Zeratul · Melee Assassin
Zeratul 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
Zeratul is a melee Melee Assassin in Heroes of the Storm. In this guide you play it as Melee Assassin: your job is to catch isolated enemies and burst down the backline. The kit brings mobility with Blink. At level 10 you choose between the heroics Might of the Nerazim and Void Prison.
Strengths
- Has escape tools, according to Blizzard's own hero tags.
- Strong gank potential around the map.
- Brings utility that helps the whole team.
Weaknesses
- Mana-hungry: Blizzard flags its energy as important, so manage it early.
- Melee range: ranged heroes can poke it freely.
- 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 laneHolds a lane alone and wins it.
- Double soakSoaks experience in two lanes at once.
RotateMainRotates between lanes to create kills and pressure.- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
Greater CleaveIncreases the radius of Cleave by 33%.Q
Shadow HunterQuest: Gather Regeneration Globes to lower the Mana cost of Blink by 3, up to 45. Reward: Upon gathering 15 Regeneration Globes, Basic Attacks reduce the cooldown of Blink by 1.5 seconds.EQuest
Move UnseenReduce the cooldown of Permanent Cloak by 1 second. Gain 30% Movement Speed while Stealthed.Trait
- 1Upgrades Cleave.
- 4Adds an active ability for damage.
- 7Upgrades Singularity Spike for more damage.
- 10Heroic ability focused on damage.
- 13Fits more than one plan at level 13: damage and survivability.
- 16The most damage-focused option at level 16.
- 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 laneHolds a lane alone and wins it.
- Double soakSoaks experience in two lanes at once.
- RotateMainRotates between lanes to create kills and pressure.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
- Greater CleaveIncreases the radius of Cleave by 33%.Q
- Shadow HunterQuest: Gather Regeneration Globes to lower the Mana cost of Blink by 3, up to 45. Reward: Upon gathering 15 Regeneration Globes, Basic Attacks reduce the cooldown of Blink by 1.5 seconds.EQuest
- Move UnseenReduce the cooldown of Permanent Cloak by 1 second. Gain 30% Movement Speed while Stealthed.Trait
- 1Quest talent: it only pays off if you complete it early, so commit to it.
- 4Adds an active ability for damage.
- 7Upgrades Singularity Spike for more damage.
- 10Heroic ability focused on damage.
- 13Upgrades Permanent Cloak for more survivability.
- 16The most damage-focused option at level 16.
- 20The most survivability-focused option at level 20.
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 laneHolds a lane alone and wins it.
- Double soakSoaks experience in two lanes at once.
- RotateMainRotates between lanes to create kills and pressure.
- Mercenary campsTakes mercenary camps when it is safe.
- With the teamStays with the team for fights and objectives.
Talents by level
- Greater CleaveIncreases the radius of Cleave by 33%.Q
- Shadow HunterQuest: Gather Regeneration Globes to lower the Mana cost of Blink by 3, up to 45. Reward: Upon gathering 15 Regeneration Globes, Basic Attacks reduce the cooldown of Blink by 1.5 seconds.EQuest
- Move UnseenReduce the cooldown of Permanent Cloak by 1 second. Gain 30% Movement Speed while Stealthed.Trait
- 1Upgrades Permanent Cloak for more utility.
- 4Adds an active ability for damage.
- 7Upgrades Singularity Spike for more damage.
- 10Heroic ability focused on utility.
- 13The most damage-focused option at level 13.
- 16Upgrades Singularity Spike for more utility.
- 20Upgrades Singularity Spike for more utility.
Abilities
- QCleave6s40 mpDeal 200 (+4% per level) damage to nearby enemies.
WSingularity Spike12s70 mpFlings a Singularity Spike that sticks to the first enemy hit. Deals 240 (+4% per level) damage after 1 second and Slows the enemy by 40% for 3 seconds.- EBlink10s50 mpTeleport to the target location. Using this Ability does not break Stealth.Basic ability — moves you and grants invisibility. Keep it to escape unless the kill is certain.
RMight Of The NerazimHeroic20s30 mpActivate to cast an untalented version of Zeratul's most recently used Basic Ability, dealing 50% less damage. Passive: After using an Ability, Zeratul's next Basic Attack within 6 seconds deals 30% more damage.Heroic. Plan your fights around its cooldown.
RVoid PrisonHeroic100s80 mpSlows time in an area to a near standstill, placing allies and enemies in Time Stop for 5 seconds. Zeratul is not affected.Heroic — slows and hits an area. Plan your fights around its cooldown.- Permanent CloakTraitGain Stealth when out of combat for 3 seconds. Taking damage, attacking, using Abilities, or Channeling ends Stealth. Remaining stationary for at least 1.5 seconds while Stealthed grants Invisible.
1Vorpal Blade15sActivate to teleport to Zeratul's last non-structure Basic Attack target within 3 seconds. The target is revealed during these 3 seconds.
Strategy
1Early game
Early, soak experience and look for isolated enemies around the map. Your damage is highest against heroes who can't escape. Trade when you can reach the enemy with your full combo; half a combo just gives them a free hit.
- Early talents: Greater Cleave and Darkness Descends.
2Mid game
At level 10, Might Of The Nerazim or Void Prison gives you a new way to finish kills. Look for the enemy backline once their crowd control is used.
- Heroics: Might of the Nerazim and Void Prison.
3Late game
Late, a mistimed dive costs the game: wait for the enemy's key cooldowns before going in.
- Level 20: Shadow Mending.
4Team fights
Go in after the enemy uses their crowd control, focus the squishiest target and use Blink to get back out.
Tips
- Never dive without Blink ready.
- Choose between Might Of The Nerazim and Void Prison depending on the enemy team.
- Arrive at map objectives and mercenary camps before they start: the team that is there first chooses the fight.
- Keep Blink for getting out, not for chasing.
Matchups
Strong against
Blizzard classifies Orphea as a Ranged Assassin: once Zeratul is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Blizzard classifies Probius as a Ranged Assassin: once Zeratul is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Blizzard classifies Raynor as a Ranged Assassin: once Zeratul is on top of them, that distance stops mattering.
Weak against
Revolving Sweep (stun) lets Qhira pin Zeratul down before Blink gets them out.
Octo-Grab (stun) lets Murky pin Zeratul down before Blink gets them out.
Containment Disc silences Zeratul, whose damage comes from abilities.
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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