Dear DrmDestryr,
Battlefield of Eternity is soon to be released. What do you think about it?
-ClarkF34
Dear ClarkF34,
Battlefield of Eternity has been a concept map since at least BlizzCon 2013, so it's definitely exciting to see it finally realized. Like Haunted Mines, it's a two lane battle royale where the objective yet again has teams clashing in the center, though this time not underground. The map is also much larger, sizing in at around Dragon Shire. Though concept art shows it to be originally a three lane, it's nice to see another two lane, however I'm sure many will despise this map as much as they do Mines.
The Rundown
On this two lane map, there are four merc camps - top, bottom, east and west. There is also a new merc type - the Fallen Shaman with the ability to resurrect the hounds it pushes with. For those that play Diablo, you'll quickly pick up on the tactic that the shaman needs to fall first if you hope to stop the hounds.
In the center fight the immortals, one for each side. According the Blizzard, these immortals will spawn randomly within two of the four spawning areas center. They also promised complete randomization with Sky Temple, but we all know how that turned out for the first two shrines, so we'll see how well this promise sticks.
Your ultimate goal is to help your immortal take down the enemy team's immortal first so you can have a boss pushing the strongest opponent lane, dealing about as much damage as a Spider Queen.
Expect Team Fights
Like Haunted Mines, you have to assume the entire map revolves around team engagements. There may be a split in the beginning, but this will quickly devolve once the immortals spawn.
Plan the Merc Grabs
Also like Haunted Mines, don't just go grabbing mercs when you feel like it. Wait until right before the immortals spawn to split enemy team focus. The easier you make it for your team to kill an immortal, the better off you'll be.
Defense is Important
Unlike other maps, defending your immortal will become an integral part of gameplay. This is because the winning immortal doesn't go back to full health. Instead, it gains a shield proportionate to the health it had left. The higher the health, the more potential damage it can do before ultimately being defeated.
-DrmDestryr
Dear DrmDestryr,
You getting The Butcher when he releases? How do you get ready for him?
-KaLiMa
Dear KaLiMa,
It's a tough choice. While I feel like I've been waiting years for him to release, I also prefer letting the hype die down. That being said, I'm stoked to finally have another melee assassin that will totally be able to pseudo-tank. It's my dream come true, really. Also, I may or may not have both of his weapons in Diablo, and I may or may not equip his cleaver because it plays sounds of him screaming when I use it.
Practice Your Stacks
Like Diablo and Valla, the Butcher's strength will rely heavily on how many stacks of his trait he can get. In his case, Fresh Meat. The more you kill, the more you get with a max stack of 25, all lost on death. This means the secret to his success is staying alive.
Assuming you know how to live, start picking up one or two Heroes that rely on stacks to make them formidable. And it doesn’t have to be Valla or Diablo. Talents like Seasoned Marksman and Conjurer’s Pursuit are ideal for practicing since they are with you from level 1, just like The Butcher’s trait will be.
Play Thrall
The closest Hero you’re going to get to how The Butcher will play is Thrall. They have movement impairment (Hamstring/Feral Spirit), abilities that heal (Butcher’s Brand/Frostwolf Resilience) and the power to rush toward an enemy (Ruthless Onslaught/Windfury). It, of course, won’t be a one to one, but Thrall and The Butcher rely on heals to make them formidable enough to remain in fights for longer and hunt down escaping Heroes.
In addition, both share very similar talents, including Block and Spell Shield, two choices imperative for lasting long enough to get your heals off during engagements. If you know how to build Thrall, you’ll know how to build The Butcher.
Choose Lamb to the Slaughter
This is clearly the best heroic.
-DrmDestryr
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