Blizzard has released a spotlight video showcasing one of Heroes of the Storm‘s upcoming characters, Rexxar.
Aside from the novelty of having a bear companion, Rexxar is significant in that he’s the first ranged Warrior-class character to be added to HotS. Previous Warriors are all melee characters who essentially serve as tanks, absorbing damage and setting up enemies so that they can be taken down by teammates. That still appears to be the case with Rexxar, but it’s his bear, Misha, who serves as his frontline defense.
The video shows off each of Rexxar’s abilities, most of which center around Misha. Here’s what he has at his disposal:
- Spirit Swoop: Your hawk flies forward, dealing damage and slowing enemies.
- Misha, Charge!: Misha runs forward, dealing damage and stunning enemies she hits.
- Mend Pet: Heal Misha over time.
- Bestial Wrath (Heroic): Misha is buffed, letting her deal more damage than usual.
- Unleash the Boars (Heroic): For each enemy within a certain range, Rexxar sends out a boar that seeks out its target, dealing damage, slowing them, and revealing them.
- Misha, Attack/Follow (Passive): Toggle this to order Misha to attack or avoid combat by staying near you.
That leaves Rexxar himself without a lot he can personally do in terms of damaging abilities. He’s able to keep some distance between himself and enemies by throwing axes, and Blizzard says this makes him effective at taking mercenary camps without any help from teammates.
There’s not yet a date for when Rexxar will be added to the game. He’s just one of several characters that we know are on the way, including Starcraft’s Medic and Artanis. The game recently added Diablo III’s Monk and another Diablo-themed map, while also offering the Diablo character free for a limited time to anyone who has played Diablo III.