MOBA heroes don’t get more badass than the Heroes of the Storm characters!
Heroes of the Storm is one of the biggest MOBAs at the moment. It’s fun, it’s accessible yet deep, and it stars many of PC gaming’s most important characters of the last two decades.
But which of these heroes are the toughest? Well, if tier lists are anything to go by, the measure of how strong a character is is dictated by their capacity to kick serious butt on the battlefield. In this article, we therefore present to you the game’s 11 Most Feasome Heroes – characters who excel at wiping the floor with your face, then making a toast out of the tears of their enemies.
11. E.T.C.
Now THAT'S BEEF. (Image from Heroes of the Storm Wikia)
Nothing screams heavy metal more than an enormous, hairy, horned monster wielding a giant ax. This headbanging Tauren personifies the savagery of the Horde, and does so with all the style of a rock god.
One of the most dependable melee Warriors in the game, E.T.C. leaps into the fray with scorching heavy metal riffs, melting faces off enemies with devilish tunes, and invigorating allies with electrifying guitar solos.
Trait:
Rockstar: Every time E.T.C. performs a Basic of Heroic ability, all nearby heroes receive a 20% boost to their Attack Speed for 3 seconds. Nearby Minions receive half the boost.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Powerslide: Slides through enemies, stunning them for a second and dealing average damage
(W) Face Melt: Deals moderate damage to enemies in the proximity. Also pushes them back.
(E) Guitar Solo: Heals E.T.C. for 4 seconds.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Mosh Pit: All enemies within the proximity are stunned for 4 seconds.
(R2) Stage Dive: Leaps to a chosen location, dealing massive area damage, and slowing affected enemies for 3 seconds.
10. Falstad
Death from above. (Image from Heroes of the Storm Wikia)
As the High Thane of the Wildhammer Clan, Falstad was instrumental in the founding of the Council of Three Hammers – the regency ruling over the Kingdon of Ironforge post-Cataclysm. Also called Dragonreaver, Falstad has the favor of the red dragons due to his role in the rescue of the Dragonqueen.
A gryphon rider, the Assassin Falstad has the advantage of superior mobility, which allows him to race to critical areas faster than most Heroes. He also packs quite a punch with his lightning-based attacks. He’s truly deserving to be called one the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters.
Trait:
Tailwind: If Falstad avoids taking damage for 6 seconds, his Movement Speed receives a 20% boost.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Hammerang: Rains death from above by throwing a hammer that boomerangs back to Falstad. Affected enemies receive moderate damage, and are slowed by 25% for 2 seconds.
(W) Lightning Rod: A searing lightning attack that deals moderate harm to enemies. If Falstad doesn’t move away from the affected enemies, they continue to take minor damage for 4 seconds.
(E) Barrel Roll: Falstad performs a speedy forward dash, and gains a powerful shield that lasts 2 seconds.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Hinterland Blast: Hurls a powerful lightning blast that deals major damage to targets caught in its path.
(R2) Mighty Gust: A vicious gust of wind that knocks enemies back, slowing them down by 60% for 3 seconds.
9. Johanna
Don't mess with this lady!
From Diablo III hails the Crusader of Zakarum, Johanna. As a holy warrior, her zealous devotion to her faith gives her the power to vanquish evil in Sanctuary. She travels to the Nexus in the hopes of finding an apprentice, who will take on her quest, and her name, upon her death.
A tough-as-nails melee Warrior, Johanna is clad in inches-thick armor, and she carries a shield the size of a man. Which explains why she’s one of the best tanks in the game, able to brush aside attacks like they’re mosquito bites. Because she can dish out as much damage as she can absorb, she’s often seen fearlessly leading the charge against the enemy. A list of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters would be incomplete without Johanna!
If looks could kill...
Trait:
Iron Skin: For 4 seconds, Johanna gains a divine shield that makes her invulnerable.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Punish: Causes moderate damage. Additionally, it slows targets by 60% for 2 seconds.
(W) Condemn: After a second, drags nearby victims towards Johanna, dealing minor damage and causing stun for 0.25 seconds.
(E) Shield Glare: Enemies receive moderate damage. For 4 seconds, their following two Basic Attacks miss.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Falling Sword: Johanna leaps into the sky. Where she lands can be controlled by steering her while in mid-air. After 2 seconds, Johanna crashes to the ground, dealing major injury to enemies in the proximity, and knocking them off their feet.
(R2) Blessed Shield: Johanna tosses her shield at a target. The target is stunned for 2 seconds and suffers heavy damage. The shield then bounces to enemies in the proximity, stunning each for a second, and causing moderate damage.
8. Illidan
Not your friend.
Dubbed the “Betrayer,” Illidan was imprisoned for 10,000 years for permitting the Burning Legion entry into his homeland. When Tyrande Whisperwind freed him to atone for his sins, he was once more seduced by the promise of power, and sided with the Legion once more. This lead to his permanent banishment. Now he rules the shattered realm Outland with an iron fist, annihilating all who would oppose him.
Though squishy, the melee Assassin Illidan is a force to be reckoned with. His superior athleticism allows him to dive in and out of battle at blinding speeds, assassinating foes before they even know what hit them. His attacks have a vampiric quality, siphoning life energy from his targets to heal his wounds. Definitely one of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters.
Trait:
Betrayer’s Thirst: 20% of damage dealt using Basic Attacks return to Illidan as health. Also reduces the cooldowns of his Abilities by 1 second.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Dive: Leaps towards target then deals moderate damage. Also flips the target over.
(W) Sweeping Strike: Lunges towards a target location. Enemies caught in Illidan’s path suffer moderate damage. If he hits an enemy, Illidan’s Basic Attack damage gains a 35% boost for 4 seconds.
(E) Evasion: Allows Illidan to dodge all Basic Attacks for 2 seconds.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Metamorphosis: Illidan transforms into an enormous demon at a chosen location, dealing major damage to all enemies caught in the blast. For 18 seconds, Illidan receives a massive boost to his maximum health for each Hero he strikes, and gains a 20% increase to his Attack Speed.
(R2) The Hunt: Dashes towards an enemy, stunning them and causing major damage.
7. Zagara
Zerglings love her!
The ambitious Zagara serves her Queen, Kerrigan, by being mother to the Zerg brood. This proud mommy is cunning, uncompromising, and utterly without mercy, doing whatever it takes to ensure the survival of her children.
A Specialist, the broodmother spawns her little Zerg monstrosities all over the battlefield. This makes her excellent at pushing lanes and destroying structures. Furthermore, her army of nasties have a habit of forming a wall between her enemies and herself, making harming her a tad tricky.
Don't mess with mama.
Trait:
Creep Tumor: Zagara plants a tumor in the ground, which causes Creep to spread. Creep improves the mobility and health regeneration rate of Zagara and her offspring. Tumors expire after 240 seconds, and can be destroyed.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Baneling Barrage: Zagara hurls 4 Banelings in a chosen direction. Each explodes upon impact, dealing moderate splash damage to enemy units or structures.
(W) Hunter Killer: Zagara summons a vicious Hydralisk that deals moderate damage to a chosen target. The Hydralisk expires after 8 seconds.
(E) Infested Drop: A Zerg Drop Pod falls from the sky and crashes to the ground, dealing moderate damage to all caught in the blast. 2 Roachlings spawn from the pod, dealing light injury to enemies. Roachlings expire after 8 seconds.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Devouring Maw: Summons a monstrous maw that swallows enemies in an area, dealing moderate damage and incapacitating them for 4 seconds.
(R2) Nydus Network: Zagara calls forth a Nydus Worm at a chosen spot. She can enter the Worm, then exit it at a target location. She can summon up to 4 Worms.
6. Greymane
A dual personality.
One the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters is relative newcomer Greymane. As the ruler of Gilneas, King Genn Greymane sealed his kingdom off from the rest of the world by ordering the construction of the Greymane Wall. While this protected Gilneas from exterior threats, it did nothing to forestall the Worgen curse that transformed his people into shapeshifting lycanthropes. Though burdened by guilt for this grim turn of events, Greymane has accepted the beast within him, which has allowed him to control its more savage nature. Greymane will stop at nothing to see his people through whatever fate has in store for them.
On the battlefield, Greymane transitions smoothly from a ranged, pistol-wielding attacker to a savage close-range monster able to deal ridiculous amounts of pain. His abilities change depending on his current form, and he can combo the skills of one with those of his other. This makes him a truly versatile Assassin, and a tricky enemy to deal with.
All hail the king!
The inner beast unleashed!
Trait:
Curse of the Worgen: Greymane can seamlessly shift from Human to Worgen form. When Human, he uses ranged Basic Attacks. When Worgen, his Basic Attacks become melee, but do 40% additional damage.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Gilnean Cocktail (Human): Throws an explosive cocktail at a target enemy, causing moderate damage. The explosion causes massive injury to units in a cone behind the initial target.
(Q) Razor Swipe (Worgen): Greymane slashes at the area before him, dealing massive damage.
(W) Inner Beast: For 3 seconds, Greymane receives a 50% boost to his Attack Speed. The skill’s duration is refresh by using Basic Attacks.
(E) Darkflight (Human): Greymane transforms into a Worgen, then lunges at a target unit to deal major damage.
(E) Disengage (Worgen): Rolls backwards, then transforms into a Human.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Go for the Throat: Springs towards an enemy Hero, shapeshifts into a Worgen, then slashes 3 times to deal massive injury. If the move kills the Hero, Greymane can use the skill again for free, but it must be performed within 10 seconds.
(R2) Marked for the Kill: Greymane transforms into a Human, then shoots at a target Hero to deal moderate damage. The Hero also becomes Vulnerable, meanings he takes 25% additional damage. The skill can be reactivated so that Greymane leaps at the Hero, then transforms into his Worgen form.
5. Muradin
Size does matter. Unless you're THIS dwarf.
When his stint mentoring Arthas went to hell (he failed to prevent Arthas from becoming to Lich King), Muradin the dwarven mountain king was thought dead as a dodo. But as luck would have it, Muradin was, in fact, alive – albeit with a tiny problem of the amnesia kind. Now he and his magnificent beard serve as rulers to the Bronzebeard clan.
With his mighty hammer and ax, the mighty melee Warrior Muradin brings the power of the storm to the battleground. His moves can stun as well as hamper enemy movement, while a leap attack has him crashing on opponents with all the force of a meteor. He is one of the hardiest and hard-hitting Heroes in the game, and is much feared by all, despite his diminutive size.
Ready to rumble
Trait:
Second Wind: After 4 seconds of not taking damage, Muradin’s Health regenerates for a moderate amount every second. When his health is below 40% the Health regeneration rate doubles.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Storm Bolt: Muradin hurls a hammer, stunning an enemy for 1.5 seconds, and dealing them moderate damage.
(W) Thunder Clap: For 2.5 seconds, reduces enemies’ Movement Speed by 25%. Also cases moderate damage.
(E) Dwarf Toss: Jumps to a chosen location. Upon landing, moderately damages enemies in the area.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Avatar: For 20 seconds, Muradin enters the Avatar state. During this time, he receives a massive boost to his Health, and all his Basic Attacks gain the ability to stun units.
(R2) Haymaker: A brutal punch that deals massive damage and knocks a target enemy several steps back. Units hit by the target receive moderate damage and are knocked aside.
4. Rehgar
Embrace the bloodlust
Before he became Warchief Thrall’s trusted advisor, Rehgar Earthfury proved his mettle in the arena as a gladiator. That life is long behind him, however; now, as a shaman, he hopes to renew a world that has been brought to its knees by endless strife.
In the Nexus, Rehgar plays Support. He takes his duties as a shaman seriously, healing and shielding allies in battle. Having led his own team of warriors in the past, he also knows how to bring out the bloodlust in his allies, which vastly improves their combat prowess. For these reasons, he is one the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters.
It's a shocker!
Trait:
Ghost Wolf: Rehgar can’t use any mounts, but he can instantly shapeshift into a Ghost Wolf, which boosts his movement by 30%. While a Ghost Wolf, he can perform a Basic Attack to deal 100% more damage, but doing so returns him to his original for.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Chain Heal: Rehgar heals a chosen target for a great amount. The healing beam bounces to the nearest two allied units, healing them for a lesser amount
(W) Lightning Shield: Imbues an allied unit with a Lightning Shield which deals minor injury to enemies nearby. Expires in 5 seconds.
(E) Earthbhind Totem: Plants a totem in the ground. For 8 seconds, the totem reduces nearby enemies’ Movement Speed by 35%.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Ancestral Healing: Greatly heals a chosen allied Hero.
(R2) Bloodlust: Invigorates allied Heroes nearby, granting them a 40% boost in Attack Speed, and 30% boost in Movement Speed. The effect expires in 10 seconds.
3. Thrall
Fighting for honor and survival
Born to slavery, Thrall eventually gained his freedom to liberate his fellow orcs, who had been imprisoned by humans after the Second War. Thrall then led them across the sea, where they founded Ogrimmar city in the continent of Kalimdor. Allying with the trolls, tauren, and goblins, he became Warchief of the Horde, and aided the Alliance in the war against the demonic Burning Legion.
A powerful melee Assassin, this shaman is capable of sundering the earth, and frying the opposition with a chain lightning spell. He can even sic fiery wolf spirits on enemies. Playtime with Fido has never been so blisteringly intense!
Hero of the Horde
Trait:
Frostwolf Resilience: Using any Ability to hurt opponents gives Thrall a stack of Frostwolf Resilience. Once he has 5 stacks, he is automatically healed for a massive amount.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Chain Lightning: Hurls a bolt of lightning at a target to deal moderate harm. The lightning bounces to 2 more enemies nearby for half the damage.
(W) Feral Spirit: Summons a Feral Spirit that lunges at enemies, dealing modern injury. If it hits an enemy Hero, the Hero is rooted to the spot for a second.
(E) Windfury: For 4 seconds, Thrall’s Movement Speed is increased by 25%. Attack Speed is increased by 100%.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Sundering: Thrall strikes the earth, causing a crack to race outwards in a straight line. Enemies caught in the path are knocked aside, suffer significant damage, and are stunned for 1.5 seconds.
(R2) Earthquake: Thrall pounds the ground, causing an earthquake that reduces enemies’ Movement Speed by 70%. The earthquake subsides after 10 seconds.
2. Xul
Probably needs more sunshine in his life
One of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters also happens to be its latest additions to the roster: Xul the Necromancer from Diablo II. Xul belongs to a secretive sect – the Priests of Rathma. As they have vowed to maintain the balance between life and death, they have learned to specialize in death magic. Despite their dark powers, the Necromancers are allied with the forces of good. Xul himself aims to eliminate the demonic evil plaguing the lands of Sanctuary.
A melee Specialist, Xul’s game is all about reviving fallen enemy Minions and turning them into Skeletal Warriors who fight for him. This makes Xul excellent at pushing lanes. Xul’s powers also allow him to weaken enemies and severely hamper their mobility. As such, he’s known to be one of the toughest Heroes to face on the battlefield.
Loving the scythe!
Trait:
Raise Skeleton: When an enemy Minion dies within Xul’s proximity, the unit returns as a Skeletal Warrior. Skeletal Warriors deal moderate harm and have a lifespan of 15 seconds. A maximum of 4 Skeletal Warriors can be summoned simultanouesly.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Spectral Scythe: Xul summons a Spectral Scythe in the distance, which then speeds towards him after a second. All enemies caught in its path suffer massive damage.
(W) Cursed Strikes: For 4 seconds, Xul’s Basic Attacks harm enemies in a wide area. Additionally, their Attack Speed suffers a 50% reduction for 2 seconds.
(E) Bone Prison: After 2 seconds, the Bone Prison traps a chosen enemy Hero in place. Also deals massive damage to the trapped Hero.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Poison Nova: Xul unleashes poisonous missiles in all directions. For 10 seconds, affected enemies suffer heavy damage.
(R2) Skeletal Mages: Xul calls forth 4 Frost Mages who line up at a target location. The Mages deal damage to enemies who get too close to them. For 2 seconds, affected enemies also have their Movement Speed reduced by 30%. The Skeletal Mages expire after 15 seconds.
1. Li-Ming
No one more powerful!
From Diablo III comes one of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters: Li-Ming the Wizard. A prodigy of the magical arts, Li-Ming believes herself to be at the center of a prophecy – one in which she eradicates all evil from Sanctuary.
A ranged Assassin, Li-Ming may be squishy, but her potential for unleashing unbelievable amounts of pain should never be underestimated. She can devastate enemies from afar, then teleport herself to safety to the frustration of her foes. Her Trait allows herself to cast spell after spell. Controlling Li-Ming can be tricky, however, as most of her Abilities are skill shots. Still, there is no denying just how powerful she is in the right hands.
She's just that good.
Trait:
Critical Mass: Killing a unity refreshes all her Ability cooldowns.
Primary Abilities:
(Q) Magic Missiles: Li-Ming launches a trio of magic missiles, dealing massive damage to the enemy they hit first
(W) Arcane Orb: Fires a slow-moving ball of energy that gains in power the further it travel. At maximum range, its destructive potential is massive.
(E) Teleport: Li-Ming instantaneously teleports away to a target location nearby.
Heroic Abilities:
(R1) Disintegrate: Lets loose a devastating beam that lasts 2.5 seconds, dealing massive damage to all caught in its path. The beam’s direction can be easily controlled by moving the mouse cursor around.
(R2) Wave of Force: Deals massive damage in an area. All enemies caught in the blast are knocked back.
Honorable Mentions
Going by tier lists Tassadar, Sonya, Assassin Jaina Proudmoore are also three of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters! Tassadar happens to be one of the finest support characters in the game, with skills that improve the survivability of his allies and himself. Sonya is a melee Warrior with massive swords that bludgeon and rip into enemies like they’re sacks of potatoes. Ranged Assassin Jaina’s cold-based attacks slow down and freeze enemies, making them easy pickings for herself and the rest of her team.
How was that for a list of the most fearsome Heroes of the Storm characters? Do you agree with the entries? Share your opinions with us in the comments section below!
And if you’re hungry for more Heroes of the Storm, check out the following articles!
Heroes of the Storm Gameplay: 10 Interesting Facts About This Awesome Moba
Heroes of the Storm Review and Gameplay
Heroes of The Storm Guides: A Collection of the 12 Best Guides That Will Help You Win More Games
26 Heroes of The Storm Trailers That You Must Watch
All Heroes of the Storm Characters
Watch These 3 Korean Babes Transform Into Heroes Of The Storm Characters
