Brunhilda, the Strawberry Menace Preview

Welcome to AOV PRO Preview series! Today we introduce new marksman hero Brunhilda, the Strawberry Menace. She is coming to Tencent servers (Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia) in Xeniel’s Codex Season 8 from July 22, 2019.

Contents

ABILITIES

Ballistics (Passive)

When Brunhilda’s normal attacks hit an enemy, her Crit chance is increased by 1.5% and attack damage by 8 (doubled when entrenched) for 1.5 seconds. Stacks up to 5 times.

Redeploy (1st Ability)

Cooldown: 10/9.6./9.2/8.8/8.4/8 sec.

Mana Cost: 50.

Brunhilda gains 80% movement speed that diminishes over 2 seconds. Allows Entrenchment to be canceled immediately.

Passive: Increases 60/66/72/78/84/90 attack damage.

Sentry (2nd Ability)

Cooldown: 8/7.6/7.2/6.8/6.4/6 sec.

Mana Cost: 80.

Brunhilda tosses a Sentry at the target location. Enemies that come into contact take 200/240/280/320/360/400 (+60% of AD) physical damage. Heroes also take a 50% movement speed reduction and 15/18/21/24/27/30% armor reduction for 2 seconds. Brunhilda gains a shield that absorbs 200/240/280/320/360/40 (+50% of AD) damage. Up to 2 Sentries may be active at the same time.

Entrench (Ultimate)

Cooldown: 16/14/12 sec.

Mana Cost: 80.

Brunhilda becomes entrenched for 15 seconds, during which she is unable to move but gains 180/270/360 armor and magic defense. Her normal attacks deal 350/525/700 (+100% of AD) physical damage to enemies at the center of the target area (-40% to enemies on the edge 40%) for a maximum of 7 times. Recast to cancel entrenchment.

Tips

Dealing damage isn’t the only thing – use Sentry to provide protection.

The Ultimate deals heavy damage but Brunhilda becomes immobile, so use it in a safe location.

STORY

“Wow, I didn’t think mom was serious when she told me I had a lil’ sister who stayed with old Moren,” said Brunhilda as she tried to pat Wisp’s head. It was her way of trying to be friendly, though Wisp did not take too kindly to it.” Don’t touch me!” Wisp’s puffed cheeks clearly showed her dissatisfaction, and the sisters looked at each other in awkward silence.

Brunhilda gazed over Wisp’s shoulders and saw Moren’s stern look. She shrugged and said, “Well, I’ll come back another day. But we’re sisters, and there ain’t anything you can do to change that.” “That damn old man…” Brunhilda muttered as she left. If it was not for Moren, she could have shown Wisp more love… Well, in her way, at least. But Brunhilda could not afford to get into trouble; she had her other ‘siblings’ to take care of as well. Brunhilda was the new leader of the Night Owls, a gang that at one time enjoyed a respectable reputation out here on the fringes of the Federation, its operations straddling the line between what was legal and what was not. As trade on the frontier increased, however, increasing competition and ambition began to drive the little gang into more and more dangerous waters, until they finally bit off more than they could chew.

Negvar, their previous leader, fled, and the remainder of the gang was caught between the authorities and the underground world. It was only thanks to Sheriff Rourke’s charity that Brunhilda and the others managed to escape a lengthy spell in prison, and many members abandoned the gang. And so Brunhilda was forced to step up and fill the role of leader, even though she would much rather stay far away from the headaches of administration. The gang was like a second family to her, after all, and, well, she had to pick up the mess that her boyfriend — now ex-boyfriend, of course — Negvar had left behind. The remaining Night Owl members regrouped under new administration and returned to Mildar. The once-prosperous mining town had become a shell of its former self, its ore reserves having become exhausted, but there were still opportunities there for people willing to seize it. It was fortunate that the master smith Moren did not hold a grudge against Brunhilda. Otherwise, given his reputation in Mildar, the fledgling gang would have been running out of town the moment they set foot there.

Like Wisp, Brunhilda was sent by her mother to be raised by Moren, becoming the old smith’s apprentice as she grew up. But she was always a free spirit, and after she learned a few skills she felt she had learned enough to fend for herself. She left behind a letter and ran away with her new boyfriend.

In this, at least, she was truly her mother’s daughter. In any event, Brunhilda and her ‘brothers and sisters’ managed to find their way. Mildar was full of abandoned factories and warehouses, and there was no shortage of supplies and equipment that they could scavenge and with a little effort turn into marketable goods, a much cheaper and reasonably alternative to Kazell’s expensive offerings. Meanwhile, they also developed a working relationship with Max the inventor, who was Moren’s top pupil and provided technical support for the group’s operations. He often invited Brunhilda to join him for dinner at Moren’s workshop. Wisp still did not accept Brunhilda as a sister, but she seemed to tolerate dinner with her, a welcome development for Brunhilda.

Brunhilda’s new quiet life was broken by an unwelcome visitor — her ex-boyfriend and former leader of the Night Owls, Negvar, who had come to Mildar as he continued to elude pursuit by the authorities. Brunhilda did not report this to the police, or even tell her fellow members. She even met with Negvar in private, hoping to persuade him to leave quietly and avoid drawing too much attention. She did not expect that Negvar would take Wisp hostage, hoping to coerce Brunhilda into helping him reclaim his place in his old gang. “No! We worked so hard to make an honest living, we’re not gonna throw it all away for your ambitions!” Brunhilda would have punched Negvar, but with Wisp as hostage, she had no choice but to keep her anger in check.” Keep bluffing, my dear Brunhilda. I know you. You couldn’t abandon your adopted brothers and sisters, how can you abandon your blood sister? You’re gonna to do what I tell you, or the kid’s gonna get it,” laughed Negvar. “Hey, you two ever thought about letting me have my say?”

To both of their surprise, their standoff was broken by a young voice that did not belong to either of them. “Huh? What’s this?” Negvar looked at the black object that Wisp took out from her purse with a blank look.” It’s a bomb, you idiot!” Taking advantage of Negvar’s lapse in attention, Brunhilda pulled out her magic rifle and fired at the fleeing Negvar. And arriving on the scene was Max, who had been watching the exchange from the shadows, and whom now stood in the outlaw’s path, armed to the teeth: “…Well, er…sorry,” said Brunhilda, more than a little bit embarrassed, when all was said and done and the two sisters parted.

“Oh, bro and I just played along. We thought he was a random thief and we wanted to try out some inventions; we didn’t know he had something to do with you,” said Wisp. “But hey…Anyone ever told ya that you have lousy tastes in boyfriends?”

“EX-boyfriend, ok? Hey, it’s not my fault that I got the family curse off mom, you know!”

“Well, it wasn’t a bad feeling, knowing that someone cared.”

“Huh?”

“I have a dad and I have a big bro. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea to have a big sis too. See ya around, big sis.”