World Of Warcraft's Deathwing To Join Heroes Of The Storm Roster

Following years of fan requests, World of Warcraft's Deathwing is finally joining the Heroes of the Storm lineup. The massive black dragon will be the online battle arena game's largest character to-date.

Deathwing switches between two forms: Destroyer and World Breaker. In Destroyer form, he can use the Incinerate and Onslaught abilities; World Breaker form grants access to Lava Burst and Earth Shatter. Unlike other Heroes of the Storm dragons, Deathwing does not have a human form, only appearing as a massive beast who disdains mortals as lesser beings. He dishes out 100 percent bonus damage to other heroes, a manifestation of his raw power and malice, and cannot receive buffs or other types of support from the players on his team.

Deathwing moves slowly due to his size but is also permanently unstoppable, rendering him immune to movement impairing effects. He can also use his enormous wings to launch himself into the air, surveying the battlefield and regaining health—his only means of healing. The death aspect's health bar is divided into four segments, with each segment representing a piece of armor plating. When a segment is depleted, Deathwing loses an armor plate, becoming easier to damage.

Blizzard provided a detailed overview of The Worldbreaker's abilities in yesterday's Deathwing First Look video. Over the course of an hour and twenty minutes, hero designer Kyle Dates and live game designer Adam Jackson offer an in-depth look at Deathwing's gameplay, as well as the design philosophy the team used to adapt the iconic World of Warcraft villain for Heroes of the Storm.

As Deathwing is still in the development stage, his skills could change before he makes his Heroes of the Storm debut. While Blizzard has yet to provide a release date, The Destroyer is expected to launch with a major update later this year. BlizzCon 2019 attendees will have the opportunity to unleash Deathwing's wrath early on the showroom floor.