Post of the Day - Champion Concept: Ferrum, the Warsmith
“Ironically, the Institute of War was made stop war…The Institute failed at Kalamanda, and it will fail again when my brethren come for me.” -Ferrum, when asked what he thought of the League.
Basic Description: Ferrum’s model is a greyish-black, fully armored figure that stands about the size of Mordekaiser in height and build. It has bruised-gold chevrons on its pauldrons and shin guards. Ferrum wears a full-face helmet with glowing red eyes. His voice is deep and sounds like it’s coming through a speaker or comm system. He has 2 weapons, his gun in his right hand, and a mace as his left. The mace crackles occasionally with energy.
Lore: There is a world of war, where the worth of a man is judged by the amount of blood he shed, and the amount of bullets it took to inevitably kill him. This planet weeded its population down to a stalemate between 2 factions, the indomitable Ironclad and the Heralds of the Void. Ferrum was created to be the Ironclad’s tiebreaker, their siege master…their Warsmith. Under Ferrum’s cold, calculating command, the Ironclad laid siege to the Heralds in a storm of iron. With cannon and power maul, rifle and sword, infantry stormed the Heralds’ fortresses as war machines tore them down. During the final step of campaign, assaulting the capital, the Heralds’ leadership vanished, leaving its followers to be swept away by the soon-to-be victorious forces of the Ironclad.
As his forces celebrated their victory, a portal through the Void was discovered in the ruins of the Heralds’ capital, left open by the last one to go through. He could not allow the Heralds’ leadership to just flee; for his victory to be complete, they all had to banished back to the Void for good. And so he stepped through the portal and into the ruins of Icathia. As he exited, the portal started to collapse behind him, but he managed to get one order through to his men before it did. “Find me, my brothers. I will make ready for your arrival.”
To him the League is just means to an end, a tool to be used. The Heralds’ leaders may have enthralled the population of Runeterra, but Ferrum knows what they plan to do. They may have new faces, but Malzahar and his allies will die by the hands of the Ironclad. …A storm is brewing, and when it breaks, so may Runeterra.
+Kit: Ferrum is a ranged AP tank that I planned to have excel in team fights and the late game sieging. I was planning on him being a tanky top/mid, but I suppose he could be an aggressive support. His basic attack comes from his gun, but he can also engage in brawls with his mace.
=Abilities: Passive: Ironclad- 50% of Ferrum’s bonus armor is turned into Ability Power.
Q: Power Maul- Ferrum’s next few basic attacks are melee. Cost: 30 mana Cooldown: 20/17/14/11/7 seconds Range: self For the next 6 seconds Ferrum’s basic attacks are melee. First attack deals 50/60/70/80/100 (+40% AD)(+70% AP) magic damage. Following attacks deal additional (+20% AP) physical damage.
No Man’s Land effect: First hit also stuns target for 1.5 seconds
W: Mass-Reactive Rounds: The next shot from Ferrum’s gun detonates after impact; dealing delayed damage to target. Passively causes basic attacks to deal bonus magic damage. Passive negated during cooldown. Cost: 50/70/90/110/130 mana Cooldown: 10 seconds Range: Passive: Basic attacks deal (+10% AP) as bonus magic damage.
Active: For 5 seconds, or 1 attack, the first basic attack puts an explosive mark on the target dealing additional 30/50/70/90/110 damage. After a 1.5 second delay, the mark detonates dealing (+75% AP) as magic damage. If target dies, it deals (+50% AP) splash damage to surrounding enemies. Attack must successfully hit the target to mark it. Cannot be applied with Power Maul or on towers.
No Man Land’s effect: Detonation stuns the target for .5/1/1.5 seconds.
E: Indomitable- Ferrum becomes completely immobilized, but takes and deals reduced damage. Passively grants tenacity. Cost: 30 mana Cooldown: 20 seconds Range: self Passive: Reduces the duration of Fears and Slows by 5/7/9/12/15%
Active: Ferrum become completely immobile for 2 seconds. While Indomitable Ferrum is immune to knock-ups, polymorph, hooks, stuns, and pushes; but can be silenced, blinded, and taunted. Taunt only works if target is within in basic attack range. All damage dealt is reduced by 50%, but does not reduce true damage. Damage received from champions is reduced by 10/15/20/25/30% does not reduce true damage. Turret damage is reduced by 15%.
No Man’s Land effect: Grants additional immunity from silences, blinds, and taunts.
R: No Man’s Land- Ferrum transforms the land around him into a blasted warscape, dealing damage, slowing enemies, and reducing their damage output. His abilities have additional effects while he is in zone. Cost: 100 mana Cooldown: 120/100/80 Casting Range: Self Effect Range: 800
Active: Ferrum transforms the area around him for 10 seconds, dealing 100/250/400 (+60% AP) magic damage to all enemies in the area and slowing their movement by 50/60/70% for 5 seconds. Enemy units in the zone, including towers, deal 30/35/40% reduced damage to allied champions. Damage reduction does not apply to enemy units outside the zone. Enemy’s that enter the field after activation are not damaged, but are still slowed and have their damage reduced. Enemy damage output is reduced as long as the enemy is in the zone.
=Ability appearances: Q: Ferrum shouts, “I lead from the front!” and closes to attack, swings with his left hand. When empowered by No Man’s Land, he shouts “Come on then!”
W: When activated, his gun develops a black and gold particle effect around it, kind of like Caitlyn’s Headshot. After he fires the target hit is marked with a red light before detonating. When empowered by No Man’s Land, Ferrum says, “Boom” before it detonates.
E: Ferrum issues a battle cry and turns red for the duration. When empowered by No Man’s Land he shouts, “Is that all you got?”
R: The ground starting at Ferrum and ending at the range cracks and looks like…well…no man’s land; craters, barbed wire, etc. Visual effects disappear when ability ends. As the animation is happening he shouts, “Feel the wrath of iron!” If a Void champion is caught by the activation, he instead shouts, “Feel familiar Void-spawn!?”
+Extras: Interactions, Skins, etc. =Background: The basic idea for Ferrum came from a ‘what if…’ chat circle between my friends and I when they asked me what would happen if my 2 favorite fantasy universes met. Thus LoL met Warhammer 40k and made Ferrum, leader of the Ironclad, and his 4 commanders. So naturally, he’s chock full of 40k references. I used a Mk. III, Pre-Heresy, Iron Warriors armor as a base concept for his character design. See example. The rest came from me. If people like this one, I’ll do the other 4. Examplehttp://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140413071424/warhammer40k/images/thumb/8/8d/IW_Tact_Spt_Legionary.jpg/327px-IW_Tact_Spt_Legionary.jpg
Suggested Build
=Starting Items
, 
, 
=Essential Items
, 
, 
, 
=Offensive
, 
, 
=Defensive
, 
, 
=Click responses: “From iron cometh strength” “They will see why I am called Warsmith.”
=Jokes- “I’m a man who likes irony.” “Yes, that was a pun. Aren’t you clever for seeing that.”
=Taunts- “Your tower will only protect you for so long.” “Iron within! Iron without!”
=Dance- Ferrum turns to look up at the camera and just shakes his head, then turns back around.
=Laugh- Deep, rumbling laughter. Ferrum spins his mace end-over-end in his hand.
=Death animation: Ferrum drops to his knees, clutches his stomach, then falls over.
=Friends:
The 2 met when they decided to make an attempt on Malzahar’s life at the same time. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
-
The 2 met on the Rift in an uncoordinated Grand Skyfall on mid. Resulting in a duel between them. It ended when Ferrum hit Pantheon with a mass-reactive round as Pantheon threw his spear, killing them both. They’ve been friends and sparring partners since.
-
Swain and Ferrum see each other as intellectual peers. For every war game one wins, the other wins the very next one. It is rumored that in a game of chess, not a single piece was moved. The 2 made eye contact and both called a draw.
~Vol- Captain of the Ironclad shock troops
~Wraith- Captain of the Ironclad demoralization force
~Vindi- Head assassin of the Ironclad
~Acaustus- Venerated master of vehicles
Last 4 are other champs from the same train of thought. Thought I might as well make a team while I'm at it.
=Enemies:
-
Ferrum’s open distain for what the Institute stands for has brought him into heated debates with Kayle on several occasions in the Halls of Justice. All end with a huff of annoyance and both parties storming off.
This of course has led to rumors in the Valoran media that the 2 of them are romantically involved. When asked, Kayle had no comment, the reporter who asked Ferrum has yet to return.
-
Ex-Leader of the Heralds. The thing that is now Malzahar has learned from its mistakes on Ferrum’s homeworld, and is readying to fight the Ironclad once again by drawing out creatures of the void. It will not make the same mistakes here.
-
Ex-Commander of the Heralds and one of the first to leave Ferrum's world because of his position in the vanguard. Because of this, he has unsettled business with one of the Ironclad’s commanders. But for now, Ferrum will have to do.
=Special Taunts: -Malzahar- “Let the Void come, Malzahar! We’ll banish you for good this time.” “Tell me Malzy, did it hurt to run away?”
-Cho’Gath- “whistle, what mess you up? Oh wait, you always looked like that.”
-Kog’Maw- “Aw, if it isn’t Malzy’s little dog. Time to put you down.”
-Vel’Koz- “You know the last one out is supposed to hit the lights, right?”
=Strategy:
I see him working better with the team as a whole better than with any individual. But I would say a team composition that can keep the enemy team inside of No Man’s Land while the team fight occurs would be best.
As a whole, position-wise, 
, 
, 
, or 
as ADC would be preferable because of their mixed cc and damage output.
Most supports have the cc needed, but top pick would be 
, 
, or 
.
Most junglers would likewise fit well, but top pick would be 
or 
.
Tops that would work the best I think would be 
, 
, or 
. Primarily because of how his Ultimate can make the enemy team stay in No Man's Land.
If you top Ferrum, my top pick for mid is a tie between 
and 
. Because either of their added effects would be devastating in team fights.
=Counters: You have the obvious counters: , 
, 
, and 
due to their mobility and AP burst. And while champs like Yasuo and Zed may have seemed like counters, the amount of armor you'll end up building will shut their damage to you down.
Some champs, it occurred to me, are your counter because they can negate what your effectiveness in team fights: 
, 
, 
, 
, and 
are prime examples. Janna, Syndra, and Gragas can de-group your team and leave you stranded if you go Indomitable. Meanwhile, Nunu’s ult will still deal a lot of damage even in No Man's Land, and the mixture of AoE and CC on Karthus makes him a threat, also the fact that they will still be there for 7 seconds after you kill him.
+Pros: +Ferrum is a late game beast that will excel in breaking bases open. +Ferrum can negate some initiations and ganks with his E. For example: a Lee Sin kick will not send you flying back, a Blitz grab won’t grab you, Yasuo can't knock you up. +E could cause a potentially fatal global ultimate to not kill you due to damage reduction. +Ferrum gains AP off of defensive stats. +You gain passive fear and slow reduction.
-Cons: -E makes you a sitting duck for 2 seconds. -Ferrum is not a mobile champion. -Just because you are immobile with Indomitable doesn’t mean your team is. Someone like Janna or Syndra could leave you by yourself in No Man’s Land. -You’ll still need to build some magic resist to be a proper tank. -More of a warning, but silences, taunts, and blinds that are applied while in standard Indomitable are not removed when it ends.
Skin Concepts
=Victorious(975 RP or Prize Skin): His armor is now polished gold with, solid black chevrons on his pauldrons and shin guards, and his helmet’s eyes now glow blue. His gun is gilded and more ornate. The barrel resembles a skull and has angel wings rising off of it. Instead of a mace he has sword. The sword is blued silver with a gold hilt. Click response: “We shall have victory.” “Ours is the glory!” Recall: Ferrum does a salute with his sword.
Q: Shouts “To glory!” and “With me!” when empowered.
W: Particles are now blue and gold.
E: Now turns silver for duration.
R: Shouts “Victory or death!” Instead of a bleak warscape, No Man’s Land now looks like a parade deck. White marble, with a blue, 10-pointed star bisecting it.
=Over The Top Ferrum (1350 RP): Ferrum is clad in a World War I British uniform complete with a gas mask and rifle, and is now voiced by Tim Curry. Does not have the mace, he instead uses the bayonet at the end of his rifle. Click responses: "Righty-ho then." and "Hup, 2, 3, 4." =Joke: Ferrum throws his rifle, spinning, into the air and holds his hands out to catch it. When rifle doesn't come back down, he puts his hands down and just looks up questioningly. It will be in his hands if you move or the joke is cancelled. =Taunt: Ferrum hops around in an old-timey boxing stance and says "Why don't you come fight like a man?" and "This will be over by tea." =Dance: Ferrum marches back and forth humming "Men of Harlech." =Laugh: Its Tim Curry laughing. What more could you want? Recall: Ferrum does a kneeling Queen Anne's Salute. If you don't know what that is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrzn7Ho_M2s =Special Interactions: Taunts- -Malzahar "You're a bad sport, old boy. Do tell me you won't run away again this time." -Kayle: "Here birdy, birdy." -Cho'Gath: "Your mum plum slapped you with the ugly tree." -Kog'Maw: "Ooh, you're a sick puppy." -Vel'Koz: "I think I used your cousin to fish with once." Special Jokes- -Fiora and Le Blanc: "Sorry, I'm afraid I don't speak French." -Caitlyn: Caitlyn's is 2-way. Ferrum and Caitlyn jokes say "hello" to each other in indecipherable British speak.
Q: Says "I'll give 'em a what for." When empowered he shouts "Charge!"
W: "This one's for the boys at home." Still says "Boom" when empowered.
E: No real changes.
R: Ferrum shouts "Come on you apes, do you want to live forever!?"
*EDIT: Empowered W now just stuns.
or possibly even 
. I do like the vs Void part of his void, but there is so much about the void that we don't know about that I hesitate to include a war against another world, nor would 
. Although he builds off of tanky and ap items, meaning his basic attacks would suck and he couldn't actually kill a tower any faster, would need a 
or a 
to hammer one down lickidy-split.
(without the passives or extra health of 
can still hurt going full tank and his passive is only 25% towards damage (especially since you can't build MR as high and has several work-arounds like 
and 
)
