It’s great that we have notable warcraft characters such as Arthas, Jaina, Illidan, Muradin, and Kel’thuzad but we’re missing one of the most notable warcraft 3 characters, Mal’Ganis! His moveset, quotes, voice, and animations should definitely have inspiration from the warcraft 3 Dreadlord hero.
Melee Assassin - Mal’Ganis
Health - Around Thrall
Hitbox - Medium
Attack Speed - Medium
Attack Damage - Starts at 175, around 400 at level 20
Trait - Fel Claws
Quest - Hit heroes with basic attacks.
Reward - Upon hitting 30 heroes with basic attacks, Mal’Ganis’ auto attacks
cleave in a radius around his enemy.
Reward - Upon hitting 60 heroes with basic attacks, Mal’Ganis gains 30% attack speed.
Q - Carrion Cloud
After 0.5 seconds, hoot out a cloud of carrion bats that deal medium damage to enemies. If it hits an enemy hero, slow them by 20% and blind them for 2 seconds. This move passes through all enemies. (Skillshot) (Medium Range). - 8 second cooldown.
W - Sleep
Put an enemy at range to sleep for 4.5 seconds. (Point and click) (Small Range) - 12 Second Cooldown
E - Vampiric Strikes
Activate Vampiric Strikes for 4 seconds. During this duration, Mal’Ganis’ basic attacks against heroes heal him for 2% of his health, and he gains 20% movement speed. - 10 second cooldown
Heroic 1 - Call Infernal
Select an area. After 1 second, deal medium area damage and summon a large Infernal with a large amount of health that lasts 15 seconds. The Infernal also burns enemies around his for a small amount per 0.5 seconds. Reactivate this ability to order the Infernal around. - 80 second cooldown (after the infernal dies)
Heroic 2 - Might of the Nathrezim
Activate to sweep the area in front of Mal’Ganis instantly, dealing half of your attack damage and applying basic-attack effects to all enemy heroes. (Medium-Short cone ability) - 2.5 second cooldown.
Talents
Mal’Ganis can be offered many talents that cause his abilities to slow enemies, or talents that can offer him increased attack speed or lifesteal or attack damage. For example, his first talent options are 3 different quests and improve his trait.
Level 1 Talent
1. ‘I Hunger’ - Fel Claws
Quest - Hit heroes with basic attacks.
After hitting 30 heroes with basic attacks, Mal’Ganis’ basic attacks against heroes heal him for 0.5% of his health.
2. ‘Weak Mortals’ - Fel Claws
Quest - Hit heroes with basic attacks.
After hitting 30 heroes with basic attacks, Mal’Ganis’ basic attacks against heroes slow them for 10%, stacking to 30%, and lasts 1 second.
3. ‘Wrathful Poison’ - Fel Claws
Quest - Hit heroes with basic attacks.
After hitting 30 heroes with basic attacks, Mal’Ganis’ auto attacks deal a small amount of poison damage over 3 seconds to any enemy hit.
See his late-game power-spike here. ‘Legion General’ turns his Infernal into an incredibly powerful split-pushing option, or a longer threat in a teamfight. Might of the Nathrezim gains increased pressure. His basic attacks can now make him more utility-based by reducing his cooldowns, or you can honour the basic attack route and increase your attack speed greatly.
Level 20 Talent
1. ‘Legion General’ - Call Infernal
Call Infernal now lasts twice as long, and heals for 3% of its total health every time a minion dies around it, 5% if a turret dies around it, or 10% if a keep dies around it.
2. ‘Lay Destruction’ - Might of the Nathrezim
Decrease Might of the Nathrezim’s cooldown to 1 second, and increase its radius by 50%.
3. Void Rip
Mal’Ganis’ auto attacks against heroes reduce his basic abilities cooldowns by 1 second.
4. Unholy Berserk
Mal’Ganis’ gains 30% additional attack speed.
Summary
Mal’Ganis strongly depends on basic attacks in a matter much like illidan, but offers utility outside of this. Instead of the offset of illidan being nimble and very mobile and outplay-dependent, Mal’Ganis makes up for his basic attack dependency by being a (more bulky) strong split pusher or teamfight turner with Call Infernal. If a talent route is taken where Mal’Ganis can shine with basic attacks, Call of the Nathrezim will complement his talent choices that improve his basic attacks.
With Carrion Cloud and Sleep, Mal’Ganis is an excellent ganker or initiator for teamfights.
Vampiric Strikes is a self-sustain ability, and enables Mal’Ganis to potentially be a strong solo-laner.
Of course, being bulky and not having much mobility outside of movement speed, Mal’Ganis suffers from stuns and blinds, and relies on his team to allow him to be an insane threat on the front line. He has many talent possibilities that buff him and enable him to tackle different scenarios.
Let me know what you think, and any changes you might suggest! I think Mal’Ganis, implemented in a way similar to this, would be a fantastic warcraft rep. I know you’ll read this blizzard!