Hero Talents Preview for The War Within

The War Within expansion introduces Hero Talents to World of Warcraft classes. They are an evergreen form of character progression for each class specialization that introduces new powers and class fantasies.

What Are Hero Talents?

Hero Talents are new, self-contained talent trees that are unlocked for characters at level 71.  Hero Talents build on the abilities and talents of current classes and specializations. Players can choose a single Hero Talent tree to activate on a character and these talents can be changed in the same way class talents can be currently changed in the game. There are three Hero Talent trees for each class (excepting druid with four and demon hunter with two).  Each specialization has two Hero Talent trees they can choose between, and each of these trees is available as an option for two specializations.

There are 11 nodes in a Hero Talent tree. The first of these unlocks with the system at level 71, and you earn 1 talent point per level from level 71 to 80, so you get every talent in the tree by level 80.

Each Hero Talent tree starts with a “keystone” talent that introduces the core mechanic and concept of the tree. This could be a new ability, an enhancement to an existing ability or cooldown, or a new buff you can trigger. The bottom talent of each tree is a “capstone” talent that builds on the core themes of the tree or adds new power to the keystone.

Each tree will offer or modify some class utility and include defensive bonuses that are useful to all specializations. We are aiming for all trees to be about equal in the amount of utility and defensiveness they provide. Trees for characters that can take on a tanking role may have some additional defense bonuses that will be less valuable to healers or damage dealers (DPS), such as bonuses to tank talents or cooldowns. Three or four nodes in each tree will be choice nodes where you can choose between two options.

What Hero Talents are Available?

Death Knight

Deathbringer

(Blood/Frost)

Become the emissary of death. Aim for the soul of your enemies with attacks empowered by the Shadowlands and remind them of the inevitable.

Rider of the Apocalypse

(Frost/Unholy)

Riders of the Apocalypse call forth the power of the legendary Four Horsemen. They call upon the Horsemen for aid and tap into the powers of death, famine and disease.

San’Layn

(Blood/Unholy)

San’layn excel at using blood and shadow magic to weaken their enemies and empower their own capabilities.

Demon Hunter

Aldrachi Reaver

(Havoc/Vengeance)

The Aldrachi warriors were the ultimate glaivemasters and wielded their blades with deadly grace, consuming souls and imbuing their weapons with greater power.

Fel-Scarred

(Havoc/Vengeance)

The Fel-Scarred embrace their inner demon and amplify the explosive power of the fel fire they wield.

Druid

Elune’s Chosen

(Balance/Guardian)

Elune’s Chosen dedicate themselves to the Moon Goddess and are granted her connection to the moon and stars. Their abilities are infused with astral might and they can call down potent lunar magics.

Druid of the Claw

(Feral/Guardian)

Druids of the Claw are masters of their mighty animal forms. When they transform into cats or bears, they become ferocious combatants and protectors of the wild.

Keeper of the Grove

(Balance/Restoration)

Keepers of the Grove take inspiration from Cenarius’ mighty children to protect the balance of nature and safeguard the Dream. They channel the power of the Dream to strengthen their spells and summon empowered treants to protect their allies and crush their enemies.

Wildstalker

(Feral/Restoration)

Wildstalkers live amongst the remote wilds, hunting to perpetuate the cycle of life and death and destroy those who would despoil nature and using their healing powers to restore life to barren spaces.

Evoker

Chronowarden

(Augmentation/Preservation)

Chronowardens can manipulate time, giving them glimpses of the future to speed their attacks of recalling echoes to revisit past actions. Specialization in bronze magic can cause instabilities due to the many future possibilities they constantly see.

Flameshaper

(Devastation/Preservation)

Flameshapers are closely attuned to Alexstrasza and specialize in protecting allies, rejuvenation, and renewal. They also have the unique ability to spread, intensify, and manipulate dragonflame.

Scalecommander

(Augmentation/Devastation)

Scalecommanders are natural born leaders, capable of inspiring those around them to become better. They are the chosen generals of the Dracthyr and use their empower spells to send battle commands and summon troops.

Hunter

Dark Ranger

(Beast Mastery/Marksmanship)

Embrace hatred and strike from the shadows, assaulting your enemies with necrotic, shadow-empowered abilities. Enemies who fall from your abilities further empower your dark energies.

Pack Leader

(Beast Mastery/Survival)

Pack Leaders have formed a deep bond and trust with their animal companions, allowing the Hunter and their pack to hunt with a vicious coordination on the battlefield.

Sentinel

(Marksmanship/Survival)

Sentinels draw their power from nature’s forces, dealing bonus Arcane damage with their abilities and calling upon mystical owls to rain destruction on their enemies.

Mage

Frostfire

(Fire/Frost)

Frostfire mages take the reins of seemingly incompatible elemental forces. By mastering the opposing forces, they enhance their elemental attacks and can even combine them for more power.

Spellslinger

(Arcane/Frost)

Mastering the inherently unstable nature of magic allows Spellslingers to splinter their magic, creating powerful and volatile new effects.

Sunfury

(Arcane/ Fire)

By embracing arcane flames, Sunfury mages enhance their most devastating incantations, even calling on the aid of a spellfire phoenix.

Monk

Conduit of the Celestials

(Mistweaver/Windwalker)

Conduits of the Celestials devote themselves to the teachings of the August Celestials to embody their wisdom and harness their strength Master of Conduits may briefly channel the power of all Celestials at once.

Master of Harmony

(Brewmaster/Mistweaver)

Masters of Harmony chase physical perfection and the refinement of the body into pure strength, allowing them to tap into the flow of chi and natural cycles of power.

Shado-Pan

(Brewmaster/Windwalker)

Shado-Pan learn from their forebears and stand proud against their foes to defend friends and family. They bide their time to charge power before unleashing a flurry of blows to overwhelm opponents.

Paladin

Herald of the Sun

(Holy/Retribution)

Heralds of the Sun develop a deep bond to the sun and solar energy, using it to burn enemies and cauterize their allies’ wounds. They can manifest potent solar rays while fully connected to the Light.

Lightsmith

(Holy/Protection)

Lightsmiths have developed such masterful control over the Light that they are able to wield it tangibly, employing constructs to empower their weapons and defenses and to protect their allies.

Templar

(Protection/ Retribution)

Templars stop at nothing to bring justice to the wicked. They call down hammers of Light and unleash devastating combinations of physical and holy attacks to vanquish their enemies.

Priest

Archon

(Holy/Shadow)

Archons are highly devout and deeply connected to the Light and Shadow. Archons can be blessed from higher beings to enter into an ascended state, becoming an ultimate version of themselves.

Oracle

(Discipline/Holy)

Oracles gain insights into the future and use it to protect and empower their allies. Their future sight grants Oracles the ability to bestow unique blessings and benefits upon their allies before they even know they are needed.

Voidweaver

(Discipline/Shadow)

Voidweavers have dedicated themselves to studying the origins of Void magic and have discovered a way to tear open a tenuous connection to the Void. This power is incredibly dangerous and volatile, consuming anything in its path.

Rogue

Deathstalker

(Assassination/Subtlety)

The harbingers of death, Deathstalkers strike from the shadows to bring a swift end to their targets.

Fatebound

(Assassination/Outlaw)

The Fatebound eagerly act as the Hand of Fate, sowing chaos into well-laid plans. Guided by the whims of a flipped Fatebound Coin, they deliver the ending their enemies are destined for: the ending they deserve.

Trickster

(Outlaw/Subtlety)

Dirty tricks and flashing blades are on display when a Trickster enters a fight. Tricksters distract opponents with misdirection or a sword’s flourish, then slash them with a blade they never saw coming.

Shaman

Farseer

(Elemental/Restoration)

Harness your spiritual magic, improving your spell casting capabilities and empowering you to call upon the spirits of your ancestors to aid you and your allies in Combat.

Stormbringer

(Elemental/Enhancement)

Stormbringers harness the power of the storm, enhancing their dominion over lightning and shaping it to their will. Summon a fierce Tempest to unleash chaos upon your foes awakening the storm, creating devastation in your path.

Totemic

(Enhancement/Restoration)

Totemic shaman excel at unlocking the full power of their totems, strengthening their totems and gaining access to new ones. They also hone their imbuement skills to maintain their threat up close.

Warlock

Diabolist

(Demonology/Destruction)

The defeat of the Legion left many powerful demons unbound. Diabolists command greater demons once thought to be uncontrollable and wield abyssal powers from the Twisting Nether on the battlefield.

Hellcaller

(Affliction/Destruction)

Amongst the Satyr sects throughout Azeroth, Hellcallers are the most feared. Hellcaller warlocks have learned to weave together the vilest of shadow magic and entropic fel fire at the cost of corrupting their own soul.

Soul Harvester

(Affliction/Demonology)

Few grasp the power hidden within souls, but many know the hunger demons share for spirits of the fallen. Soul Harvesters enter pacts with demons from the Twisting Nether, serving as their host and feeding them the souls of their foes in exchange for incredible power.

Warrior

Colossus

(Arms/Protection)

A veteran of countless battles who can shrug off attacks that would fell others while using their expertise to deliver their most powerful strikes and destroy their enemies.

Mountain Thane

(Fury/Protection)

Mountain Thanes are fierce fighters that live to challenge themselves against worthy opponents. Drawing strength from the earth and power from the storm, they strike with blows that hit like a thunder clap to overwhelm their enemies.

Slayer

(Arms/Fury)

A vicious Warrior who sets their sights on a target and pursues it relentlessly, overwhelming their foes with an onslaught of steel and might.

With so many paths to choose, you’re sure to find the your calling as you venture into your new journeys in The War Within.