General, we told you to keep your eyes on the horizon. That shape in the distance wasn't a mirage...

Hammerhold Frontiers, our brand new arena, is live right now. The Djinn woke up under the spire, and it seems the whole desert woke up with it. Nomad warbands, undead risen from the sand, things with too many legs and a very bad attitude... they're all crossing the dunes, and they're heading straight for the battlefield. It's time to CHARGE!

Here's what the frontier brings:

  • 6 New Stages: Fight boldly through the desert dunes!
  • 2 New Towers: Flute Enchanter and Assassin's Guild
  • 3 New Spells: Merchants, Oasis Mirage and Swarm of Locusts
  • 11 New Enemies: from Desert Thugs to Giant Wasp Queens
  • 1 New Boss: Resistance is futile! Lord Malagar is back.
  • 6 New Boosters:  Sandstorm, Lightningbird, Wasp Nest, Scorpion King, Warlizard and Tumbleweeders
  • A New Summon Rift Hero: Alric, the last of the Desert Warriors
  • Balance changes requested by the community, full patch notes here

 

 

Flute Enchanter

A mystical Fakir from the Desert dunes, whose enchanted flute calls forth serpents from the earth to poison and devastate all enemies in their path. Those who dare meet his gaze risk being turned to stone where they stand.

  • Snake Enchanting: Snakes summoned by the Flute Enchanter leave a lingering venom with their bite, poisoning all enemies caught in the strike area and dealing damage over time.
  • Petrification: The tower's eyes periodically petrify all enemies in range, preventing them from moving or fighting.
  • Basilisk: Periodically summons a powerful Basilisk on the opponent's side that instantly devours any unit in its way.

 

Assassin's Guild

A shadowy brotherhood of agile assassins trained to ambush and rob enemies in the blink of an eye. Difficult to hit and always looking for an opening, they can slip undetected to the opponent's side and take out key targets when least expected.

  • Dodge: Years of training in the shadows have made the Assassins nearly impossible to hit. Each attack against them has a chance to miss entirely, leaving enemies striking at thin air.
  • Pickpocket: Attacks have a chance to pickpocket enemies, generating extra gold.
  • Sneak Attack: Periodically teleports an Assassin to the opponent's side to deal massive true damage, with a chance to instantly kill the target.


Three new ways to bend a battle in your favor:

  • Merchants: Summons a numerous band of Desert Merchants onto the road to block incoming enemies. Skilled vendors rather than fighters, what they lack in strength they make up in riches, dropping gold upon death that can turn the tide of battle.
  • Oasis Mirage: The shimmering magic of the oasis conjures illusory duplicates of any soldiers caught within its reach. These mirages mimic their originals in form but not in strength, fading away after a short time.
  • Swarm of Locusts: Summons a ravenous swarm of locusts that tears through the battlefield hurting every enemy in their way before vanishing. What they lack in raw power they make up for in reach, blanketing the entire path!

 


The desert sends its finest... and its worst!

  • Desert Thug: The weakest thugs in the desert, yet cunning in numbers.
  • Dune Raider: Seasoned nomad warrior, armored and trained to hit harder than it looks.
  • Immortal: Stronger than other nomads, with a reputation for being unkillable in battle. When defeated, leaves a Fallen to rise in its place.
  • Sand Wraith: Undead wizard commanding armies of the dead, leaving decay in its wake. Summons sarcophaguses that spawn Fallen to fight in its stead.
  • Desert Archer: Outlaw turned desert nomad, striking from the dunes before you spot it.
  • Dune Terror: Carnivorous worm that munches on anyone who steps too close to its path. Burrows through the sand, untouchable by towers until it surfaces to fight.
  • Fallen: Reanimated corpse of a desert warrior, slow but relentless.
  • Giant Scorpion: Thick exoskeleton lets it hunt prey far larger than itself in the heavy sands. Stings its victims with a poison that lingers long after the attack.
  • Scarab: Desert critter that moves in swift, resilient swarms, pincers ready to stab through defenses. Hardens its shell when blocked.
  • Giant Wasp: Aerial hunter that stings anyone who dares get close to its Queen.
  • Giant Wasp Queen: Soars above the battlefield with great strength, rarely seen with an escort. When killed, its offspring emerge and continue on toward the exit.
  • NEW BOSS: Lord Malagar: A sorcerer who flies menacingly above, teleporting and hiding his minions, and imprisoning heroes.

 


New arena, new tricks to send across the sand:

  • Sandstorm: A raging sandstorm that blinds opponent's towers, slowing their attack speed for a short time. Slows 2 towers every 20 seconds.
  • Lightningbird: Spawns a Lightningbird on the opponent's waves. Unleashes a Thundershock below it, dealing true damage and stunning anyone caught underneath.
  • Wasp Nest: Spawns a Wasp Nest on the opponent's waves. Periodically releases a swarm of Giant Wasps to fly down the path, until destroyed.
  • Scorpion King: Spawns a Scorpion King on the opponent's waves. Summons Giant Scorpions, swarming the path behind him.
  • Warlizard: Spawns a group of Warlizards on the opponent's waves. Curls into a spiked ball, rolling down the path at incredible speed.
  • Tumbleweeders: Spawns Tumbleweeders on the opponent's waves. A Desert Thug that hides beneath a tumbleweed, untargetable until it closes in for combat.

Alric, the last of the Desert Warriors, joins the Summon Rift!

Alric has turned combat into an art form, striking with the speed of a viper and the fury of a desert storm. Feared in close quarters, he tears through enemy ranks with relentless flurries before calling upon the spirits of his fallen clan to fight by his side.

  • Spiked Flurry: Alric tears into his target with a rapid flurry of strikes. Once the flurry ends, he enters a heightened state for a few seconds, dealing true damage equal to a portion of their max HP to any enemy that dares strike him.
  • Sand Warriors: When enemies draw close, Alric calls upon the spirits of his fallen clan, summoning a group of Sand Warriors to fight by his side. Fierce and relentless, they twist into a whirling tornado whenever they move, dealing damage to any enemy in their path, until their time runs out and they return to the desert sands.
  • Dust Devil: When crossing great distances, Alric erupts into a raging dust tornado, tearing through any enemy unfortunate enough to stand in his path. Flying enemies caught above the storm also find their speed reduced.

 

Hammerhold Frontiers is open. Sharpen your blades and claim the frontier!