Kez is the 126th hero in Dota 2. Here’s everything you need to know about the Kazumi Flightless leader!
Valve dropped the announcement of its next Dota 2 hero, Kez, during the high of The International 2024. Kez, previously code-named "Bird Samurai", will finally join the Dota 2 battlefield soon. But who is Kez and what do we know about him so far? Read below!
ā ļø SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers from Crownfall Act I - Act III. |
Who is Kez, the new Dota 2 hero?
We are convinced that Kez is short for Kestrel who is one of the important characters of the Crownfall saga. Kestrel's name was first mentioned in the very first chapter when Shen (Vengeful Spirit) and Dragonus (Skywrath Mage) set off in search of the Kazurai army.
The other leader is Kestrel. He is the young and impetuous one of the pair. It is legend here that Kestrel was a just a child when he climbed topside, eluded the Queensguard...found a secret passage into The Cage, and broke Kraw out of prison. Seeing his potential, Kraw made him the first initiate of the Kazurai order.
The Kazurai army is a pack of birdlike monk warriors who are often called the Flightless. Kez is one of the two founders of the Kazurai. He was the elected leader responsible for growing the Kazurai army to end the tyranny of Queen Imperia. We don't see the image of Kestrel until Act III of Crownfall when Shen and Dragonus urge Kez to merge forces.
What are Kez's abilities in Dota 2? Facets, Innate ability, and more
At a glance, Kez is a position one Agility carry. It has been a long time since Valve introduced a new Agility carry, with the last one being Monkey King in 2016. As a Flightless with a samurai-oriented fighting style, Kez is a right-click high-damage hero.
Below is a full list of his main abilities, his Facets, and his Innate.
Ability | Icon | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Echo Slash |  | Slashes forward in a line with his katana dealing a percentage of his attack damage and a brief slow. After a moment, Kez attacks the same area again, dealing bonus damage to heroes. |
| Grappling Claw |  | Kez switches between his Kazurai Katana and his Shodo Sai. He gains different attack capabilities and abilities based on the equipped weapon. Cooldown reduced each hero level. |
| Kazurai Katana |  | Kez switches between his Kazurai Katana and his Shodo Sai. He gains different attack capabilities and abilities based on the equipped weapon. Cooldown reduced each hero level. |
| Switch Discipline |  | Kez's attacks and abilities with the Sai have a chance to mark enemies. Marked enemies are slowed, and the next attack Kez makes against the target gains True Strike and will stun the enemy, dealing critical damage. Kez may activate the ability to disarm himself, lock his facing, and parry attacks and attack effects for two seconds. If an attack is parried, the target is stunned and marked. |
| Raptor Dance |  | Kez channels for one second, gaining debuff immunity and 100% magic resistance. If the channel completes without interruption, he slashes around the area, dealing damage based on the maximum health of the target. Kez is healed for a percentage of the damage and receives a strong dispel on completion. |
| Falcon Rush |  | Kez rushes toward enemy targets to deliver echoing secondary attacks. He has phased collision and an attack rate that is less affected by attack speed. |
| Talon Toss |  | Kez throws a Sai at a target. The Sai detonates, dealing damage and silencing all enemies nearby. |
| Shodo Sai |  | Kez's attacks and abilities with the Sai have a chance to mark enemies. Marked enemies are slowed, and the next attack Kez makes against the target gain True Strike and will stun the enemy, dealing critical damage. Kez may activate the ability to disarm himself, lock his facing, and parry attacks and attack effects for two seconds. If an attack is parried, the target is stunned and marked. |
| Raven's Veil |  | Kez releases a smoke wave that applies a Sai Mark with Parry bonus to nearby enemies, briefly reducing their vision. Kez is granted bonus movement speed and invisibility until he attacks or casts a spell. |
- Facet: Hero of the Flightless
- Kez always has a few fun tricks up his sleeve, but right now he's got a war to win. This facet doesn't do anything... yet.
- Innate: Switch Discipline
- Kez can switch between the use of a Katana and a Sai, each granting him different abilities and effects.
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When is Kez's release date in Dota 2?
Kez will be released alongside Crownfall Act IV, as revealed in the official hero trailer during TI13. Kez and the final Crownfall chapter were speculated to launch within the final week of September, but expected delays pushed the hero and Crownfall update back until after TI.
We finally got an update in early November, with players expected to get their hands on Kez and the Act IV on Nov. 7.
Kez will play a pivotal role in the Crownfall story
In the official hero trailer for Kez, we saw a compact 52 seconds of what he'll bring to the table. In the first seconds of the trailer, we see a banner that reads "Unity in Flight," a rallying slogan for the Kazurai. It was then accompanied by the phrase "Every revolution needs a hero." This powerful statement hints at Kez's role as a catalyst for change who inspires hope against the evil Queen Imperia.
In the Crownfall story, Kez had initially given up after a grueling defeat in battle against her. But Crownfall Act IV will likely witness Kez's road to redemption and vengeance. This narrative backdrop sets the stage for our new hero's heroic journey. Crownfall Act IV will likely feature Kez as the star towards the end of the Crownfall saga.
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