Best solo laners in Heroes of the Storm are: Blaze, Dehaka, D.Va, Hogger, Leoric, Rexxar, Sonya, The Lost Vikings, Yrel,… These heroes are currently extremely strong. If you can pick, you’ll have somewhat of a head-start in the game.
Blaze
Pros:
- Area Denial.
- Sustain.
- Mobility.
- CC.
Cons:
- Displacement.
- Single Target Damage.
- Burst Damage.
Gameplay:
Blaze is a ranged Tank who specializes in initiating fights and dealing area damage by spreading his flames.
Dehaka
Pros:
- Good waveclear.
- Cannot be body-blocked while using Dark Swarm.
- Can avoid incoming Abilities with Burrow.
- Powerful on demand self healing.
- Can Drag enemies out of position.
- High map mobility via Brushstalker.
Cons:
- Drag and Isolation are difficult skillshots.
- Limited mobility when Brushstalker is on cooldown.
- Lacks a reliable gap-closer.
- Susceptible to kiting.
Gameplay:
Dehaka is an aggressive Warrior with a strong map presence. Powerful self-sustain from Essence Collection makes him very hard to kill. Dark Swarm enables him to break apart enemy formations during fights, while his brutal single target crowd control can incapacitate key targets.
D.Va
Pros:
- Solid initiation.
- Impressive teamfight mobility with Boosters.
- Can mitigate significant amounts of enemy Hero damage with Defense Matrix.
- Incredible damage and zoning potential with Self-Destruct.
Cons:
- Mediocre waveclear.
- No base-line crowd-control aside from knockback of Boosters.
- Slow movement while Boosters is on cooldown.
Gameplay:
Both of her Heroics can only be used in Mech Mode. Her first Heroic is Bunny Hop. D.Va’s mech begins hopping up and down, dealing damage in an area around it. Every fourth hit against the same hero will stun them. Her other heroic is Micro Missiles, an ability with two charges that unleashes a barrage of missiles in an area in front of D.Va, slowing enemies they hit.
In Mech Mode, D.Va does not have access to a mount or equivalent ability; however, her Boosters have a low cooldown and can be used for transport. In Pilot Mode, she can use mounts as usual.
Hogger
Pros:
- Burst damage.
- Crowd control.
- Chaos!.
Cons:
- Poke damage.
- Mobility.
Gameplay:
Hogger is a chaotic melee Bruiser focused on area control. He uses Rage instead of mana, which he gains by taking and dealing damage. Every point of Rage increases his cooldown speed, but it quickly falls off if he leaves combat.
Leoric
Pros:
- Good self-sustain.
- Can deal Percent Damage.
- Fast respawn thanks to Drain Essence.
- Solid waveclear.
- Decent mobility.
- Can become Unstoppable when needed.
- Strong in the late game.
Cons:
- Weak in the early game.
- Vulnerable to burst damage.
- Suffers against healing reduction effects.
Rexxar
Pros:
- Strong solo laner.
- Decent crowd control.
- High health pool on Misha.
- Can easily clear Mercenary Camps on his own.
Cons:
- Very weak if Misha dies.
- No escape mechanisms before Level 16.
- Lack of AoE damage, especially during the early-mid game.
- Controlling Misha requires some practise.
Gameplay:
Rexxar is a hybrid character that combines the crowd control of a Bruiser with the strong damage potential of an Assassin. He is followed by his bear companion, named Misha, who fights alongside Rexxar and supports him in various ways throughout the game. Compared to other Bruisers, playing Rexxar is a unique experience since you have to control both him and Misha at the same time. Rexxar requires good micro management in order to unfold his maximum potential and, as such, he sometimes feels quite disappointing for newer players. Controlling Misha feels challenging at first. However, once the initial learning curve has been overcome, Rexxar’s strong chasing and kiting capabilities and the ability to stun multiple foes at the same time make him a force to be reckoned with.
Sonya
Pros:
- Extremely strong duelist.
- Great self-sustain through Whirlwind.
- One of the highest single-target damage output potential in the game.
- May quickly and safely solo claim any Mercenary Camp.
- Outstanding solo laner.
Cons:
- Extremely strong duelist.
- Great self-sustain through Whirlwind.
- Outstanding solo laner.
- May quickly and safely solo claim any Mercenary Camp.
Gameplay:
The Lost Vikings
Pros:
- Large experience gains through soaking multiple lanes.
- Excellent at clearing and maintaining control of Mercenary Camps.
Cons:
- Contribute very little to teamfights.
- Incredibly dependent on team communication.
- Relatively difficult to play with a very steep learning curve.
- Each Viking has an especially low health pool, allowing them to be easily picked off.
Yrel
Pros:
- Tank.
- Sustain.
- Crowd Control.
Cons:
- Heavy crowd control.
- High Mobility enemies.
Gameplay:
Yrel is a sturdy Bruiser capable of withstanding pressure in the battlefield and peel for her allies with the power of the Light. She is unique as all her Basic Abilities can be charged up to 1.5 seconds, increasing their effectiveness. Her trait, Divine Purpose, allows to instantly use her Basic Abilities at maximum power without requiring to charge.
Overall, Yrel functions well in most team compositions, being able to be played as either a main Tank or a Bruiser.
Read more: Best Heroes of the Storm characters