Falstad Build Guide “Time to drop the hammer!”

Last updated on Sep 20, 2023 at 13:17 by Elitesparkle 33 comments
General Information

Welcome to our guide for Falstad, a Ranged Assassin in Heroes of the Storm. Within these pages, you will find everything required to understand how best to play this hero, in both different map styles and team compositions.

1.

Falstad's Overview

Falstad is a versatile and flexible Ranged Assassin. His strong points are his solid single-target damage per second, extreme on-demand area of effect ranged burst damage, and global presence. However, his relative fragility makes him a high-priority target for enemy Heroes.

2.

Falstad's Strengths and Weaknesses

V Strengths
X Weaknesses
3.

Falstad's Talent Build Cheatsheet

Hammerang Build

Recommended
Level 1 Gathering Storm Icon
Level 4 Updraft Icon
Level 7 BOOMerang Icon
Level 10 Mighty Gust Icon
Level 13 Flow Rider Icon
Level 16 Aerie Gusts Icon
Level 20 Wind Tunnel Icon Epic Mount Icon ?

Falstad's Hammerang Build provides a high amount of poke damage, which can be increased by pairing him with a Mage who will get value from BOOMerang Icon BOOMerang at Level 7.

Basic Attacks Build

Advanced
Level 1 Frequent Flyer Icon
Level 4 Hammer Gains Icon
Level 7 Secret Weapon Icon
Level 10 Mighty Gust Icon
Level 13 Sustained Winds Icon
Level 16 Aerie Gusts Icon Crippling Hammer Icon ? Afterburner Icon ?
Level 20 Wind Tunnel Icon Epic Mount Icon ?

Falstad's Basic Attacks Build provides a fair amount of sustain damage on a single target thanks to multiple Talents that improve your damage via Basic Attacks: Frequent Flyer Icon Frequent Flyer at Level 1, Secret Weapon Icon Secret Weapon at Level 7, and Sustained Winds Icon Sustained Winds at Level 13.

As this Build gives you access to percent-based damage, it is great for pressuring and/or taking down the enemy frontline, even if they have access to Armor effects.

Given it does not need to stack on enemy Heroes, this Build is the go-to when you are playing on a big Map (for example Sky Temple) and your strategy revolves around split-pushing to pressure the enemy team.

Lightning Rod Build

Not recommended
Level 1 Dishonorable Discharge Icon
Level 4 Static Shield Icon
Level 7 Charged Up Icon
Level 10 Mighty Gust Icon
Level 13 Thunderstrikes Icon
Level 16 Afterburner Icon Crippling Hammer Icon ? Aerie Gusts Icon ?
Level 20 Wind Tunnel Icon Epic Mount Icon ?

Falstad's Lightning Rod Build offers a scary amount of burst damage on a single target by empowering Lightning Rod Icon Lightning Rod with multiple Talents.

Although this Build helps when you are facing dive Heroes by greatly increasing your dueling power, we do not recommend playing it because it is extremely hard to stack Dishonorable Discharge Icon Dishonorable Discharge at Level 1.

ARAM Build

ARAM
Level 1 Gathering Storm Icon
Level 4 Updraft Icon
Level 7 BOOMerang Icon
Level 10 Mighty Gust Icon Hinterland Blast Icon ?
Level 13 Flow Rider Icon
Level 16 Aerie Gusts Icon
Level 20 Wind Tunnel Icon Call of the Wildhammer Icon ?

Falstad's ARAM Build provides a high amount of poke damage, which can be increased by pairing him with a Mage who will get value from BOOMerang Icon BOOMerang at Level 7.

4.

Falstad's Synergies and Counters

V Falstad synergizes with

Falstad is at his best when something stands between him and his enemies. Large, healthy Tanks are particularly desirable as they draw attention away from Falstad, and often provide their own form of crowd control for potential follow-ups. Otherwise, anything that can protect Falstad is also desirable. Shielding effects are particularly impactful due to his limited Health pool.

X Falstad is countered by

As a frail Ranged Assassin, Falstad tends to naturally struggle against high-damage Heroes who have the ability to effectively gap close past his Barrel Roll Icon Barrel Roll's range or otherwise sneak up on him. With little in the way of self-peeling, see to stay near your Healer when possible against such Heroes, and make no bold attempts at outplaying your opponents.

5.

Falstad's Maps

Falstad's stronger maps
Braxis Holdout Cursed Hollow Dragon Shire Hanamura Temple Towers of Doom Warhead Junction
Falstad's average maps
Alterac Pass Battlefield of Eternity Blackheart's Bay Garden of Terror Infernal Shrines Sky Temple Tomb of the Spider Queen Volskaya Foundry
Falstad's weaker maps

Flight Icon Flight makes Falstad particularly effective on larger Maps that feature multiple Objectives that must be contested, as it allows him to effectively soak and push without giving up potential team fighting presence, as would other Heroes. Falstad's Mighty Gust Icon Mighty Gust also makes him potent on Maps that feature Bosses, as he makes it particularly difficult for opponents to safely try and claim or contest due to the fear of being knocked away. Overall, Falstad's versatility makes him a viable pick almost anywhere.

6.

Falstad's Tips and Tricks

7.

Falstad's Role in the Current Meta

Falstad is preferred over other Ranged Assassin when a given team composition needs a global to handle side lanes, especially if the rest of the team can poke the enemy team that is trying to capture the Objective while Falstad is soaking and therefore slowly giving an Experience advantage to his whole team.

8.

Changelog

  • 20 Sep. 2023 (talents page): ARAM Build added.
  • 20 Sep. 2023 (this page): ARAM Build added.
  • 04 Feb. 2022 (talents page): Builds rearranged.
  • 04 Feb. 2022 (this page): Builds rearranged.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 07 Dec. 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Major Patch.
  • 24 Nov. 2021 (talents page): Builds updated.
  • 24 Nov. 2021 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 22 Jul. 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 17 May 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Patch.
  • 17 May 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Patch.
  • 17 May 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Patch.
  • 04 Mar. 2021 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 04 Mar. 2021 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 04 Mar. 2021 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 25 Feb. 2021 (talents page): New layout.
  • 30 Nov. 2020 (talents page): Talent Descriptions fixed.
  • 05 Nov. 2020 (talents page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 05 Nov. 2020 (abilities page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 05 Nov. 2020 (this page): Guide reviewed for the latest Balance Update.
  • 20 Sep. 2020 (talents page): Builds and Talent discussions updated.
  • 20 Sep. 2020 (abilities page): Minor fixes.
  • 20 Sep. 2020 (this page): Builds updated.
  • 30 Aug. 2020 (this page): Role in Current Meta section updated.
  • 19 Jul. 2020 (talents page): Talents reviewed and updated; AA build added.
  • 05 Apr. 2020 (talents page): Mage build recommendation added.
  • 13 Dec. 2019 (this page): Added a note about current Anomaly.
  • 12 Oct. 2019 (talents page): Talents section reviewed and updated.
  • 12 Oct. 2019 (abilities page): Abilities section reviewed.
  • 12 Oct. 2019 (this page): Guide updated.
  • 03 May 2017 (this page): Guide updated and moved to new format.
Show more
Show less