Heroes of the Storm Gets First Update of 2025

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 28, 2025 2 Views 16 Min Read
Heroes of the Storm Gets First Update of 2025



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Summary

  • Heroes of the Storm’s first 2025 update introduces Brawl Mode with special maps and gameplay every two weeks.
  • The update includes balance changes to Chromie, Tracer, Johanna, Zul’jin, and Auriel.
  • Many bugs were fixed, including issues with experience globes, visual effects, and hero abilities.

Heroes of the Storm has officially rolled out the first update of 2025, featuring some balance changes, bug fixes, and the return of Brawl Mode. Players can enjoy these special game modes on a rotating, biweekly basis in Heroes of the Storm right now, starting with the Lunar Rocket Racing minigame.

Though Blizzard’s multi-franchise MOBA has technically been in maintenance mode since July 2022, Heroes of the Storm suddenly received a balance patch over a year later in September 2023. Every few months since then, Heroes of the Storm has consistently rolled out new patches, with the seventh such update arriving in early December 2024.

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Now, Heroes of the Storm has rolled out another patch – and this time, it has added a feature back to the game that has been gone for almost five years. Heroes Brawl, originally introduced as Arena Mode, is officially back in Heroes of the Storm as Brawl Mode. This game mode features special maps with drastically different rules, ranging from the all-Nova Ghost Protocol snipe fest to the Escape from Braxis PvE map. Brawls will rotate every two weeks, on the 1st and 15th each month, with the first one, Lunar Rocket Racing, available now until mid-February.

Of course, no Heroes of the Storm update would be complete without some balance changes. Chromie and Tracer all saw buffs and nerfs to a few of their talents. Johanna and Zul’jin did as well, though the former’s Shield Glare had its mana cost increased, while the latter’s You Want Axe? trait was improved. Auriel, on the other hand, received buffs to her Bestow Hope trait and several of her talents that will aid her healing, damage, and survivability.

The update also squashed quite a few bugs in Blizzard’s MOBA. Beyond some pathing problems with experience globes, visual effects for rooting, and the interaction between crowd control reduction and gradual slowing effects, nearly three dozen heroes had issues resolved pertaining to their abilities and talents.

Besides the size of this update, the rate at which this Heroes of the Storm update arrived is particularly noteworthy. Since they resumed in 2022, most of these updates have had two to three months between them, and about a month between the patch’s arrival on the Public Test Realm and the live release. Not only did this patch arrive faster than usual – less than two months after the last Heroes of the Storm update – but it also came the same month as it hit the PTR. While this could mean nothing, Heroes of the Storm’s 10-year anniversary is on June 2, leading many fans to wonder if the increased attention could herald something big in store for the MOBA’s big milestone.

Heroes of the Storm Patch Notes – January 25, 2025

Our next Heroes of the Storm patch is live! Read on for more information.

NOTE: Italicized text indicates a change between PTR and Live notes.

General

  • Updated Homescreen and Startup Music.
  • Updated Shop Bundles and Items.
  • NEW: Brawl Mode added! Brawls will rotate on the 1st and 15th of every month.

Balance Update

Heroes

  • Auriel
    • Base
      • Bestow Hope [Trait]
        • Increased the amount of energy stored from 60% to 80% of damage to Heroes.
        • Increased the amount of energy stored from 20% to 50% of damage to non-Heroes.
    • Talents
      • Level 1
        • Searing Light
          • Now only deals damage to enemy Heroes.
      • Level 7
        • Energized Cord
          • Now increases Basic Attack range by 1.1.
      • Level 10
        • Resurrect
          • Delay before resurrection reduced from 5 seconds to 3 seconds.
      • Level 16
        • Reservoir of Hope
          • Quest bonus reduced from 75 to 55.
        • Wrath of Heaven
          • Armor reduction increased from 10 to 20.
          • Spell Power increased from 10% to 15%.
  • Chromie
    • Talents
      • Level 1
        • Timewalker’s Pursuit
          • Spell Power increased from 10% to 15%.
      • Level 5
        • Mobius Loop
          • Slow reduced from 60% to 40%.
      • Level 18
        • Unravelling
          • Lingering Slowing Sands no longer consume Energy.
          • Now also increases Slowing Sands cast range by 50%.
  • Johanna
    • Base
      • Shield Glare [E]
        • Mana cost increased from 45 to 55.
    • Talents
      • Level 1
        • Divine Fortress
          • Health bonus starting value increased from 20% to 25%.
        • Zealous Glare
          • Damage bonus reduced from 75% to 70%.
      • Level 7
        • Steed Charge
          • Duration increased from 3 to 4 seconds.
      • Level 13
        • Blessed Hammer
          • Damage reduced from 74 to 65.
      • Level 16
        • Holy Renewal
          • Cooldown reduction reduced from 1.5 seconds to 1 second.
        • Shrinking Vacuum
          • Damage reduction increased from 25% to 30%.
          • Duration increased from 2 to 3 seconds.
          • Slow increased from 25% to 30%.
  • Tracer
    • Talents
      • Level 4
        • Is That a Health Pack?!
          • Healing from Regen Globes increased from 10% to 15% of maximum Health.
        • Pulse Generator
          • Healing reduced from 18% to 12%.
      • Level 13
        • Jumper
          • Cooldown refresh reduced from 150% to 100%.
          • Shield reduced from 6.5% to 6%.
  • Zul’jin
    • Base
      • You Want Axe? [Trait]
        • Basic Attack damage increased from 94 to 96.
        • Now has a limit of 50 stacks.
        • Bonus from quest completion reduced from 1 to .25.
    • Talents
      • Level 1
        • Recklessness
          • Basic Attack damage bonus reduced from 15% to 10%.
      • Level 10
        • Guillotine
          • Cooldown reduced from 40 seconds to 30 seconds.
          • Mana cost reduced from 70 to 60.
        • Taz’dingo!
          • Cooldown increased from 90 seconds to 100 seconds.
          • Mana cost increased from 75 to 80.
      • Level 16
        • Let the Killing Begin
          • Kill window reduced from 1.5 seconds to 0.5 seconds.
      • Level 20
        • Buzzsaw
          • Kill window reduced from 1.5 seconds to 0.5 seconds.

Bug Fixes

General

  • Experience Globes can now path through gates.
  • Fixed issues related to root visual effects.
  • Updated decaying and ramping Slows to scale their speed with CC reduction effects.

Heroes

  • Alexstrasza
    • Base
      • Flame Buffet [E]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Flame Buffet’s Slow to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Azmodan
    • Level 13
      • Chain of Command
        • Fixed an issue that caused Chain of Command to not apply to Demonic Invasion’s on-death explosion.
  • Brightwing
    • Base
      • Phase Shift [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Phase Shift’s Store Icon.
  • Chen
    • Level 10
      • Storm, Earth, Fire
        • Fixed an issue that caused Storm, Earth, Fire Spirits to not contest Capture Points.
      • Wandering Keg
        • Fixed an issue that caused Wandering Keg to occasionally not be cast.
        • Wandering Keg now acts like other instant Abilities and will cast as soon as possible.
  • Cho’Gall
    • General
      • Fixed an issue that caused Cho’Gall to contest points while Cho is in Stasis.
  • Dehaka
    • Base
      • Brushstalker [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Brushstalker’s Store Icon.
        • Will now clamp the minimum cast range to Dehaka’s radius.
  • E.T.C.
    • Level 7
      • Pinball Wizard
        • Bonus damage updated to be additive.
    • Level 13
      • Face Smelt
        • Fixed an issue that caused Face Smelt’s Slow to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Falstad
    • Base
      • Flight [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Flight’s Store Icon.
    • Level 10
      • Mighty Gust
        • Fixed an issue that caused Mighty Gust’s Slow to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Fenix
    • Level 1
      • Arsenal Synergy
        • Fixed an issue that caused Arsenal Synergy to not grant cooldown reduction for the primary target hit by Phase Bomb.
    • Level 4
      • Inhibiting Energy
        • Fixed an issue that caused Inhibiting Energy to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Imperius
    • Level 20
      • Unrelenting Descent
        • Fixed an issue that caused Unrelenting Descent’s Heal to be delayed.
  • Johanna
    • Base
      • Punish [Q]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Punish to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Kel’Thuzad
    • Level 4
      • Phylactery of Kel’Thuzad
        • Announcements for Phylactery of Kel’Thuzad will now use team colors.
  • Kerrigan
    • Level 7
      • Boundless Fury
        • Fixed an issue that caused Boundless Fury to refund charges against a target already marked.
  • Kharazim
    • Level 4
      • Spirit Ally
        • Fixed an issue that caused Spirit Ally’s heal FX to be visible in Fog of War.
  • Lúcio
    • Base
      • Wall Ride [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Wall Ride’s Store Icon.
  • Lt. Morales
    • Level 10
      • Medivac Dropship
        • Announcements for Medivac Dropship will now use team colors.
  • Lunara
    • Base
      • Crippling Spores [W]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Crippling Spores to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Maiev
    • Level 16
      • Armored Assault
        • Fixed an issue that caused Armored Assault to not grant the full bonus to Umbral Bind’s Cleave.
  • Malthael
    • Level 20
      • No One Can Stop Death
        • Announcements for No One Can Stop Death will now use team colors.
  • Mei
    • Base
      • Icing [E]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Icing’s Slow to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
    • Level 10
      • Ice Wall
        • Fixed an issue that caused Ice Wall to not apply Stopped to D.Va’s Self Destruct.
  • Muradin
    • Level 4
      • Thunder Burn
        • Tooltip has been updated to show Thunder Burn is a multiplicative reduction.
    • Level 13
      • Thunder Strike
        • Damage increase is now additive.
  • Probius
    • Base
      • Worker Rush [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Work Rush’s Store Icon.
  • Rehgar
    • Base
      • Purge [Trait]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Purge to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Samuro
    • Base
      • Critical Strike [W]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Critical Strike FX to persist if Samuro is killed while he has maximum Critical Strike stacks.
    • Level 13
      • Kawarimi
        • Fixed an issue that caused Kawarimi to create a Mirror Image with the incorrect starting Health.
  • Sgt. Hammer
    • Base
      • Thrusters [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Thrusters’ Store Icon.
  • Stukov
    • Base
      • Weighted Pustule [W]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Weighted Pustule’s increasing Slow to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • Sylvanas
    • Level 1
      • Unfurling Shadows
        • Fixed an issue that caused Unfurling Shadows to not grant quest progress for the impact damage of Shadow Dagger created by spread.
  • The Butcher
    • Base
      • Hamstring [Q]
        • Fixed an issue that caused Hamstring to be instantly removed on targets with reduced duration on being Slowed.
  • The Lost Vikings
    • Base
      • Go Go Go! [Z]
        • Fixed an issue with Go Go Go’s Store Icon.
  • Zagara
    • Level 20
      • Pack Instinct
        • Fixed an issue that caused Devouring Maw to gain more bonuses than intended from Pack Instinct.
  • Zuljin
    • General
      • Fixed an issue that caused Basic Attack damage in Zul’jin’s Target Info Panel to not increase while Berserker is active.
    • Base
      • You Want Axe? [Trait]
        • Fixed an issue that caused You Want Axe to gain progress while at maximum Basic Attack bonus.
    • Level 16
      • Wrong Place Wrong Time
        • Fixed an issue that caused Wrong Place Wrong Time to not respect the stack cap of You Want Axe?.

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