Which skill would you choose first?

[Arcane]

If you picked a hero in an AoS which had a skillset like the one below, which two normal skills would you choose first?

I don't know if it will matter, but here's some additional information:

The Shadow Slayer has fairly high AGI, meaning fast attack speed and good armor, but she has only about the HP of your average caster, and has a max mana pool which probably won't be able to survive constant drainage without some kind of item boost.

Eh, feel free to comment on anything else about the hero as well. I need the feedback.


Shroud (75)

Effect: Increased magic resistance, damage resistance, and speed
Targeting Type: N/A
Targets Allowed/Affected: Self
Cooldown: 25

The Shadow Slayer shrouds herself in the shadows, giving her increased magical resistance, physical resistance, and additional movement speed for 15 seconds.

Level 1: Increases magic resistance by 5%, negates 3 physical damage, and increases speed by 10%.
Level 2: Increases magic resistance by 10%, negates 6 physical damage, and increases speed by 20%.
Level 3: Increases magic resistance by 15%, negates 9 physical damage, and increases speed by 30%.
Level 4: Increases magic resistance by 20%, negates 12 physical damage, and increases speed by 40%.
Level 5: Increases magic resistance by 25%, negates 15 physical damage and increases speed by 50%.

Rend (90)

Effect: Damage, slow, and chance to critical damage
Targeting Type: Single target
Targets Allowed/Affected: Enemy, unit, ground
Cooldown: 10 seconds

Using her knowledge of the human body, the Shadow Slayer takes careful aim and then strikes with unrestrained force, seriously crippling her foe’s movement for 5 seconds. Has a 25% chance to hit vital organs and deal 2 times more damage.

Level 1: Deals 35 physical damage and slows by 7%.
Level 2: Deals 70 physical damage and slows by 14%.
Level 3: Deals 105 physical damage and slows by 21%.
Level 4: Deals 140 physical damage and slows by 28%.
Level 5: Deals 175 physical damage and slows by 35%.

Shadow Spin (75)

Effect: Damage, pushback, and armor decrease
Targeting Type: Single target
Targets Allowed/Affected: Enemy, ground, unit
Cooldown: 15

The Shadow Slayer gathers a swirling ring of shadows around herself and performs a fancy spin with both of her swords, shredding the opponent’s armor and sending them flying with the force of the dark tornado.

Level 1: Deals 60 damage and reduces the target’s armor by 2.
Level 2: Deals 85 damage and reduces the target’s armor by 3.
Level 3: Deals 110 damage and reduces the target’s armor by 4.
Level 4: Deals 135 damage and reduces the target’s armor by 5.
Level 5: Deals 160 damage and reduces the target’s armor by 6.

Spike Trap (125)

Effect: Places a trap which damages per second and slows upon activation
Targeting Type: Point targeting
Targets Allowed/Affected: Enemy, ground, unit
Cooldown: 20

The Shadow Slayer sets an invisible Spike Trap at the target location, which upon activation releases dozens of spikes to impale her enemies for 3 seconds. The Shadow Slayer can have a maximum of three traps out at once, however each trap must be 200 away from each other and enemy units. Spike Traps cover an area of 100 and have a 1 second activation delay in which they are completely visible.

Level 3: Spikes deal 70 damage per second.
Level 4: Spikes deal 90 damage per second.
Level 5: Spikes deal 110 damage per second.

 

[Lord_Phoenix]

Right now I'd go with rend and shadow spin. The duration of shroud is too short to be much use, maybe 15 or 20 seconds and I'd go with that instead.

 

[Arcane]

Crud. 60% voted for Rend and Shadow Spin. Including myself.

I'm hoping for some variety in the answers, because that means players will have much more of a choice in building their hero, instead of "this-skill-and-this-skill-is-better".

I think I'll raise the duration of Shroud then... and hope that it doesn't make her overpowered.

Consider Shroud to last 15 seconds now.

Oh, and those who voted and didn't post, please do so, I'd like to know the reason for your vote.

 

[FireEffect]

is shroud attack speed or movement speed?

 

[Arcane]

Movement.

 

[Kenoriga]

I guess its Rend and Shadow Spin for me as well.

Instead of Shroud's movement speed increase, I rather slow the enemy(Rend). Both Rend and SS do damage as well, why not? Armour decrease is also good.

Unless the enemy has a strong spell or high damage, I would go Rend and SS. ^^

 

[elmstfreddie]

I like Shroud and Shadow Spin. That's just my style

 

[sqrage]

Rend and Shroud.

Good damage, and also good for needing a quick escape.

 

[2-P]

You forgot the duration of Shadow Spin.

Rend + Shroud.

 

[risen_jihad]

shadowspin is dmg, knockback, and armor reduction. For an agility hero with a high dps, the extra armor loss is very beneficial, especially early on.and because rend deals damage AND slows the enemy, it's essential for the extra early game dmg, and late game slows as a finisher. Shroud is good, and the only reason I would get it is because of a spellcaster that has alot of nukes. But against most strength and agility brawler types, which should ideally be 2/3 of the heroes, shadowspin and rend seem to be the best.

 

[Arcane]

You forgot the duration of Shadow Spin.

Whoops. It's probably going to be 7 seconds or something like that.


*Looks at poll results

Well, you can't please everybody, at least not everybody voted for Rend and Shadow Spin. I guess it's up to the other heroes to make sure that Shroud is useful and used.