After a series of optimizations, Zhask was a bit too strong. We will slightly weaken his early-game power while simplifying the attribute inheritance rules of Nightmaric Spawn and optimizing the skill description.
Skill 1 - Nightmaric Spawn
Nightmaric Spawn Base Damage: 60 >> 55Nightmaric Spawn's HP and Hybrid Defense Inherited: 70%-100% >> 55%-100%Nightmaric Spawn's Magic Power Inherited: 50%-80% >> 55%-100% (removed Extra Magic Power).
Ultimate - Dominator's Descent
Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn's Magic Power Inherited: 90% >> 100% (removed Extra Magic Power).
Attributes
Attack Speed Growth: 1% → 0
Attack Speed Inherited by Nightmaric Spawn: 70% → 100%
Skill 1 - Nightmaric Spawn
New Effect: Every 596 extra Attack Speed will increase the damage by 1 (the same as Magic Power scaling).
Nightmaric Spawn's Extra Magic Power: 20-50 → 15-30
Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn Damage: 200% → 180%
Fixed an issue where the Nightmaric Spawn would not follow Zhask's attack when selecting a target to attack.
The disable duration of Skill after the enhanced Nightmaric Spawn dies or disappears: 3.5s → 2s
Ultimate - Dominator's Descent
Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn's Extra Magic Power: 50-100 → 40-80
Fixed an issue where the Ultimate would be briefly disabled after the Nightmaric Spawn died or disappeared.
We increased the stability of Nightmaric Spawn (including damage and control) and released Zhask from Inspire, allowing him to use other Battle Spells. Also, we have optimized the casting requirements for his Ultimate so that it is no longer limited by the position of his Skill 1. Of course, after adjusting several aspects of Zhask's experience, we nerfed the damage of his Skill 3 to keep him balanced.
Skill 1- Nightmaric Spawn
Removed the first two Basic Attacks. Nightmaric Spawn will now continuously release Death Rays (considered as Basic Attacks, damage frequency no longer affected by Attack Speed). Also optimized the speed at which Death Rays change targets to attack.
Death Rays Damage: 90 +15% Magic Power → 60 +20% Magic Power (damage dealt is consistent)
Death Rays Slow Effect: up to 60% (takes effect after 2 Basic Attacks) → up to 30% (takes effect immediately)
Mana Cost: 100-160 → 60-90
Skill 2- Mind Eater
Skill Revamp: After Zhask deals damage to enemies in the specified direction, the Nightmaric Spawn will sequentially attack (counts as Basic Attack) and stun enemy heroes hit by him.
Reduced the foreswing time by 40%.
Skill 3- Hive Clones
Enhanced Skill Damage Increase: 110-200 +35% Magic Power → 55-100 +18% Magic Power
Ultimate- Dominator's Descent
Enhance Nightmaric Spawn on the spot → Select an area to summon the enhanced Nightmaric Spawn
Extra HP of Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn: 1000-3000 → 750-2500
Extra Hybrid Defense of Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn: 0 → 20-40
Mana Cost: 200-400 → 100-200
Zhask should benefit greatly from the new equipment, as a Mage that relies on summoned unit's and their Basic Attacks, so we're adjusting him in other areas to balance.
Passive - Decimation
Fixed an issue where Nightmaric Spawn couldn't trigger attack effects.
Skill 1 - Nightmaric Spawn
Nightmaric Spawn's death ray now counts as a Basic Attack and gains 15% Attack Effect per hit. (Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn gains 30% Attack Effect per hit.)
Cooldown: 11-8s → 13-10s
Death Ray Bonus: 20% Total Magic Power → 15% Total Magic Power
Death Ray's Max Slow Effect: 75% → 60%
Slightly reduced Death Ray's damage growth and Attack Speed.
By lowering the cooldown of his Skill 1, we have made Zhask a more potent roamer in the early-mid game. We have optimized the chance to hit and lowered the total damage on his Skill 3 to make it more in line with its intention as a crowd control skill.
Skill 1 - Nightmaric Spawn
Cooldown: 16-13s → 11-8s;
Cooldowns are no longer refunded when Nightmaric Spawn is killed.
Skill 3 - Hive Clones
Cast Time: 0.4s → 0.2s
Spread: 5 Nightmeric Clones across 1 row → 6 Nightmeric Clones across 2 rows
Magic Power Bonus: 50% → 35%
Multiple Bullet Decay Ratio: 100%/85%/70%/55%/20% for all subsequent bullets → 100%/80%/60%/40%/20% for all subsequent bullets.
Other
Fixed an issue where mana cost was higher even when not enhanced.
We're granting Zhask a new Passive and increasing his sustainability when his Ultimate is active.
Passive - Decimation
Revamped Effect: Upon death, Zhask summons a frenzied Nightmaric Spawn on the spot, which loses HP over time until death.
Fixed an issue where the Nightmaric Spawn wouldn't attack enemy heroes in certain cases.
Optimized the targeting of Mind Eater cast by the Nightmaric Spawn.
Ultimate - Dominator's Descent
New Effect: The Nightmaric Spawn recovers HP based on the damage dealt by its Basic Attacks for the skill duration.
Enhanced Nightmaric Spawn's HP slightly reduced.
Ultimate - Dominator's Descent
Increased HP after enhancing Nightmaric Spawn: 500-2500 → 1000-3000
More heroes in the Land of Dawn now master the skill of summoning. As a result, Zhask's power sources are no longer as plentiful as before.
Skill 3 - Hive Clones
Damage after the fifth swarm of Nightmaric Clone decays.
Ultimate - Dominator's Descent
Slightly reduced Basic Attacks' Base Damage after Nightmaric Spawn is enhanced.
Greatly increased Nightmaric Spawn's Base HP after it is enhanced.
Other
Fixed an issue where, in some situations, Nightmaric Spawn's HP would be reset to full after it is enhanced.
Others
No Adjustment -> Damage Taken+8%
'Other
Fixed the issue where the enhanced Nightmaric Spawn doesn't lose HP when being attacked by creeps.
Skill 2 - Mind Eater
Basic Damage decreased from 360-570 to 300-540.
Fusion Enhanced damage adjusted accordingly.
Skill 3 - Hive Clones
Basic Damage adjusted from 140-200 to 110-200.
Others
Optimized the display effects of his skills