Karax by Zeratul67

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Karax

By: Zeratul67
Last Updated: Mar 10, 2017
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Karax

Master Phase-Smith

This concept of Karax was originally a builder hero who could create pylons and photon cannons. Since those tools are now part of Probius' kit, i changed it to be a defensive specialist and global support hero. My focus was to make him play very similar to his SC2 co-op commander feel. He is a strategic hero that does not always have to be part of a team fight. He can provide global support and be useful elsewhere. His new incarnation has more presence on his current location, and is a positioning based support/specialist hybrid, leaning towards any end depending on talents.

He has similarities with Abathur - a hero who's aiding others globally, Brightwing - split pushing and free to use healing over time. Part of his kit is to enhance allies with his aura, which can be augmented in different ways. Similar to both, he should be in lane as long as possible to maximize soaking, and use global presence to help early teamfights.

His Reconstruction Beam can also act as a free MULE, slowly repairing damage across the field when there's some free time when heroes need not be healed.

He can be drafted as a viable main healer, but the team needs to use strategies similar to working with Brightwing or Malfurion, plus he needs a few key talents, otherwise his healing is way too slow. He can specialize to support mages or basic attackers, as both benefit from his various chrono boost abilities.

The other reason to draft him is global wave clear on large maps and anti-objective defense. Even if specced to full specialist, his heals can complement a more bursty healer or allows compositions with no other healing, only damage prevention (Medivh, Tassadar, Zarya) to work.

Strengths:
- High burst damage that is globally deliverable
- Buffs allies passively in a versatile way
- Global presence both in healing and damage
- Good against objective pushes (boost & repair buildings)

Weaknesses:
- Weak healing over time numbers (can be mitigated by talents)
- Talent dependent for various roles
- No mobility or escapes, relies completely on Matrix Link for defense
- Squishy, easy to dive

Stats:
HP: 1500 (+4% per level)
Attack Visuals: he has two servitor drones (a Purifier and a Khalai) that shoot beams at his targets. The two beams shoot at the same time and count as one attack.
Attack Damage: 85 (+4% per level)
Attacks per Second: 1.25
Range: 5.5

Combat Trait

1
Chrono Field
Karax and generates a 6 range field that increases the attack speed and cooldown rate of heroes and structures nearby. Additionally, structures affected by the field also target Karax's auto-attack target (this should have a visual indicator that this is happening like a blue laser pointer)

The field does not affect Karax himself.

- +10% increased attack speed (Heroes only) or +50% increased attack speed (Structures only)
- +15% faster cooldowns (Heroes only) or +50% faster ammo generation (Structures only)

Primary Abilities

1
Matrix Link
Mana: 60
Cooldown: 10 s
Duration: 10 s
Cast Range: 8
Tether Range: 11 (if target moves out of this range, it breaks the tether)

Karax connects to an allied or enemy unit or structure, creating a visible tether link between the two.

The connected unit will project Karax's Chrono Field. The extra field behaves like Karax's, it does not affect the originator, only other allies of Karax around him. Karax can get bonuses from an target's field if he's in range.

Additionally, the tether itself damages enemies crossing it by 75 (+5% per level) damage per second, and slows their movement speed by 30% as long as they are touching the tether. If cast on an enemy, that enemy cannot be slowed or damaged by the tether.

Matrix Linked units will focus Karax's target, if it is in range for them.
2
Orbital Strike
Mana: 25 per charge
Cooldown: 12 s per charge
Charges: 3

After a 0.75 sec delay, a plasma bolt from the Spear of Adun strikes the targeted small area (~Lunar Flare), dealing 125 (+4% per level). Global Range, but can only target visible areas.
3
Reconstruction Beam
Passive:
Heals a friendly Hero or Structure for 25 (+4% per level) HP per second anywhere on the map. Can heal 2 targets at a time, but two beams cannot heal the same target.

The ability auto-targets, prioritizing Heroes with the lowest amount of health, then buildings with the lowest health.

Active:
Use this ability as an active to manually choose a target for one of the beams to focus. It will heal it to full, then return to auto-target mode.

Secondary Abilities

1
L16 Talent: Repair Drone
Cooldown: 30 s

Heal 500 (+4% per level) damage over 3 sec on a target Hero or Structure.
2
L20 Talent: Solar Lance
Cooldown: 30 s

Deals 220 (+4% per level) damage to enemies in a line. Deals double damage versus minions and mercs. Vector targeted, global range.

Heroic Abilities

1
Chrono Wave
Mana: 75
Cooldown: 100 s

All allied Heroes and Structures get the following benefits for 10 seconds:
- +25% increased movement (Heroes only)
- +30% increased attack speed (Heroes only) or +100% increased attack speed (Structures only)
- +40% faster cooldowns (Heroes only) or +100% faster ammo generation (Structures only)

Bonuses stack with Karax's trait.

Level 20:
Bonuses are doubled, but it now only lasts 5 seconds.
2
Khaydarin Monolith
Mana: 60
Cooldown: 120 s
Maximum No. of Buildings: 1

Summons a Khaydarin Monolith over 2 seconds that autonomously attacks foes. Lasts until destroyed, but a new cast will replace the older Monolith. Has 800 (+4% per level) HP, 220 (+4% per level) damage, attacks every 3 seconds, and charges up for 0.5 seconds. Has 14 range.

- Khaydarin Monolith targets the enemy that Karax targets with his auto attack, if in range.
- Karax's trait affects his monoliths' attack speed.

Level 20:
Damage is increased by 20%.
Can now build 2 Monoliths on the battlefield.

Talents

Level 1:
Theme: Multiclassing (Support, Anti-Pusher Specialist, Zoner Specialist)

- (E) Orbital Support: Reconstruction Beam healing increased by 30% on Heroes.
- (E) Advanced Repair Systems (!): Reconstruction Beam is 50% more effective on Structures that have been attacked in the last 5 seconds. Quest: heal Structures for 100 seconds. Reward: Reconstruction Beam gains an additional target.
- (Q) Power Conduit (!): Quest: hit enemies with your tether for 80 seconds. Reward: Tether slow is increased to 50%.

Level 4:
Theme: Multiclassing, part 2 (Global Lane Presence, Direct Support, Direct Lane Presence)

- (W) Solarite Ammunition: Orbital Strike deals 50% more damage against non-Heroic targets.
- (Q) Unity Barrier: Casting Matrix Link on an allied unit adds a 200 (+4% per level) HP shield to both Karax and the targeted ally that lasts until the tether lasts. The shield has double health on Buildings. Does not trigger on enemy targets.
- (Trait) Energizer: Chrono Field now also affects allied minions and mercenaries, increasing their attack speed by 35%. Additionally, the Chrono Field range is increased by 50%.

Level 7:
Theme: Combat Abilities

- (W) Phase Detonation: Orbital Strike now stuns non-Heroic targets or slows Heroic targets by 25% for 2.5 seconds.
- (W) Orbital Bombardment: Orbital Strike gains another charge. Cooldown per charge is reduced by 2 seconds.
- (Q) Purifier Protocol: Matrix Link Tether's damage now ramps up to double over 3 seconds. This bonus is lost if the target escapes the beam for any duration.

Level 13:
Theme: Matrix Link Tether / Chrono Field improvements

- (Q) Khalai Ingenuity: Matrix Link can now be cast for free for 3 seconds after casting it. The second link behaves identical to the first, but lasts only 8 seconds.
- (Q/Trait) Chrono Beam: Matrix Link Tether now increases an allies' movement speed by 30% for 2 seconds if they touch it. Additionally, Chrono Field Hero attack speed bonus is increased by +5%
- (Trait) Psionic Matrix: Chrono Field now also increases mana regeneration by 30%. Hero ability cooldown reduction is increased by +10%.

Level 16:
Theme: Healing / Repairing / Damage Mitigation

- (E) Emergency Procedure: targets below 25% health receive +25 armor when being healed by a Reconstruction Beam.
- (Q) Synergy Matrix: Matrix Link increases healing received by 30% on targeted allied Heroes or Structures.
- (Active) Repair Drone: Heal 500 (+4% per level) damage over 3 sec on a target Hero or Structure. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Level 20:
Theme: Ultimate

- (R1) Chrono Overload: bonuses are doubled, but it now only lasts 5 seconds.
- (R2) Twin Monoliths: damage increased by 20%. Can now build a maximum of 2 monoliths.
- (E) Orbital Repair Array: adds +1 target to Reconstruction Beam. Stacks with Advanced Repair System's quest reward.
- (Active) Solar Lance: a vector-targeted global ability that deals 220 (+4% per level) damage, double damage versus minions and mercs. Cooldown: 30 seconds.

Builds

Primary Healer: 1: Orbital Support - 4: Unity Barrier - 7: Phase Detonation - 10: Chrono Wave - 13: Khalai Ingenuity (if more targets need the shield) / Chrono Beam (to support diving/chasing) / Psionic Matrix (if there are lots of ability based allies) - 16 (Situational) - 20: Orbital Repair Array / Chrono Overload

This build maximizes healing potential. Lvl7 Phase detonation adds it a bit versatility when dealing with merc pushes, but it is primarily useful to a main healer for the peel potential. Level 13 is flexible, just as level 16 and 20.

Global Pusher: 1: Advanced Repair System - 4: Solarite Ammunition - 7: Orbital Bombardment - 10: Khaydarin Monolith - 13: Psionic Matrix - 16: (Situational) - 20: Solar Lance

With this build you could put pressure anywhere on the map. Advanced Repair System and Khaydarin Monolith are useful together for both defense and offense. Pick Psionic Matrix to Matrix Link a nearby Minion, Tower or Hero so you gain benefits from your own aura's CDR and can spam more Orbital Strikes.

Tether/Splitpusher: 1: Power Conduit - 4: Energizer - 7: Purifier Protocol - 10: Khaydarin Monolith - 13: Khalai Ingenuity - 16: (Situational) - 20: Twin Monoliths

This build will have two very strong tethers. Putting both of them on Archer Minions will clear the wave very fast, then the buffed minions will chew through the towers. This build also has nice anti-dive capabilities with the double tethers that slow by 50%, but has no support capability beyond a mild healing sustain until level 16.

Anti-Pusher: 1: Advanced Repair Systems - 4: Solarite Ammunition / Unity Barrier - 7: Orbital Bombardment (if Solarite Ammo is picked) / Phase Detonation (if not) - 10: Chrono Wave - 13: Khalai Ingenuity (if Unity Barrier is picked) / Any - 16: (situational) - 20: Orbital Repair Array / Chrono Overload

This is the best build for pure defense. Unity Barrier + Khalai Ingenuity is a good combo for putting two shields on buildings, otherwise Solarite Ammunition and Orbital Bombardment can work to quickly kill pushers or bosses. Your level 1 gimps you as main support if there's virtually any burst, but it is invaluable as a defense tool. If there's really not much burst, this build with the Unity Barrier as a pick can even act as a solo healer, but it is a greedy play.

For all builds, Level 16 talents:
- Emergency Procedure is excellent for high-risk heroes and sustained fights, and is also good for keeping buildings alive
- Synergy Matrix is preferable over EP if 1, Khalai Ingenuity is picked, 2, many heroes have self-healing or there are other healers. This is the only one that you cannot take advantage of to protect yourself.
- Repair Drone is needed when burst prevention is critical. This is also good to save yourself if you get caught

Changes

2017.02.09.
- Text fixes
- Nerfed Orbital Strike damage, but reduced cooldown. Related talent also reduces cooldown less
- Buffed Photon Cannon damage. Numbers based on Gazlowe Turret, Karax's turret is slightly more powerful
- Nerfed Khaydarin Monolith health, buffed damage
2017.03.10. (Probius patch update)
- Removed cannons, pylons and batteries, as they are now Probius' area of expertise
- Added new trait and Q
- Buffed Chrono Wave ultimate
- Nerfed Khaydarin Monolith attack speed, because it gets buffed by new trait greatly
- Remade a lot of talent tiers
- Added build list

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