Diablo Abilities and Strategy

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Quick Reference
  • 2. Introduction
  • 3. Strengths
  • 4. Weaknesses
  • 5. Role in the Current Meta
  • 6. Reading Further
  • 7. ChangeLog
• ×Abilities and Strategy
  • 1. Tips on Ability Usage
  • 2. Shadow Charge
  • 3. Fire Stomp
  • 4. Overpower
  • 5. Apocalypse
  • 6. Lightning Breath
• +Talent Build
  • 1. Talent Build
  • 2. Common Talent Paths
  • 3. Level 1 Talents
    • 3.1. Discussion
  • 4. Level 4 Talents
    • 4.1. Discussion
  • 5. Level 7 Talents
    • 5.1. Discussion
  • 6. Level 10 Talents
    • 6.1. Discussion
  • 7. Level 13 Talents
    • 7.1. Discussion
  • 8. Level 16 Talents
    • 8.1. Discussion
  • 9. Level 20 Talents
    • 9.1. Discussion
  • 10. ChangeLog

General Information

Below, we give you an overview of the abilities that Diablo has access to. We also explain how to best your these abilities.

The other pages of our Diablo guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About the Author

Oxygen is a veteran of the MOBA genre, which he has been playing for nearly 15 years. He has coached some of Heroes of the Storm's most prominent North American players and teams alike, including Team Liquid. As a Master player, he enjoys playing all Heroes and roles.

1. Tips on Ability Usage

• Remember that after reviving through Black Soulstone, your Health pool will be 40% smaller.
• Use Overpower right after Shadow Charge to unconditionally move opponents towards your teammates.
• Cast Lightning Breath when you suspect you may be the target of a crowd control chain, as it makes you Unstoppable for the duration.
• Use Apocalypse as a follow-up or counter-initiation tool to improve your chances of hitting many opponents.

2. Shadow Charge

Shadow Charge is Diablo's main initiation Ability. Although its bonus Stun condition may initially seem appealing, the Ability's erratic knockback distance makes it difficult to reliably benefit from this effect. It is indeed much more commonplace to use Shadow Charge as a gap closer that perfectly chains into Overpower to unconditionally displace an important target where your team may attack them. Alternatively, it can be used as a follow up for Overpower, so as to shove opponents towards your teammates or away from their own. Since the Ability's cooldown is so lengthy, and its damage so inconsequential, Shadow Charge should almost exclusively be used in the presence of allies, or when trying to finish an opponent off. As a last resort, Shadow Charge may also be used against a far-away hostile target — typically Minions or Summons — to create some space between yourself and an opponent in escape situations.

Shadow Charge is notable for its ability to unconditionally interrupt channeled Abilities from a long range. Strong Heroic Abilities, such as Jug of 1,000 Cups or Ravenous Spirit, are especially valuable to shut down. This, however, often comes at the cost of potentially putting you into an undesirable foward position, upon which your opponents may capitalise to attack you.

As with many knockback effects, you must be mindful of not actually helping your opponents by pushing them to safety, such as behind their own Gates, or out of friendly AoE effects. You can use Shadow Charge yourself to escape through terrain and units, as long as you have vision of an enemy target where you wish to travel.

3. Fire Stomp

Fire Stomp's main purpose is to provide Diablo with a bit of area of effect damage. Although it has a very short cast time, it is typically used on-cooldown whenever there is a need to deal more damage, such as while waveclearing. Since the projectiles generated by the Ability have a relatively long range, they can be used to scout bushes or try to reveal cloaked Heroes. Fire Stomp is also useful in a pinch to finish off escaping opponents that have a sliver of Health remaining.

It should be noted that Fire Stomp's initial wave deals less damage than a Basic Attack; the returning wave is where the bulk of the Ability's damage comes from. You can generally secure a hit from both the initial and returning waves by using your Shadow Charge and Overpower combo, or simply using Fire Stomp in heavy combat where opponents may not be compelled to avoid its effects. After picking up the popular Hero Level 13 Fire Devil Talent, Fire Stomp becomes one of the strongest damage-per-cooldown Ability in the game.

4. Overpower

Overpower is what makes Diablo so threatening in melee. Whenever you find yourself within Overpower range of an opponent, its use should become natural, so long as you have allies near you to capitalise on the displacement effect. An often overlooked aspect of the Ability is that it puts you in a perfect position to perform a body block maneuver. Otherwise, Overpower synergises so well with Shadow Charge that they are systematically used one right after the other.

Just as with Shadow Charge, be mindful of not actually helping your opponents by displacing them to safety or away from your allies. Overpower deals a dismal amount of damage and should almost exclusively be used if the effect is going to be useful, allow you to get several Basic Attacks off, or to interrupt a channeled Ability.

In the early game, Overpower can be used to slam an unweary foe behind your own Gate. This is often enough to outright seal the fate of most Heroes.

5. Apocalypse

Apocalypse's lenghty Stunning effect, respectable damage, and large area of effect make it one of the game's strongest follow up crowd control Ability. It suffers, however, from an extremely obvious graphical effect and a long triggering delay that make it simple to avoid. As such, it is typically used during team fights, when potential targets are likely to be too busy or distracted to avoid the Ability's effects, as a means of interrupting channeled Abilities that leave their casters standing still, or when your team composition features some or many of the Abilities that may be used to set up for it.

The list below contains many of the Abilities that could be used to set up for Apocalypse.

• Upheaval (Cho'gall)
• Howling Blast and Summon Sindragosa (Arthas)
• Powerslide + Mosh Pit (E.T.C.)
• Grav-O-Bomb 3000 (Gazlowe)
• Ring of Frost (Jaina)
• Condemn and Blessed Shield (Johanna)
• Gravity Lapse (Kaelthas)
• Primal Grasp and Impaling Blades (Kerrigan)
• Entomb (Leoric)
• Entangling Roots (Malfurion)
• Ley Line Seal (Medivh)
• Octo-Grab (Murky)
• Zombie Wall (Nazeebo)
• Leap (Sonya)
• Lamb to the Slaughter (The Butcher)
• Earthquake (Thrall)
• Judgment (Tyrael)
• Divine Storm (Uther)
• Bone Prison (Xul)
• Devouring Maw (Zagara)
• Graviton Surge (Zarya)
• Void Prison (Zeratul)

Apocalypse is also a excellent counter-engagement Ability. While making precise offensive plays, opponents do not typically have the freedom to spend much time moving about. Because of that, Apocalypse's delay almost becomes a form of crowd control in of itself, effectively zoning opponents away from your teammates or objectives.

An important maneuver to master is the use of Overpower to draw opponents that may be attempting to move out of Apocalypse's area of effect back into it. The opposite effect should also be avoided, by yourself and allies alike; both Shadow Charge and the aforementioned Ability can push foes out of Apocalypse's mark, therefore wasting the Ability.

6. Lightning Breath

Lightning Breath is one of the most damaging Abilities in the game. Its main downside is that of disabling Diablo for the duration. As such, Lightning Breath is typically used under the same conditions as Apocalypse: against foes that are already under the effects of crowd control, or otherwise busy or so mispositioned that you may hit them for the Ability's entire duration. Always try and hit at least two targets with Lightning Breath; the large area of effect of which should make this a simple goal to achieve.

Lightning Breath's high damage and impressive visuals have important implications for you and your opponents; it makes for an outstanding zoning ability, as players reflexively avoid standing within its area of effect. Lightning Breath is also an excellent way of punishing opponents for fighting in cramped areas or over static points, such as Mercenary Camps, Structures, or Map Objectives. As a last resort, it can be used as a ranged mean of finishing off escaping foes.

Black Soulstone is what allows Diablo's Health pool to grow to be the largest in the game. Although the Health gain and effect are rather important, a common mistake made by newer players is to dedicate too much time collecting Souls. As Minions and Heroes naturally die around you, Soul generation should never be a priority unless you need just a few more to ensure a respawn seconds before an important upcoming team fight.

The nature of Black Soulstone makes Diablo stronger and stronger as games go on; the growing length of respawn timers matter little to Diablo, whom can respawn as quickly as in 5 seconds. This can even allow him to rejoin elongated team fights, with full resources, should he be one of the first Heroes to fall. Just be aware that your Health pool would then be 40% smaller.