Thankfully, the Nexus won’t have to go without the Wizard for much longer as Li-Ming has just received her official Hero Spotlight video.
The Wizard is one of the fan-favorites from Blizzard’s Diablo III. Often the center of attention for Diablo III seasons, the Wizard class is typically known for their burst damage, area of effect spells, and general ranged attack superiority. This is no different in Heroes of the Storm. A great deal of attention has been paid to ensure that the character plays as close to her source as possible, so let’s check out what Li-Ming will have to offer!
Ability Showcase
Trait: Critical Mass
Li-Ming’s passive ability is Critical Mass. This ability is activated whenever the not-so-humble Wizard defeats enemy heroes. While none of Li-Ming’s abilities have particularly long cooldowns, Critical Mass refreshes all of her abilities whenever she takes down an enemy hero. This makes Li-Ming an excellent pick-off hero or aggressive hero in later parts of the game.
First Ability: Magic Missiles
Li-Ming’s first ability, Magic Missiles, fires three missiles toward a focal point. This ability looks to be a bit tricky as the three missiles will actually go their separate ways after the targeted location. While this may make it more difficult to hit a single target, this also makes it easier to hit multiple targets at once. Practice this skill-shot well enough, and you could potentially take out several heroes with one hit under the right circumstances.
Second Ability: Arcane Orb
While Arcane Orb is not necessarily a fan-favorite in Diablo III, its addition to Heroes of the Storm looks to turn the ability into something a little more useful. In the Nexus, Arcane Orb will deal significant damage after traveling a certain distance, gradually becoming larger as it travels. As such, players will be relying on this ability as their main source of damage.
As Arcane Orb grows, so does the damage. Arcane Orb also deals splash damage to nearby enemies on impact, so try to work this in your favor whenever possible so you can trigger Critical Mass!
One small problem with Arcane Orb is that it travels fairly slowly. In order to bypass this issue, try using Arcane Orb from out of sight or during chaotic battles. Alternatively, it can also be used to take out enemy buildings as the increased damage will surely put a dent in enemy fortifications.
Third Ability: Teleport
We all saw this one coming. Wizards in Diablo III are notorious for being one of the fastest moving characters in the game thanks to their Teleport ability, making them one of the most favorable classes for Season play. In Heroes of the Storm, their function remains just about the same. Each Teleport uses a small amount of energy, and the cooldown is fairly short, making this ability useful for hunting or escaping from enemies.
One trick players could make use of is firing off an Arcane Orb or Magic Missile while teleporting away. This harassment could potentially save your life, while also help your teammates decimate the enemy.
First Ultimate Ability: Disintegrate
Let’s face it: we all played the Diablo III Wizard for this ability, and we would revolt if Blizzard didn’t add it to Heroes of the Storm. Disintegrate is one of the most beautiful abilities in the game as Li-Ming becomes a turret that fires a constant stream of damage in any direction she faces. This can be readjusted while firing, and while it isn’t made clear whether this will be a toggled or channeled ability, we know we will love it.
Try to use this ability on multiple targets whenever the opportunity arrises. The beam will go through multiple enemies - much like Raynor’s first ability - but with a much longer range. If the ability is a toggled ability, then this can also be used to take out buildings as the constant stream of long-range damage could potentially spell doom for multiple towers.
Second Ultimate Ability: Wave of Force
In Diablo III, this ability was cast by the Wizard directly underfoot. However, in order to make it viable for Heroes of the Storm, Wave of Force has been adapted into a form where Li-Ming will cast it on a targeted area. Much like in Diablo III, Wave of Force will push enemies outward while dealing moderate damage to all caught in the blast. This skill is much more supportive than Incinerate, and can be used to save allies - or yourself - depending on the situation.
Final Thoughts
Li-Ming looks like an interesting hero, and she faithfully adapts the Diablo III Wizard’s gameplay into a format that fits into the Heroes of the Storm format. Not only does she adapt it, she also seems to be quite the force to be reckoned with as her trait allows for multiple kills in team fights or as an assassin character. As such, I can’t wait to get my hands on this character and start decimating the enemy as the cocky wizard!
Are you excited to see Li-Ming arrive in the Nexus? What do you think of her abilities? Are you just waiting for the upcoming Necromancer instead? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
