Kharazim aims to bring balance to Heroes of the Storm

Heroes of the Storm’s upcoming monk hero, Kharazim, is the focus of yet another video spotlight. In the spotlight, Game Director Dustin Browder explains why Kharazim has traveled from Sanctuary to the Nexus during its Eternal Conflict and highlights the hero’s versatility as a support hero.

What makes Kharazim so unique among an already impressive roster of heroes is a new approach to traits. Instead of one default trait, players will pick one of Kharazim’s three traits at the start of a match. These traits are all activated every third basic attack and help define what role players will take with the hero. Iron Fists adds a guaranteed critical strike, Transcendence activates a heal for Kharazim or a nearby ally, and Insight causes Kharazim to regain mana for extra sustainability.

In addition to his unique trait selection, Kharazim also has the usual roster of abilities. Radiant Dash instantly places Kharazim near any target, ally or enemy, and activates an instant basic attack if used on the latter. This ability can store multiple charges for quick travel. Breath of Heaven heals Kharazim and nearby allies as well as provides a movement speed increase for a short duration. Deadly Reach can be activated to increase both Kharazim’s attack speed and attack range for several seconds after his next melee strike, which synergizes well with whatever trait has been chosen. As for heroic abilities, Seven-Sided Strike makes Kharazim invulnerable for the duration and will strike a random enemy hero in the targeted area for 7% of that hero’s health. And finally, Divine Palm can be cast upon himself or an ally. This spell lasts only three seconds, but if a fatal blow is taken, the spell will activate and heal that hero for a massive amount of health.

I only had a chance to play Kharazim very briefly on the PTR, but I can say that he’s one of the support classes that I’m particularly excited for. When he lands a hit, it really feels like he’s hitting the enemy very hard. And his Seven-Sided Strike can be incredibly deadly if you catch a lone hero in its range — but catch the whole team and its effectiveness diminishes. Kharazim is a welcoming support class for players who may not prefer to spend the whole match healing. Expect him in the Nexus very soon!