THE INNKEEPER: Minion Summoner Specialist Idea

[Philosopino]

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

[De Lupe]

You get an A for creativity, and I like the idea of the Innkeeper getting to join in the fun, but...

An idea like this needs to be simplified to make it really work. On top of that, we already have two minion summon playstyles with Azmo and Zag.

If I may offer some possible ideas off the top of my head: (Big Note: all of these ideas are strictly a once-over and are not to be any sort of final.)




Let's start by making him a melee support. I think Rehgar is the only other one in the game, so it would be a bit different in that regard. He melee attacks using a lute. Also, when you /dance with him, he plays the Hearthstone theme on his lute.

Trait - Secret Card - Must activate to build charges. Can only have one charge by default, but can talent a second. Fifteen second CD. Inn plays a secret card that orbits and protects him. The first time he takes damage, the secret activates. For the first three seconds after a secret is activated, all damage is absorbed by a summoned minion. Once a secret is activated, it is consumed and cannot be restacked for fifteen seconds. The visuals for the card will be a small yellow paladin with a shield (Noble Sacrifice), a small green bear (Bear Trap), or a small purple copy of Inn (Mirror Image.) The visuals are purely cosmetic, they do the exact same thing.

(So it goes like this, you activate a stack that stays with you until it's triggered. Once triggered, you get three seconds of damage immunity; not CC, just damage. He has a smaller health pool as a means of compensating for immunity; makes him easy to burst without that immunity. Then the immunity wears off and you have to avoid being killed for fifteen seconds while your stack comes off CD. If you talent into the second stack, you can stack it fifteen seconds after the first without waiting for the first to be used. The first one would be triggered, three seconds of immunity, first stack goes on CD, then the second one would trigger, immunity, second stack CD, still has nine seconds of vulnerability. Numbers can obviously be adjusted.)

Q - Spell Card - Inn plays a spell card that deals X amount of damage at range. The visuals of the spell will change to reflect one of the offensive spells in HS (fireball, sinister strike, bouncing blade, etc. basically one offensive spell from each class), but the effect will always be the same; damaging an enemy for the same amount. The visuals are purely cosmetic flavor like his trait.

W - Lute Strumming - channeled until cancelled - All allies in an area receive a bonus to their health regeneration. While LS is channeling, Inn can't move. He must cancel it to move again and it goes on CD once he does. Not a direct heal, just helping by significantly speeding up their own passive healing.

E - Mana Crystal - Inn sacrifices X% of his own mana to create a mana crystal on the ground that a friendly hero can pick up to restore 2X% of their own mana. Cannot be picked up by heroes without mana. If the crystal isn't picked up for 15 seconds, the mana is refunded to Inn. This is the only ability that Inn has that uses his mana. Outside of Malfurion, their aren't any heroes who interact with each others mana, so a I figured it'd be a nice little niche spell.

Heroic 1 - Legendary Card: Alexstraza - Frontal cone. Heals all allies for 15% of their maximum health and damages enemies for 15% of theirs. 20 Upgrade - Increase the cone size and the percentage to 25%.

Heroic 2 - Tavern Brawl - All enemies are pulled into a brawl (cartoon fighting cloud.) They take X damage during the fight then they are violently expelled from the fight after 3 seconds and stunned for 1 after exiting. All enemy mercs and minions caught in the fight are killed when the fight ends except one (chosen at random.) 20 Upgrade - The fight last one second longer for each enemy hero caught in the brawl. They are also expelled one at a time in the order they entered instead of all at once.


Overall, I think he would play the role of a support character well. But I welcome any attempt to add him to the game.

All ideas are non-final and up for adjustments.

[Deleted]

Let's start by making him a melee support. I think Rehgar is the only other one in the game, so it would be a bit different in that regard.

Uther cries every time this phrase is uttered.

Other than that it's a sound concept, however I personally prefer the op's iteration of him. Another Abathur-style champion is sorely needed, with a much more different mechanic than Abathur, but still avoiding combat.
It's not that I don't welcome him being put in in pretty much any way, it's just the idea of someone who focuses entirely on their summons (Kind of like Locust Abathur but without the requirement to also hat / monstrosity) and the manipulation of the battlefield, rather than direct combat, or poke/siege (Like Azmodan and Zagara), would be a great niche.

[Post]

Other than that it's a sound concept, however I personally prefer the op's iteration of him.

Same, I like the idea of heroes that contribute without actually being in the fight with their character.

[Frozen Death Knight]

I like the idea of the Innkeeper being a summoner. A few ideas I have in regards to his Heroic ultimates would be:

1) Card Shuffler: Shuffle your deck. Your targeted ally will get their next Q, W, E, ability cooldown reset immeditately after use. Short cooldown. (Either use it on yourself to create more summons or stack a CD on an ally to increase their effectiveness)

2) Mind Reader: Copy the ultimate from a targeted enemy or ally onto a card. The card will expire after use. Long cooldown. (The idea is to be able to have more than one ultimate of something to create synergies.)

Lvl 20 talent could make this ultimate have a global range, if the Innkeeper turns out to be a character that stays in the base mostly.

[De Lupe]

Uther cries every time this phrase is uttered.

Other than that it's a sound concept, however I personally prefer the op's iteration of him. Another Abathur-style champion is sorely needed, with a much more different mechanic than Abathur, but still avoiding combat.
It's not that I don't welcome him being put in in pretty much any way, it's just the idea of someone who focuses entirely on their summons (Kind of like Locust Abathur but without the requirement to also hat / monstrosity) and the manipulation of the battlefield, rather than direct combat, or poke/siege (Like Azmodan and Zagara), would be a great niche.

I keep forgetting Uther exists. He's so boring.


Anyways, no worries. I liked the OPs too, but was worried that another summon spammer would cause some problems for some people.

Then I was inspired by his post to create the other one and it sorta ran away on it's own.

Hehe. Didn't mean to take over the topic. Sorry.

[Tirilka]

These things work in Hearthstone because it's a game even inside the world of Warcraft. But in HotS - no, that doesn't make any sense. Who the hell plays cards in the middle of a combat?
Why would playing cards summon creatures? Is he a powerful warlock on par with Guldan? No, he's a simple innkeeper.
There are some loose spells in that regard in the game, but this is just another level.

[Philosopino]

You get an A for creativity, and I like the idea of the Innkeeper getting to join in the fun, but...

An idea like this needs to be simplified to make it really work. On top of that, we already have two minion summon playstyles with Azmo and Zag.

If I may offer some possible ideas off the top of my head: (Big Note: all of these ideas are strictly a once-over and are not to be any sort of final.)




Let's start by making him a melee support. I think Rehgar is the only other one in the game, so it would be a bit different in that regard. He melee attacks using a lute. Also, when you /dance with him, he plays the Hearthstone theme on his lute.

I feel like not all hero concepts are simple. They are simple in the way that they are functional and balanced, and not conflicted. I believe the mechanics in this idea has enough synchrony and enough distinction to provide a new artistic experience to the game. While Azmo and Zag has the ability to summon minions, and even Arthas and Anu'barak as a form of defense or additional damage, they do not have the same role as a Lane minion general who turns the tide of the battle by relying on his champions and the team's army, which is something that hasn't been done before because lane minions are generally backdrop in a dota map. This is a different idea but I also accept other peoples ideas, and would want to hear more different takes for the Innkeeper or other heroes.

I am just not sure if a meelee support captures the fantasy of the Innkeeper or Hearthstone. The Innkeeper is not really known for being a fighter, and he is more well known for playing with cards than playing the lute. Also I don't know how he would play cards while carrying the lute, and your secret idea seems to have the fantasy of him knowing magic rather than relying on cards.

Summoning minions from a card can be a bit of a stretch, but we can just say it is the magic of the nexus that gave him a special board that actually make them live. It is not exactly like hearthstone but I feel like it does capture the spirit of hearthstone in a way enough that adds a new experience to heroes of the storm.

- - - Updated - - -

These things work in Hearthstone because it's a game even inside the world of Warcraft. But in HotS - no, that doesn't make any sense. Who the hell plays cards in the middle of a combat?
Why would playing cards summon creatures? Is he a powerful warlock on par with Guldan? No, he's a simple innkeeper.
There are some loose spells in that regard in the game, but this is just another level.

He doesnt summon cards while fighting in my idea. He sits somewhere in the map and plays his cards. I wouldn't say he is an expert demon summoner like Guldan but what we could say is the Nexus has recognized The Innkeepers bond and knowledge of his soldiers even if they are just cards and believe the Innkeeper has what it takes to turn the tides of battle with his skills, so the Nexus grants him the power to summon his cards for real.

[De Lupe]

I feel like not all hero concepts are simple. They are simple in the way that they are functional and balanced, and not conflicted. I believe the mechanics in this idea has enough synchrony and enough distinction to provide a new artistic experience to the game. While Azmo and Zag has the ability to summon minions, and even Arthas and Anu'barak as a form of defense or additional damage, they do not have the same role as a Lane minion general who turns the tide of the battle by relying on his champions and the team's army, which is something that hasn't been done before because lane minions are generally backdrop in a dota map. This is a different idea but I also accept other peoples ideas, and would want to hear more different takes for the Innkeeper or other heroes.

I am just not sure if a meelee support captures the fantasy of the Innkeeper or Hearthstone. The Innkeeper is not really known for being a fighter, and he is more well known for playing with cards than playing the lute. Also I don't know how he would play cards while carrying the lute, and your secret idea seems to have the fantasy of him knowing magic rather than relying on cards.

Summoning minions from a card can be a bit of a stretch, but we can just say it is the magic of the nexus that gave him a special board that actually make them live. It is not exactly like hearthstone but I feel like it does capture the spirit of hearthstone in a way enough that adds a new experience to heroes of the storm.

No worries. As I said, I do like your idea, a lot. But was worried he'd be overshadowed by the already established minion spawn heroes. I would love to see him join the Nexus, then ALL of Blizzards titles would get featured there.

[Jester Joe]

His name is actually Harth Stonebrew, but wow that is really thought out OP, and the second post too. But I must say, I do enjoy the OP's version more, I don't think there's much of an issue for the whole "summon minions" niche though, since there is only like, 3 heroes (Aba, Az, and Zag) that do.

[Philosopino]

I keep forgetting Uther exists. He's so boring.


Anyways, no worries. I liked the OPs too, but was worried that another summon spammer would cause some problems for some people.

Then I was inspired by his post to create the other one and it sorta ran away on it's own.

Hehe. Didn't mean to take over the topic. Sorry.

I like your idea though. I specially like tavern brawl and the lute abilities, that definitely seem like a fun hero I'd play. I just feel like that would fit better without having to mix it with card playing. Idk I think its a good idea, but idk I feel like maybe a you can fit in 2 or 3 abilities that might fit better than the hearthstone abilities.

Hm.. Maybe a brewfest hero :/?

Maybe coren direbrew dropping a keg somewhere while 3 revellers follow him around, the lute and the singing buffs the revellers and the revellers drag enemy heroes into a brawl.

Also I forgot to say something with the whole simple concepts thing. Its simple that its balance but could also be more abstract etc.. Like heroes that have higher diffulculty like Illidan. Like the concept may be harder to get but it should work once you know what to do.

[Howard Moon]

I really like the idea, OP.

It would be cool if one of the "special orders" that you can give your summons were to target an enemy hero, or to target a specific pont in the map and attack anything that moves in that area. Otherwise the Innkeeper seems too siege-sided and would be a disadvantage to his team during team fights.

[InDecisive]

Interesting idea. What comes straight to mind for me when you talk about an Innkeeper hero is to have him just be a hero that sits in the base and summons a large number of weak minions, with it basically having RTS gameplay. Have little to no economy stuff involved, but just have him able to summon a number of minions, with there being various ones with various abilities to choose between, that add up to an army with strength roughly equal to a normal hero.

[Philosopino]

Interesting idea. What comes straight to mind for me when you talk about an Innkeeper hero is to have him just be a hero that sits in the base and summons a large number of weak minions, with it basically having RTS gameplay. Have little to no economy stuff involved, but just have him able to summon a number of minions, with there being various ones with various abilities to choose between, that add up to an army with strength roughly equal to a normal hero.

Precisely

[Mormolyce]

I 100% support more batshit crazy specialist heroes.

P.S. There totally needs to be a Dr Boom hero :P

[Nikkaszal]

Okay, this has the same problem as Overmind hero concepts whenever they pop up:

Where are his minions summoned? The only reason Abathur works is because he can be ANYWHERE on the map with his Symbiote, but otherwise he must be close to the frontlines in sneaky spots in order to get locusts going. The Innkeeper just... plops down, has a little minigame and then starts summoning minions? Tell me, how are you going to teamfight with that? Like, at all? Give your minions the one basic order to attack someone then hope for the best? If the minions are summoned close to the Innkeeper then in order to fight with his team and be totally exposed on a level even worse than Abathur.

Now, if they are summoned at long range...

You get the same problem as Overmind concepts - ZERO HERO RISK. A hero that literally just sits in base forever is a giant no-no as there is zero risk in play. As above, even Abathur can't do this - he needs to be out and about dropping nests, getting his locusts closer, as an Abathur is spawn is literally doing jack shit. You cannot ever have a hero that is never really in danger of being killed.

Its an interesting idea with the draw mechanic. But it won't work.

[Mormolyce]

Presumably you'd give his heroes limited duration like Aba's locusts.

[Philosopino]

I 100% support more batshit crazy specialist heroes.

P.S. There totally needs to be a Dr Boom hero :P

Haha . I think doctor boom could work as its own hero without having to be a summoned card.

- - - Updated - - -

Okay, this has the same problem as Overmind hero concepts whenever they pop up:

Where are his minions summoned? The only reason Abathur works is because he can be ANYWHERE on the map with his Symbiote, but otherwise he must be close to the frontlines in sneaky spots in order to get locusts going. The Innkeeper just... plops down, has a little minigame and then starts summoning minions? Tell me, how are you going to teamfight with that? Like, at all? Give your minions the one basic order to attack someone then hope for the best? If the minions are summoned close to the Innkeeper then in order to fight with his team and be totally exposed on a level even worse than Abathur.

Now, if they are summoned at long range...

You get the same problem as Overmind concepts - ZERO HERO RISK. A hero that literally just sits in base forever is a giant no-no as there is zero risk in play. As above, even Abathur can't do this - he needs to be out and about dropping nests, getting his locusts closer, as an Abathur is spawn is literally doing jack shit. You cannot ever have a hero that is never really in danger of being killed.

Its an interesting idea with the draw mechanic. But it won't work.

The minions are summoned where Harth Stonebrew (The Innkeepers name, thanks Jester Joe ). When using an ability the player has to click an objective or a lane and the minion is summoned right in front of Harth but the minion will go to the objective.

Even though there is no fist to fist interaction with Harth, there are risk he takes and pressure that he presents to the opponents team. Harth has to summon the right choice of cards within certain time constraints to help his team or he will be less useful to the teams success. If his choices has great synergy with the team and have success, Harth will gain momentum and be able to summon up to 6 minions in the battlefield. A minion's level of strength at the very least is slightly stronger than a single bruiser to as strong as like a boss minion at maybe around 30 to 40% health. If the opposing team does not defeat these minions in time they will pose a serious threat to the enemies forts.

[Nikkaszal]

Haha . I think doctor boom could work as its own hero without having to be a summoned card.

- - - Updated - - -




The minions are summoned where Harth Stonebrew (The Innkeepers name, thanks Jester Joe ). When using an ability the player has to click an objective or a lane and the minion is summoned right in front of Harth but the minion will go to the objective.

Even though there is no fist to fist interaction with Harth, there are risk he takes and pressure that he presents to the opponents team. Harth has to summon the right choice of cards within certain time constraints to help his team or he will be less useful to the teams success. If his choices has great synergy with the team and have success, Harth will gain momentum and be able to summon up to 6 minions in the battlefield. A minion's level of strength at the very least is slightly stronger than a single bruiser to as strong as like a boss minion at maybe around 30 to 40% health. If the opposing team does not defeat these minions in time they will pose a serious threat to the enemies forts.

Right, so in order to PvP he needs to get close to a person, squat down and make himself completely defenseless, spend time summoning minions and hoping they work.

You ever see an Abathur waddle into the outskirts of a teamfight and plop himself down to get try and get locusts into a fight? No. Because that is unreliable at best and suicidal at worst.

You know the only reason Hammer works as a hero is because she can self-peel with W and escape with Z after planting herself, and that is only after she just got buffed to have way more HP in order to survive the inevitable pain train that comes from being stationary in a game with Jaina/Kael/Tyrande etc in it.

This idea, a minion summoner who cannot in any way interact with enemies himself yet MUST be extremely close in order to PvP - it won't work.

Also, "summoning the right minions" is not "risk".

[Philosopino]

Right, so in order to PvP he needs to get close to a person, squat down and make himself completely defenseless, spend time summoning minions and hoping they work.

You ever see an Abathur waddle into the outskirts of a teamfight and plop himself down to get try and get locusts into a fight? No. Because that is unreliable at best and suicidal at worst.

You know the only reason Hammer works as a hero is because she can self-peel with W and escape with Z after planting herself, and that is only after she just got buffed to have way more HP in order to survive the inevitable pain train that comes from being stationary in a game with Jaina/Kael/Tyrande etc in it.

This idea, a minion summoner who cannot in any way interact with enemies himself yet MUST be extremely close in order to PvP - it won't work.

Also, "summoning the right minions" is not "risk".

Well no. The design is not really to get as close to an enemy as possible. For the most part like Abathur Harth has to just find the nearest fort for protection. Well giving buffs for abathur isnt risk either in that logic.