Idea for Crypto Lord Updates
As many have pointed out over the years Crypt Lord still needs some changes. Specifically its Passive Spiked Carapace.
Spiked Carapace is not interesting to play against as there’s nothing you as a player can really do to as counterplay against this ability (Except not hitting the crypt Lord - which is unfun conceptually and makes even less sense when factoring in hes supposed to be the main tank). Its a boring ability pick for yourself since you can’t really use it in a meaningful way (doesn’t increase creep speed and only affects battles when taking damage, and ONLY if its Melee Damage). Its also simply not very impactful as well as not “Fun” as an ability.
My recommendation is add a stun to spiked carapace thus accomplishing increasing his threat
- Add (.5 / 1 / 1.5) second stun per level on a small chance 25% 35% 45% like bash. But less powerful (Since it won’t have the increased damage component/and a lower stun time). This would give the Crypt Lord sustained CC that makes him a threat that needs to be CC’d or played around. Currently he’s honestly not a big deal, since he has low mana burns a lot of it on beetle summons (Since Spiked Carapace is so bad) and only has a few casts for his damage/CC ability. Currently its more effective to ignore him and go after his army than deal with the crypt Lord… Which doesn’t make sense since he is a main tank. Conceptually he needs more threat.
To compensate for the increased stun. Id reduce his armor gained from spiked carapace. the increased utility would allow crypt lord to be a Melee Carry for UD. Which is pretty lacking on UD.
With this buff I’m still not even sure he would be better than say an addition of a Pit Lord. The stun would make him more competitve but you give up utility from the DK or damage and slow from the lich to pick him. I’m not sure even with the stun CL would be competitive but it would be a start.
Additional Buff
- Change Spiked Carapace so that the crypt lords passive also buffs his beetles. IE bonus armor and damage reflect applies to summoned beetles. Perhaps the bonus armor is applied at a smaller amount to the beetles. 2/4/6? Id say keep the damage reflect values the same 15/30/45%.
If the ability is kept the same (doesn’t apply to beetles) I would consider adding a something else to it. See examples below. The point is to keep him being the main tank of the army. either via CC or ability to stay in the fights via longevity.
Additional Buff 2 (if previous are not implemented)
- (1/1.5/2) health regen per level
- Make spiked carapace damage reflect apply to both melee and ranged
This wouldn’t give the Crypt Lord additional CC and thus “Threat” but it would drastically increase his stay in battle or his ability to recover after a battle. His sustain isn’t bad late game with statues but its a bigger issue early game. Especially since picking him doesn’t allow you to take death coil if hes a 1st pick. Sustain would be nice and might make spiked carapace a more viable pick adding it in.
I think adding more CC and making spiked carapace apply to beetles will make it a significantly more fun ability. It’ll also make crypt lord unique in that he’ll be able to somewhat buff his summons.
Overall I feel like Crypt Lord is a niche pick. He’s terrible late game if picked first. doesn’t have enough damage potency/utility to compete with the likes of Lich/Death Knight. He needs a niche and I think adding CC and survivability to his summons would be a start.
The stun would increase his damage/kill secure potency. The increased beetles would help make him relevant later game. (Which will still be countered by dispel tools since they are summons)
Comparing him to say a Mountain King/Tauren Chieftan/Demon Hunter. Hes a significantly worse hero overall. He is supposed to fill the Main Tank role… but is worse in every category compared to these other heroes
Examples
- Mountain King
higher damage/more stun
= significantly higher threat while also being tanky - Paladin
Armywide armor buff / Healing utility for Army / invulnerability
= armywide buff and healing are vastly superior to anything CL offers UD armys - Tauren Chieftain
More CC / armywide damage/movement buff / Higher Damage
more utility via buff / high tank / high CC - Demon Hunter
Mana Burn / high damage mitigation
Mana burn is potentially the best ability in the game and coupled with evade is amazing. Plus Ulti is game winning. - Pit Lord
Large CC damage debuff / Cleave
High Threat damage / Large Damage reduction
When you compare similar heroes like above… Crypto Lord is the worst version of all of these. curent iteration of Crowd Control on CL is not a big enough deal to make him a serious threat on his own. And all his abilities damage reflect mean someone has to attack him for the ability to be useful. So if you ignore him that’s basically his counter. Because he has a very low threat of CC/overall damage.
I personally think you need to make him more of a threat (Via sustained CC or sustained damage). Or make his summons tankier to have him be the front line defender to keep off your ranged units.
To compensate I think some of his survivability should potentially be reduced. I recommend playing around with him. but make the actual hero more potent.
I’m open to any all ideas. So don’t think im like strongly in one camp. I do think however he needs buffs overall. Hes such an afterthought hero. and aethestically hes my favorite hero. Just wish he was a better hero in ranked/pro matches.
He literally never gets picked. And I think thats not good for the game. UD needs more variety