Blizzard has introduced a new hero, Xal'atath, to Heroes of the Storm, along with a major update. This marks the first time in nearly six years that a new hero has been added to the game, making Xal'atath the 91st hero in the Nexus.
Xal'atath is classified as a Ranged Assassin. Her basic attacks accumulate Soul Essence; once full, she can continuously fire Void orbs at a target area while moving.
She can also launch a large Void orb that marks enemy heroes hit within its inner circle, causing the "Heart of Darkness" to move to the orb's impact point and explode on marked targets. Another ability summons the "Heart of Darkness," which continuously damages nearby enemies before tracking and detonating on marked heroes.
Xal'atath's displacement ability allows her to blink between three positions in a triangular pattern, increasing her attack damage at each location. She can also cancel it early to reposition or retreat. Her two ultimate abilities are: charging up to throw a large-area Void orb, and opening a portal that continuously summons Void units; the portal will replenish fallen units until its duration ends or it is destroyed.
Twitch viewing rewards are available during the new hero's launch period. The event runs from 9:00 AM PT on September 28 to 11:59 PM PT on October 5. Watching for one hour grants 1,000 Gold, with subsequent rewards including Epic and Legendary loot chests; watching for eight hours unlocks the Epic "Deadly Chaos Wolf."
Xal'atath is currently available as a paid hero for $7.99. Blizzard plans to make her available for purchase with Gold later this year, tentatively scheduled for late November.