Malthael · Bruiser
Malthael Guide
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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.
Overview
Malthael is a melee Bruiser in Heroes of the Storm. In this guide you play it as Bruiser: your job is to hold a side lane alone, take camps and add a second frontline in fights. The kit brings mobility with Wraith Strike and sustain with Soul Rip. At level 10 you choose between the heroics Tormented Souls and Last Rites.
Strengths
- Good wave clear, according to Blizzard's own hero tags.
- Can hold a lane alone.
- Strong gank potential around the map.
- Sustain from Soul Rip.
Weaknesses
- Mana-hungry: Blizzard flags its energy as important, so manage it early.
- Low damage by itself: it needs its team to finish kills.
- Relies on basic attacks: blinds and armor hurt its damage.
Build cheat sheet
Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.
- Balanced talentsBalancedRecommendedAt each level, the talent that serves more than one plan. A safe default when you don't know the enemy team yet. Built by reading the talent texts; Blizzard publishes no pick rates.
- Survival talentsDefensiveSituationalAt each level, the talent with the most healing, shields or armor. Choose it against dive or heavy burst.
- Utility talentsUtilitySituationalAt each level, the talent with the most control, cooldown reduction or vision. Choose it when your team needs setup more than damage.
Builds
Balanced talents
When to use it
At each level, the talent that serves more than one plan. A safe default when you don't know the enemy team yet. Built by reading the talent texts; Blizzard publishes no pick rates.
Map job
Battlegrounds change every match, so this is its job on any of them.
Solo laneMainHolds a lane alone so the rest of the team can rotate.- Double soakPriority 2Soaks experience in a lane, usually alongside a teammate, and clears waves fast.
- RotateMoves between lanes to gank and help.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
Death's ReachIncrease Wraith Strike's range by 35%.W
On a Pale HorseGain an additional 20% Movement Speed while mounted.Passive
Fear the ReaperActivate to increase Movement Speed by 25% and pass through other units for 4 seconds.Active
- 1Upgrades Wraith Strike for more utility.
- 4Fits more than one plan at level 4: utility and damage.
- 7Upgrades Soul Rip for more utility.
- 10Fits more than one plan at level 10: damage and survivability.
- 13Upgrades Reaper's Mark for more survivability.
- 16Upgrades Reaper's Mark for more damage.
- 20Fits more than one plan at level 20: damage and survivability.
Survival talents
When to use it
At each level, the talent with the most healing, shields or armor. Choose it against dive or heavy burst.
Map job
Battlegrounds change every match, so this is its job on any of them.
- Solo laneMainHolds a lane alone so the rest of the team can rotate.
- Double soakPriority 2Soaks experience in a lane, usually alongside a teammate, and clears waves fast.
- RotateMoves between lanes to gank and help.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
- Death's ReachIncrease Wraith Strike's range by 35%.W
- On a Pale HorseGain an additional 20% Movement Speed while mounted.Passive
- Fear the ReaperActivate to increase Movement Speed by 25% and pass through other units for 4 seconds.Active
- 1Upgrades Wraith Strike for more utility.
- 4Upgrades Death Shroud for more survivability.
- 7Upgrades Reaper's Mark for more survivability.
- 10Heroic ability focused on survivability.
- 13Upgrades Soul Rip for more survivability.
- 16Upgrades Wraith Strike for more survivability.
- 20Upgrades Last Rites for more survivability.
Utility talents
When to use it
At each level, the talent with the most control, cooldown reduction or vision. Choose it when your team needs setup more than damage.
Map job
Battlegrounds change every match, so this is its job on any of them.
- Solo laneMainHolds a lane alone so the rest of the team can rotate.
- Double soakPriority 2Soaks experience in a lane, usually alongside a teammate, and clears waves fast.
- RotateMoves between lanes to gank and help.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
- Death's ReachIncrease Wraith Strike's range by 35%.W
- On a Pale HorseGain an additional 20% Movement Speed while mounted.Passive
- Fear the ReaperActivate to increase Movement Speed by 25% and pass through other units for 4 seconds.Active
- 1Upgrades Wraith Strike for more utility.
- 4Upgrades Death Shroud for more utility.
- 7Upgrades Soul Rip for more utility.
- 10Heroic ability focused on utility.
- 13Upgrades Reaper's Mark for more survivability.
- 16Upgrades Soul Rip for more utility.
- 20Upgrades Death Shroud.
Abilities
QSoul Rip2s25 mpExtract the souls of nearby enemies afflicted by Reaper's Mark, dealing 100 (+4% per level) damage and healing Malthael for 25 (+4% per level) per target hit. Heroic targets heal Malthael for an additional 4% of the Hero's maximum Health.- WWraith Strike5s30 mpInstantly teleport through an enemy afflicted by Reaper's Mark, dealing 59 (+4% per level) damage and refreshing Reaper's Mark.Basic ability — moves you. Keep it to escape unless the kill is certain.
EDeath Shroud8s50 mpAfter 0.25 seconds, unleash a wave of dark mist that applies Reaper's Mark to enemies it hits.
RTormented SoulsHeroic60s20 mpUnleash a torrent of souls, continually applying Reaper's Mark to nearby enemies for 4 seconds. When Tormented Souls is cast and when it expires, reset the cooldown of Wraith Strike.Heroic — hits an area. Plan your fights around its cooldown.
RLast RitesHeroic70s100 mpApply a death sentence to an enemy Hero that, after 2 seconds, deals damage equal to 50% of their missing Health. Quest: Enemies killed between the application of Last Rites and within 1.5 seconds of it dealing damage permanently reduce its cooldown by 5 seconds, to a minimum of 20 seconds.Heroic. Plan your fights around its cooldown.
Reaper's MarkTraitBasic Attacks cleave in an area in front of Malthael and afflict non-Structure targets with Reaper's Mark for 4 seconds. Marked enemies are revealed and take damage equal to 2% of their maximum Health every 1 second.
Strategy
1Early game
Early, hold the solo lane: soak every wave, win trades when the enemy misses abilities and take mercenary camps when your lane is pushed. Trade when the enemy uses their main ability on the wave; your sustain wins long trades.
- Early talents: Death's Reach and Throwing Shade.
2Mid game
From level 10 (Tormented Souls or Last Rites), join fights at objectives and return to your lane afterwards: a lost side lane costs your team experience.
- Heroics: Tormented Souls and Last Rites.
3Late game
Late, stay with your team: bruisers win late fights by standing in front for longer than the enemy can.
- Level 20: Angel of Death.
4Team fights
Pressure the enemy frontline and punish anyone who steps forward.
Tips
- Your level 10 choice matters: Tormented Souls and Last Rites give you different roles in fights.
- Take camps after pushing your lane: it's free pressure.
- Arrive at map objectives and mercenary camps before they start: the team that is there first chooses the fight.
- Keep Wraith Strike for getting out, not for chasing.
Matchups
Strong against
Blizzard classifies Tychus as a Ranged Assassin: once Malthael is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Blizzard classifies Valla as a Ranged Assassin: once Malthael is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Blizzard classifies Xal'atath as a Ranged Assassin: once Malthael is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Weak against
Malthael has to walk up to start a fight, and Ancient Spear (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Malthael has to walk up to start a fight, and Misha, Charge! (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Malthael has to walk up to start a fight, and Righteous Hammer (stun) stops that engage before it lands.
Works well with
Black Arrows from Sylvanas holds enemies in place for Tormented Souls from Malthael.
Soothing Mist from Brightwing holds enemies in place for Tormented Souls from Malthael.
Blizzard from Mei holds enemies in place for Tormented Souls from Malthael.
Changelog
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98304.
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98297.
- Updated for patch 2.57.0.98285.
- Guide created for patch 2.55.17.98025.
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