For the Alliance! Andiun Wyrnn is joining the fight in the Nexus as the newest ranged healer in Heroes of the Storm. Blizzard Entertainment had been dropping hints since mid-April as to the identity of the next hero to be added to the already-large roster in game, keeping in line with their Twitter teases to incite debate about potential candidates, though there was little doubt as to who else would sport the colors of the leader of the Alliance. 

The announcement comes at a crucial time for the game, especially considering the sudden dismantling of the esports scene and shifting of employees to other projects, as presented by Blizzard in December of last year. Since that announcement, Imperius was released in January, and then there have been no additional heroes. Instead, in-game events since that time have focused on new skins. 

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Anduin's kit provides a range of utility for his teammates. His trait "Leap of Faith" will allow players to pull a teammate to their location, which will be a boon to those over-eager melee classes who love to dive in at the wrong time. "Flash Heal" is the main source of healing for the character, taking a moment to prepare to cast but also having a short cool down, allowing for use often. "Divine Star" looks and feels similar to Uther Lightbringer's "Holy Radiance", though the beam makes two trips, damaging enemies on the way out, and healing allies on the way back. "Chastise" is the third ability, providing a bit of crowd control in the form of a skill shot root. Both heroic choices at level ten provide healing, with "Holy Word:Salvation" leaning more towards a large team heal, and "Lightbomb" providing assistance to a single target in the form of a shield, while also exploding to damage nearby enemies.

via: Blizzard

It remains to be seen how effective the King of Stormwind will be in his capacity as a healer. One immediate downside that can be observed is the characters total lack of mobility. What happens when Illidan catches him even slightly out of position? Unless there is a tank or dps ready to peel, it will likely be a number of trips back from the spawn point for Alduin. There is also the possibility of griefing with his trait, though hopefully that will not be the case. Players thought the same of Garrosh when he was released into the Nexus, and we did not see many problems there. According to Hots Logs, the three healers with the highest win rates currently are Uther, Lucio and Rehgar, and among them there is either mobility or an instant, targetable stun to escape trouble. Players looking to get the most out of Anduin will need to be significantly more aware of their surroundings if they hope to survive.

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Overall, players should rejoice at the incoming addition of Anduin to the Nexus. Regardless of how one feels of the character, it is important to know that Blizzard is still releasing fan-favorite heroes into the game after the announcement to permanently slow down. New heroes matter, and hopefully there will be plenty more to come in the future.

(Source: Anduin Spotlight)