[Beta Beat] Early information on the May 2026 HOTM - Zerfain [Part of The Beta Beat V85]

[Maryij - Ghost Division RO]

This thread is to provide early insights and discussion on the May 2026 HOTM,  Zerfain
All Information from Beta is Subject to Change!
Don’t get attached

• Details from beta, especially brand-new beta content, don’t tend to be very reliable for actual hero release.
• It’s incredibly common that heroes are changed during beta testing, or sometimes even after testing but before release. That is, after all, the purpose of beta testing.
• So I wouldn’t get too attached to any of this — it’s not unheard of for entire portions of skills to be removed or reworked, or for radical changes to stats to be made.

 Zerfain --  Beta Info & Stats (Extremely Likely to Change)

Fancy name: Wielder of Crimson Chain

 Gender: Male
 Power: 1184

 Attack: 1233
 Defense: 1223
 HP: 2039

Element: Fire (Red)

Class:  Ranger
Family:  Legends 2026
Aether Power:  Special Boost

Innate Resistance: Resist Mana Generation Ailments

• This character is immune to status ailments and negative stacks that affect mana generation. Doesn't apply to status ailments that stop mana generation or steal mana.

Innate Ability:  Increased Special Skill Damage

• The first time this character casts a Special Skill that deals damage, an additional 50% is added to its power.

 Mana Speed: Average

Special Skill: Unyielding Lashes

• Deals 350% damage to the target.
• If the target had more than 50% health power before receiving damage, targets another enemy who had over 50% health before receiving any damage from this Special Skill. If none of the other enemies had 50% health, targets a random enemy. The damage is increased on each consecutive hit. Each enemy can only be hit once.
• If an enemy is defeated by the attack reduces the mana of all enemies by- 25%.
• Stack (Max: 10): The caster gets +10% attack.
• Elemental Link recovers +4% health for all Fire allies for 6 turns. This effect can’t be dispelled.

[BobTheSnark]

Zerfain’s core mechanic is pretty much a copy-paste straight from Dubhan, only two years later.  The % damage even matches — but only for the first hit, which feels unnecessary.

Dubhan’s rider effect is light Bleed damage that offers nearby allies a smidge of proportional healing, rather than mana-cut-on-kill.  Dubhan does also have that nifty little passive chance to reduce incoming Special direct damage to 1.

I’m not against the idea of recycling a mechanic that many folks might not have, but given that, over the last two years, the proliferation of Average and even Fast unconditional hit-all heroes who also do other nasty stuff, it does feel like the Zerfain/Dubhan mechanic should have a little bit more payoff.  (Even as vanilla as “higher damage,” much less perhaps a bit of a twist like “steals 20% of the mana of all enemies and distributes among allies.”)

[NevarMaor]

This mechanic would be better on a fast mana hero rather than an average. Then you are more likely to get multiple hits. As is, at average I can see it being one or two love taps. As for "defeating the enemy" I don't see that happening unless you get to the fifth hit somehow, and opponent has 51% health (or less).

Not a hero I would be excited to get and use. Maybe they will make improvements.

[Maryij - Ghost Division RO]

Beta update 25.03.2025:

• Increased starting damage: 250% -> 350%
• Decreased damage increase per hit
• Increased mana reduction from kills: -20% -> -25%
• Added - Stack (Max: 10): The caster gets +10% attack.

Version 85 Beta 4 - Build Content