Angus & Shorty are a Dwarven Mortar team controlled by two players. However, unlike Cho'Gall, they only take up one hero slot - - that is to say a team with Angus & Shorty among their ranks would consist of six players. I realize this is something that Blizzard would probably never do. Just enjoy it though because its a fun concept.
Angus is the gunner and controls the movement for both players. His job is to get the team into position and set-up the mortar. Once ready to go he can begin launching his long distance attacks and buying time with his rail gun if necessary. Angus is in charge of all of the damage dealing. What's left for Shorty? He is in control of the ammo, setting up different boxes of munitions and supplying Angus with the proper explosives he needs at any given time. Shorty can move freely anywhere within a small radius of Angus. If the team needs to retreat Shorty must collect his ammo boxes before they leave or incur a hefty cooldown.
The Dwarven Mortar team would be a hard hitting hero. I feel this is justified as you need two players working in tandem. Shorty is undoubtedly the more passive unit, but he would still need to be actively contributing for the pair to reach their full potential. A few other notes about Angus & Shorty:
- Only Angus has a health pool (or else their individual health pools would be too small). If Angus dies, Shorty dies too. Their death collectively counts as one takedown for the enemy team. Since Shorty has no health pool he cannot block skillshots or body block; he is essentially intangible.
- Their abilities are cooldown based and do not require mana.
- They use mounts in the same manner as other heroes. Angus casts the mount, causing Shorty to immediately jump on as well.
- If Angus runs away from an area and Shorty doesn't run with him then he is simply pulled along at the edge of his radius around Angus.
Combat Trait
1
Mortar Kombat
All ability cooldowns are reduced by 0.5 seconds for each enemy hero hit by an attack that used ammo.
Angus & Shorty move together.
Primary Abilities
1
Q - Mortar Launch (Angus)
Launch a long range Mortar that deals damage in an area (aimed like Brightwing's Arcane Flare). 6 second cooldown.
Requires Set-Up Mortar.
2
W - Rail Gun (Angus)
Channel a short range burst of bullets in any direction, dealing very low damage, but providing a small knockback every time it hits a target. Rail Gun follows Angus' mouse cursor. 3 second cooldown after cancelling.
Requires Set-Up Mortar.
3
E - Set-Up/Take-Down (Angus)
Set-Up your Mortar, rooting yourself in place and increasing your basic attack range by 90%. In addition your basic attacks splash to nearby units. Activate again to allow yourself to move. 2 second cooldown.
Secondary Abilities
1
Q - Lock 'n Load (Shorty)
Activate on an ammo box to gather one of 2 types of missiles. Each missile type has an 10 second cooldown.
-RED:Increase the damage of Angus' next Mortar Launch against heroes by 100%.
-BLUE:Increase the damage of Angus' next Mortar Launch against non-heroic units and structures by 100%.
Once a missile is selected, activate on Angus to load the missile into his mortar.
2
W - Quartermaster (Shorty)
Activate on the ground to set one of two ammo boxes on the ground. Ammo boxes on the ground can block skill shots.
Activate on an ammo box on the ground to pick it up, carrying it with you.
Leaving an area without picking up all your ammo boxes incurs a 20 second cooldown for Quartermaster.
3
E - Rations (Shorty)
Heal Angus for 30% of his health over 5 seconds or instantly refresh the cooldowns of your other basic abilities. 30 second cooldown.
Heroic Abilities
1
R - Hail Mary (Angus)
Launch a long distance projectile that increases in damage based on the distance traveled, up to 300%. 80 second cooldown.
Hail Mary deals 50% less damage to structures.
2
R - One In The Chamber (Angus)
(Passive) You can now store up to two units of ammo.
3
R - Spyglass (Shorty)
Increase Angus' vision radius, basic attack range, and basic ability range by 50% for 8 seconds. 80 second cooldown.
4
R - No Dwarf Left Behind (Shorty)
(Passive) Within 3 seconds of Angus taking fatal damage, Shorty can pick him up and carry him to a new location where he will resurrect with 10% of his health. Shorty can only carry Angus for 5 seconds. Cannot occur more than once every 90 seconds.
Talents
***Each player gets to pick one talent per level. Angus' talents are in blue and Shorty's talents are in yellow.***
Level 1: Concussive Shells: Enemies hit by Mortar Launch are slowed by 20% for 2 seconds. Resistant: While your Mortar is set up the duration of Silences, Stuns, Slows, and Roots against you are reduced by 75%. Peashooter: Shorty gains a short ranged basic attack that deals low damage. Fortification: Increase the length of ammo boxes by 50%.
Level 4: Focused Attack: Every 10 second your next basic attack against an enemy hero deals 60% additional damage. Basic attacks reduce this cooldown by 1 second. Hold The Line: Increase the range and knockback distance of Rail Gun by 35%. Unencumbered: Increase the movement speed of yourself and Angus by 20% if you are not carrying ammo. There's More Where That Came From: Reduce the cooldown of Quartermaster incurred by leaving an ammo box behind by 5 seconds.
Level 7: Bullseye: Damage at the center of Mortar Launch's impact zone is increased by 25%. I Could Do This All Day: Rail Gun has no cooldown. Field Rations: Picking up a health globe reduces the cooldown of Rations by 5 seconds. Workin' Up An Appetite: Increase the heal provided by Rations by 5% for each ammunition box that is currently on cooldown.
Level 10: See above section.
Level 13: Suppressive Fire: Increase the width of Rail Gun by 50%, and using Rail Gun against the same target for 2 seconds causes them to be stunned for 1 second. This cannot occur against the same target more than once every 10 seconds. Take The Reigns: Allow Shorty to summon your mount while your mortar is set up. Once the mount is summoned Angus controls the movement like normal. Barricade: Reduce all damage dealt to Angus by 5% for each deployed ammo box. Secret Recipe: Damage dealt by Angus is increased by 25% while he is being healed by Rations.
Level 16: Special Delivery: Mortar Launch gains 25% increased range when using Red ammo.
Blue'n To Bits: Mortar Launch gains 35% increased impact area when using Blue ammo. Lord Of War (Red): Gain one additional charge of Red ammo box. This additional ammo box does not incur a cooldown if left behind. Lord Of War (Blue): Gain one additional charge of Blue ammo box. This additional ammo box does not incur a cooldown if left behind
Level 20: Hail Mary, Full of Ammo: Angus gains access to both of his Level 10 abilities. Mortar!: Increase the cooldown reduction provided by Mortar Kombat by 0.25 seconds. Kombat!: Increase the cooldown reduction provided by Mortar Kombat by 0.25 seconds. The Spy Who Loved Me: Shorty gains access to both of his Level 10 abilities.
Thanks! To be honest I feel like they ended up just becoming a more difficult Sgt. Hammer, but I think thematically they're a blast.
To me it's an artillery team simulator right there.
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To me it's an artillery team simulator right there.