We recently revealed that the next Technical Alpha patch will bring a number of changes to the Heroes of the Storm out-of-game Leveling System, and today we’d like to introduce another upcoming addition we’re making to the game: Artifacts!

What Are Artifacts?

In addition to all of the upcoming changes recently outlined in our Progression System update blog, Artifacts are a new system we’re introducing. Once a player reaches Player Level 15, they will unlock an Artifact Slot. Within these slots you will be able to place a variety of powerful Artifacts in the form of Gems, Relics, and Trinkets that you can use to further enhance and customize your heroes. This new system will offer players a variety of new and compelling choices to add further depth to their heroes and how you play them, and it will also give you new things to spend your hard-earned Gold on that will further progress your Heroes in a meaningful way.

Unlocking Artifacts and Artifact Slots

Your first Artifact slot, the Gem Artifact Slot, unlocks at Player Level 15, and there are two additional Artifact Slots that you can unlock thereafter by paying Gold. These additional Artifact Slots are known as the Relic and Trinket Artifact Slots. They cost 2,000 Gold each to unlock, and can be purchased in any order.

You can choose up to three Artifacts to bring with you into a match, but you can only select one of each distinct type to fill the corresponding Gem, Relic, or Trinket slots. You can select which Artifacts you would like to use for an upcoming match at the Hero Selection screen, and your most recent Artifact choices will be displayed by default. This will allow you to either continue to use a favorite Artifact combination, or to customize your Artifact choices with a particular Hero or team composition in mind.

A variety of different Gems, Relics, and Trinkets will be available for purchase using Gold, and you will be able to equip, purchase, and upgrade Artifacts directly within the Hero Selection screen.

Upgrading Artifacts

Artifacts and their attributes will also grow stronger as you upgrade their individual Artifact Level, which maxes out at Artifact Level 10. Purchasing the first level of an Artifact will cost you 100 Gold, and each further upgrade will cost you an additional 100 gold. For example, upgrading an Artifact’s rank from Artifact Level 1 to Artifact Level 2 will cost you 200 Gold, and upgrading an Artifact’s rank from Artifact Level 2 to Artifact Level 3 will cost you 300 Gold, and so on up to Artifact Level 9, which will cost 1,000 Gold to upgrade to Artifact Level 10.

Please keep in mind that the development team is still hard at work polishing up the new UI, so it will be iterated on and improved as development continues.

Gems, Relics, and Trinkets, oh my!

Below is a list of some of the exciting new Artifacts you can look forward to in our next Technical Alpha patch! 
 

Gem Slot

Bold Amethyst

• Increases maximum health by 1.5% per rank, up to a maximum of 15% at Rank 10. 

Brilliant Topaz

• Increases ability damage by 1% per rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10.

Nexus Sapphire

• Grants a shield equal to 1% of the Hero’s maximum health per rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10. (Shields recharge after a player hasn’t taken damage for approximately 8 seconds).

Primal Ruby

• Increases basic attack damage by 1% per rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10.

Royal Diamond

• Reduces cooldowns for abilities by 1% per Rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10.

Skyfire Emerald

• Increases speed of basic attacks by 1% per rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10.

Relic Slot

Alexstraza's Scale

• Increases health regeneration by 0.1% of your maximum health per second per rank, up to a maximum of 1% of your maximum health per second at Rank 10. 

Nathrezim Blood Orb

• Basic attack damage dealt restores health by 1% per rank, up to a maximum of 10% at Rank 10.

The Coin

• Increases mana regeneration by +.1 mana per second per rank, up to a maximum of +1 mana per second at Rank 10.

Worldstone Shard

• Increases damage vs. minions and structures by 1.5% per rank, up to a maximum of 15% at Rank 10.

Trinket Slot

Goblin Jumper Cables

• Decreases death timer by 2% per rank, up to a maximum of 20% at Rank 10. 

Khaydarin Amulet

• Increases maximum mana by 4% per rank, up to a maximum of 40% at Rank 10.

Riding Crop

• Increases Mount Speed by 2% per rank, up to a maximum of +20% at Rank 10.

Wirt's Leg

• Increases base movement speed by 0.5% per rank up to a maximum of 5% at Rank 10.

Shiny Rewards Come to Those Who Continue to Participate in the Technical Alpha

In order to reward players for their continued participation in the Technical Alpha, and to help encourage players to test Artifacts and the new progression system, during the next patch we will also be granting Gold to players Level 5 and above based off of their player level.

So keep leveling, and start planning out what Artifacts you want to take out for a test-drive first!

Developer Insights Live: Coming Soon!

Also make sure to join us at Twitch.tv/BlizzHeroes on Tuesday, July 22 at 11:00 a.m. PDT to learn more about a brand new Hero, new Battleground, and a look at the updated Progression System. After this portion of the show, the following members of the Heroes development team will be answering a variety of questions submitted on Twitter/Facebook:
 

• Dustin Browder, Game Director
• Matt Cooper, Game Designer
• Josh “Rokcet” Rester-Zodrow, Heroes Community Manager

We’d love to hear your questions related to Heroes of the Storm, so be sure to tweet your inquiries to @BlizzHeroes using #HeroesQA right away, and check out our recent Developer Insights Live blog for more info!

Did we mention there will also be a shoutcasted match after the show featuring a new Hero and Battleground?  Make sure to tune in!