HOTS August Balance Update Throws Nerfs Left and Right

Heroes of the Storm balance update 2.27.2 includes a lot of nerfs, and the first set of changes to the newest hero. Chen, Butcher, Xul and Kerrigan were the ones to suffer the most, while Tassadar continues to be in constant flux. This is his 19th update so far, with Uther and Kerrigan right behind him. It’s not all bad, though, as some heroes – like Aurile, Uther and Lucio – got nice buffs.

HOTS 2.27.2 Patch Notes

The full patch notes, including fixes not listed here, can be found on the official page.

Alarak Talents

• Level 4 Negatively Charged (E) – Damage bonus increased from 3 to 5%
• Level 13 Blade of the Highlord (Passive) – Bonus Sadism increased from 6 to 7%. Cap increased from 30 to 35%

Illidan Ability

• The Hunt (R) – Cooldown increased from 60 to 100 seconds

Kerrigan Abilities and Talents

• Ravage (Q) – Damage reduced from 228 to 210
• Impaling Blades (W) – Damage increased from 251 to 261
• Primal Grasp (E) – Damage increased from 110 to 114
• Level 1 Energizing Grasp (E) – Removed
• Level 7 Adaptation (Q) – Removed

The Butcher Stats, Abilities and Talents

• Basic Attack damage reduced from 130 to 125
• Fresh Meat (Trait) – Meat from Hero kills reduced from 25 to 20. Meat lost on death increased from 10 to 15
• Level 7
  • Insatiable Blade (W) Adjusted functionality: Removed the bonus healing. Increased movement speed bonus from 20 to 25%
  • Victuals (Passive) – Heal increased from 4 to 5% per minion death
• Level 16
  • Crippling Slam (Q) – Bonus duration increased from 25 to 30%
  • Enraged (Passive) – Armor bonus reduced from 25 to 15

Thrall Abilities and Talents

• Chain Lightning (Q) – Mana cost reduced from 45 to 40
• Level 1
  • Crash Lightning (Q) – Damage per stack increased from 10 to 12
  • Rolling Thunder (Q) – Mana return per attack increased from 12 to 15
• Level 4 Mana Tide (Trait) – Mana return reduced from 20 to 15
• Level 16 Thunderstorm (Q) – Added functionality: Damage from final quest reward now also applies to Chain Lightning bounces

Zul’jin Talents

• Level 1 Boneslicer (Q) – Bonus damage increased from 20 to 30%

Xul Abilities and Talents

• Raise Skeleton (Trait) – Skeleton health reduced from 270 to 240
• Skeletal Mages (R) – Cooldown increased from 70 to 90 seconds
• Level 7 Trag’Oul’s Essence (Trait) – Healing reduced from 1% to .5% per Skeleton Basic Attack. Mana return increased from .4% to .5% per Skeleton Basic Attack
• Level 13 Echoes of Death (Q) – Damage reduced from 70 to 60% of Spectral Scythe’s damage

Zagara Talents

• Level 16 Mutalisk (W) – Duration reduced from 45 to 30 seconds

Auriel Abilities and Talents

• Bestow Hope (D) – Hope generation ratio from hitting Heroes increased from 40 to 50%
• Sacred Sweep (Q) – Outer damage reduced from 80 to 60. Center damage increased from 160 to 180
• Detainment Strike (E) – Initial damage reduced from 115 to 58. Stun damage increased from 115 to 174
• Resurrect (R) – Cooldown reduced from 120 to 100 seconds
• Level 7 Bursting Light (W) – Removed

Lúcio Stats

• Base Maximum Health increased from 1380 to 1518
• Health Regen increased from 2.86 to 3.16

Tassadar Stats and Talents

• Basic Attack Damage reduced from 15 to 14
• Based Maximum Health reduced from 1426 to 1355
• Health regen reduced from 2.97 to 2.8
• Level 1 Khaydarin Resonance (Passive) – Bonus Mana from Regen Globes increased from 50 to 100%

Tyrande Talents

• Level 4
  • Celestial Attunement (Q) – Added functionality: Also removes Silences
  • Kaldorei Resistance – Max Spell Armor stacks reduced from 4 to 3
• Level 13
  • Empower (W) – Added functionality: Also lowers the base cooldown of Sentinel by 4 seconds
  • Harsh Moonlight (W) – Slow amount reduced from 30 to 25%. Damage reduction amount from 30 to 25%.

Uther Abilities and Talents

• Eternal Vanguard (Trait) – Armor for healing allies with Basic Abilites reduced from 25 to 15.
• Holy Light (Q) – Healing increased from 360 to 380. Self-healing increased from 180 to 190.
• Holy Radiance (W) – Healing and damage increased from 160 to 185.
• Level 1 Wave of Light (W) – Bonus duration to Armor buff on Quest Completion reduced from 1 to .5 seconds. Mana return reduced from 8 to 5 per Hero hit.
• Level 4 Holy Fire (Passive) – Damage reduced from 16 to 14 per second

Chen Stats and Talents

• Base Maximum Health reduced from 2550 to 2473
• Health regeneration reduced from 5.31 to 5.15
• Level 7
  • Refreshing Elixir (Passive) – Removed
  • Purifying Brew (Passive) – Moved from Level 20. Cooldown increased from 10 to 45 seconds
• Level 16 Flying Leap (Q) – Bonus range reduced from 20 to 15%

Garrosh Abilities and Talents

• Warlord’s Challenge (R) – Taunt duration increased from 1.5 to 2 seconds
• Level 1 Unrivaled Strength (E) – Increased throw range from 20 to 30%, and bonus damage from 100 to 125%
• Level 4 In for the Kill (W) – Increased bonus damage from 60 to 70%
• Level 7 Into the Fray (Active) – No longer costs Mana

Balance updates usually come before the PTR patch notes. We’re hoping to see the new hero Kel’Thuzad on PTR soon, maybe even next week.