Throwback Discussion of the Week: Slark (June 1, 2012)

Slark, the Nightcrawler

The Nightcrawler excels from traveling lane to lane to gank unsuspecting lone heroes. His signature Shadow Dance provides all the benefits of unbreakable invisibility for 5.5 seconds along with passive movement speed and HP regeneration as long as he is unseen by the enemy. Essence Shift lowers target enemy heroes' stats with each hit while boosting your agility growth for 2 minutes. Pounce provides a nuke and movement disable for a whopping 3.5 seconds, assuming you can land it. Dark Pact is what frustrates disablers and dust carrier, as most negative status buffs are dispelled after a slight delay, not to mention an AOE nuke to boot. Slark, with all the perquisites and instincts of an evasive killer, is truly a fearsome little bugger.

Lore:

In the deepest, blackest pits of the ocean a fearsome and terrifying creature lurks. Bending the shadows to his will, few have seen his true form and none have lived to speak of it. For the shadows are his sanctuary, a place of empowerment and revitalisation. Bathed in this inpenetrable darkness he strikes unseen, every attack making him swifter and more powerful whilst weakening his enemy. An unbreakable leash awaits all who try to escape, leaving them at mercy of this horrifying phantom. By sacrificing a fraction of his soul, his pact with darkness allows him break even the most powerful bonds and curses. With echoes of the Great War reaching every corner of the earth, this creature, known only as Slark, has emerged from the depths to search for an ancient relic...

Strength	Agility	Intelligence
21 + 1.8	15 + 1.5	16 + 1.9
Damage	Armor	Movespeed
48 - 56	1.1	305
Attack Range	Base Attack Time	Missile Speed
128	1.7	N/A
Animation	Icon	Fan Art

Dark Pact

Slark calls upon deities of the swamps to seal a dark pact. Sacrificing some of his lifeblood, Slark is redeemed of all negative effects. After 1.5 seconds, a dark wave of destruction emits from the Nightcrawler, dealing damage to all nearby enemies.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	55	10	N/A	325	2 seconds (delay) / 0.5 seconds (pulses)	75 total damage, removes buffs
2	50	9	N/A	325	2 seconds (delay) / 0.5 seconds (pulses)	150 total damage, removes buffs
3	45	8	N/A	325	2 seconds (delay) / 0.5 seconds (pulses)	225 total damage, removes buffs
4	40	7	N/A	325	2 seconds (delay) / 0.5 seconds (pulses)	300 total damage, removes buffs

• 1.5 seconds after cast, a series of 10 pulses separated by 0.1 seconds deals 75/150/225/300 total magic damage to enemies within 350 AoE, and half that damage to Murloc Nightcrawler.
• Each pulse also removes buffs from Murloc Nightcrawler.
• Murloc Nightcrawler cannot kill himself with this skill.
• If Slark dies, the pulses stop.

Pounce

Surges directly forward and latches on to the first hero he hits, wrapping it in chains of darkness. The enemy is unable to move more than 325 distance away from the point of impact for 3.5 seconds.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	75	20	700	325 (leash range)	3.5 seconds	70 damage, enemy leashed
2	75	16	700	325 (leash range)	3.5 seconds	140 damage, enemy leashed
3	75	12	700	325 (leash range)	3.5 seconds	210 damage, enemy leashed
4	75	8	700	325 (leash range)	3.5 seconds	280 damage, enemy leashed

• On cast, Murloc Nightcrawler leaps forward at a speed of 933.33, stopping when he latches onto an enemy unit in 95 AoE, or has traveled 700 distance.
• When an enemy hero is leashed, it takes 40/80/120/160 magic damage, and is unable to move more than 325 distance away from Murloc Nightcrawler's landing spot for 3.5 seconds (moving more than 100 distance away in less than 0.03 seconds will break the leash).
• Magic immune units cannot be leashed.
• Trees are destroyed in a 200x200 rectangle around Murloc Nightcrawler's landing area.
• Blinking or teleporting away will break the leash.

Essence Shift

Reciting ancient Nightcrawler incantations, Slark enchants his blade to steal the power and courage from his enemies. Every time Slark hits an enemy hero, he steals 1 point from all attributes of that enemy hero while Slark gains 3 points of Agility.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	N/A	0.40	N/A	N/A	15 seconds	Steals 1 of each attribute
2	N/A	0.35	N/A	N/A	30 seconds	Steals 1 of each attribute
3	N/A	0.30	N/A	N/A	60 seconds	Steals 1 of each attribute
4	N/A	0.25	N/A	N/A	120 seconds	Steals 1 of each attribute

• Each time Murloc Nightcrawler attacks an enemy hero, 1 point of each of that hero's attributes are stolen, granting Murloc Nightcrawler the sum of the stolen attributes as Agility.
• Attributes cannot be dropped below 1 by Essence Shift.
• When either Murloc Nightcrawler or the affected unit dies, its stats are returned to normal.

Shadow Dance

Covers himself with a dark smoke, he becomes invisible and does not reveal himself while attacking or casting spells for 5.5 seconds. Passively increases Nightcrawler's movement speed and regeneration when he is out of sight of hostile units. Has a 0.7 delay when activated or deactivated.

Level	Mana Cost	Cooldown	Casting Range	Area	Duration	Effects
1	120	25	N/A	N/A	5.5 seconds	Invisibility on cast, +30% movement speed and +2% HP regeneration when not visible
2	120	25	N/A	N/A	5.5 seconds	Invisibility on cast, +35% movement speed and +3% HP regeneration when not visible
3	120	25	N/A	N/A	5.5 seconds	Invisibility on cast, +40% movement speed and +4% HP regeneration when not visible

• When cast, Slark becomes invisible for 5.5 seconds, this invisibility is not broken by casting abilities, using items, or attacking.
• While invisible from this ability's active effect, a visible cloud effect is shown at Murloc Nightcrawler's position.
• Shadow Dance passively grants +30%/+35%/+40% movement speed and +2%/+3%/+4% HP regeneration when Murloc Nightcrawler is not visible to the enemy (has a 0.7 second delay on activation and deactivation).
• If Murloc Nightcrawler is damaged by a neutral unit, the passive effect is removed for 2 seconds.
• Passive effect does not work if Murloc Nightcrawler is affected by Doom.

As always, check out Last Weeks's discussion of Tauren Chieftain or the complete Hero Discussion archives.