Are you keen to get to know the newest contender within the Nexus? Well-Played has all your needs covered, take a look at the mechanics that make up Yrel, the Light of Hope. (It’s pronounced EE-rell, by the way.)
New Hero: Yrel
“Light of Hope”
Role: Melee Warrior
Overview: A deliberate melee warrior whose heavyweight abilities reward premeditation and commitment.
Trait
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Divine Purpose (D)
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- Activate to instantly charge Yrel’s next Basic Ability at no mana cost.
Passive: Yrel’s Basic Abilities charge up over 1.5 seconds, increasing in effectiveness, but reducing Yrel’s Movement Speed by 25%.- Cooldown: 10
- Activate to instantly charge Yrel’s next Basic Ability at no mana cost.
Yrel’s basic abilities all have the ability to be ‘charged’, meaning you can hold the button down to increase it’s effectiveness. This is represented by Yrel’s trait – which also has an active component to effectively insta-charge one of her abilities. This gives Yrel an amazing sense of player driven tempo, as you approach in-game situations and make choices on the fly as to what combo would be most effective. Need to pump out damage? Go for it! Maybe some crowd control would be more beneficial? Sure – Or, to quote a small spanish child; Why not both.
Basic Abilities
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Vindication (Q)
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- Unleash holy energy around Yrel, dealing 38 damage to nearby enemies and healing her for 96.
Charging up this Ability increases its damage up to 125, and healing up to 320.- Cost: 50
- Cooldown: 6
- Unleash holy energy around Yrel, dealing 38 damage to nearby enemies and healing her for 96.
Yrel’s main nuke is a twofold effect. Damage everyone around you? A no-brainer for someone in the thick of it. The healing component however adds a lot to Yrel’s sturdiness, meaning she can stay toe-to-toe for longer. And that healing effect gets really robust when charged!
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Righteous Hammer (W)
- Swing Yrel’s hammer, dealing 38 damage to enemies in front of her and knocking them away.
Charging up this Ability increases its knockback distance, and damage up to 125. Enemies hit at maximum charge are Stunned for 0.75 seconds.- Cost: 50
- Cooldown: 16
A fantastic CC tool, or perhaps an added nuke if your target has their back to the wall. Want to shoo your enemies further? Charge this bad boy up and send them packing!
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Avenging Wrath (E)
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- Leap to a location, dealing 150 damage to enemies in an area and Slowing them by 50% for 1 second.
Charging up this Ability increases its range.- Cost: 50
- Cooldown: 6
- Leap to a location, dealing 150 damage to enemies in an area and Slowing them by 50% for 1 second.
Not only does this ability look incredible (Golden wings!?!) – but it’s practical uses are superb. As an engage tool, you have the ability to come slamming down on your enemies and leave them slowed; ready for the pummelling you can dish out. Or maybe, you bit off more than you can chew? Maybe quick fire it and go soaring out of a difficult spot.
Heroic Abilities
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Ardent Defender (R1)
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- Surround Yrel in a barrier for 3 seconds, absorbing all damage taken and healing her for 50% of the damage received.
- Cost: 40
- Cooldown: 100
- Surround Yrel in a barrier for 3 seconds, absorbing all damage taken and healing her for 50% of the damage received.
Having seen this in action, it can be a pretty messy situation for an enemy team. The HotS developers have actually added a unique visual tell for Yrel performing her ‘healing from damage’ effect, because one wrong move can see her come out stronger than ever. The one an only time you might find yourself hungry for damage to the face – when it actually heals you for doing so.
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Sacred Ground (R2)
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- Yrel sanctifies the ground around her, gaining 40 Armour until she leaves the area.
- Cost: 40
- Cooldown: 100
- Yrel sanctifies the ground around her, gaining 40 Armour until she leaves the area.
Want to plant your feet and tell your enemies ‘NO, you move.’? Well this is your go-to. Dropping this effect will effectively give Yrel a zone of toughness, increasing her armour while she remains within it. If she is to leave her safe space, the zone will vanish – Though with smart talent choices, you can indeed take it with you.
And what of talents? Oh you better believe we have them for you, take a look at some of the options to tune Yrel on the fly:
Talents
Hero
|
Talent |
Description |
1 |
[Q] Light of Karabor | Increase Vindication’s radius by 15%. Vindication’s healing is increased by 20% per enemy Hero hit. |
| 1 | Dauntless | Casting a Basic Ability grants Yrel 35 Physical Armour for 2 seconds. |
| 1 | Maraad’s Insight | After casting a Basic Ability, Yrel’s next Basic Attack heals her for 148. |
| 4 | [E] Aegis of Light | Upon landing, Avenging Wrath grants other nearby allied Heroes 25 Armour for 5 seconds. |
| 4 | Gift of the Naaru | Divine Purpose heals the lowest Health nearby allied Hero other than Yrel for 400. |
| 4 | Hand of Freedom | Grant an allied Hero 35% Movement Speed for 3 seconds and remove all Slows and Roots from them. Cannot be used on Yrel. |
| 7 | [W] Righteous Momentum | While Channelling Righteous Hammer at maximum charge, gain 45% Movement Speed. |
| 7 | [E] Holy Avenger | Hitting an enemy Hero with Avenging Wrath at maximum charge reduces its cooldown to 1 second. |
| 7 | Divine Steed | Mounting is instant and grants 80% Movement Speed that decays over 3 seconds. |
| 7 | Samaara’s Light | While above 50% Health, gain 15% Movement Speed. |
| 10 | [R1] Ardent Defender | Surround Yrel in a barrier for 3 seconds, absorbing all damage taken and healing her for 50% of the damage received. |
| 10 | [R2] Sacred Ground | Yrel sanctifies the ground around her, gaining 40 Armour until she leaves the area. |
| 13 | [Q] Aldor Peacekeeper | Enemy Heroes hit by Vindication at maximum charge deal 30% less damage for 3 seconds. |
| 13 | [E] Repentance | Increase Avenging Wrath’s Slow by 25% and duration by 0.5 seconds. |
| 13 | Velen’s Chosen | Hitting an enemy Hero with a Basic Ability at maximum charge grants 10% Spell Power for 10 seconds, up to 30%. |
| 16 | [W] Templar’s Verdict | Righteous Hammer reduces the Armour of enemy Heroes hit by 20 for 2 seconds. |
| 16 | [Trait] Divine Favor | Casting a Basic Ability reduces the cooldown of Divine Purpose by 2 seconds. |
| 16 | Holy Wrath | After casting a Basic Ability, Yrel’s next Basic Attack splashes for 30% increased damage around the target. |
| 20 | [R1] Word of Glory | Ardent Defender heals nearby allied Heroes for 100% of the healing received by Yrel. |
| 20 | [R2] Hallowed Ground | Casting Avenging Wrath while inside Sacred Ground moves Sacred Ground to Yrel’s location upon landing. |
| 20 | Bubble Hearth | After 1 second, Yrel becomes Invulnerable and casts Hearthstone. Cannot be canceled. |
| 20 | Seraphim | Activate to become Unstoppable for 2 seconds. |
…Bubble hearth? man that is a callback to the ol’ days of WoW. Yrel looks like an amazing, durable fighter who will bring a pretty sweet new perspective to the Battlegrounds of HotS.
Expect the Echoes of Alterac content to launch soon, and you can slip into the shoes (hooves?) of this blue skinned bruiserweight!
