#391 - Into the Nexus: “Crispy Tea”
• Garrett • Kyle
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https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/
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Into the Nexus brings you all the Heroes news each and every week. In this episode, Garrett and Kyle check in with the balance and see where our meta has settled during this most recent initiation of patches. Storm League is underway, and we get a peak at what we can expect from the high end tournament players. We also got a little hint at an upcoming Li Li update. Your emails and more, make this the Heroes place to be. Enjoy!
Intro: Welcome to Into the Nexus! The Heroes of the Storm podcast!
Patreon Mention: Patreon.com/ITN
Thanks to our Patreon producers Declan H, Chris K, Shawn B, & Mike R!
Patron Thanks Doc for keeping track
News
Patch Expected in the next 1-3 weeks
Season says 1 month 3 weeks remaining
HOTSlogs Check-in
Links
NGS Storm Division Tells the meta
Most Played Map:
Most Played Heroes
Highest Win-rate Heroes
Lowest Win-rate Heroes
Links
Blue Posts
Elitesparkle: In my opinion, Li Li needs her Abilities to be faster, similar to what they did to Deckard recently, and Fast Feet should probably be nerfed, so that Li Li without Fast Feet active can be slightly buffed.
Links
Emails
Rafano messaged us on Patreon
Also from last week's show, the "disheartening" and somewhat "sullen" feels on Zag. I come from an SC/BW/SC2 background, exclusively Zerg player since Broodwar, and recently re-played Zag in Co-Op. Had some thoughts about the fantasy of her as a "swarmy summoner" to run past you. Hopefully thematic and entertaining, hopefully not TOO broken (but with many knobs to possibly theoretically adjust?)
1. Zag does NOT Hearth. Within the Hall of Storms is permanently a Nydus Network entrance (use asset from SC2). Upon pressing "B" on battlefield, Zag is summons a Nydus worm which she can channel and enter, then pop out within the Hall of Storms. The Worm remains on the battlefield for set time (also has health) and Zag can then re-enter the Nydus entrance and pop out the summoned worm on the battlefield. The Nydus can of course be targeted and destroyed; then obvi Zag will need to waddle back into battle. Gives Zag a unique and thematic way to get back to base. Downside: she can no longer really "b-step"? If a new "B" worm is summoned while another exists, the prior worm immediately dies, so I GUESS if someone spams "B" there will just be continual worms spawning and dying in the same spot?
2. Remove Nydus Worms as an Ult. Make Nydus Network a baseline trait that automatically becomes available at Level 13 (ala Stitch Hook "quest"). Press "D" to summon a Nydus worm, max 2 worms (plus your "B" worm for a total of 3) active. You can go between any worm AND the entrance at the Hall of Storms. Creep tumors are now on the "1" key. We can tweak the duration of worms, cooldown between ability to summon (except the B of course) and health/armour of worms.
3. New Ult: Zerg Rush - Summon a Nydus Worm that continually spits out random zerglings and roachlings until the Worm is destroyed (or expiration timer). Zagara cannot enter this worm. Zerglings prioritize Heroes/Monsters/Minions, roachlings prioritize Structures. Can tweak speed at which Nydus vomits out the zerg army, Nydus health/life timer, etc. When the freaking Nydus erupts, it does the characteristic shrieking roar, shows up on minimap.
4. Level 20: Apex Evolution (upgrades Zerg Rush) - All roachlings are now full Roaches (larger, more health, +15 Armor). All zerglings are now Raptors and can jump over narrow terrain and walls in pursuit of Heroes. Can summon up to 2 Zerg Rush Worms
5. Level 20: Overlord Drop - Vector target a drop path and 5 (3? tweakable amount) Overlords slowly fly down and through, dropping random assortment of Hydras, Zerglings, Roachlings. Overlords can be targeted and destroyed to mitigate the drop. Overlords also drop temporary creep that slowly recedes as they travel across and away. Path length can be tweakable.
So just IMAGINE being able to "Hearth" back to base after split push, Nydus to a flank position, call in an Overlord Drop behind the enemy army, Nydus to other part of the map, pop a Zerg Rush Worm to take out a keep, Nydus back to the fight! Kinda makes up for not having "So Many Banelings..."
Anyway, just my weird thoughts on how to turn our favourite Broodmother into a true Summoning Queen!
FOR THE SWARM!!! And again, thanks for everything guys!
DomSithe
So I had a possible suggestion for that "is it exciting, is it broken" challenge. What if Rehgar's EarthBind totem had an addendum that said "if an enemy hero is already slowed by an allied hero effect, Earthbind totem instead roots the target for 0.5 second."
Or in other words, it roots until the other slow effect ends or the totem dies.
Outro
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Personal Stuff
Garrett
Kyle