When is Illidan rework?

Hero and Skin Suggestions
1

After Kerrigan rework and Malganis has entered the Nexus. I think it’s time to let our lord and savior Illidan to get some treatment for the classic heroes.
Here I have some ideas to help you out:

Immolation and friend and foe turn into baseline abilities
Metamorphosis rework
Hotfix mounting on lvl 10 metamorphosis
Sweeping strike change
Talent changes

Immolation is main core of Illidan’s kit. Illidan needs it for faster wave and camp clearing . He is very pve oriented hero and excels with it quite well. Although his pvp fighting skills are abit lacking. He mainly needs buffs to be more useful in 5v5 fights. In short Metamorphosis is meant for brawling but currently it works like a dodge ability (similar to X-strike but does zero dmg). To fix this problem, I suggest reworking the heroic ability. In exchange for splitpushing/soaking (The Hunt) Illidan can have more stamina and utility for team fights -> Metamorphosis if needed.

Metamorphosis (reworked, passive): transform Illidan into demonic form, (transforms directly after picking the talent, works like Varian’s specialization, the leap effect is removed). He gets 10(?) armor (like Greymane’s worgen form) and the form is now permanent. His basic abilities are enhanced too. Note: Now that Metamorphosis is permanent it’s easy to hotfix the mounting problem.

Enhanced abilities in demonic form for example:
Sweeping strike turned into Fel rush: Incinerating anything in your path, travel distance increased a little further. Addional effect: Fel rush leaves Fel flames on the ground. Doing damage over time for 4 seconds (damaging enemies who stand there). Replaces Immolation.
Dive renamed as Glide. Can “jump” over terrains. No longer needs target to use (work like Muradin’s Dwarf toss but with gliding animation, downside little slower to use than Dive.
Evasion renamad as Soul barrier. It gains addional effect: All damage avoided during evasion, shields Illidan upon expiration for the X % for 5 seconds (similarities between Illidan’s old talent Shadow Shield and Medivh’s Force of will). Works with Sixth sense talent.

Sweeping strike (changed): No longer increases basic attack damage, instead it’s direct damage is boosted to compensate (burst). This way Illidan can be built around auto-attack or Sweeping strike, which is ability oriented burst style.

Talents:
For example:
Battered assault (reworked, passive, lvl 1 talent): Quest (moved from the original Unbound): Hit 30 heroes with Battered assault. Reward: gain a second charge. If Sweeping strike hits 2 or more heroes the direct damage is increased by X%. Note: easier to get value from Nimble Defender, Blades of Azzinoth talents, Unbound and Hunter’s Onslaught etc.
Cursed mark of Illidari (active, long cd, lvl 7): brand an enemy with a demonic symbol: they do less damage X% to you and branded target takes Y% increased damage from (Illidan’s) all sources. It lasts Z seconds. Required melee range. Basic attacks lower the cooldown.
Glaive Throw (active, short cd, lvl 1): Throw a glaive at the target, dealing direct damage. The glaive can ricochet to 2 additional enemies within, slowing them by X% (works like Thrall’s chain lightning, it’s point and click ability). Note: This talent is useful when fighting agaist anti-melee or cc heavy team. Illidan can have some poke damage.
Imprison (active. long cd, lvl 4 talent): Imprison a hero. Stops the target, putting them Stasis for X seconds. Requires melee range and takes 2 second to activate. Instant cast (It works like Xul’s Bone Prison).
Sixth Sense (changed, passive, lvl 13 talent): Evasion grants illidan 50 spell armor for the whole duration. Taking 50% reduced damage from basic abilities.
Friend and foe: turned into baseline ability.
Immolation: turned into baseline ability. Might need some damage adjustment (nerfs) to his auto-attack or to this effect to compensate.
Unbound (changed, lvl 4 talent): Quest moved to talent Battered assault, can still move over walls and terrain. Decreases the cooldown of Sweeping strike every second by 1 when not taking any damage.
Blades of Azzinoth (reworked, passive, lvl 16 talent): Immolation/Fel flames damage is increased by X%. Hitting a hero with Immolation/Fel flames (contact is needed) causes opponent to burn, taking its full damage damage over time for 4 seconds. It doesn’t spread from target to target.
Darkness (active, long cd, lvl 13 talent): Illidan gets engulfed by darkness, entering Stasis. Covering Illidan from any attack towards him. During the effect, Illidan cannot use abilities (the allies cannot target him either) but he is able to move. It lasts 3 seconds (like ice block).
Rapid Chase reworked and renamed as Endless Chase (lvl 4 talent): Dive is unstoppable and it grants the effect for 1 sec. Preventing any crown control effect to Illidan.
Repeating Strike (talent 16): Hitting a Hero with Sweeping strike increases the damage output for the next Sweeping strike by X% for 5 seconds. It can be stacked up for 5 times.
Nexus Blades (changed, lvl 20): Basic attack speed increased by 20% and slow the enemy movement speed by 20% for 1 sec.
The Hunt (adjusted, lvl 10): The cooldown is decreased to 100 seconds.
Bolt of the Storm is removed.
Demonic Form (changed): Illidan learns a new ability Eye Beam (active R). Passive: The duration of stun, root and slow effects towards him are decreased by 50%.
Eye beam (active, short cd, part of Demonic Form talent): Blast enemies front of you, dealing heavy damage. (It works like the Scorching Laser of Triglav Protector). Skillshot ability, useful in long range fights.
Infernal Strike (active, replaces bolt of the storm, long cd): Leap through the air toward a targeted location, transforming momentarily into demon form, dealing small amount of damage to nearby enemis and stunning them for 0.75 seconds. Has the animation of the old Metamorphosis (the jump) with a little bit smaller range ~ about the same distance as bolt of the storm maybe?

Mention: With these kind of changes. Illidan can choose with 3 different play styles to head depending on opponent team or your own enjoyment. 1. is the classic auto-attack build, 2. Burst style with Sweeping strike or 3. Focusing more ranged poke in team fights (before finishing opponents off). Plus he can still go for pve with The Hunt and thanks to baseline Immolation. For the small battlegrounds with contant battles, Metamorphosis is a great choice.

That’s my two cents.

Edited: Fixed grammar and changed a part of Sweeping strike effect into reworked talent of Battered Assault. Added reworked talent Blades of Azzinoth. Changed Battered Assault talent. Now it has quest from Unbound. Added new talent Darkness. Placed talents into tiers. Added last words. Changed Battered Assault and Blades of Azzinoth further. Added new talents Endless Chase, Repeating Strike and Infernal Strike and reworked existing old ones (Nexus Blades and Demonic form etc). Eye beam is now included into Demonic Form talent. Reverted Nimble Defender back to its original talent tier lvl 13. Hunter’s mark renamed as Cursed mark of Illidari and moved to lvl 7 tier.

2 Likes
4

I wonder if Blizz ever get a chance of looking at this rework of yours. I think I know the answer though.
U should post it into General Discussion for more attention.

5

I think reddit is the best bet, but I’m not very active user there. Putting the article on their own web page is good test for seeing if Blizzard really care their customers’ opinion :slight_smile:

TALENT TIERS for Illidan after the changes

1   Battered Assault		Glaive Throw		Unending Hatred
4   Imprison		    	Endless Chase	    Unbound
7   Cursed Mark of Illidari	Reflexive Block	    Thirsting Blade		Hunter's Onslaught
10  Metamorphosis			The Hunt
13  Darkness				Nimble Defender		Elusive Strike		Sixth Sense
16  Marked for Death		Fiery Brand			Blades of Azzinoth	Repeating Strike
20  Demonic Form			Nowhere to Hide		Nexus Blades		Infernal Strike

Edit: Added talent tiers to this post. Nimble defender reverted back to 13 tier. Cursed Mark of Illidari moved to lvl 7 (was on lvl 13).

6

IIRC they said something about giving Illidan some buffs, but it’s unclear what are they and which exactly.

1 Like
7

You have some interesting ideas, not sure if I agree with all of it though. I like the idea of Metamorph changing ability behavior namely.

I think Illidan has always had growing pains as HotS continued to add heroes. Back when he had Executioner, Shadow Shield, and even Fury of the Storm, I felt The Hunt had a nice niche for split pushing and ganking. To me, it just doesn’t feel the same anymore since it takes him awhile to whittle people down. I’ve kinda given up on a lot of my favorite heroes (Illidan, Malfurian, Kerrigan, etc) because they just feel so sterile compared to how they used to be. Pretty much background noise that’s easily addressed.

10

I have edited alot of my topic and added little by little more innovated talents. It seems I have finally reached to conclusion with the rework review. Feel free to comment and keep in mind, these are only concepts. Btw, thanks for your time reading this :smile:

11

I’d personally far rather see Illidan just get tuning changes, maybe bring the CC reduction to Meta at 10, and giving it more damage at 20. Obviously a few other things would need done, but I don’t want another rework for a character that only has holes on two tiers.

14

That’s wrong, Immolation is far from being mandatory, in addition to that you can play Illidan as a true hunter and pick Battered Assault/ Unending Hatred to Teamfight the most of your time instead of do camps if you got another Hero strong at it (Greymane for example).
For Friend of Foe, it’s not mandatory as well, it’s just the feeling you got because you think there’s not any other viable talent at level 4 (which is wrong, you got Unbound), but this is not because you play only 1 talent that you HAVE TO add it on its kit.

I didn’t read your whole post but I think you want to change too much Illidan’s kit compared to the current one.

If you want to read a good Illidan rework, I gonna post mine just below this message.

15

Stats

  • Basic Attack damage increased from 78 (+4% per level) to 87 (+3% per level).
  • Base Maximum Health increased from 1650 (+4% per level) to 1851 (+3,75% per level).
  • Health Regeneration increased from 3,44 (+4% per level) to 3,85625 (+3,75% per level).
    • Maximum Health at level 20 increased from 3619 to 3865.

Abilities

  • Betrayer’s Thirst (Trait)

    • Steal Life affects now every Physical Damage, not only Basic Attacks.
    • Heal amount granted by Physical Damage decreased from 30% to 20% of damage dealt.
    • Cooldown reduction per Basic Attack reduced from 1 second to 0.75 seconds.

  • Dive (Q)

    • Cooldown reduced from 6 seconds to 5 seconds.
    • Damage increased from 66 (+4% per level) to 69 (+3% per level).
    • Range increased by 10%.
    • Added functionality:
      • Dive deals double damage if you hit the same target twice in 8 seconds.
      • Now, a Mark will show the last enemy hit within 8 seconds, in order to help the player (exactly like Rite of Rak’Shir for Alarak).
      • Dive damage has been reduced from 145 to 125 at level 20 (or 250 if you hit twice the same target)

  • Sweeping Strike (W)

    • Cooldown reduced from 8 seconds to 6.5 seconds.
    • Damage increased from 119 (+4% per level) to 125 (+3% per level).
    • Damage bonus duration increased from 3 seconds to 3.5 seconds.
    • Basic Attack bonus damage reduced from 35% to 20%.
      • Sweeping Strike damage has been reduced from 261 to 225 at level 20.
      • Basic Attacks damage at level 1 is the same with Sweeping Strike bonus as now:
        • 78x1.35 = 105
        • 87x1.2 = 104

  • Evasion (E)

    • Cooldown reduced from 15 seconds to 12 seconds.
    • Now, can also be casted during Dive and Sweeping Strike animation. (As Artanis can use Phase Prism during Blade Dash). Most important change.
    • Now, a circle similar to Sweeping Strike circle will show the duration of Evasion at the right of hero’s portrait.
    • The amount of damage will be shown at the end of Evasion.

  • “10.000 Years of Hatred” Baseline Quest added

    • !Quest: Minion kills grant 0,15 Basic Attack Damage.
    • !Quest: Mercenary kills (except Boss) grant 0,3 Basic Attack Damage (Neutral or Enemy).
    • !Quest: Hero Takedowns and Mercenary Boss grant 0,5 Basic Attack Damage. (Neutral or Enemy Boss).
    • !Reward: After gaining 10 increased Basic Attack Damage, increase Sweeping Strike’s duration by 1 second.
    • !Reward: After gaining 30 increased Basic Attack Damage, grant a second charge of Sweeping Strike, but increase its cooldown from 6.5 to 8 seconds.
    • This quest has no limit.
      • You need 35 Basic Attack bonus at level 20 to deal as much damage with your Basic Attack as now with Sweeping Strike bonus.
        • (78x1.04^20)x1.35 = 231
        • ((87x1.03^20)+35)x1.2 = 230

  • Metamorphosis (R1)

    • Can now be self-cast.
    • Cooldown reduced from 120 seconds to 90 seconds.
    • Damage reduced from 46 (+4% per level) to 37 (+4% per level).
    • Now, It deals 37 (+4% per level) damage per Heroes hit up to 185 (+4% per level) instead of 46 (+4% per level) no matter what.
    • Bonus health changed from 200 (+4% per level) to 10% of your current maximum health. (which is a nerf)
    • Added functionality:
      • Increases by 10% your Attack Speed for the duration.
      • After using Metamorphosis, you gain 50 Armor for 1 second. (It’s during a moment where you cannot move or use Spells).

Visual change: As Dekaha regenerates 2 arms when you pick an Heroic Ability, Illidan gains 2 demonic wings and use them as Mount if you pick Metamorphosis, allowing you to use your Mount during Metamorphosis. When you use Metamorphosis, Illidan completely transforms into its Demonic Form and the colour change depending your Skin.

  • The Hunt (R2)
    • Now, has unlimited range.
    • Cooldown decreased from 100 seconds to 90 seconds.
    • Damage reduced from 251 (+4% per level) to 167 (+4% per level).
    • Added functionality:
      • If no other Heroes are within 9 range of the victim, increases the damage by 50% and reduces its cooldown by 20 seconds.

Talents

  • Level 1

    • Immolation (W)

      • !Quest: Every time you kill a minion with Sweeping Strike, its damage is increased by 1, up to 30.
      • !Reward: After killing 30 minions, increases the damage of Sweeping Strike by an additional amount equal to 100% of the bonus that give the quest “10.000 Years of Hatred”.
      • Passive: Increase Basic Attack Damage bonus from “10.000 Years of Hatred” by killing minions from 0.15 to 0.2 each.
      • Passive: After dealing damage with Sweeping Strike, burn nearby enemies for 16 (+4% per level) damage for the duration of Sweeping Strike’s Bonus damage.
        • Current Immolation deals 22 damage per second for 4 seconds.

    • Battered Assault (W)

      • Reworked: Battered Assault (Q + W)
        • !Quest: Hit 2 heroes or more with Sweeping Strike 10 times.
        • !Repeatable Reward: Each time you hit 2 Heroes or more, increase Sweeping Strike bonus damage from 20% to 100% for its duration.
        • !Reward: After hitting 10 times at least 2 Heroes with Sweeping Strike, Dive now deals Physical Damage.
        • !Passive: Increase the duration of Sweeping Strike by 1 second and Bonus Damage earned by killing Heroes from 0.5 to 1.0.
      • Now, Illidan’s blades will shine in blue for the duration.
      • The circle showing the duration of Sweeping Strike will shine in blue as long as Battered Assault is activated instead of yellow (and yellow if Battered Assault isn’t activated, as currently).
      • Battered Assault’s damage at level 1 and 20 are the same :
      • Level 1:
        • 78x2.25 = 175
        • 87x2 = 174
      • Level 20:
        • (78x1.04^20)x2.25 = 385
        • ((87x1.03^20)+35)x2 = 384

    • Unending Hatred (Passive)

      • Removed.

    • New Talent: Gathering Strike (Q + W)

      • Using Dive on a Hero automatically activates Sweeping Strike bonus damage and increases it by 5%. Hitting twice the same Hero increase this bonus to 10%, up to 65%.
      • !Quest: Hitting Heroes with Dive grants 0.2 Bonus Damage to the Quest “10.000 Years of Hatred”, and 0.5 if you hit twice the same Hero, up to 5.
      • !Reward: After gaining 5 Bonus Basic Attack, passively increase Sweeping Strike bonus damage from 20% to 35%.
        • Old Battered Assault brought back as a Reward.

  • Level 4

    • Rapid Chase (Q)

      • Reworked: Rapid Chase (Q + W)
        • Dive and Sweeping Strike grant 25% Movement Speed for 2 seconds.
        • Passive: Illidan permanently gains 10% increased Movement Speed.

    • Friend or Foe (Q)

      • Bonus range reduced from 20% to 10%.

    • Unbound (W)

      • The quest has been deleted.
      • New features:
        • Sweeping Strike still allows you to go over walls and terrain.
        • If you don’t hit any enemy within the first half of Sweeping Strike, you go 20% deeper.
          • Old talent Fel Reach brought back and improved and allows you to pass through longer walls than currently.

  • Level 7

    • Reflexive Block (Q)

      • Reworked: Reflexive Block (Q + E)
        • Dive grants 50 Physical Armor for 1,25 seconds, this duration is paused during Evasion.

    • Thirsting Blade (Trait)

      • Bonus healing works with every Physical Damage.
      • Physical Damage Healing during Sweeping Strikes decreased from 50% to 35%.

    • Hunter’s Onslaught (Trait)

      • Healing decreased from 25% of Ability Damage dealt to 20%.

  • Level 13

    • Elusive Strike (E)

      • Reduction per hero hit reduced from 3 seconds to 2,5 seconds up to 12 seconds.
      • Added functionality:
        • Increases the duration of Evasion from 2,5 seconds to 3 seconds.

    • Sixth Sense (E)

      • Reworked:
        • Grants 50 Spell Armor for the duration of Evasion.
          • Old talent Sixth Sense brought back.

    • Nimble Defender (W)

      • Removed.

    • New talent: Shadow Shield (E)

      • Evasion grants a shield equal to 5% of your Maximum current Health.
      • Passive: For each 1 Basic Attack Damage bonus granted by “10.000 Years of Hatred”, increase permanently your base Maximum Health by 0.25%.
        • Old talent brought back and improved.
        • This talent grants 10% more Max HP if you got 40 Basic Attack Bonus.

  • Level 16

    • Marked for Death (Q)

      • The effect of this talent changes according your talent level 1.
      • Immolation:
        • Dive deals 100% bonus Spell Damage to Heroes.
          • Which means 250 damage or 500 if you hit twice at level 20 (currently it’s 539 if you hit twice).
      • Battered Assault:
        • Dive deals 100% bonus Physical Damage to Heroes.
          • Which means 250 damage or 500 if you hit twice at level 20.
      • Gathering Strike:
        • Illidan’s next basic attack on the Dive target deals additional damage equal to the current Sweeping Strike’s Basic Attack Damage Bonus.
          • Old talent Marked for Death brought back and adapted according this rework.

    • Fiery Brand (Passive)

      • Reworked: Fiery Brand (E)
        • Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes deal bonus damage equal to 1% of the Hero’s maximum health and heal Illidan for 1% of its current maximum health.
        • As long as Evasion is activated, increase those bonus to 1.5%.

    • Blades of Azzinoth (W)

      • You can now activate Blades of Azzinoth even if you don’t have 5 stacks.
      • Activate to consume every stacks you got, and increase you Basic Attack Damage by 15% per stack, up to 75% for 8 seconds.

    • New Talent: Azzinoth’s Fire (W)

      • (You can take this talent only if you got Immolation, like Body Check for Garrosh).
      • Increase the damage dealt by the fiery aura by 100% per Heroes hit for the duration of Sweeping Strike.
      • The fiery aura heals you for 50% damage dealt to Heroes only.

  • Level 20

    • Bolt of the Storm

      • Removed.

    • Nexus Blades

      • Removed.

    • Demonic Form (R1)

      • Reworked:
        • Remain in Demonic Form until you die. As long as you remain in Demonic Form, reduce the duration of Stuns, Roots, Slows by 50% and you keep your Health Bonus and 10% Attack Speed bonus.

    • Nowhere to hide (R2)

      • Reworked:
        • The Hunt reduces the Armor of the target by 25 for 4 seconds and grants to Illidan 25 Armor for 4 seconds.
        • Passive: Illidan reveals Heroes below 25% Health on the Battlefield and increase Illidan Sight Radius by 100%.

    • New talent : Relentless Assault (Activable)

      • Activate to grant Unalterable to Illidan for 2 seconds. While Unalterable, Illidan cannot be Blind, Silence, Taunt, Fear or Polymorph.
      • Passive: After using an Ability, the next Basic Attack deals 30% more damage.
        • 30 seconds Cooldown. (Betrayer’s Thrist affects this cooldown).

    • New Talent : Thrill of Battle (Q + Trait)

      • Upon activation, increase the cooldown reduction from Basic Attacks by 0.5 seconds for 8 seconds.
      • Passive: Increase Dive damage equal to 75% of the amount that grants the Quest “10.000 Years of Hatred” to Basic Attacks.
        • 60 seconds Cooldown. (Betrayer’s Thrist affects this cooldown).
        • Old talent brought back, and adapted.
16

That comment was really rude, and hijacking his thread instead of just creating your own is even more rude. Not to mention the fact that you necro’d a 2 month old thread of a dude who doesn’t even post anymore. Do you really think he’s gonna respond to you?

17

omg illidan needs a rework i asked so many main illidan and not main illidan platers and they all said they want an illidan rework.