As the roster and breadth of mechanics for Heroes of the Storm has continued to expand, the existing roles have grown limited in accurately describing each individual hero. To give both new and existing players a clearer idea of what kind of kit to expect during hero select, we are expanding Hero Roles to include new descriptions and replace those that were less clear in the past.

The New Roles

The new Hero Roles are Tank, Bruiser, Support, Healer, Melee Assassin, and Ranged Assassin.

Tank heroes are formidable juggernauts that protect their team by absorbing attacks from the enemy and blocking their retreat. Bruiser heroes are tough fighters that can also dish out damage. Support heroes provide boosts and other benefits to their teammates. Healer heroes focus primarily on direct healing and damage mitigation. Melee Assassin heroes are high-octane damage dealers that get up close and personal with their enemies. Ranged Assassin heroes are fragile damage dealers that attack their enemies from a safe distance.

Who’s What Now?

Most roles didn’t have a quite a direct one-to-one transition, so below we’ve included a breakdown of each currently available hero and their new classification.



Tank: Anub'arak, Arthas, Blaze, Cho, Diablo, ETC, Garrosh, Johanna, Mal'ganis, Muradin, Stitches, Tyrael

Bruiser: Artanis, Chen, D.va, Dehaka, Imperius, Leoric, Malthael, Ragnaros, Rexxar, Sonya, Thrall, Varian,Xul, Yrel

Healer: Alexstrasza, Ana, Auriel, Brightwing, Deckard, Kharazim, Li Li, Malfurion, Lt. Morales, Lúcio, Rehgar, Stukov, Uther, Whitemane, Tyrande

Support: Abathur, Lost Vikings, Medivh, Tassadar, Zarya

Melee Assassin: Alarak, Butcher, Gazlowe, Illidan, Kerrigan, Maiev, Murky, Samuro, Valeera, Zeratul

Ranged Assassin: Azmodan, Cassia, Chromie, Falstad, Fenix, Gall, Genji, Greymane, Gul'dan, Hanzo, Jaina, Junkrat, Kael'thas, Kel'thuzad, Li-Ming, Lunara, Mephisto, Nazeebo, Nova, Orphea, Probius, Raynor, Sgt. Hammer, Sylvanas, Tracer, Tychus, Valla, Zagara, Zul'jin