Arden

Template:Infobox Hero

"I hear every heartbeat."

Arden is a powerful support character of the Wilders faction who is notorious for Entangling Roots, a crowd control skill which can immobilize up to 3 heroes. With the haste buff, he will cast this skill almost every time the roots expire.

He also gives his allied frontline a magic shield with damage deflection.

Background

Arden has lived a very long life and has accumulated a peerless pool of wisdom. The old sage is held in the highest regard among the Wilders, with many looking on him with something akin to reverence. As an Oak Sage, Arden is also in the highest order of the forest's conjurers. They are nature's will incarnate, the voice of the trees, the hand of the living world. Needless to say, his words carry considerable weight.

Though all Wilders call the forest their home and feel at ease among the towering trunks and swooping boughs, Arden feels the life of the place deep in his bones. He knows that the forest has a soul. He listens hears its joy in the sun's nourishing warmth, its sorrow at the axe's fall, its hunger and pain and overwhelming desire to propagate. It was in this way that Arden sensed the approach of the Hypogeans.

From the moment the Gate was broken, a looming unease began to grow like a parasitic weed. There was a sudden darkening of the forest's gestalt consciousness. Animals returned to their burrows or huddled in their nests. Flowers ready to bloom remained closed, afraid to open their petals to the world outside. Seeds in the ground refused to take root, afraid of what they would meet aboveground.

Arden couldn't quite say what the threat was at the very beginning, but he knew that dark times were coming, and that his people would need to be ready. The first step was to create the Dusk Watch. Someone would need to be posted along the woodland's perimeter if they were to ascertain exactly what was the source of this unease. He began speaking to the brambles and brush around the forest edge and the areas surrounding the villages of the Wilders, gently coaxing it to grow in tightly-knit walls of thorn and vine.

The aged conjurer knew, however, that in the coming times, the vast stores of knowledge he held would need to be shown to all. Not without a little trepidation, he opted to break with long-held traditions and share his wisdom in earnest. He began to teach the most talented of the younger generation many of the secrets he had uncovered over his years, encouraging them to bring this knowledge to their friends and families. If they were going to make it through this, they would need everyone operating to their fullest potential. Unity would be paramount. Evil was spreading in all directions, and like a corrupted river, one branch was coming for them. The Wilders would need guidance and an experienced hand in the time to come. Arden felt his new responsibility come to rest heavily on his shoulders. He didn't ask for this duty, but he didn't trust anyone else to do it. He would lead the fight. He would lead the resistance.

“Listen to the wind. Words ride on its every breath.”

Skills

Unlock Level (Hero)	Name	Icon	Description
1	Force of Nature		Arden calls forth the full force of mother nature to hit all enemies successively. Each hit deals 150% magic damage. Maximum amount of hits limited to 5 per time.
11	Entangling Roots		Arden raises tree roots from the ground that entrap 1 enemy targets, dealing 70% damage to them. The entangling roots cause damage over time and prevent enemies from moving, dodging or attacking while entangled.
21	Entangling Roots		Arden raises tree roots from the ground that entrap 1 enemy targets, dealing 80% damage to them. The entangling roots cause damage over time and prevent enemies from moving, dodging or attacking while entangled.
41	Shield of Thorns		Arden creates a protective shield made of thorns around an ally that is able to deflect 80% magic damage back at the aggressing enemy. Deflected damage is based upon Arden's Attack Rating. This ability can be activated every 0.13 seconds.
61	Force of Nature		Arden calls forth the full force of mother nature to hit all enemies successively. Each hit deals 150% magic damage. The targeted enemy can be hit multiple times. Maximum amount of hits limited to 5 per time.
81	Entangling Roots		Arden raises tree roots from the ground that entrap 2 enemy targets, dealing 80% damage to them. The entangling roots cause damage over time and prevent enemies from moving, dodging or attacking while entangled.
101	Shield of Thorns		Arden creates a protective shield made of thorns around an ally that is able to deflect 80% magic damage back at the aggressing enemy, slowing them. Deflected damage is based upon Arden's Attack Rating. This ability can be activated every 0.13 seconds.
121	Force of Nature		Arden calls forth the full force of mother nature to hit all enemies successively. First hit deals #.PlusRatio.Per# magic damage and is increased by 10% per further successive hit (maximum amount of hits limited to 5 per time)
141	Entangling Roots		Arden raises tree roots from the ground that entrap 3 enemy targets, dealing 80% damage to them. The entangling roots cause damage over time and prevent enemies from moving, dodging or attacking while entangled.

Voice Lines

• "I hear every heartbeat."
• "The land guards its secrets."
• "There is power in these roots!"
• "Nature's law is the only law."
• "The trees speak through me."
• "Wind! Rain! Thunder!"

Official Art

In-Game Designs

Arden's in-game sprite.

Concept Art

Arden featured among other wilder concept designs.