StarCraft support? A far cry from a Warcraft assassin

Blizzard promised that 2017 would be a good year for supports in Heroes of the Storm, and they're making good on that promise with Alexei Stukov. Yes the StarCraft Infested Terran is back, and although he doesn't seem like a dedicated healer he does have a secondary support feel to him.

Stukov relies on infesting his teammates for heals, which spread across allies, ensuring that players will have to adapt to tighter formations to get the full effect. The rest of his kit revolves around his garish arm, which fuels his two damage-dealing Heroics and a few other standard abilities. As someone who's big on off-supports like Tassadar he'll probably fit right into my playstyle, but I'm not sure if it'll be up to snuff for the rest of the community.

Stukov will hit the Nexus soon -- following a PTR period confirmed for next week.

Trait Bio-Kill Switch Activate to detonate all of Stukov’s Viruses. Each Healing Pathogen heals its target for 500 health, and each Weighted Pustule does 100 damage and Slows its target by 70% for 2 seconds. Can be cast while channeling Lurking Arm.

Basic Abilities Healing Pathogen (Q) Infest an allied Hero with a Healing Pathogen that heals the target for 240 Health over 4.5 seconds. Healing Pathogens can spread to a nearby allied Hero every 0.75 seconds, and a single Healing Pathogen can spread to each allied Hero 1 time. Can cast it on self, and spread to self. Cannot spread to targets to whom it has already spread.

Weighted Pustule (W) Hurl a pustule that impacts all enemy Heroes in its path, dealing 20 damage and Slowing by 5%, increasing to 50% over 3 seconds. Deals an additional 80 damage upon expiring or being removed.

Lurking Arm (E) Channel at a target location, creating an area that Silences enemies inside and deals 144 damage per second to them. Deals 50% reduced damage to non-Heroes. Does not cost Mana while Channeling, and lasts until canceled or interrupted.

Heroic Abilities Massive Shove (R) Extend Stukov's arm. If it hits an enemy Hero, they are rapidly shoved until they collide with terrain, taking 200 damage. Stukov gains 50 Armor while shoving an enemy.

Flailing Swipe (R) Swipe 3 times in front of Stukov over 1.75 seconds, dealing 50 damage to enemies hit and knocking them away. Each swipe is larger than the previous.

Talents

Hero Level (Tier) Talent Description 1

Spine Launcher

Basic Attacks become ranged and Slow enemies by 20% for 1 second, but deal 50% less damage. 1

[W] Fetid Touch Quest: Hit Heroes with Weighted Pustule. Reward: After hitting 20 Heroes, reduce the cooldown of Weighted Pustule by 2.5 seconds.



Reward: After hitting 40 Heroes, reduce the cooldown of Weighted Pustule by an additional 2.5 seconds and remove its Mana cost. 1

[E] Growing Infestation Lurking Arm's area expands by 50% over 2.5 seconds. 1

[Trait] Poppin' Pustules Quest: Detonate 10 Weighted Pustules without dying.



Reward: Detonating a Weighted Pustule now applies its damage and Slow in an area. 4

[Q] One Good Spread... After a Healing Pathogen infests 4 targets, restore 30 Mana and reduce the cooldown of Healing Pathogen by 2 seconds. 4

[Q] Top Off Healing Pathogen's healing-over-time on its initial target is increased by 50% while they are above 60% Health. 4

[Q] Biotic Armor Healing Pathogen grants 50 Physical Armor to its initial target while active on them. 4

[Trait] Vigorous Reuptake Quest: Detonate 50 Healing Pathogens with Bio-Kill Switch.



Reward: Increase Bio-Kill Switch's healing by 50%. 7

[W] The Long Pitch

Increase the range of Weighted Pustule by 100%. 7

[E] Within My Reach

Increase the range of Lurking Arm by 50%. 7

[E] It Hungers

Each time an enemy Hero is hit by Lurking Arm, reduce its cooldown by 0.5 seconds, up to 6.5 seconds, and restore 5 Mana. 7

[Trait] Targeted Excision Detonating exactly 1 Weighted Pustule (but any number of Healing Pathogens) with Bio-Kill Switch reduces the cooldown of Bio-Kill Switch to 5 seconds. 10

Massive Shove Extend Stukov's arm. If it hits an enemy Hero, they are rapidly shoved until they collide with terrain, taking 200 damage. Stukov gains 50 Armor while shoving an enemy. 10

Flailing Swipe Swipe 3 times in front of Stukov over 1.75 seconds, dealing 50 damage to enemies hit and knocking them away. Each swipe is larger than the previous. 13

[W] Reactive Ballistospores When taking damage below 50% Health, instantly spread a Weighted Pustule to all nearby enemy Heroes and reset the cooldown of Bio-Kill Switch. This effect has a 10 second cooldown. 13

[E] Low Blow Lurking Arm deals 150% more damage to enemy Heroes below 25% Health. 13

[E] Lingering Spines Lurking Arm persists for 1.5 seconds after it is canceled. 13

[E] Virulent Reaction Detonating a Weighted Pustule on an enemy who is inside of Lurking Arm Roots them for 2 seconds. 16

[Trait] Pox Populi Bio-Kill Switch no longer removes Healing Pathogen and instead refreshes its duration. 16

[Q] Universal Carrier Healing Pathogen can continually spread through Stukov, but its healing is reduced by 60%. 16

[Trait] Eye Infection Increase the final damage of Weighted Pustule by 50%. Additionally, detonating a Weighted Pustule with Bio-Kill Switch Blinds the target for 3 seconds. 16

[Q] Superstrain Whenever an ally with Healing Pathogen is Stunned, they are instantly healed for 250 Health. 20

[R1] Controlled Chaos Flailing Swipe's Mana cost is reduced from 100 to 50 and it gains 2 additional charges, but each use only swings 1 time, at maximum range. 20

[R2] Push Comes To Shove Massive Shove travels 25% faster. If Massive Shove pushes a target for more than 1.5 seconds, its cooldown is reduced by 15 seconds. 20

[Trait] Bio-Explosion Switch Bio-Kill Switch now also detonates Lurking Arm, applying a Weighted Pustule to enemy Heroes inside and Silencing them for 2 seconds.

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