Heroes of the Storm Guide: These 4 heroes are ideal for beginners – and here’s how to play them

The Assassin Kael’thas

Kael’thas Sunstrider is the former prince of the blood elves – a species that has long suffered from an insatiable hunger for magic. Together with other allies, he searched for a remedy for his people but ultimately only intensified the addiction. He is considered one of the greatest mages of all time. Furthermore, he once had a romantic interest in Jaina Proudmoore. But who hasn’t?

As an assassin, you are primarily responsible for damage to enemy heroes but can also effectively push a lane thanks to powerful area spells. However, the blood elf is fragile and tends to drop dead if someone just looks at him wrong – so caution is advised.

Kael’thas’ Abilities at a Glance

• Arcane Spheres (AS) – When activated, Kael’thas’ next basic ability is empowered.
• Flamestrike – Deals high damage after a short delay in the target area. AS enlarges the target area and the damage dealt.
• Living Bomb – Deals medium damage to the target over 3 seconds and then explodes, dealing additional damage to all enemies around the original target. If AS is activated, the ability costs no mana and has no cooldown.
• Gravitational Pull – Shoots a projectile in a straight line. The first target hit is stunned for 1.5 seconds. With AS, up to 3 targets in a straight line are stunned.
• Pyroblast – Summons a fireball for 2 seconds, which then slowly flies toward the targeted enemy. Upon impact, it deals devastating damage. Enemies directly around the target take half damage.

Recommended Talents for Kael’thas in Heroes of the Storm

Almost all talents revolve around Living Bomb. At the beginning, you should pick up every regeneration orb you can get. The additional mana from Mana Addicted will give you a significant advantage during long skirmishes later in the game. Note that Kael’thas is very weak at the start of a match with this talent choice.

From level 7, his damage rises, once you reach level 13, enemies start to fear you, and by level 16, you can take down entire enemy teams on your own.

Living Bomb is your go-to ability. The explosion of the bomb later (level 13) re-applies the bomb to all affected enemies. This leads to devastating chain reactions. Combined with the level 16 talent “Ignite”, you can apply the deadly bomb to the entire enemy team at once.

Kael’thas’ Primary Playstyle – Keep Your Distance and Lay Bombs!

A well-played Kael’thas will never experience mana issues during the early game on his lane. If you always activate AS first and then follow up with Living Bomb, your blood elf will not consume any mana at all. But don’t be fooled: Kael’thas is fragile. He embodies the term glass cannon. One must handle him very carefully. Basically, you keep annoying the enemy with a Living Bomb and then retreat. Only when you are sure to completely kill the enemy in a combo should you dash in. A typical combination looks something like this: AS -> Living Bomb -> Gravitational Pull -> Flamestrike -> Living Bomb. Later, simply add a Pyroblast, and even many tanks will be taken down.

Tips for Kael’thas

• A single wrong click can be fatal set back for Kael’thas. Only advance as far as absolutely necessary.
• You are the biggest threat to the enemy team – the opponents know this too. Save Gravitational Pull for the right moment. Often, a 1.5 seconds longer life for Kael’thas can decide the victory or defeat of the entire match.

Pyroblast has a 2-second casting time. If interrupted, the ability is disabled for 10 seconds. Make sure that your opponent has already used their stun ability before starting your spell!

Pyroblast flies very slowly but can be cast from a relatively long range – even through walls! Use this advantage to turn the tide in a group fight and come out unscathed.