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v0.19.0 · 13 October 2026
Races: heritage passives and the Deep races
Every race in The Ember Depths now has a heritage passive you can see in a fight, and three new races arrive: the Undead, the Demon and the Blood Elf.
All 12 races keep their ability bonus and trait, and each now has a heritage passive that shows in play: a burst of healing, a decoy, a breath of fire. Every passive is worth about the same, so pick the race you like the look of. Any race can be any class, and heroes you already have get their race's passive straight away.
| Race | Ability bonus | Heritage passive | Unlock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human | +1 STR, +1 DEX, +1 CON, +1 INT, +1 WIS, +1 CHA | Rally: Dropping below 35% health, you recover 40% of your health over 3 s (once every 30 s). | From the start |
| Elf | +2 DEX, +1 INT | Fey Step: When a foe misses you, a glamour of you stays behind, draws their eyes for 2 s, then shatters for 40% weapon damage (every 6 s at most). | From the start |
| Dwarf | +2 CON, +1 WIS | Stone Stance: Stand your ground for half a second and stone creeps over your skin: 30% less damage taken until you move. | From the start |
| Halfling | +2 DEX, +1 CHA | Lucky: 60% of your misses hit anyway, and 12% of the blows aimed at you miss. | Upgrade any Hearthold building to level 2. |
| Dragonborn | +2 STR, +1 CHA | Dragon Breath: Every 6 s, your next skill also breathes a cone of fire for 200% weapon damage that sets foes alight. | Topple Seraphel the Fallen (clear Act IV). |
| Tiefling | +1 INT, +2 CHA | Hellish Rebuke: Each time you lose a fifth of your health, hellfire bursts out of you for 2% of your max health as necrotic damage and you heal 4%. | Fall in battle 5 times. The infernal notices the stubborn. |
| Gnome | +1 DEX, +2 INT | Tinker's Echo: 25% of your skills fire twice. | Upgrade the Smithy to level 3. |
| Half-Elf | +1 DEX, +1 CON, +2 CHA | Kinship: You and every ally within 5 tiles deal 20% more damage. | Clear 10 dungeons. |
| Half-Orc | +2 STR, +1 CON | Relentless Endurance: A killing blow leaves you standing at half health instead (once every 40 s). | Defeat 15 bosses or elite captains. |
| Undead (New) | +2 CON, +1 INT | Grave Hunger: 5% of the damage you deal drains back into you as health, doubled while you are below half health. | Fall in battle 15 times, or lose a hardcore hero. Death stops being the end. |
| Demon (New) | +2 STR, +1 CHA | Soul Furnace: Foes that die near you leave hellfire embers that set others alight for 30% weapon damage a second. | Bring down a Breach Warden. Something in the pit takes note. |
| Blood Elf (New) | +2 INT, +1 CHA | Mana Tap: Every foe you kill pours its essence into you: 10 resource and 2% of your max health. | Clear a Deep Chart at Tier 4 or deeper. |
The Deep races
- Undead: Already died once — 25% necrotic and poison resistance, but flasks heal 20% less (healing skills 10% less). Grave Hunger: 5% of the damage you deal drains back into you as health, doubled while you are below half health. Unlock: Fall in battle 15 times, or lose a hardcore hero. Death stops being the end.
- Demon: Forged in the pit — 25% fire resistance and +2 fire damage on hits. Soul Furnace: foes that die near you leave hellfire embers that set others alight for 30% weapon damage a second. Unlock: Bring down a Breach Warden. Something in the pit takes note.
- Blood Elf: Hungers for magic — +10% resource regeneration and +1 spell save DC. Mana Tap: every foe you kill pours its essence into you: 10 resource and 2% of your max health. Unlock: Clear a Deep Chart at Tier 4 or deeper.
In the PvP arenas heritage passives work at 50% strength.
See also