pheonixashes
Those who misplace trust in gods learn their fate.
- Reaction score
- 65
Table of Contents:
I. What is this tutorial's purpose?
II. The Hero
III. The Abilities
IV. Balancing
V. Polishing
I. What is this tutorial's purpose?
This tutorial's main purpose is to help both pros and newbies design a well-balanced and polished hero. I have seen very few maps involving heroes as the main player-controlled unit with polished and fun heroes. This tutorial is to help map makers think of new hero ideas, to polish to the heroes, make fun and original abilities, and just to overall help save time on those long hours of contemplating a new hero.
II. The Hero
This could be the hardest or easiest part. There are six (optional seven) simple steps in making a hero:
1. The Hero's Purpose/Specialization
2. The Hero's Main Attributes
3. The Hero's Names
4. The Hero's Visual and Audio
5. The Hero's Other Stats
6. The Backstory
6/7. The Abilities
Step 6/7 I will be covering in section III, as it is perhaps the longest of the few steps.
Step 1: The Hero's Purpose/Specialization
For most start-from-scratch maps, you would want a nice, specialized, focused hero. Making a hero like "Sorceress" or "Warrior" would be too general. However, making a hero like "Tree Hugger of Leaves" or something that would be too specific. You need a hero idea with room for multiple abilities, but not to broad, so that it has lots of purposes.
So, how do you get the idea?
In an AoS, Hero (anything), or Melee Map, you want a hero that suits the side you are playing as. Of course, you don't want a Necromancer or Unholy Knight playing for the good side, so think these questions:
--What purpose do I want my hero to fulfill?--
When I say "purpose," I mean purposes like Pusher, Nuker, Supporter, Tank... all of those would fit in purpose.
Then, ask yourself:
--What creature/being would best be suited for my purpose?--
When thinking of this, think of what the literal interpretation of each role. For example, a hero that is a Tank would be a strong warrior, possibly large, while a Nuker would be a spellcaster or a strong, robust warrior. Now, a Minotaur/Tauren is very large, and thus would be suited for a tank. Meanwhile, a Night Elf or a Human would fit the role of a Nuker. These are just general guidelines, you can have a Tauren Supporter, a Night Elf tank... whatever you wish. As long as it works.
*General Guidelines*:
-Pushers are generally summoners or unit-specific killers. Think "Mass Murder."
-Supporters are generally small or otherwise weakened in power. Think "Strategist."
-Nukers are generally focused warriors/spellcasters. Think "Power."
-Tanks are generally large beings, or have a very powerful body. Think "Meat Shield."
---|-|---
So, there. You have your hero's main purpose. Now, you just need to think of a good name. It doesn't have to be very specific now, you can change that later.
Here are my sample heroes:
Step 2: The Hero's Main Attributes.
This is the easiest of the steps. Just select the main attribute that suits the hero most. Then, just play around with the stats.
*General Guidelines*:
-The Main Attribute is usually the highest, unless the hero is an all-out supporter.
-Nukers can be proficient in any stat.
-Tanks can be proficient in either Strength or Agility. Only Intelligence if they have some sort of mana shield.
-Supporters are usually Intelligence heroes, though their main attribute could be strength if the maker wants low damage.
-Pushers can be proficient in any stat.
---|-|---
Then, if you already have heroes made, make sure their stats are at least on-par with your new hero's stats.
*General Guidelines*:
-Most times, the starting stats add up to around 55-64, but you might want to change it depending on the other hero's stats.
-Most times, the stats per level add up to around 4.9-6.3, but you might want to change it depending on the other hero's stats.
--
Here are my sample heroes:
Step 3: The Hero's Names.
This, IMO, is the funnest part, other than making the abilities. Here, you get to play around with the hero's name until it's either something you like, or it fits.
The first step is to change the regular name. In most cases, "Mage" sounds a bit bland, correct? It seems like there are 50,000 mages in the world, and there is nothing that makes this one unique. But now, we are going to add words, change words, and otherwise mutilate the original world to produce a nice, tasty chunk of catchy names.
Ok, the first step is to change the original word. Let's take the original word. "Mage." Now, let's look up some other synonyms. Let's see...
"Magus"
"Sorcerer"
"Wizard"
"Magi"
All of these are probably equally as bland as the original one. However, let's go with the word "Magus." It sounds a bit better, no? No.
Now, we have the base word, "Magus." Now, we need to generalize the hero down. A "Mage" or "Magus" can refer to a lot, from a home magician to a leader of a cult. Now, specify the hero's element/special power.
--What makes it different from all the other mages and magi out there?--
Ok, good question. What will make your hero different from all the other heroes in your map/in other people's maps? Nothing, so far. But, say, for example, you want the hero to cast spells that have something to do with "Blades." Then, that's easy, the "Blade Magus." Simple, not hard.
But, if there are no given synonyms of the word, check what the word means, first. For example, "Druid" means a person, usually with magical powers, that deals with nature/natural things. What is a synonym for nature/natural? Arbor. What does a Druid do? Bring them to life. What is a person that brings? A Herald. There you have it. The Druid, or "Arbor Herald."
Now, we move on to Proper Names. Proper Names are usually harder, if you want multiple ones. But for most maps, you want one name. Let's generate one for the "Blade Magus," shall we?
First, take the Latin/German/Greek/French/Arabic/Chinese/etc version of the word "Blade." The Latin form of "Blade" is "Vesica." Now, change it around a bit. Change the S to an X, maybe, switch an E and an I, eliminate some letters, add some letters. Then, if you wish, add some cool suffixes. Sample suffixes are given below.
*General Guidelines*:
-Cool-sounding roots: Tus, Mus, Vis, Mar, Mal, Gus, Xin, Gres.
-Royal-sounding roots: Lot, Must, Ben, Ven, Al
-Evil-sounding roots: Ner, Is, Cis, Dris, Mal
--
Now, after mutilating the word "Vesica," we now have "Vixtus." If you want, you can add a last name, but last names are different. They usually combine a random suffix/prefix with a word (or two) interpreting what the hero does. For our "Blade Magus," the last name would most likely be "Sharpsteel." So, after slaughtering the English language a bit, we end up with "Vixtus Sharpsteel, the Blade Magus."
Here are my sample heroes:
Step 4: The Hero's Visual and Audio.
This is the quickest or the longest. You can choose a Blizzard-made model, or you can import one. There are backsides to both:
Blizzard-made:
-Most people can tell it's from Blizzard.
-There is a limited selection.
Imported:
-Most of the times, the import will take up a rather lot of space.
-The model could cause lag in the map.
Now, once you choose a model that FITS to the hero, choose the icon. If it's Blizzard-made, no problem, but if it's imported, you will most likely either need to edit the icons a bit or import the corresponding icon. Remember, make sure there is HERO GLOW!
Then, decide on the voice. If it's Blizzard-made, again, easy. However, if you are using an "incomplete" model (I.E. Medivh), you might want to add a different sound set for the model. This shouldn't be too hard.
Then, make sure the abilities' (once you make them) icons match. For example, you don't want a pink icon next to a bright green icon, that will look horrible. Try to find icons that blend nicely (I.E. All purple/black for undead heroes) with the hero and the other icons. Blizzard-made icons are fairly good at this.
If your hero will be ranged, then make sure to find a missile model that isn't too big for the hero or unfitting.
Here are my sample heroes:
Step 5: The Hero's Other Stats
By "Other Stats," I mean stats like base armor, damage sides per die, movement speed, stuff like that. For now, just tie them in with the main hero, don't give a tank 350 movement speed, or a supporter 5 base armor, just set it so that it fits the hero.
Here are my sample heroes:
This section will be explained more in the "Balancing" section.
Step 6: The Backstory
This step is optional. You don't have to include a backstory, but it makes the hero seem a bit more complete. Plus, it can help form some of his abilities. Most hero's backstories tell of either how he came to be, or why he joined the side he is on. They don't have to be complicated, just a nice, original backstory will do. However, there are a bit of things to avoid:
*General Guidelines*
-Don't make the hero too tragic unless he's emo or dark.
-Don't make him seem like a god, too. Give him some faults if you have space.
-Usually, people decide to go for a faction because:
They were raised to fight for the faction.
The other faction did something to piss them off.
For Evil: They were corrupted into fighting for them.
For Good: They were counciled by a friend or a mentor.
-Don't, by any means, give a backstory that makes the hero seem suckish. People won't play them.
---|-|---
Here are my sample heroes:
----------
Ok, so there's the first part... It's my first tutorial, so if you must flame me, please tell me why.
Tell me what I need to improve on, how useful this is, anything. And, of course, please rate this.
Don't kill me.
I. What is this tutorial's purpose?
II. The Hero
III. The Abilities
IV. Balancing
V. Polishing
I. What is this tutorial's purpose?
This tutorial's main purpose is to help both pros and newbies design a well-balanced and polished hero. I have seen very few maps involving heroes as the main player-controlled unit with polished and fun heroes. This tutorial is to help map makers think of new hero ideas, to polish to the heroes, make fun and original abilities, and just to overall help save time on those long hours of contemplating a new hero.
II. The Hero
This could be the hardest or easiest part. There are six (optional seven) simple steps in making a hero:
1. The Hero's Purpose/Specialization
2. The Hero's Main Attributes
3. The Hero's Names
4. The Hero's Visual and Audio
5. The Hero's Other Stats
6. The Backstory
6/7. The Abilities
Step 6/7 I will be covering in section III, as it is perhaps the longest of the few steps.
Step 1: The Hero's Purpose/Specialization
For most start-from-scratch maps, you would want a nice, specialized, focused hero. Making a hero like "Sorceress" or "Warrior" would be too general. However, making a hero like "Tree Hugger of Leaves" or something that would be too specific. You need a hero idea with room for multiple abilities, but not to broad, so that it has lots of purposes.
So, how do you get the idea?
In an AoS, Hero (anything), or Melee Map, you want a hero that suits the side you are playing as. Of course, you don't want a Necromancer or Unholy Knight playing for the good side, so think these questions:
--What purpose do I want my hero to fulfill?--
When I say "purpose," I mean purposes like Pusher, Nuker, Supporter, Tank... all of those would fit in purpose.
Then, ask yourself:
--What creature/being would best be suited for my purpose?--
When thinking of this, think of what the literal interpretation of each role. For example, a hero that is a Tank would be a strong warrior, possibly large, while a Nuker would be a spellcaster or a strong, robust warrior. Now, a Minotaur/Tauren is very large, and thus would be suited for a tank. Meanwhile, a Night Elf or a Human would fit the role of a Nuker. These are just general guidelines, you can have a Tauren Supporter, a Night Elf tank... whatever you wish. As long as it works.
*General Guidelines*:
-Pushers are generally summoners or unit-specific killers. Think "Mass Murder."
-Supporters are generally small or otherwise weakened in power. Think "Strategist."
-Nukers are generally focused warriors/spellcasters. Think "Power."
-Tanks are generally large beings, or have a very powerful body. Think "Meat Shield."
---|-|---
So, there. You have your hero's main purpose. Now, you just need to think of a good name. It doesn't have to be very specific now, you can change that later.
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: A Pusher and Supporter. A natural spellcaster. Preferrably an night elf or a human. Therefore, here it is: The Druid.
EVIL: A Nuker and Tank. A powerful evil warrior. Preferrably an extra-terrestrial being. Therefore, here it is: The Daemon.
Step 2: The Hero's Main Attributes.
This is the easiest of the steps. Just select the main attribute that suits the hero most. Then, just play around with the stats.
*General Guidelines*:
-The Main Attribute is usually the highest, unless the hero is an all-out supporter.
-Nukers can be proficient in any stat.
-Tanks can be proficient in either Strength or Agility. Only Intelligence if they have some sort of mana shield.
-Supporters are usually Intelligence heroes, though their main attribute could be strength if the maker wants low damage.
-Pushers can be proficient in any stat.
---|-|---
Then, if you already have heroes made, make sure their stats are at least on-par with your new hero's stats.
*General Guidelines*:
-Most times, the starting stats add up to around 55-64, but you might want to change it depending on the other hero's stats.
-Most times, the stats per level add up to around 4.9-6.3, but you might want to change it depending on the other hero's stats.
--
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: Starting stats: 29 INT, 16 STR, 14 AGI.
Stats per level: 2.6 INT, 2.3 STR, 1.8 AGI.
EVIL: Starting stats: 13 INT, 27 STR, 21 AGI.
Stats per level: 1.2 INT, 3.3 STR, 1.6 AGI.
Step 3: The Hero's Names.
This, IMO, is the funnest part, other than making the abilities. Here, you get to play around with the hero's name until it's either something you like, or it fits.
The first step is to change the regular name. In most cases, "Mage" sounds a bit bland, correct? It seems like there are 50,000 mages in the world, and there is nothing that makes this one unique. But now, we are going to add words, change words, and otherwise mutilate the original world to produce a nice, tasty chunk of catchy names.
Ok, the first step is to change the original word. Let's take the original word. "Mage." Now, let's look up some other synonyms. Let's see...
"Magus"
"Sorcerer"
"Wizard"
"Magi"
All of these are probably equally as bland as the original one. However, let's go with the word "Magus." It sounds a bit better, no? No.
Now, we have the base word, "Magus." Now, we need to generalize the hero down. A "Mage" or "Magus" can refer to a lot, from a home magician to a leader of a cult. Now, specify the hero's element/special power.
--What makes it different from all the other mages and magi out there?--
Ok, good question. What will make your hero different from all the other heroes in your map/in other people's maps? Nothing, so far. But, say, for example, you want the hero to cast spells that have something to do with "Blades." Then, that's easy, the "Blade Magus." Simple, not hard.
But, if there are no given synonyms of the word, check what the word means, first. For example, "Druid" means a person, usually with magical powers, that deals with nature/natural things. What is a synonym for nature/natural? Arbor. What does a Druid do? Bring them to life. What is a person that brings? A Herald. There you have it. The Druid, or "Arbor Herald."
Now, we move on to Proper Names. Proper Names are usually harder, if you want multiple ones. But for most maps, you want one name. Let's generate one for the "Blade Magus," shall we?
First, take the Latin/German/Greek/French/Arabic/Chinese/etc version of the word "Blade." The Latin form of "Blade" is "Vesica." Now, change it around a bit. Change the S to an X, maybe, switch an E and an I, eliminate some letters, add some letters. Then, if you wish, add some cool suffixes. Sample suffixes are given below.
*General Guidelines*:
-Cool-sounding roots: Tus, Mus, Vis, Mar, Mal, Gus, Xin, Gres.
-Royal-sounding roots: Lot, Must, Ben, Ven, Al
-Evil-sounding roots: Ner, Is, Cis, Dris, Mal
--
Now, after mutilating the word "Vesica," we now have "Vixtus." If you want, you can add a last name, but last names are different. They usually combine a random suffix/prefix with a word (or two) interpreting what the hero does. For our "Blade Magus," the last name would most likely be "Sharpsteel." So, after slaughtering the English language a bit, we end up with "Vixtus Sharpsteel, the Blade Magus."
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: "Druid" into "Ferelas, the Arbor Herald."
EVIL: "Daemon" into "Styx, the Underworld Judicer."
Step 4: The Hero's Visual and Audio.
This is the quickest or the longest. You can choose a Blizzard-made model, or you can import one. There are backsides to both:
Blizzard-made:
-Most people can tell it's from Blizzard.
-There is a limited selection.
Imported:
-Most of the times, the import will take up a rather lot of space.
-The model could cause lag in the map.
Now, once you choose a model that FITS to the hero, choose the icon. If it's Blizzard-made, no problem, but if it's imported, you will most likely either need to edit the icons a bit or import the corresponding icon. Remember, make sure there is HERO GLOW!
Then, decide on the voice. If it's Blizzard-made, again, easy. However, if you are using an "incomplete" model (I.E. Medivh), you might want to add a different sound set for the model. This shouldn't be too hard.
Then, make sure the abilities' (once you make them) icons match. For example, you don't want a pink icon next to a bright green icon, that will look horrible. Try to find icons that blend nicely (I.E. All purple/black for undead heroes) with the hero and the other icons. Blizzard-made icons are fairly good at this.
If your hero will be ranged, then make sure to find a missile model that isn't too big for the hero or unfitting.
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: Arbor Herald: Malfurion (without stag) model, Malfurion voice, Malfurion icon. Cenarius missile model.
EVIL: Underworld Judicer: Overlord (with hero glow) model, Doom Guard voice, Overlord icon. No missile model.
Step 5: The Hero's Other Stats
By "Other Stats," I mean stats like base armor, damage sides per die, movement speed, stuff like that. For now, just tie them in with the main hero, don't give a tank 350 movement speed, or a supporter 5 base armor, just set it so that it fits the hero.
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: Arbor Herald:
Base Armor -1,
Damage Die 2,
Sides per die 4,
320 movement speed,
32 pathing,
Scaling value 1.10,
500 range.
EVIL: Underworld Judicer:
Base Armor 0,
Damage Die 2,
Siders per die 6,
300 movement speed,
36 pathing,
Scaling value 1.30,
128 range.
This section will be explained more in the "Balancing" section.
Step 6: The Backstory
This step is optional. You don't have to include a backstory, but it makes the hero seem a bit more complete. Plus, it can help form some of his abilities. Most hero's backstories tell of either how he came to be, or why he joined the side he is on. They don't have to be complicated, just a nice, original backstory will do. However, there are a bit of things to avoid:
*General Guidelines*
-Don't make the hero too tragic unless he's emo or dark.
-Don't make him seem like a god, too. Give him some faults if you have space.
-Usually, people decide to go for a faction because:
They were raised to fight for the faction.
The other faction did something to piss them off.
For Evil: They were corrupted into fighting for them.
For Good: They were counciled by a friend or a mentor.
-Don't, by any means, give a backstory that makes the hero seem suckish. People won't play them.
---|-|---
Here are my sample heroes:
GOOD: The Arbor Herald grew up with an affinity to nature, and by the time he came of age, he was given the power to control nature by a god. However, the Scourge soon wreaked havoc across the lands, forcing him to join with the Alliance, or die.
EVIL: Brought into this world by an unknown warlock, the Underworld Judicer is the equivilent of a holy judge. He finds the Alliance weak and unworthy, and has thus joined with the Scourge to gather more souls for his ruling.
----------
Ok, so there's the first part... It's my first tutorial, so if you must flame me, please tell me why.
Tell me what I need to improve on, how useful this is, anything. And, of course, please rate this.
Don't kill me.