This idea is slightly harder to grasp considering the nature of the hero. But if you are willing to bother reading it, I think you can consider that this Innkeeper idea is an idea that can actually work.
The Innkeeper is a stationary hero similar to Abathur. The Innkeepers mechanics is centered to it's special ability: Hearthfire.
Hearthfire dictates the heroes summon limit, mana regenation time, mana amount, and the draw ratio of specific cards. Hearthfire is an active special ability unpacks the Innkeepers pack and creates a campfire, set up his board and fill up his brew. Once the Innkeeper is camped he cannot mount or hearthstone. The Innkeeper can still pack up and switch locations but he has to use his Z or mount ability which has become "Pack up" in Hearthfire mode, also the hearthstone ability has the description "This is now your home.". By default the Innkeeper does not have abilities other than Hearthfire, but using Hearthfire unlocks new abilities.
Upon entering Hearthfire mode the Hearthfire ability becomes "Draw" and the Innkeeper is given 4 random summoning abilities which are cards. Each cards require a specific mana amount to summon. Upon using a card you have an empty ability slot that can be replaced by using the ability draw. Draw has a cooldown of 15 seconds.
The Innkeeper has a default mana limit of 100, that by default only regenerates every 50 seconds. This requires the Innkeeper to make compelling decisions with which cards he summons.
The Innkeepers Herioc Abilities are the Ability to summon stronger cards or Increase mana amount by 60. The Innkeepers talents will be around increasing the % of draw chance for the Players preferred cards, draw cooldown, mana replenishment time, as well as buffs to specific cards.
My personal choice of cards are:
- Frothing Berserker: Damage increases with fallen friendly minions or heroes. 40 mana
- Raid Leader: Increases damage of friendly minions or heroes. 35 mana
- Silverback Patriarch: Taunts Enemy minions. 35 Mana
- Argent Protector: Can give minions and heroes divine shield. 45 mana
- Big game hunter: Deals high damage to minions from bruiser camps, siege camps, and bosses. 40 mana
- Young Adventurer: Low health but resets Draw cooldown. 15 Mana
- Acidic Swamp Ooze: Slows targets attack speed and run speed. 25 mana
- Young Dragonhawk: Can travel across the map fast and has a relatively fast attack speed. 15 mana
- Oasis Snapjaw: High health. 30 mana
Herioc Cards:
- Stormwind Champion: Increase the health and attack of nearby heroes and minions. Has a high health-pool and attack-base.
- 65 mana
- Stranglethorn Tiger: High health-pool and attack-base. Initially in stealth until it has attacked an enemy hero.
- 65 mana
- Gurubashi Berserker: High health-pool and attack-base unit that gets stronger the more damage it takes.
- 50 mana
- Foe-Reaper 4000: High health-pool and attack-base unit with aoe damage. Specially effective at clearing out lanes.
- 75 mana
There are rules to these summoned mechanics designed to make these unit dynamic but at the same time limits them to make the player make compelling choices.
The player cannot micro manage these units like you would the the lost vikings. When summoning the units the player is allowed to give them one order. These orders are to either go a specific lane, go to an objective, or a bruiser/seige/or boss camp, or bush. Once an objective is no longer active in a map or once a camp has been defeated, the unit will move forward in the closest lane. A unit in a bush will only attack heroes or camp minions. A unit will attack follow heroes outside of lanes until it is dead or the enemy hero is dead, in which it proceeds to go to the closest lane and keep moving forward. The same logic goes for camp minions.There is a limit of 6 active summons at the moment. If 6 minions are active and mana has replenished the player is given an ability to buff a single summoned unit. This ability to give buff will stack up to three aslong as there are 6 summoned units alive everytime the innkeeper replenishes. The health and attack of summoned units also increases every time the hero levels. Also to show mana replenishment the Innkeeper will drink ale and a sound effect will play to remind the player that the Innkeeper has replenished his mana.This animation will also be shown in the hero portrait at the side. In the case of the Innkeeper being defeated, the summoned units will persist. Since the Innkeeper is not always at the battle field, the Innkeepers summoned units will provide xp higher than regular minions.
To be effective at playing the Innkeeper you have to make good strategic decisions by having map awareness and taking a risk with trying to counter what your opponent might be planning.
To help neutralize an Innkeeper, you have to make sure to eliminate the innkeepers units before they begin to stack up against you.
Official Forum post here: http://us.battle.net/heroes/en/forum.../20043674468#1