Black Ace
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##Black Ace, the Dark Machine (Entry for the Civil War contest)
##Role:
Assassin
##Resource Bar:
Energy
##General
Name: (Unknown) Alias - Black Ace Age: (Unknown) Species: Cyborg Height: 5'7" Weight: 206 kg Nationality: (Unknown) Spoiler's Nationality: Irish Occupation: Killer/Occasional Tournament Contestant Spoiler's Occupation: Drifter/Occasional Tournament Contestant Residence: Nomadic
##Stats:
Health: 570 (+65) Health Regen: 8 (+0.55) Energy: 200 (+0) Energy Regen: 50 (+0) Attack Damage: 60 (+3.1) Attack Speed: 0.66 (+2.9%) Armor: 32 (+3.4) Magic Resist: 30 (+1.3) Movement Speed: 360 Range: 175 (Melee)
##Overview:
This will be my entry for the Civil War contest being held on the boards right now.
Black Ace is a creation made by the artist / animator Joshua Palmer, or "Zeurel". He is the alter-ego of Zeurel's cyborg character Spoiler, and a bloodthirsty murderer who believes that killing is his one and only purpose. He wields a black sword, and also has several tentacles/claws that come out of his back. These tentacle-claws, or "flesh hooks" can be used to dodge attacks/hold Black Ace up like legs, grab his opponent to knock them around, tear his opponent apart, or even hold his sword and attack from a distance despite the rest of his body being frozen in place. What makes him particularly dangerous is his mobility, as he is very good at both closing distances and dodging attacks. When he finds a particularly interesting target, he tends to like playing with them before killing them, often allowing them to approach before lashing out.
The use of an Energy bar as opposed to Mana or just no resource bar alludes to a fact brought up at the end of Zeurel's video Escape From Nevara 3, that he can in fact run out of energy, as well as the fact that he simply isn't a magic user and would have no need for mana, but is a robot and would have a need for energy. I have now implemented the water requirement for energy restoration, but only on Summoner's Rift. This feels a bit truer to the character and also helps balance out his abilities.
His Innate is inspired by his overall battle styles seen in Zeurel's videos, Escape From Nevara 2 and Escape From Nevara 3. In the first video, he allows his opponent to approach the darkened shop that he is hiding in before lashing out, and in the second video, he again allows his opponent to approach him as he is sitting on a burning pile of rubble surrounded by dead bodies, before getting up and beginning the fight. In the second video he is also seen dodging extremely fast enemy attacks with apparent ease, often jumping extremely high to dodge attacks that he could not get away from otherwise.
His Q is inspired by a scene in Escape From Nevara 3, in which Black Ace is frozen solid by his opponent, but still manages to use one of his flesh hooks to grab his sword and lash out at the opponent. The deflection with other skillshots is inspired by his use of his sword in the video to block the attack and his opponent's use of his attacks to deflect Black Ace's flesh hooks. The pull-back ability was inspired by Black Ace's ability to turn the blade into a scythe, an ability that is not seen in the videos but is listed in Zeurel's DeviantArt post containing General Information on Black Ace (the DA post also has information on Spoiler and a character called Belleth, but Black Ace's information is where I got the scythe from). The pull-back itself is not necessarily inspired by any abilities that Black Ace actually has, but given he can turn his blade into a scythe and would logically have to pull his sword back to use it again, it would make sense that he could do something like this if he chose to.
His W is inspired by a scene in Escape From Nevara 2, in which he allowed his opponent to run away before dashing after them and catching up incredibly quickly before lunging at them from the side. His E is inspired by a scene in Escape From Nevara 3, in which he grabs his opponent with his flesh hooks and begins violently thrashing them around until finally his opponent shot the hooks and broke free.
His R is inspired by the finishing moves Black Ace used in each of the videos. In the first, his opponent was facing away, so he rushed in and stabbed them in the back as his finishing move. In the second, he has his opponent nailed to a cross facing him and begins tearing out their guts.
##Innate:
##Welcome To My Parlor
If Black Ace has been standing still for 3 seconds or more (and is still standing still) and an enemy champion comes within 500 units, his next attack or damaging ability against that target deals double damage. Afterwards, this ability goes on a 10-second cooldown.
4 seconds after this ability comes off of cooldown, if a non-targeted enemy ability would land on Black Ace, he will jump and dodge it. Jumping reveals Black Ace if he is hidden in an area that, to his enemies, is not covered by the Fog of War. Black Ace remains airborn for 1 second, during which he will dodge all non-targeted damage, but will not become untargetable. He is still able to use his abilities while jumping, but cannot move from his current position. Afterwards, this ability goes on a 20-second cooldown.
On Summoner's Rift: Black Ace's Energy Regen is reduced to 10 if he is not in the River.
##Q:
##Surprise Strike
Cost: 60/55/50/45/40 Energy Cooldown: 15/14/13/12/11 seconds Range: 1000 units
Black Ace uses one of the flesh hooks from his back to grab his sword and lash out in a line over the course of 0.5 seconds, dealing 80/120/160/200/240 (+50% AD) physical damage to all enemies hit, and knocking back enemy champions 200 units, stunning them for 0.8/0.95/1.1/1.25/1.4 seconds if they hit terrain. If an enemy who is hit by this ability is moving away from Black Ace, they are slowed by 20/22/24/26/28% for 1/1.2/1.4/16./1.8 seconds.
If the enemy uses a damaging skillshot that hits the sword, both attacks are Deflected, stopping wherever they are upon impact. If this happens, the cooldown of this ability is reduced by 4/3.5/3/2.5/2 seconds and 10/20/30/40/50% of the energy cost is refunded.
This ability can be used while Black Ace is moving and does not interrupt his movement.
This ability can be used while Black Ace is stunned, but the range will be decreased to 500 units, the damage is decreased to 40/60/80/100/120 (+60% AD) physical damage, and the slow and stun effects are removed. This version of the ability interrupts channels.
##W:
##Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick
Cost: 60/55/50/45/40 Energy Cooldown: 10 seconds Range: 500 - 1000/1100/1200/1300/1400 units
Must be used when a minimum of 500 units away from the target and a maximum of 1000/1100/1200/1300/1400 units away from the target.
Black Ace targets an enemy champion. Black Ace's movement speed increases by 20/25/30/35/40% for 3/3.5/4/4.5/5 seconds.
If Black Ace comes within 300/350/400/450/500 units of the target, he lunges at them and deals 40/55/70/85/100 (+75% AD) physical damage to them. Lunging lands Black Ace 300 units away from the target, in the directionn of the lunge.
If the target is moving away from Black Ace while this ability is active, the movement bonus increases to 25/30/35/40/45%.
##E:
##Knock About
Cost: 12/10/8/6/4 Energy to initiate, 10 Energy per successful hit Cooldown: 15 seconds Range: 500
Black Ace reaches out in a line with one of his flesh hooks, stopping at the first enemy champion hit.
The hook can deflect/be deflected by an enemy's damaging skillshot. If this occurs, the cooldown is reduced by 5/5.5/6/6.5/7 seconds and 50% of the Energy cost is refunded.
If a champion is hit, they are grabbed and knocked around, impacting at random locations on a 500-unit-radius circle around Black Ace at a rate of one impact every 0.5 seconds, dealing 10/20/30/40/50 (+40% AD) physical damage per successful impact. After each impact, there is a 30/28/26/24/22% (+4(+1 per successful impact)% per successful impact) chance that the hook will break, releasing the captured champion wherever they are at the time.
Black Ace is rooted for the duration of this ability, but can use other abilities at the same time.
Enemy non-targeted attacks against Black Ace, as well as stunning or silencing abilities, will break the hook.
The enemy being affected by this ability can still use abilities and is not treated as stunned or knocked up. Dashing abilities can break the hook, along with any of the previously-mentioned ability types.
The tentacle will let go after 5/5/6/6/7 successful impacts, or if Black Ace runs out of Energy.
##R:
##Goodnight, Jack/What Are Little Boys Made Of?
Cost: 60 Energy Cooldown: 240 seconds Range: 1000
Black Ace targets an enemy champion. If the target is facing away from Black Ace, Black Ace uses "Goodnight, Jack". If the target is not facing away, Black Ace uses "What Are Little Boys Made Of?"
##Goodnight, Jack Black Ace dashes to the target and stabs them in the back, dealing 200/250/300 (+100% AD) physical damage to the target. For 1.5/2/2.5 seconds, the target is slowed by 30/45/60%, and for 1/1.25/1.5 seconds their armor is shattered.
If the target has less than 10% of their health remaining, "Goodnight, Jack" executes the target.
##What Are Little Boys Made Of? Black Ace must move within 500 units of the target.
If the target is not stunned, the ability lasts for 1 second; if the target is stunned, the ability lasts for 2.5 seconds; in both cases, the target becomes stunned until the end of the ability's duration.
For the duration of the ability, Black Ace is rooted. Black Ace uses the flesh hooks from his back to tear flesh off of the target, dealing 80/90/100 (+40/45/50% AD) physical damage every 0.5 seconds.
If the target has less than 10% of their health remaining by the time the ability would end, "What Are Little Boys Made Of?" will continue beyond the normal end of its duration. If this occurs, the ability will end only after either the target dies, the target breaks free, or an enemy champion attacks Black Ace. During this extended time, the target is no longer stunned, but still rooted, and may break free using a damaging ability or a dashing ability.
##Playstyle:
Black Ace is something of an all-around assault champion. While he is predominantly melee, he has many abilities that help him fare well against even ranged opponents. Both his Q and his E can deflect enemy skillshots, though this comes at the cost of being deflected themselves. These abilities also have a very good range for dealing with ranged enemies, and the second cast of his Q even drags enemies in so long as he gets the timing right. The slowing effect of his Q in the event that the enemy tries to run away, as well as the speed-increasing effect of his W combined with what is already the highest base movement speed in the game, also allow him to close distances fairly easily, and the dodging effect of his Innate ensures that he can close that distance without initial interference.
Despite all of this, though, he is not the BEST choice against long-ranged opponents, and certainly isn't good for Bot Lane without an ally that can stun opponents. His E can be cancelled if either the target or another enemy attacks him while he is knocking his target around, wasting the ability. He is also heavily reliant upon his Energy, making extended fights more difficult since he will very quickly use up his energy. This is especially true on Summoner's Rift, the only map in which his Energy Regen is halved if he is not standing in water. This makes him a much better Jungle choice for Summoner's Rift compared to the other lanes, since the position will allow him to more reliably ensure that his energy stays up. This unfortunately forces a "Strike-and Run" approach to fighting, in which he must run away if he cannot take out his target before he runs out of Energy, balancing out the otherwise relatively high damage output he would be capable of.
As I said before, he is a good counter to enemies that rely on skillshots. He is also a good counter to enemies with stuns, as he is able to use his Q even while stunned.
He is very dangerous overall, but, especially on Summoner's Rift, his quick Energy depletion and slow Energy restoration hold him back from being too powerful, especially in extended fights, meaning he has to deal his damage and get out rather than staying for an extended fight. While he is a good counter to long-range enemies, long-range enemies are also good counters to him, as they can break themselves free of his E and deflect his abilities just as he can deflect theirs. Plus, while he can use his Q while stunned, it is greatly weakened and it is the only thing that he can do while stunned, meaning stuns are still overall very effective on him. Group fights are also not his strong suit, as he is only able to dodge untargeted damage once every 24 seconds, and only his Q can affect more than one person. It is better for him to single out his targets than to face an entire group, so good counter-strategies would revolve around always making sure to have an ally with you wherever you go, and avoiding the River if at all possible. A more defensive build revolving around damage reduction and slowing effects would also be helpful, anything to forcefully extend the fight. And whatever you do, don't run from him if you can help it.
##Quotes
Starts Moving "Time to play!"
Interactions
(Ally or enemy): (Annie:) "Who're you?" (Black Ace:) "The Boogeyman."
(Ally): "This is MY parlor, find your own!"
(Ally or enemy): "Ooh, a baker! Tell me, do you know the Muffin Man?"
Taunts, Enemies General: "Time to fulfill my purpose."
General: " 'Welcome to my parlor' said the spider to the fly..."
To
: "I wonder, what are little boys made of?"
To
To
: "There's only room for ONE boogeyman!"
To
To
To
: "Jack jump high, Jack jump low, but even Jack only managed to burn his toe. Do you need jumping lessons?"
To
To
: "I wonder, does the purple come from the sugar, the spice, or everything nice? Let's find out!"
Attacking (basic or abilities) General: "Dearest, oldest friend... How does it feel to be MY instrument once again? You've missed it, haven't you?..."
General: "...The caressing of soft flesh against your cold, hard edge, and the shedding of blood..."
General: "...This is all you will be used for."
General: "...You give me purpose..."
General: "You allow me to fulfill my duty... to kill, to defeat, to destroy..."
Using Abilities Using W: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick, Jack jumped over a candle stick. Jack jump high, Jack jump low..."
Using W (lunge): "...Jack jumped over and BURNT HIS TOE!"
Using Q (enemy facing away) or R (Goodnight, Jack): "If you run, I can't fulfill my purpose!"
Using R (What Are Little Boys Made Of?): "I wonder, what are little boys made of..."
Kill General: "Thank you, for allowing me to fulfill my purpose."
General: "This is my purpose. OUR purpose."
General (Male): "Good night, Jack."
R (Goodnight, Jack): "Goodnight, Jack."
R (What Are Little Boys Made Of?) (male): "Snips, snails and puppy dogs' tails. THAT is what little boys are made of."
R (What Are Little Boys Made Of?) (female): "Sugar, spice, and everything nice. THAT is what little girls are made of."
Death General: (Loud screams of agony - See 1:09 of Escape From Nevara 1 ))
Special Circumstances (Low health, support nearby, ally dies nearby): "Seeing that you can't save others, perhaps you can save US..."
(Low health, ally
nearby): "Find a water supply and save us, or let us run out of energy, preventing me from killing further! It's all up to you now!"
##Feedback:
As always I am open to feedback. Feedback can be about any part of the champion, and can be positive or negative so long as it is constructive. If you dislike something, you don't necessarily have to say how to improve it, since I understand that some areas of a concept are hard to come up with alternatives for, but at the very least I want a bit more than "You're bad and you should feel bad", I'd like something that I can work with when trying to revise the concept.
Or if you can't come up with anything to say, at least leave an upvote or a downvote so I know in general where this concept stands.
