Continue reading to check out Zac, the new ARAM map Howling Abyss, and more!
New Champion: Zac
Zac, our newest, gooey-est champion, is now available for PBE testing! He has no mana and instead uses his own health as a resource. He functions as tank / jungler and deals primarily magic damage with AP ratios on all four of his abilities.
Zac also grows total HP and shrinks based on his current HP. Here is a comparison from full to near death, starting with a little over 2k HP.
( Passive ) Cell Division - Each time Zac hits an enemy with an ability, he sheds a chunk of himself that can be reabsorbed to restore 4% of his maximum health.
Upon taking fatal damage, Zac splits into 4 bloblets that attempt to recombine.
If any bloblets remains after 6 seconds, he will revive with 10-50% health depending on the health of the surviving bloblets. Each bloblet has 10% of Zac's maximum health, and 50% of his Armor and Magic Resistance. This ability has a 5 minute cooldown.
(Q ) Stretching Strike - Smacks enemies, dealing 70/110/150/190/230 (+0.5) Magic Damage and slowing them for 20%/25/30/35/40 for 2 seconds.
Cost: 6% of current health || Cooldown: 9/8.5/8/7.5/7
( W ) Unstable Matter - Zac's body erupts, dealing 40/60/80/100/120 Magic Damage +4/4.5/5/5.5/6 (+.02 AP)% of the enemy's maximum Health as Magic Damage to all nearby enemies (Max: 200 damage against minions and monsters).Cost: 4% of current health || Cooldown: 4/4/4/4/4 seconds
( E ) Elastic Slingshot - Charges up and launches toward a target area, knocking up enemies.Zac faces the cursor and charges up over 1 second. Reactivated the ability again launches him towards his target, dealing 80/130/180/230/280 (+0.7 AP) Magic Damage to all enemies hit and knocking them back for 0.5 seconds. Can be cancelled while moving.Cost: 12% of current helath || Cooldown: 24/21/18/15/12 seconds(
( R ) Let’s Bounce - Zac bounces 4 times, knocking up and slowing enemies.
Each bounce deals 160/240/320 (+0.25 AP) Magic Damage to nearby enemies, knocks them up for 1 second, and slows them by 20% for 1 second. Enemies hit more than once take half damage and are not knocked up or slowed. Zac gains an accelerating movement speed buff (20-50%) while active.
Zac can right-click to move while in the air.
Cost: No cost || Cooldown: 130/115/100 seconds
If the voice just wasn't enough for you, here is a preview of his animations and abilities.
While his release skin isn't in game yet, it's titled "Grumpy Zac" in the game files. How peculiar...
To access it, create a custom game and scroll down until you can select "Howling Abyss". The ARAM match making queue will be added at a later date.
There is also a new item, available exclusively to Howling Abyss, called Guardian's Horn.
As was true with the TTL update, there are also new shop keepers - The Viking and the Hermit!
New Purple Shop Keeper - Hermit
New Blue Side Shop Keeper - Viking
To read up on more red posts and see some sweet concept art, check the announcement post from earlier today.
If you are getting FPS drops and lag on the new map, don't fear! Brackhar says it isn't yet optimized:
"The current map is not really optimized; we'll be iterating on that now. :) "
Balance Changes
Champions:
Brand
- Pyroclasm ( R ) now deals 50/100/150 ( +.5 AP ) + 8/9/10% of targets maximum HP as magic damage up from 150/250/350 ( +.5 AP ).
- Pyroclasm ( R ) now "Pyroclasm priotizes champions it has notalready damaged." instead of "If a target is ablaze, Pyroclasm will prioritize champions for the next bounce."
Hecarim
- Spirit of Dread ( W ) cooldown increased to 22/21/20/19/18 from 18/17/16/15/14 seconds.
- Onslaught of Shadows ( R ) charge damage reduced to 50/100/150 ( +.4 AP ) from 100/200/300 ( +.8 AP )
- Onsalught of Shadows ( R ) shockwave damage increased to 100/175/250 ( +.8 AP ) from 50/125/200 ( +.4 AP )
- The Equalizer ( R ) changed to "launches a line of rockets that creates a burning trail for 5 seconds.Enemies in the area have their Movement Speed slowed by 35 % and take 130/185/240 ( +.3 AP ) magic damage each second." from "launches a line of rockets at the targeted area dealing 150/225/300( +.5 AP ) magic damage and leaving a burning trail for 5 seconds dealing 100/140/180(+.2 AP ) magic damage per second and slowing opponents by 35 % while inside the area of effect. " ** Lots of words but essentially they merged the old effects, took off the initial damage, and buffed the base damage AND ratio of the trail itself.
Items:
Guardian's Horn ( New item!)
- ONLY PURCHASABLE IN HOWLING ABYSS
- Total cost: 1025
- 180 HP
- 12 Health Regen
- Unique Passive: Enemy spell casts charge your horn. Upon reaching 15 charges you may use Battle Cry
- Unique Active - Battlecry: Gain 30% movement, 20 armor, and 20 magic resist for 3 seconds.
Nashor's Tooth
- Total cost increased to 2500 from 2270.
Spirit of the Lizard Elder
- Unique Passive damage reduced to 6-40 from 14-50.