Kel’Thuzad is the first character in Heroes of the Storm that has a base level talent quest

A few other characters are getting them too

Kel’Thuzad is making a splash in Heroes of the Storm with his own event and retinue of skins, but that’s not the most interesting thing about his release.

Blizzard has started to work in a trend of base level talent quests, where characters inherently start with a baked-in quest to complete — for Kel’Thuzad, that’s the “Master of the Cold Dark” quest, which enhances his power each time he hits with his Frost Nova or Chains of Kel’Thuzad abilities. Chromie and Jaina will be getting this same treatment as well.

While I haven’t tested him out yet, his kit seems like it fulfills the fantasy of the Warcraft III hero, and I love the colorful Lich design. Check out his full ability and talent list below.

Trait

• Master of the Cold Dark
  • Quest: Gain 1 Blight every time a Hero is Rooted by Frost Nova or hit by Chains of Kel’Thuzad.
  • Reward: After gaining 30 Blight, gain 75% Spell Power.
    • Blight: 0/30

Basic Abilities

• Death and Decay (Q)
  • After 0.5 seconds, launch an orb that explodes upon hitting an enemy, dealing 150 damage to enemies in the area. The explosion leaves behind a pool of decay that lasts 2 seconds, dealing 70 damage every 0.5 seconds to enemies.
    • Cost: 20
    • Cooldown: 6
    • Frost Nova (W)
      • Create a nova that explodes after 1 second, dealing 212 damage to enemies inside and Slowing them by 35% for 2.5 seconds. Enemies in the center are Rooted for 1 second.
        • Cost: 45
        • Cooldown: 10
        • Chains of Kel’Thuzad (E)
          • Launch a chain, dealing 97 damage to the first enemy Hero or Structure hit. For 4 seconds after hitting an enemy, Chains of Kel’Thuzad can be reactivated to launch to an additional enemy, pulling both enemies together and Stunning them for 0.5 seconds.
            • Cost: 45
            • Cooldown: 12

Heroic Abilities

• Frost Blast (R1)
  • Launch a meteor of ice at an enemy Hero. Upon impact, the meteor deals 100 damage to its target and 275 damage to enemies in the area. All enemies hit by Frozen Tomb are Rooted for 1.5 seconds.
    • Cost: 70
    • Cooldown: 100

• Shadow Fissure (R2)
  • Create a fissure anywhere on the Battleground that explodes after 1.5 seconds, dealing 440 damage to enemy Heroes in its area.
    • Cost: 50
    • Cooldown: 15

Talents

1

[Q] The Plaguelands

Increase Death and Decay’s duration by 1 second. After gaining 30 Blight, increase the radius of Death and Decay’s pool by 30%.

1

[W] Blighted Frost

Frost Nova deals 50% more damage to enemies in the center. After gaining 30 Blight, increase Frost Nova’s Root duration by 0.5 seconds.

1

[E] Barbed Chains

Increase Chains of Kel’Thuzad damage by 125%. After gaining 30 Blight, Chains of Kel’Thuzad reduces the Armor of pulled Heroes by 15 for 4 seconds.

4

[Active] Phylactery of Kel’Thuzad

Quest: Collect 10 Regen Globes to charge Kel’Thuzad’s Phylactery.

Reward: Kel’Thuzad’s Phylactery can be activated while dead to immediately respawn at the Hall of Storms, but must be charged again.

Passive: Kel’Thuzad heals for 10% of all Spell Damage dealt while the Phylactery is charged.

4

[E] Strip Shields

Pulling a Hero with Chains of Kel’Thuzad grans Kel’Thuzad a permanent 112 Shield, stacking up to 2 times. Additionally, Chains of Kel’Thuzad deals up to 270 bonus damage to Shields.

4

[Active] Armor of the Archlich

Activate to gain 50 Physical Armor for 4 seconds. Upon activation, nearby enemies take 45 damage and are Slowed by 35% for 4 seconds.

7

[Passive] Chilling Touch

Every 8 seconds, Kel’Thuzad’s next Basic Attack hits nearby enemies, deals Spell damage instead of Physical, and Slows by 30% for 2 seconds.

7

[Q] Accelerated Decay

Each time a Hero is hit by Death and Decay’s pool, they take 20% more periodic damage from Death and Decay for the next 4 seconds, stacking up to 6 times.

7

[Active] Glacial Spike

Activate to create a spike that detonates after 4 seconds, dealing 220 damage to nearby enemies. The spike can be affected by Chains of Kel’Thuzad.

10

[R1] Frost Blast

Launch a meteor of ice at an enemy Hero. Upon impact, the meteor deals 100 damage to its target and 257 damage to enemies in the area. All enemies hit by Frozen Tomb are Rooted for 1.5 seconds.

10

[R2] Shadow Fissure

Create a fissure anywhere on the Battleground that explodes after 1.5 seconds, dealing 440 damage to enemy Heroes in its area.

13

[W] Icy Grasp

Increase Frost Nova’s Slow duration by 1.5 seconds.

13

[E] Chains of Ice

After Chains of Kel’Thuzad’s Stun expires, targets are Slowed by 70% for 1.25 seconds.

13

[E] Chain-Link

Pulling two Heroes together with Chains of Kel’Thuzad reduces its cooldown by 4 seconds.

16

[Passive] Power of Icecrown

Stunning, Rooting, or Slowing a Hero grants 6% Spell Power for 10 seconds, stacking up to 5 times.

16

[W] Hungering Cold

Enemies Rooted by Frost Nova take an additional 60 damage each time they are damaged by Kel’Thuzad during the next 4 seconds.

16

[Q] Arcane Echoes

Whenver Kel’Thuzad hits an enemy Hero with Death and Decay’s explosion, its cooldown is reduced by 1.25 seconds.

20

[R1] Deathchill

When Frost Blast’s Root expires, enemies are Slowed by 40% for 3 seconds. Heroes killed while under the effects of Frost Blast instantly release another Frost Blast explosion.

20

[R2] Might of the Scourge

Hitting an enemy Hero with Shadow Fissure resets its cooldown.

20

[Active] Shifting Malice

Activate to dash forward, dealing 150 damage to enemies in the path. Takedowns reset the cooldown of Shifting Malice.

20

[Active] The Damned Return

Activate to create a Shade of Naxxramas that lasts 15 seconds and mimics Kel’Thuzad’s casts of Death and Decay.