Kyle "Blackthorne" Vlaros [Complete Concept] by Awakening

7 Votes

Kyle "Blackthorne" Vlaros [Complete Concept]

By: Awakening
Last Updated: Sep 26, 2016
Quick Share

Kyle "Blackthorne" Vlaros [Complete Concept]

Hero of Androth

Kyle is a sustained ranged assassin that wields a pump action shotgun. Using Hover Bomb he can pin point backline targets or take out structures while Health Potion helps him to survive longer and get out of tough situations. Skillfull use of Shadow Stance allows you to avoid damage and Backward Shot allows you to hit enemies while running away. Kyle is a one man army fighting with guerrilla style tactics.

The idea of this concept is to bring as much of the game Blackthorne into HOTS. If you know about the game and the story you should recognize some of the names and how abilities/talents work.

Recent Updates

26 September 2016:
I decided to lower some numbers that seemed high. Hard to tell without playtesting. But here goes: Backward shot [D] targeting arc reduced from 90 to 45 degrees. Hover Bomb [Q] hover duration reduced from 4 to 3 seconds. Level 7 Adrenaline Potion, reduced from 30% to 20% and from 4 to 3 seconds. Level 16 Homing Hovers, targeting arc reduced from 180 to 90 degrees. Level 16 Between The Eyes, bonus damage reduced from 100% to 75%. And while I'm at it: Level 20 Get Out Of Here renamed I'm Out Of Here.

2 September 2016:
Backward Shot (D) now indicates the current target with a crosshair (similar to Sylvanas' Q). Shadow Stance (W) has been simplified to only affect enemy targeting. Now only makes him "unclickable". Lasting Shadows (level 4) renamed Lingering Shadows because that sounds better. Duration decrease on Fleeting Shadows (level 4) removed. Resisting Shadows (level 16) removed since it overlaps with some of the level 4 talents. New talent Soothing Shadows (level 16). Remote Wasp (level 1) felt underwhelming so I decided to give it 2 charges instead of allowing the player to move it again. Damage reduced from 250 to 200, speed reduced from 100% to 75%. Should be nice for laneclear, gank protection, to force the enemy away or just do more damage in combat.

30 August 2016:
Relentless Shadows (level 13) has been changed to match the new patch, now activating Shadow Stance. Deadly Shadows (level 13) now does percentage based damage to heroes. Lasting Shadows (level 16) duration increased from 1 to 2 seconds, renamed Resisting Shadows. Longer Shadows (level 4) renamed Lasting Shadows, no duration increase. Shadow Stance now has a .5 second cooldown before it can be reactivated. Infiltrator (level 1) only requires 20 stacks, instead of 25. Homing Hovers (level 16) now locks on immediately and prioritizes heroes. Between The Eyes (level 16) bonus damage increased from 75% to 100% and lowers the cooldown of basic abilities instead of Backward Shot.

Combat Trait

1
Blackthorne's Shotgun
Passive

Your basic attacks splashes for 25% damage to nearby targets.
2
Backward Shot (D)
Active
Cooldown: 5 seconds

Activate to attack the nearest target behind Kyle (within 45 degrees) with a basic attack, without turning or slowing down. Prioritizing heroes. A crosshair indicates the current target, when available.

Primary Abilities

1
Hover Bomb (Q)
Cooldown: 12 secconds
Mana: 80

Throw a bomb that starts to hover after landing, at 75% movement speed for 3 seconds. Explodes on contact or when the time runs out. Dealing 250 (+4% per level) damage to the primary target and 50% area damage. Does 50% bonus damage to structures.

Note:
The Hover Bomb is first thrown similar to Tychus' Frag Grenade. Allowing you to hit the wizard in the middle of a minion group or throwing it over walls etc. In the game it was used to blast through doors etc.
2
Shadow Stance (W)
Cooldown: 4 seconds
Mana: 20

Kyle becomes dark and raises his shotgun for 2 seconds. You cannot move, attack or use abilities. And you cannot be targeted by enemies. Can be activated again after 0.5 seconds to cancel. Cooldown starts when you return to normal.

Note:
This does not protect Kyle from AOE and other abilities that does not require the enemy to click on a target. This is also a stationary channel. Stuns, silences and displacements will break it. However, Fleeting Shadows at level 4 makes Kyle mobile during the channel.

This is a key mechanic from the game. You dueled your enemies by stepping in and out of the shadows.
3
Health Potion (E)
Cooldown: 24 seconds
Mana 60

Heals you for 20% of your maximum health over 2 seconds. Can be activated during Shadow Stance.

Heroic Abilities

1
Light Stone (R)
Cooldown: 90 seconds
Mana: 100

Activate to reduce damage taken by 25%, reduce CC by 50% and restore 50% of maximum health over 4 seconds.

Note:
The light stone was given to the Androthi. Here I imagine it protects Kyle.
2
Galadril's Speed
Passive

Your shotgun becomes automatic. Permanently increases basic attack speed by 30%.

Note:
This is the first upgrade to Kyle's shotgun in the game, making it semi-automatic. So Kyle stops doing pump-actions between basic attacks.

HERO STATISTICS


Life 1290
Life Regen: 2.70

Note:
This is between Vala and Raynor.

Attack Speed 1.0
Attack Range 5.5
Attack Damage 150
Damage Per Second 150

Note:
Attack Speed and DPS are lower than Raynor's, but Attack Damage is higher and you do splash damage.

Talents

Level 1:

Infiltrator
Refunds 40 mana and lowers the cooldown by 6 seconds if Hover Bomb hits a structure.
!Quest: Every time Hover Bomb hits a structure, permanently increase damage bonus to structures by 5%. Up to a maximum of 100% additional bonus damage. Upon reaching 20 stacks, increase the range of Hover Bomb by 30%.

A Friends Gift
Healing globes restore 50% more mana and reduces the cooldown of Hover Bomb and Healing Potion by 25%.
!Quest: After collecting 25 globes, permanently increase the healing of Health Potion to 30% over 3 seconds.

Remote Wasp
Activate to send a wasp to target area or enemy. Moves at 75% movement speed. Provides vision. Explodes on contact, destruction or when the time runs out. Can be destroyed by 2 basic attacks. Deals 200 (+4% per level) damage to primary target and 50% area damage. Lasts 20 seconds. Cooldown 20 seconds. 2 charges.


Level 4:

Tactical Shadows
Decrease the cooldown of Shadow Stance by 2 seconds and mana cost by 10.

Fleeting Shadows
You can move at 75% movement speed during Shadow Stance.

Deeper Shadows
Reduces ability damage taken by 50% during Shadow Stance.

Lingering Shadows
Reduce damage taken from the next two basic attacks by 50% for 3 seconds after leaving Shadow Stance.


Level 7:

Fire Bomb
Hover Bomb launches small fire bombs when it explodes. Bombarding a larger area after 1.5 seconds doing 75% additional damage (no structure bonus).

Adrenaline Potion
Health Potion also increases movement speed by 20% for 3 seconds.

Staggering Shot
If Backward Shot's primary target is an enemy hero: target hero is slowed by 50% for 2 seconds.


Level 13:

Exploding Shot
Increases the splash damage of basic attacks to 50% and increase the splash range by 25%.

Deadly Shadows
For 3 seconds after the end of Shadow Stance: If the primary target of your next basic attack is a hero, deal bonus damage equal 3% of that hero's maximum health.

Relentless Shadows
Automatically activate Shadow Stance for free when stunned or rooted.


Level 16:

Homing Hovers
Hover Bomb locks onto a nearby target in front of it (90 degrees). Prioritizing heroes. Moving towards the target and increasing its speed from 75% to 150% over 2 seconds.

Soothing Shadows
Heal for 1% of maximum health for every 0.5 second, while Shadow Stance is active.

Between The Eyes
If Backward Shot's primary target is an enemy hero: Backward Shot does 75% bonus damage to the primary target and lowers basic ability cooldowns by 3 seconds.


Level 20:

Dark Stone - Upgrade to Light Stone
While Light Stone is active, enemy heroes in range of Kyle is slowed by 20% and become vulnerable, taking 25% additional damage. Takedowns of affected heroes increases the duration by 2 seconds and reduces the cooldown by 15 seconds.

Note: The dark stone was given to the Ka'dra'suul which later turned them into monsters. Here I imagine it curses Kyle's enemies and feeds off their deaths.

Thoros' Strength - Upgrade to Galadril's Speed
Basic attacks do 30% bonus damage to primary target.

Note: Another upgrade to Kyle's shotgun in the game.

Gifts Of The Androthi
Hover Bomb and Health Potion now have 2 charges each and mana cost is reduced by 25%. 4 second cooldown between charges.

Note: In the game, the enslaved Androthi helps Kyle by giving him items.

I'm Out Of Here
Activate to enter an untalented Shadow Stance for 3 seconds, but remain mobile and gain 30% movement speed. Does not stack with Adrenaline Potion. Cooldown 60 seconds.

Note: This is Kyle's version of Bolt of the Storm.

Skins


Captain Blackthorne - A military outfit from Earth

Quick Comment

You need to log in before commenting.

[-] Collapse All Comments

Sort Comments By
2
[-]
Passado | March 1, 2016 5:17pm
Health potion very big cd for so low life? No? Maybe 15s cooldown 20% of health. Maybe increasing the mana cost.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:21am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate. Compare it to Adrenaline Rush at 40 sec and First Aid at 60 sec.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:20am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:20am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:18am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:17am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:16am
You can increase the heal amount at level 1 and there are many ways to lower the CD. I want the player having to choose between offensive or defensive abilities. It might be a bit under tuned now that I look at other heroes. Changing it to 20% and 60 mana to make it feel more impactful to activate.
1
[-]
Awakening | March 2, 2016 2:13am
You can buff it to 25% and there are many ways to lower the CD. But if you want to go all damage you won't have that much healing. Comparing it to other heals Raynor's Adrenaline Rush has 40 sec CD and First Aid is 60 sec. It might be a bit under tuned though. But I think I rather increase the heal and mana cost than lowering the CD. So changing it to 20% and 60 mana.
2
[-]
UPRC (1) | March 1, 2016 9:21am
I like the general idea of this concept (I REALLY want Kyle in HotS), but I can't get any reading on how strong or weak anything is since you've substituted raw numbers for percentages. For example, I just can't figure out just what Hover Bomb would hit for! Not a big concern though, I like concepts with thought behind them rather than realistic numbers and such. This one definitely has the thought behind it!
1
[-]
Awakening | March 1, 2016 9:25am
Thanks! When it comes to Hover Bomb I feel this is something that should be balanced when the hero is created. That's why I choose to use the term "massive damage" as Blizzard tend to use that in their hero spotlights.

My horizontal lines shows up as [hr] for me. What am I doing wrong?
1
[-]
UPRC (1) | March 1, 2016 9:26am
It does that for me, too. I think it's the website itself. Might be easier to use an image or something to split sections up if need be.
Load more comments (1 more replies) →
Loading Comments...
Load More Comments

HeroesFire is the place to find the perfect build guide to take your game to the next level. Learn how to play a new hero, or fine tune your favorite HotS hero’s build and strategy.

Copyright © 2019 HeroesFire | All Rights Reserved