(Active) Vereesa lines up a shot in a target direction over 2 seconds and then fires a spell-infused arrow across the entire map semi-slowly (about the speed of Kael’thas E), or until it hits an enemy. The enemy is dealt 180 (+4% per level) damage, and additional effects based on the enchanted spell.
Explanation: Spellstrike is a very unique ability to the Heroes cast, being a heroic that is castable right from the start of the game, and becoming a core of Vereesa’s playstyle. While powerful, the player must have incredibly careful aim and tactical knowledge, as the lengthy cooldowns of her spells restricts her ability to pressure an enemy from afar. The cooldown is not based on the ability, but instead the spells that are needed to activate the ability, giving Vereesa control between burst or sustained effects.
Shroud
1 (60 sec Recharge)
Vereesa infused her next Spellstrike to cloud the enemy’s vision for 3 seconds, reducing their vision range by 80% and causing them to no longer benefit from allied vision. This can store 2 charges.Tether
2 (60 sec Recharge)
Vereesa infuses her next Spellstrike to tether the impact target to the ground, slowing the enemy by 15%, plus an additional 5% for each 1 unit the enemy moves from the impact location, breaking after 6 units. The tether dissipates after 4 seconds. This can store 2 charges.Dragonfire
3 (60 sec Recharge)
Vereesa infuses her next Spellstrike to explode upon hitting the enemy, dealing full damage in a 5 unit area around the hit enemy. This can store 2 charges.
Explanation: Each spellstrike is unique in its effects and usage, and in order to fully master the character, knowing when to use each arrow is key. Shroud is a disruptive shot focused around disrupting communication and protecting her team. Tether gives Vereesa a way to control enemies from afar, keeping them pinned down for her allies. Dragonfire can unleash devastating area damage, turning her long range snipe into a powerful area nuke. Each shot has its own benefits, but Vereesa must decide when to use them, as she must use all eventually.
Tier 1
• Aspect of the Dragonhawk: When Vereesa deals damage to an enemy Hero with a basic attack, her next Falcon Arrow’s cooldown on use is reduced by .5 seconds, up to a maximum of a 3 second reduced cooldown.
• Aspect of the Lynx: While invisible from Camouflage or using Quel’dorei Archery, Vareesa’s basic attacks deal 1% of the enemy’s maximum health in damage. At maximum With the Wind bonus, this is increased to 2.5%.
• Aspect of the Wyrm: Spellstrike deals an additional .5% damage for every 1% maximum mana Vareesa has, up to 40% additional damage. Every time Vareesa basic attacks an enemy Hero, she restores 4% of her maximum mana.
Tier 2
• Farflight: Falcon Arrow travels 40% farther, and empowers an additional attack from Vereesa before being consumed. In addition, during its flight, the Falcon Arrow reveals 4 units around it, and at its end location, it reveals a 4 units radius for 3 seconds.
• Steady Hand: While Vereesa has not been damaged in 3 seconds while Quel’dorei Archery is active, she gains 1 attack range and deals 25% increased damage with her basic attacks, but the time required to channel her basic attacks is increased by .5 seconds.
• Blend: For 1 second before and after Vereesa gains invisibility from Camouflage, Vereesa gains Stealth.
Tier 3
• Magical Shear: Falcon Arrow’s mark now lasts for 2 additional seconds, and empowers an additional attack from Vereesa before being consumed.
• Sky’s Fury: Every time Vereesa lands a basic attack while Quel’dorei Archery is toggled off, she gains 5% increased attack speed, stacking up to 6 times, for 3 seconds. When toggled on, all stacks are consumed to cause Vereesa’s next basic attacks equal in number to her stacks to deal 30% increased damage.
• Adaptability: With the Wind naturally increases Vereesa’s damage by 40%, and each 1 unit only increases it by a further 5% (up to the original 80%).
Tier 4
• Alacrity: Reduces the cooldown and charge up time of Spellstrike by 1.25 seconds. However, the projectile slows down after 12 units to 50%, and fizzles out after 24 units.
• Versatility: Vereesa’s three secondary abilities can be consumed by Falcon Arrow, enhancing it with bonus effects. Shroud reduces enemy’s vision range by 40% for 2 seconds, Tether slows enemies hit by 25% for 3 seconds, and Dragonfire causes enemies hit to take an additional 10 (+4% per level) damage every .25 seconds the mark persists, and the remaining damage when the mark is consumed. In addition, the charge cooldowns on all secondary abilities are reduced by 10 seconds.
• Precision: Spellstrike has a 1 second increased charge time and cooldown, but has 100% increased projectile speed, and if the trait is activated while charging, the shot will pass through all minions without impacting them.
Tier 5
• Multi-Shot: If Falcon Arrow is used within one second of basic attacking an enemy Hero, it will deal 50% increased damage on the first hit, and empowers an additional attack from Vereesa before being consumed.
• Farstrider’s Grace: While Quel’dorei Archery is toggled on, attack speed benefits now cause her channel time to decrease by .05 seconds per 5% increased attack speed she gains, down to a minimum of .25 second channel time. In addition, Vereesa naturally gains 10% increased attack speed.
• Eagle Eye: While Vereesa is stealthed or invisible, her vision range is increased by 25%, and enemies within the first half of that range are revealed to her only. In addition, her basic attacks while stealthed or invisible benefit from double the damage increase from With the Wind.
Tier 6
• Phoenix Strike: When Spellstrike hits an enemy Hero, Vereesa is healed for 15% of that hero’s maximum health. This only considers the impact enemy.
• Gale Shroud: While Quel’dorei Archery is disabled, Vereesa gains 200% increased health and mana regeneration. While Quel’dorei Archery is enabled, she gains 15 Spell Armor.
• Greater Invisibility: Vereesa becomes Unrevealable while using Camouflage, and gains 50 Armor while invisible or stealthed. Additionally, Camoflauge lasts 1 less second in duration, but no longer slows Vereesa.
Tier 7
• Certainty: When Spellstrike hits an enemy Hero, one of Vereesa’s secondary abilities has its cooldown reduced by 30 seconds. This moves in order from left to right, and will not take effect if its current ability has both charges.
• Careful Aim: While Quel’dorei Archery is active, Vereesa loses 50% movement speed, but the attack range bonus is increased by 3. In addition, Falcon Arrow and Spellstrike have up to 1 seconds reduced charge time while Quel’dorei Archery is active and Vereesa has stood still for 2 seconds.
• Thori’dal, the Star’s Fury: Vereesa’s basic attacks now count as spell damage, and she naturally gains 1.1 more attack range. In addition, when Vereesa deals spell damage fully empowered by With the Wind, the enemy’s spell armor is reduced by 5 for 3 seconds, stacking up to 4 times.
• Windrunner: Vereesa gains an additional 10% increased movement speed from Quel’dorei Archery. In addition, Vereesa is able to move at 50% speed while channeling shots from its toggled effect.