Support Xal'atath by Murraythehuman

3 Votes
New Concept

Support Xal'atath

By: Murraythehuman
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2026
Quick Share

Support Xal'atath

What if?

A what-if scenario: What if Xal'atath had remained a Support Class?

Target identity
  • Low damage, but provides avenues to swing games.
  • Less burst, higher sustain.
  • Unconventional abilities that serve a purpose in the Support Role.
  • Provides protection in a way that is different to Medivh, Abathur, and Zarya.
  • Fills the same fantasy, but in a different way.


I threw this together rather quickly, so it's not super polished, but I thought I'd publish it anyway.

Combat Trait

1
Dark Heart
Damage/Shielding Radius: 4.5.

Xal'atath is shrouded in an aura that causes enemies around Xal'atath take 10 damage per second, and nearby allied heroes gain 20 shields per second, up to 400 shields. Shields are lost after 1.25 seconds if not refreshed.

Xal'atath can basic attack while moving. Whenever she basic attacks an enemy hero, she gains a Dark Mark, up to five marks. Each mark increases the effects of Dark Heart Ritual by 25%. While at full marks, the effects are increased by a further 75%. All Dark Marks are lost if Xal'atath doesn't damage an enemy hero with a basic attack for 6 seconds.

The shields and damage are granted in .25 second ticks, rather than 1 second ticks.
2
Place Dark Heart
16 second cooldown. 6 range (basic attack range).

Activate to place the Dark Heart on the field. It will maintain a relative position to Xal'atath. It has 1600 health, decaying over 8 seconds. While active, Dark Heart Ritual's aura will emanate from the Dark Heart, rather than Xal'atath.

Will always appear relative to Xal's position. If she places it 2 units to her left, it will always be 2 units to her left, regardless of where she moves. To wit: As you move, it moves.
Uncertain, but probably has a minimum range to keep her from remaining within the fringe of its radius.

Primary Abilities

1
Shadow Orb
Cooldown: 8 seconds. 7.5 range.

Drop an orb of dark energy that deals 210 damage and detonates into a pool of flames. Enemies standing in the flames receive 10 damage per second and have their armor rapidly reduced up to a maximum of 25, decaying rapidly when out of the flames' radius.

A very basic move that is designed to deny space to her foes and support her allies by dealing more damage.
25 armor is a lot to lose, but the reality is that most players won't let it reach 25.
2
Soul Shatter
Cooldown: 12 seconds. Clones are spaced 3-4 range units away in each direction.

Xal'atath splits into 3 copies of herself around her current location for 2 seconds. They cannot move or cast abilities, and each one deals 50% reduced damage. When the effect ends, all Xal'ataths except for the one with the most health disappear, and she resumes control over the remaining one.

Allies and enemies can only receive damage or shields from one Dark Heart Ritual at a time.

Can be cancelled After .5 seconds to resume control over the closest Xal'atath to the cursor.


I know many will immediately see the resemblance to Samuro, but the context and playstyle are so different it's really not going to be a problem. She can't even move, after all. This also can be used as a limited mobility tool, but as the ability is more defensive, it's being kept on W.
Cancels Void Volley if Void Volley is still firing.
This ability is key for charging both Xal's Trait and her E, but it makes her into an easy target because she can't move.
3
Void Volley
Cooldown: 16 seconds. 10 range.

Basic Attacks against heroes reduce Void Volley's cooldown by 2 seconds.

After a short delay, fire a barrage of 5 orbs in the target direction, dealing 50 damage and healing Xal'atath for 100% of the damage dealt to heroes.

Quest: Hit enemy heroes with Void Volley.

Reward: Each hit permanently increases the damage of Void Volley by .5%.


This new version sacrifices a lot of power for the new reward of self-sustain. Xal'atath's new design is generally tankier, better at staying in fights, and this ability rewards her for doing so. The cast range is identical to the current 20 stacks version, so it is easy to land hits with, but the other rewards have been turned into talents, while still maintaining a scaling reward.
The delay is an actual delay, not a channel.
This ability has been decoupled from a 'charge and release' approach because the design became too busy when she was also charging her trait with basic attacks.
In short: DAMAGE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED, NOW USED FOR SUSTAIN.

Heroic Abilities

1
Encroaching Void
Cooldown: 70 seconds.

Channel for 1 second to enter voidform for 3 seconds, gaining Unkillable and 20% increased movement speed, shared with nearby allies. While in voidform, Xal'atath cannot perform basic attacks or abilities. When Encroaching Void ends, all enemies within its radius receive 410 damage and are silenced for 1.75 seconds.

A playmaking tool that lets you and your team jump your enemies all at once. Granting Unkillable is something I'm very tentative about, it could instead grant shields or armor, but this is an optimistically placed 'unkillable' that would need field testing.
2
Void Convergence
Cooldown: 90 seconds

After channeling for 2 seconds, summon a Void Portal that lasts for 30 seconds. The void portal periodically spawns Void Minions who rush down the nearest lane.

You can have up to 1 active Void Portal.

Void Portal can be killed by 3 basic attacks.

While the current version of this ability is quite confused, as a Support, this fits more into the 'gather EXP from multiple lanes' style of summon, which fits into the Support archetype.
The power has been reduced, but the duration has been upped. Place this in a lane before an objective to passively gather EXP. That said, the number of summons has been reduced, meaning they won't be responsible for many back-capped structures.

Level 1 Talents

Support Talents that provide a mild numbers advantage. Slow enemies, lower their armor, or increase your team's armor.

Trait (D) - Dark Barrier
Dark Heart provides allied heroes in its radius 5 spell armor plus an additional 5 for every Dark Mark Xal'atath has.

Trait (D) - Cold Feet
While an enemy hero is within Xal'atath's Dark Heart radius, their movement speed is reduced by 10%, while hers is increased by 10%.

Q - Umbra Burn
Enemies hit by the initial explosion of Shadow Orb receive 10 stacks of Shadow Orb's armor reduction which don't decay for 3 seconds.

Level 4 Talents

A tier of talents that primarily benefit Xal'atath directly. Make Q's explosion bigger, or cast two of them while increasing the flexibility of her Soul Shatter. Or you could double down on Void Volley quest stacks (but really it just encourages you to have good upkeep on your Dark Marks).

Q - Nightfall
The radius of Shadow Orb's flames gradually increased up to twice its initial size over 2 seconds and the flames' duration is increased by 1 second.

Q/W - Shadow Overlap
While Soul Shatter is active, Xal'atath can cast a single Shadow Orb for free, without requiring or consuming its cooldown.

E - Void Adept
Basic Attacks against heroes further reduce the cooldown of Void Volley by 1 second.
Quest: Hitting heroes with Void Volley permanently increases Xal'atath's maximum health by 3 and her maximum mana by 1.

Level 7 Talents

Unconventional talents that can have a good payoff if used wisely.

Active - Unstable Core
Activate to make your Dark Heart radius expand in size by 50% for 4 seconds while doubling the rate its effects trigger. After Unstable Core wears off, Xal'atath's trait is disabled for 4 seconds. 40 second cooldown.

Q - Blessed be thy Shadow
If Shadow Orb hits an allied hero other than Xal'atath, the flames will become attached to that hero, following them as they move and granting them 10 armor for the flames' duration.

W - Silence of the Lamb
The area within Soul Shatter's triangular area are slowed by 20% for the duration of the ability. If Soul Shatter lasts its full duration, all enemies within the area when it ends are silenced for 1.5 seconds and receive 200 damage.

Heroic Talents

Outlined above.

Level 13 Talents

Support utilities that mitigate the weaknesses of their associated abilities. This tier also sees a bit of in-combat healing for Xal'atath.

Trait (D) - Heartmending
Xal'atath and her allies who have shields from Dark Heart restore 25 health per second for each Dark Mark she has.

Q - Shadow Lock
Enemy Heroes hit by the initial explosion of Shadow Orb are slowed by 20% for 3 seconds. Those hit by the inner radius are slowed by 50%, decaying to 20% over the first second.

W - Shroud of Darkness
While Soul Shatter is active, Xal'atath's basic attack speed is increased by 100%, and her basic attacks against heroes lower their damage by 4% for 3 seconds, stacking up to 40%.

Level 16 Talents

Dedicated Void Volley talent tier that acts as a spot to bump up Xal'atath's direct damage by boosting her one selfish ability.

E - The Void Transcends
Quest: Reach 100 stacks of Void Volley.
Reward: Void Volley pierces enemies.

E - Fractured Reality
Void Volley fires its projectiles 25% slower but now fires a total of 10 projectiles.

E - The Void Taketh
Void Volley deals 25% increased damage to foes below half health. Takedowns reset Void Volley's cooldown.

Storm Talents

Xal'atath was looking a bit powerful after 16, so 20 is very 'back to basics'. Upgrades your Heroics to further push their existing power, or standard issue "don't die at zero health"/"personalized bolt of the storm" talents.

R1 - Endtime Harbinger
Encroaching Void's detonation damage is increased by 40%, and each enemy hero hit reduces its cooldown by 15 seconds.

R2 - Rift Invasion
Place up to two Void Convergences, they last indefinitely and the Void Minions last 50% longer.

Active - Shadow Tag
Activate to warp to a nearby location, creating a trail of Shadow Orb flames along your path. 70 second cooldown.

W - Relentless whispers
While Soul Shatter is active, Xal'atath's basic attacks restore the health of the clone with the lowest health by 50% of the damage dealt. When Xal'atath dies, Soul Shatter is instead automatically activated, with all her fragments having 50% of their maximum health. This cast of Soul Shatter cannot be cancelled and lasts for twice as long. 120 second cooldown.

Quick Comment

You need to log in before commenting.

[-] Collapse All Comments

Sort Comments By
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