Sylvanas

Sylvanas
"Victory for the Forsaken!"
Basic Info
Title	The Banshee Queen
Role	Ranged Assassin
Difficulty	Medium
Franchise	Warcraft
Price	625 / 7,000
Release Date	March 24, 2015
Base Stats
Attack Type	Ranged
Health	1650
Health Regen	3.4414
Resource	500 Mana
Unit Radius	0.625
Attack Speed	1.67
Attack Range	5.5
Attack Damage	81
Data Page

Sylvanas Windrunner, The Banshee Queen, is a Ranged Assassin Hero from the Warcraft universe. She was not always the Dark Lady of the Forsaken. In another life, Sylvanas was the Ranger-General of Silvermoon. But that was before the death knight Arthas slew her and her people and raised her as the first banshee.

Sylvanas is an Assassin who can shut down enemy Forts and Keeps.

Background

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft universe.

As the Queen of the Undead Forsaken, Sylvanas Windrunner seeks a higher purpose for a people who have already died once.

Sylvanas was once the ranger-general of Silvermoon, a commander charged with defending the elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas. She perished during the Third War, when her homeland was ravaged by Arthas Menethil and the undead Scourge, but her death was not the end. Cruelly, Arthas ripped her soul from her body, subjugating her as a banshee, a hate-filled agent of the Scourge. When the Lich King was weakened by an assault from Illidan Stormrage, Sylvanas and other willful undead broke free from his control and built a new home beneath the fallen kingdom of Lordaeron. They called themselves the Forsaken, and vowed to exterminate the Lich King at all costs.

After fighting for their right to join the Horde, Sylvanas led her "people" to the continent of Northrend to destroy the Lich King. Before they could succeed, an uprising among the Forsaken killed members of the Horde and Alliance, casting a shadow of mistrust over Sylvanas. She came to dwell on the Forsaken's dim prospects for the future; they were despised and unable to procreate. Ultimately, the Banshee Queen made a pact with the Val'kyr, nightmarish creatures capable of creating more undead, to give the Forsaken a chance to persist on Azeroth.

Gameplay

Sylvanas is a mobile Ranged Assassin with very high sustained damage and waveclear. Her mobility and the long range and instantaneous nature of her Abilities makes her a very safe Hero that is difficult to shut down. Sylvanas also boasts extremely strong utility in her unique ability to stun most Structures, Minions, and Mercenaries (save for Bosses and Cores).

Strengths

• High sustained damage
• Powerful waveclear
• Able to stun most Structures, Minions, and Mercenaries
• Very mobile, with a strong gap-closer

Weaknesses

• Low maximum Health and weak against burst damage
• Highly vulnerable to Crowd Control
• Rather weak early game
• Less effective in teamfights

Abilities

See Data page for a table of scaled values at key levels.

Black Arrows

Cooldown: 40 seconds

Activate to cause all Basic Attacks and Abilities to Stun Minions, non-Elite Mercenaries, and Structures for 3 seconds. Lasts for 10 seconds.

---

Type: Crowd control

Affects: Enemy Minions, Non-Elite Mercenaries & Structures

Properties: Attack Modifier, Stun

Cast time: Instant

Banshee's Curse

---

Basic Attacks infect enemies with Banshee's Curse for 3 seconds, stacking up to 3 times. Deal 25% more damage to enemies with 3 stacks.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Self

Properties: Attack Modifier

---

• Effects of Black Arrows and Banshee's Curse are applied before the damage is dealt.
• Damage bonus stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Sylvanas's damage.

Q

Withering Fire

25 Mana Cooldown: 8 seconds

Shoot the closest enemy up to 5 times over 1.5 seconds for 39 damage, prioritizing Heroes. Cooldown is reset on getting a Takedown.

---

Type: Spell Damage

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemies

Targeting: Automatic (closest)

Cast time: Instant

Radius: 8.0

Missile speed: 45

Tickrate: 2.67 per second

---

• Can only be activated if an enemy is within the radius. The Ability can not be activated again until all shots are used.
• If no enemy is in radius (while the Ability is active), a shot is consumed and the Ability continues until the end of its duration.
• Prioritizes the closest enemy in target groups of Heroes and non-Heroes.
• Other Structures are prioritized over Gates and Walls.

W

Shadow Dagger

50 Mana Cooldown: 11 seconds

Throw a dagger at a target enemy that deals 30 damage and an additional 150 damage over 2.5 seconds. Damage dealt by Sylvanas to the initial target spreads Shadow Dagger to all nearby enemies.

---

Type: Spell Damage

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemies

Targeting: Unit target

Properties: Damage over Time

Cast time: 0.1875 + 0 seconds

Range: 8.0

Radius: 3.5 ⁽¹

Missile speed: 25

Tickrate: 2.0 per second (x5, excl. initial)

Damage per tick: 30

---

• ¹⁾ Spread radius is extended by the main target's unit radius.
• Cast is interrupted if the target moves at least 4 units past its range during its windup.
• Initial target is displayed by a unique icon overhead.
• Cannot spread to Stealthed enemy units, Walls or enemy units that are already affected by it.
• The initial damage instance is not classified as DoT and is dealt to secondary targets as well when Shadow Dagger spreads to them.

E

Haunting Wave

75 Mana Cooldown: 11 seconds

Send forth a wave of banshees, dealing 114 damage to all targets. Reactivate to teleport to the banshees' location.

---

Type: Spell Damage / Movement: Launch, Status effect

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemies / Self

Targeting: Point target

Properties: Area of Effect, Clamping, Unstoppable

Cast time: 0.1 + 0 seconds

Range: 14

Area of Effect: Radial

Radius:
- Initial: 1.0 ⁽¹
- Maximum: 13.96

Arc: 24 degrees

Missile speed:
- Wave: 9.0
- Launch: 50

Tickrate: 2.0 per second

---

• ¹⁾Search area expands to its maximum radius over 1.5 seconds in increments of 0.54.
• After the cast, the Ability can be reactivated for 1.75 seconds to launch to the wave's location.
• Sylvanas gains Unstoppable while she is traveling to the wave's location.

R

Wailing Arrow

100 Mana Cooldown: 90 seconds

Shoot an arrow that can be reactivated to deal 228 damage and Silence enemies in an area for 2.5 seconds. The arrow detonates automatically if it reaches maximum range.

---

Type: Spell Damage, Crowd control

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemies

Targeting: Point target

Properties: Area of Effect, Clamping, Silence

Cast time: 0.1 + 0 seconds

Range: 18

Area of Effect: Circle

Radius: 3.5

Missile speed: 13

R

Mind Control

50 Mana Cooldown: 40 seconds

After 0.25 seconds, fire a missile that Mind Controls the first enemy Hero hit. Heroes hit are Silenced, Slowed by 30%, have 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse applied to them and are forced to walk toward Sylvanas for 1.75 seconds.

---

Type: Crowd control

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemy Heroes

Targeting: Point target

Properties: Clamping, Skillshot, Mind Control, Slow

Cast time: 0.25 + 0 seconds

Range: 13.0

Hitbox: 2.0 x 1.0

Missile speed: 12

---

• Mind Control is treated as a Silence effect. Abilities that interact with Silences also interact with Mind Control.
• Mind Controlled Heroes cannot attack and have no control of their movement.

Talents

1

Might of the Banshee Queen

Hitting an enemy Hero with Withering Fire increases Sylvanas's Attack Speed and Spell Power by 5% for 6 seconds, stacking to 5 times.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Self

Properties: Spell Power

---

• Spell Power from Might of the Banshee Queen stacks additively with itself and other sources of Spell Power as well as other offensive damage and healing modifiers affecting Sylvanas's Spell damage or healing output.

Unfurling Shadows

❢ Quest: Each time an enemy Hero with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse is hit by Shadow Dagger, its damage is permanently increased by 0.5%.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Ability

---

• Affects both the initial damage and the damage over time.
• Damage bonus stacks additively with itself and other offensive damage modifiers affecting Shadow Dagger's damage.

Overwhelming Affliction

Enemy Heroes with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse are Slowed by 15%. Sylvanas's Basic Attacks against Slowed enemy Heroes deal 1% of their maximum Health as damage.

---

Type: Spell Damage, Crowd control

Scaling: -

Affects: Enemy Heroes

Properties: Slow, Attack Modifier

---

• Damage is dealt in a separate instance along with Basic Attack damage.

4

Unstable Poison

Minions that die under the effects of Shadow Dagger or Sylvanas's Traits explode, dealing 130 damage to nearby Minions, Mercenaries, and Summons.

---

Type: Spell Damage

Scaling: 4.00%

Affects: Enemy Minions, Mercenaries & Summons

Properties: Area of Effect

Area of Effect: Circle

Radius: 2.5

Mercenary Queen

Friendly non-Elite Mercenaries near Sylvanas deal 60% more damage. Sylvanas Stuns and deals 30% additional damage to Mercenaries with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Self / Allied non-Elite Mercenaries

Properties: Area of Effect, Mercenary Lord

Radius: 9.0

Tickrate: 2.0 per second

---

• Damage aura does not stack with other Mercenary Lord derivated damage auras.
• Otherwise, damage bonuses stack addtively with other offensive damage bonuses that can affect the target units' damage output.

Possession

Charge Cooldown: 12 seconds
Activate to force an enemy Minion to fight for Sylvanas's team. Catapults require 3 charges. Stores up to 3 charges.

---

Type: Instant kill / Summon

Affects: Enemy Minions (incl. Catapults)

Targeting: Unit target

Cast time: 0.1 + 0 seconds

Range: 10

---

• Possession awards experience from the minion kill (or the appropriate Regeneration Globe if the target unit is a wizard minion). However, Possessing Catapults gives the normal experience that a Melee or Ranged Minion would give, not the 1 XP that Catapults would normally give.
• Possessed Minions are restored to full Health and have negative effects removed from them, including the raven curse on Cursed Hollow.
• The enemy team does not get experience, Regeneration Globes or stacks from killing a possessed minion and they cannot be repossessed by the opposing team's Sylvanas.

7

Barbed Shot

Hitting the same enemy with 5 shots of Withering Fire causes the 5th shot to deal 350% bonus damage.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Ability

---

• Damage bonus stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Withering Fire's damage.

Lost Soul

Increase Shadow Dagger's damage by 10%. Basic Attacks against Heroes with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse reduce the cooldown of Shadow Dagger by 1.75 seconds.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Ability

Properties: Attack Modifier

---

• Affects both the initial damage and the damage over time.
• Stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Shadow Dagger's damage.

Festering Wounds

Increase Haunting Wave's damage by 15%. Haunting Wave applies 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Ability

---

• Banshee's Curse stacks are applied before the damage is dealt.
• Damage bonus stacks additively with other damage modifiers that can affect Haunting Wave's damage.

10

Wailing Arrow

Cooldown: 90 seconds
Shoot an arrow that can be reactivated to deal 228 damage and silence enemies in an area for 2.5 seconds. The arrow detonates automatically when it reaches maximum range.

Mind Control

Cooldown: 40 seconds
After 0.25 seconds, fire a missile that Mind Controls the first enemy Hero hit. Heroes hit are Silenced, Slowed by 30%, and forced to walk towards Sylvanas for 1.75 seconds.

13

Cold Embrace

Shadow Dagger reduces the Armor of the initial target by 25 and any enemy it spreads to by 10 for 2.5 seconds.

---

Type: Defensive damage modifier

Affects: Enemies

Properties: Armor reduction

---

• Does not stack with other negative Armor effects. Other defensive damage modifiers may stack.

Windrunner

Hauting Wave can be cast a second time for free within 5 seconds after teleporting. Teleporting with Haunting Wave resets the cooldown of Withering Fire.

Remorseless

Increase Sylvanas's Basic Attack range by 1. Sylvanas's Basic Attacks against enemy Heroes with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse shoot an untalented shot of Withering Fire. This shot of Withering Fire applies Banshee's Curse.

---

Type: Spell Damage

Scaling: 4.00%

Properties: Attack Modifier

Radius: 8.0

---

• Remorseless's Withering Fire shots are fired from the target of the Basic Attack upon impact and prioritize the closest unit to the target.

16

Evasive Fire

Hitting an enemy with Withering Fire grants 6% Movement Speed for 2 seconds, up to 30%. Basic Attacks refresh this duration.

---

Type: Status effect

Affects: Self

Properties: Movement speed

---

• Stacks additively with itself, but not with other sources of bonus Movement Speed.

Life Drain

Heal for 15% of damage dealt by Sylvanas to enemies with 3 stacks of Banshee's Curse. Healing is doubled against Heroes.

---

Type: Healing

Scaling: -

Affects: Self

Targeting: Point target

Properties: Attack Modifier, Lifesteal

---

• Stacks additively with other sources of lifesteal.

Will of the Forsaken

Cooldown: 60 seconds
Activate to become Unstoppable and gain 40% Movement Speed for 3 seconds.

---

Type: Status effect

Affects: Self

Targeting: No target

Properties: Unstoppable

Cast time: Instant

20

Deafening Blast

Enemies at the center of Wailing Arrow's explosion take 50% more damage and are Silenced for twice as long.

---

Type: Offensive damage modifier

Affects: Ability

Center radius: 1.5

---

• Damage bonus stacks additively with other offensive damage modifiers that can affect Wailing Arrow's damage.

Dark Lady's Call

Heroes hit by Mind Control have their vision radius greatly reduced for 5 seconds. Mind Control's cooldown is reduced by 25 seconds.

---

Sight radius: 3.5

Withering Barrage

Withering Fire applies Banshee's Curse, and Heroes hit by Withering Fire reduce its cooldown by 0.75 seconds.

---

• Each shot applies 1 stack.

Bolt of the Storm

Cooldown: 70 seconds
Activate to teleport to a nearby location.

---

Type: Movement: Teleport

Affects: Self

Targeting: Point target

Properties: Bolt of the Storm

Cast time: Instant

Range: 7.2

Skins

Sylvanas Skins
The Banshee Queen
Backstory: Sylvanas Windrunner was not always the Dark Lady of the Forsaken. In another life, she was the Ranger-General of Silvermoon. But that was before the Death Knight Arthas slew her and her people and raised her as the first Banshee.
Notes: Sylvanas is free for players recruited by Recruit a Friend upon reaching player level 10.
625 / 7,000 The Banshee Queen	Free Frost	Free Scarlet
Blood Raven
Backstory: Those who fight against evil are often the most affected by it. The Rogues of Khanduras learned this well when their former sister Sylvanas fell in league with the maiden of Anguish, Andariel.
Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of other universes merging into Diablo skins.
350 / 400	350 / 400 Banshee	350 / 400 Skeletal	350 / 400 Wild	350 / 400 Jungle
Dark Lady
Backstory: The guise of a Dark Ranger strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies. The guise of the Dark Ranger Queen will send them running for reinforcements...
120 / 75	120 / 75 Plagued	120 / 75 San'layn
Ranger-General
Backstory: The Ranger-Generals are the commanders of the Farstriders of Quel'Thalas. It is their solemn duty to ensure the protection of Silvermoon, or give their life in its defense.
Features: Altered voice-over.
Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of character's pre-change skins.
250 / 300	250 / 300 Woodland	250 / 300 Sin'dorei	250 / 300 Ghostlands
Warchief
Backstory: Sylvanas never wanted to be warchief, and was never fond of Vol'jin. Nevertheless, she has sworn to avenge the fallen shadow hunter and lead their people to victory against the Legion.
120 / 75	120 / 75 Cold	120 / 75 Crimson

Sylvanas Event Skins
Lunar
Backstory: Much has changed for Quel'Thalas over the centuries, but the Windrunner family has never stopped honoring their elders during the Lunar Festival.
Features: Altered voice-over, themed animations, themed abilities.
Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of holiday skins.
350 / 400	350 / 400 Soaring	350 / 400 Jade	350 / 400 Azure	350 / 400 Blossom
Sugar Plum
Backstory: Sugar and spice? Maybe. Everything nice? Not by a long shot.
Features: Themed abilities.
Notes: This skin theme is part of a shared theme of holiday skins.
600 / 1,200	600 / 1,200 Snow	600 / 1,200 Sour	600 / 1,200 Sweet	600 / 1,200 Mint

Portraits

Sylvanas Portraits
Banshee Queen Sylvanas75 / 40	Blood Raven Sylvanas75 / 40	Carbot Sylvanas120 / 75	Drac Lady Sylvanas75 / 40	Lil' Lunar Sylvanas75 / 40	Nostalgic Sugar Plum Sylvanas75 / 40	Sepia Sylvanas75 / 40
Sugar Plum Sylvanas75 / 40	Sylvanas Hero	Sylvanas Mastery	Toon Lunar Sylvanas75 / 40	Toon Sugar Plum Sylvanas75 / 40	WoW Sylvanas75 / 40

Sprays

Sylvanas Sprays
Carbot Sylvanas120 / 75	Cartoon Sylvanas75 / 40	Emoji Sylvanas120 / 75	Feast-ival Sylvanas120 / 75	Lunar Sylvanas Lantern120 / 75	Nostalgic Sugar Plum Sylvanas75 / 40	Puppet Sylvanas75 / 40
Sylvanas Pixel75 / 40

Emojis

Sylvanas Pack 1			Sylvanas Pack 2
Emoji	Name	Shortcut	Emoji	Name	Shortcut
	Sylvanas Happy	:sylvanashappy: :sylvhappy:		Sylvanas Angry	:sylvanasangry: :sylvangry:
	Sylvanas ROFL	:sylvanaslol: :sylvanasrofl: :sylvlol: :sylvrofl:		Sylvanas Cool	:sylvanascool: :sylvcool:
	Sylvanas Sad	:sylvanassad: :sylvsad:		Sylvanas Embarrassed	:sylvanasoops: :sylvanasembarrassed: :sylvoops: :sylvembarrassed:
	Sylvanas Silly	:sylvanassilly: :sylvsilly:		Sylvanas in Love	:sylvanaslove: :sylvanasinlove: :sylvlove: :sylvinlove:
	Sylvanas Speechless	:sylvanasmeh: :sylvanasspeechless: :sylvmeh: :sylvspeechless:		Sylvanas Surprised	:sylvanaswow: :sylvanassurprised: :sylvwow: :sylvsurprised:

Sugar Plum Sylvanas Pack 1			Sugar Plum Sylvanas Pack 2
Emoji	Name	Shortcut	Emoji	Name	Shortcut
	Sugar Plum Sylvanas Happy	:sylvanassugarplumhappy: :sylvsphappy:		Sugar Plum Sylvanas Angry	:sylvanassugarplumangry: :sylvspangry:
	Sugar Plum Sylvanas ROFL	:sylvanassugarplumlol: :sylvanassugarplumrofl: :sylvsplol: :sylvsprofl:		Sugar Plum Sylvanas Cool	:sylvanassugarplumcool: :sylvspcool:
	Sugar Plum Sylvanas Sad	:sylvanassugarplumsad: :sylvspsad:		Sugar Plum Sylvanas Embarrassed	:sylvanassugarplumoops: :sylvanassugarplumembarrassed: :sylvspoops: :sylvspembarrassed:
	Sugar Plum Sylvanas Silly	:sylvanassugarplumsilly: :sylvspsilly:		Sugar Plum Sylvanas in Love	:sylvanassugarplumlove: :sylvanassugarpluminlove: :sylvsplove: :sylvspinlove:
	Sugar Plum Sylvanas Speechless	:sylvanassugarplummeh: :sylvanassugarplumspeechless: :sylvspmeh: :sylvspspeechless:		Sugar Plum Sylvanas Surprised	:sylvanassugarplumwow: :sylvanassugarplumsurprised: :sylvspwow: :sylvspsurprised:

Lunar Sylvanas Pack 1			Lunar Sylvanas Pack 2
Emoji	Name	Shortcut	Emoji	Name	Shortcut
	Lunar Sylvanas Happy	:sylvanaslunarhappy: :sylvlhappy:		Lunar Sylvanas Angry	:sylvanaslunarangry: :sylvlangry:
	Lunar Sylvanas ROFL	:sylvanaslunarlol: :sylvanaslunarrofl: :sylvllol: :sylvlrofl:		Lunar Sylvanas Cool	:sylvanaslunarcool: :sylvlcool:
	Lunar Sylvanas Sad	:sylvanaslunarsad: :sylvlsad:		Lunar Sylvanas Embarrassed	:sylvanaslunaroops: :sylvanaslunarembarrassed: :sylvloops: :sylvlembarrassed:
	Lunar Sylvanas Silly	:sylvanaslunarsilly: :sylvlsilly:		Lunar Sylvanas in Love	:sylvanaslunarlove: :sylvanaslunarinlove: :sylvllove: :sylvlinlove:
	Lunar Sylvanas Speechless	:sylvanaslunarmeh: :sylvanaslunarspeechless: :sylvlmeh: :sylvlspeechless:		Lunar Sylvanas Surprised	:sylvanaslunarwow: :sylvanaslunarsurprised: :sylvlwow: :sylvlsurprised:

Quotes

Main article: Sylvanas/Quotes

Trivia

• Sylvanas first appeared in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (July 2002).
  • Her book debut was five years later, in World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness (August 2007).
• Piera Coppola voiced Sylvanas in Warcraft III. Patty Mattson voices Sylvanas in World of Warcraft and Heroes of the Storm.
• She was under consideration for inclusion as early as 2011.
• Sylvanas was one of the heroes announced at BlizzCon 2014.
• Woodland Sylvanas may have been inspired by the disguise Oliver Queen wore in the first season of Arrow (October 2012).
• One of Sylvanas' gag quotes references her signature song, the Lament of the Highborne. This music is played when Sylvanas uses her ultimate, "Mind Control".

Gallery

General

• 

  Sylvanas's artwork

• 

  Sylvanas with Varian in Azeroth

• 

  Possession (replaced by Mind Control)

• 

  Sylvanas, Ranger-General of Silvermoon

Concept art

• 

  Blizzard DOTA model from BlizzCon 2010

• 

  The Blizzard DOTA models of Sylvanas and various other heroes

• 

  Heroes of the Storm model from PAX East 2014

• 

  Heroes of the Storm model from BlizzCon 2014

• 

  Sylvanas's portrait from BlizzCon 2014

• 

  Sylvanas, Banshee Queen of the Forsaken

• 

  Lunar Sylvanas concept art

Abilities

• 

  Q: Withering Fire

• 

  W: Shadow Dagger

• 

  E: Haunting Wave

• 

  R1: Wailing Arrow

• 

  R2: Mind Control

External links

• Sylvanas Hero Week
• Sylvanas - Heroes of the Storm
• Sylvanas Windrunner - World of Warcraft
• Sylvanas Windrunner - Wowpedia
• Sylvanas Build Guide on Icy Veins
• Sylvanas Balance Changelog - Heroes Patch Notes
• Sylvanas Sound Files - Sounds of the Storm