Leya tested Paladins new champion Seris and is thrilled with the design of the Oracle. Read her impression report on the dark healer here.
I actually wanted to play Seris on the test server for a long time – no chance!
Not a single time out of my 20 attempts was I able to select Seris quickly enough. Someone else always picked her before me. Such a sought-after support is rare. Typically, supports in Paladins and many other online games are among the least popular roles.
However, I was not surprised: Seris is an incredibly exciting character. This applies to her personality, appearance, and gameplay.
However, after the release of Patch OB 48, I finally managed to play with Seris.
Souls tear apart to kill enemies or heal allies
Seris belongs to the category of healing supports. The Oracle, however, does not resemble a classic healer at all. Seris is surrounded by a dark aura and she is certainly not an angel with a healing beam.
The Oracle has power over souls. It’s in Seris’ hand whether she tears apart or renews souls and thus heals. This gives her one of the most unusual weapons in the game. In her left hand, Seris holds a kind of lantern. It seems that the Oracle is collecting fragments of torn souls in the lantern. With her right hand, Seris fires soul shards at her enemies, dealing damage.
That is quite a macabre theme for a healer – and I think it’s pretty cool!
Seris, however, seems to be neither good nor evil. As an Oracle peering into the abyss, she stands above worldly matters: “I know of things that were, things that are, and things that will yet come to pass.”
Seris feels authentic through her animations – Her character is believable
While playing, I was fascinated by Seris’ animations, they complement the mysterious figure. The smoke emanating from Seris’ lantern and the soul shards feels ominously heavy and hovers right before your nose.
Seris has the ability to walk between realities. As soon as I used this ability, I felt like I was in a limbo. Seris envelops herself in a smoky veil but can observe everything through a thick fog. Perfect for getting to safety or sneaking up and attacking.
The Oracle is well balanced – Neither too strong nor too weak
In the playtest, I felt that Hi-Rez managed to balance Seris quite well. I had the most trouble against mobile flankers like Maeve or Evie. Seris’ attacks are rather sluggish and nimble champions can easily dodge them.
Her damage seems appropriate for a healing support. If Seris wants to deal significant damage, she needs to build stacks with her normal attack. She builds soul charges on enemies and can shatter them. By shattering, Seris heals herself and deals damage.
However, I had to be careful to coordinate my cooldowns well and hit the targets. This also applies to her ultimate ability. Seris creates a rift in reality and pulls enemies towards it. It does not deal damage. This can be a crucial ultimate when coordinated with the team.
Most of the time, I didn’t manage that too well in matches. I often just threw out my ulti, grouped the enemies together – and nothing else happened. Here, timing and communication with the team are everything.
Seris can be very powerful, but she requires skillful handling. I would place her in the category of Easy to learn, difficult to master.
Seris represents everything that Paladins should be
For me, Seris is one of the strongest champions that Hi-Rez has created for Paladins so far. It’s fun to play with her, and it’s fun to play against her.
Seris’ cards and her deck build offer numerous options for customization, all of which can be strong. I already can’t wait to sit down this weekend and create decks for her.
Hi-Rez, please keep it up!
For me, Seris fulfills everything I like to see in a new champion in Paladins. She promises interesting gameplay and will likely remain exciting to play for a long time. I do not expect her to receive a strong buff or nerf in the near future. Her balance seems well achieved.
Her animations and overall design speak for themselves. Seris is expressive. Yet she is not what one would expect from her and she will surely still provide surprises.
This is the direction Hi-Rez can and should continue to take with their champions.
Have you already tested Seris? What do you think of this macabre healer? Here’s the overview of Seris’ abilities and cards.
As a little bonus: A video from Studio Hi-Rez where the team talks about the development of Seris.
Paladins on PC: Official website of Paladins and play for free.
