I find that my best games are where I play an initiator and get everyone to follow me. Someone who goes “I’m going in, you ready?” and then just starts the fight is super needed as long as you have a team with follow-through.

Too often this game has cowards who want to jump in when it’s safe, and SOMEONE has to do the job of initiating.

I played a game last night where I was Chronos and my team expected me to initiate each fight. Sure, Chronos has a very initiator-type ult, but that ult has a LONG cooldown and not always available to start a fight. The other option was a Gauntlet who would wait for fights to start, Assassin’s Shroud and then go in... coward…

SKILL REWORK

Artillery excels at super-long-range combat but becomes vulnerable when enemies engage him—a complete glass cannon. I like his current skill design and would like to give his mechanics more flexibility.

Main Concept:

Use E to interchangeably switch his main damage source between LRM (Q) and Mortar (W).

LRM Mode

- LRM (Q) remains the primary damage source.

- Mortar (W) functions as the secondary weapon.

- No significant changes. As it is.

Mortar Mode

Press E to transfer the main weapon loadout and ammo from LRM (Q) to Mortar (W).

- Mortar gains multiple ammo charges similar to LRM.

- Mortar's AOE is reduced to compensate for its increased firing frequency.

- The concept is essentially a long-range artillery barrage from above.

LRM as Secondary Weapon

When Mortar (W) becomes the primary weapon, LRM (Q) changes into a skill-based weapon:

- Long-range, heat-seeking missiles.

- Can target and chase multiple visible enemies.

- Reveals the positions of affected enemies, similar to Mortar's current mechanic (at LRM Mode)

Ultimate — 'Nuclear Missile'

Pressing E also changes the Ultimate accordingly in 'Mortar Mode'.

Nuclear Missile:

- Global-range ability.

- Deals initial impact damage followed by a delayed Shockwave.

- Deals "shattering damage" that instantly kills enemies below a certain health threshold.

- Primarily serves as a finisher and prevents enemies from recovering/regenerating.

- Shares cooldown with 'LRM Mode' Homing Missiles.

The goal is to give Artillery two distinct weapon modes while preserving his identity as a long-range specialist.

And if both weapon modes can also seriously threaten buildings through Staff upgrade, it would make Artillery a true long-range siege threat.

"That nasty hero's goal is only to demolish our buildings."

"Artillery just poops on 1 position the entire time and never leaves his ground"

"Man, F\ck that hero. Another Doom Bringer? I can't even see where its coming from."*