Ambrose, the Harvester

RiotRiot Lutzburg··12 votes·4,597 views

Role: AP Mage, AP Bruiser

Inspiration: I wanted to create a champion who could cultivate trees or plants in order to sustain himself.

General Design Philosophy: Ambrose is an aggressive, sustainable melee mage with constant AoE damage threats, and consistent healing. He also possesses an AoE pull of sorts, as well as another form of AoE displacement. He is designed to be a self-sustaining front line mage. His basic abilities allow him to plant trees in combat, which blossom and can then be cultivated by his AoE Reap ability, healing him in the process.

Overall, Ambrose is an immobile mage that relies on sustain to heal up after being bullied and beat up by his lane opponents. Instead, Ambrose leverages his ability to displace and pull his opponents, ensuring that when he does engage, it is on his terms, surrounded by his flora and on his side of the Rift.

Risk Analysis: Moderate. Ambrose has a relatively simple and easily communicated theme and kit. His theme may be slightly too similar to Zyra’s in some respects, and his Ultimate may prove too gimmicky or unwieldy in practice. However, neither of these things should deter or ultimately stop Ambrose from someday joining the League.

Appearance: An undead forest mage wielding a sickle.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/Dhuum1_zpsc353334e.jpg

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/Dhuum_zpscbbe9041.jpg

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/262122-blackangel_zps6715e9c6.jpg

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/297168-PitBult999_zps2c4cfc3f.jpg

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/76285_zps2d7a0ab7.jpg Concept art primarily used for color pallet and environment purposes

Lore: Ambrose was once a powerful and revered Mage of the forest, able to conjure nature herself to heal and rejuvenate war-ravaged lands. After expelling a large portion of his power to create a new forest to replace one that had been burnt down in a Noxian raid, Ambrose, in a weakened state, became corrupted by the dark magic enveloping the area and was eventually deceived and killed by those forces. After death, the Mage has retained his powers in a dark and abominable form, tied so closely to Mother Earth that she never required him to move on. Ambrose now walks endlessly among the forests, sapping them of the very bounty and essence he once imbued them with.

While unclear at this time, Ambrose and his misfortune are very much related to Maokai.

Strengths: two forms of displacement CC, two self heals, constant magic damage threat

Weaknesses: Skillshot dependent, no escapes, no defensive abilities, short range on damaging abilities and melee auto attacks

Plays Most Like...: Lissandra Zyra

Auto Attack: a moderately ranged melee strike with a sickle.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_9609_pas_zpsf6a4b8e7.jpg Passive- Corporeal Resilience: As a spirit without a true physical form, Ambrose is immune to Grievous Wounds. In addition, Ambrose passively gains armor and MR when not in combat, up to a cap based on level. 1.5 seconds into combat, these bonus stats are lost. Max 30 armor and 50 MR at level 18. This is visualized by a ghostly fog that dissipates after the effect disperses. Design Philosophy: Ambrose relies heavily on healing to survive all-ins and trades to a lesser extent. It also makes sense thematically that an undead tree would not be able to bleed. The stat buff allows Ambrose to enter melee range to CS safely, softening the single target nukes he might receive from mages in mid lane.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_10546_pas_zps2f09ca69.jpg Q- Reap (3 sec): Ambrose sweeps his sickle in a wide cone, dealing magic damage to all enemies in its path. In addition, Reap will sow any blossoming Spires it strikes, healing Ambrose but destroying the spire in the process. The amount of healing received depends on how close the Withering Spire is to being fully blossomed, and is equal to 4-8% (+1%/100 AP) of his maximum health. Rank-ups increase damage and lower cooldown. Design Philosophy: Ambrose is a melee mage with a spammable magic damage ability, similar to Evelynn. Ideally Ambrose will be continually healed through these engagements by way of sowing the blossoming Spires, detailed below.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_4920_btn_zps09ff0c64.jpg W- Withering Spire (7 sec): Ambrose causes a withered tree trunk to burst from the ground at target location, dealing magic damage and displacing affected targets briefly. Over the next 3 seconds, the tree will begin to blossom. Once fully in bloom, the Spire lasts an additional 6 seconds before shriveling away. Rank-ups lower cooldown and increase damage. Design Philosophy: This displacement tool allows Ambrose the ability to continually shred an enemy’s health with Reap. The short cooldown allows this process to be repeated multiple times over the course of a single engagement, and the blossoming of the spire creates scenarios where Ambrose players may not want to Reap an enemy near the Spire before it can provide them with the full benefit of its healing effects.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_15519_pas_zps05ec7a7e.jpg E- Cultivate (18 sec): Ambrose summons a wide, claw-like object at target location with incredible range. The claw then travels through the ground as impassible terrain and beelines for Ambrose, similar to Draven's ultimate. Its speed increases the longer it persists. Enemies caught by the claw as it emerges suffer magic damage, and all enemies caught in its path are pulled toward Ambrose, but can otherwise move freely. Cultivate can also pull Withering Spires. Rank-ups lower cooldown, increase damage and widen the claw similar to Anivia's wall. Design Philosophy: The wider this wall becomes, the harder it is for enemies to run parallel to it in order to escape its clutches. Being able to drag Spires allows Ambrose the ability to sustain from Spires that were cast at a distance for poking purposes.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_17724_pas_zps38149f67.jpg R- Dark Harvest (120 sec): Ambrose summons a massive sentient plant at a target location that lasts 12 seconds or until killed, which uses thorny vines to lash at enemies near it (700 range), dealing magic damage. The plant grants vision. It has health and defenses comparable to Annie's Tibbers, but is immobile. The plant prioritizes enemy champions, as well as targets that its master is already attacking. Recasting the ability while the plant is active sacrifices it, causing it to wither into 1-5 blossoming spires, depending on its remaining health when sacrificed. Design Philosophy: Dark Harvest is a thematically iconic ability, as Ambrose can both summon and then sacrifice it for his own benefits. Players can strategically place the creature in a way that allows it to deal damage briefly, sacrificing it before enemies have a chance to focus it down. Other options include using it as a sheer offensive of strictly sustaining tool, based on the player’s current needs.

If you liked this Champion, you can find over 70 more of my original concepts HERE!

25 Comments

RiotRiot Lutzburg4 votes

Alright, it's time to water Ambrose and let him sprout to the top of the forums!

TonyTonyMordecai2 votes

This guy seems pretty cool! On another person's champion concept, he mentioned something about a randomizer that helped with creating champions if you didn't know where to start. Do you know the web address for it? Also, if you could give me your opinion about a champion concept I recently made here, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

{quoted}

This guy seems pretty cool! On another person's champion concept, he mentioned something about a randomizer that helped with creating champions if you didn't know where to start. Do you know the web address for it? Also, if you could give me your opinion about a champion concept I recently made here, I would appreciate it. Thanks!

Hey, thanks for the feedback! It sounds like you're referring to my Random Champion Generator- feel free to use it to your heart's content, and if it helps you then please give it a bump so it gets some more attention.

I will happily look over your concept when I get home from work tonight. :)

FlameHalbrdOkido3 votes

item 2050 Cultivate is so freakin awesome, that is an amazing ability fresh new take a mechanic. I love it, Lutz is a genius people, know it! Its so beautiful how it fits thematically with both his themes harvester, and undead, its just so wonderful. I will now nominate Cultivate for the E Ability of the Year Award. If he ran in the same direction that Cultivate was going, and he snags say a stunned or suppressed enemy, couldn't he drag them along as long as they didn't move and the hand didn't catch up to him? Also what do you mean by pull the Withering Spires, would they just be moved, or would they just be harvested. Also enemies are only damaged when at the spot of the hands origin, not when it comes into contact with them? So withering spires are untargetable to enemies? When He uses Reap on a Withering spire, its like cutting down a tree right? Which is probably how he gets the health, but since its like a tree why doesn't it fall over opposite of the direction that it was struck. That way you can deal damage while healing yourself, offense and defense! Id also say that it fits his theme as harvester because when lumber is harvested it falls down, hopefully in the opposite direction that the lumber jack was standing, so he can harvest it safely.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

{quoted}

item 2050 Cultivate is so freakin awesome, that is an amazing ability fresh new take a mechanic. I love it, Lutz is a genius people, know it! Its so beautiful how it fits thematically with both his themes harvester, and undead, its just so wonderful. I will now nominate Cultivate for the E Ability of the Year Award. If he ran in the same direction that Cultivate was going, and he snags say a stunned or suppressed enemy, couldn't he drag them along as long as they didn't move and the hand didn't catch up to him? Also what do you mean by pull the Withering Spires, would they just be moved, or would they just be harvested. Also enemies are only damaged when at the spot of the hands origin, not when it comes into contact with them? So withering spires are untargetable to enemies? When He uses Reap on a Withering spire, its like cutting down a tree right? Which is probably how he gets the health, but since its like a tree why doesn't it fall over opposite of the direction that it was struck. That way you can deal damage while healing yourself, offense and defense! Id also say that it fits his theme as harvester because when lumber is harvested it falls down, hopefully in the opposite direction that the lumber jack was standing, so he can harvest it safely.

Haha oh my gosh, you're too damn kind! Though I will admit, I think I'm pretty good at this, too. I do it for a living, after all. ;)

Enemies will be dragged along with the claw until they issue movement commands or movement abilities that move them out of its pushing path. A stunned enemy would obviously be stuck and raked the whole way through, and I can imagine some crazy Tresh/Blitz/Urgot shenanigans where Ambrose moves a great distance, extending how long his claw is. I made it only damage on initial cast to ensure that this ability was primarily used as a zoning and reverse-mobility tool for Ambrose... he deals enough damage as it is. :p

The spires are untargetable, yeah, since they require set-up time to be used. Enemies can position themselves in such a way that they prevent Ambrose from easily reaching them without suffering some consequences, which I believe is suitable counterplay. His only answer to being zoned away is to use his Spires only as health by placing them near or behind him (reducing his trade/poke) or by using his long cooldown E. Cultivating the spires only pulls them to him, so that he can choose when to Reap them, or prevent him from getting instant healing until his Reap is off cooldown.

I like your timber idea from a thematic perspective quite a bit! However, from a mechanical one, I really wanted to separate his ability to deal damage and heal. He has to pick one, which I think adds some interesting depth and strategy to his otherwise simple kit.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

Time to cut to the chase and get some more eyes on Ambrose.

Gallinarr1 votes

I like him simply because he is a reaper. I LOVE that.

FlameHalbrdOkido1 votes

Ok cool, i get it.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

{quoted}

Ok cool, i get it.

High five! :D

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

Oh by the way, since you love Cultivate, you should check out Ophelia, Daughter of the Monolith. I reuse the mechanics of Cultivate for her Ultimate. :)

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

Let's sow the seeds of discussion one more time.

peyotecoy0te1 votes

I've seen some of your other concepts, but I think this one is my favorite. Would love to play this champ.

Would you consider having the spires spawned from his ult scale with level in addition to being based on remaining plant health? Or will leveling the ult just increase the plant's stats?

RiotRiot Lutzburg2 votes

{quoted}

I've seen some of your other concepts, but I think this one is my favorite. Would love to play this champ.

Would you consider having the spires spawned from his ult scale with level in addition to being based on remaining plant health? Or will leveling the ult just increase the plant's stats?

Hey, thanks for the support! The second half of your question is correct- as you rank up the ult, the plant's stats get better, which inherently makes it tankier and harder to kill. Thus you have a higher chance of scoring more spires if you choose to harvest it.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

The time has come to cultivate some additional feedback on Ambrose.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

Perhaps I should try to prune Ambrose a little bit, since he doesn't seem to be getting much attention these days.

Hardstuck G41 votes

Ambrose. Where to start here. Fun? Sounds like it. Probably one of the first concepts that I truly read without cringing at a weird effect.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

{quoted}

Ambrose. Where to start here. Fun? Sounds like it. Probably one of the first concepts that I truly read without cringing at a weird effect.

Ambrose- cool; normal; not weird. I'll take it!

Hardstuck G41 votes

Indeed!

Kamiroo Wolf1 votes

+1. Didn't mention the League this time

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Kamiroo Wolf,realm=NA,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=4vIrEANH,comment-id=000b,timestamp=2015-03-19T15:12:04.621+0000)

+1. Didn't mention the League this time

Are you referring to my concepts that include a champion's reason for joining the League in their lore? I know it's antiquated and doesn't fit the yet-to-be-retconned League lore, but I like to include it as an homage to some of the older Champions.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

I'd like to harvest some more feedback about Ambrose today.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

Even though Lissandra isn't my favorite mage, I have noticed that my mage concepts use her as a reference more frequently than any other. Not sure what that means exactly, but it's an interesting point.

Zanzibaarus1 votes

How does his passive work? I'm concerned because it says that his armor and MR bonuses last up until 1.5 seconds in combat. Does "combat" in this case mean being attacked for longer than 1.5 seconds? Or is it based on an aura or AoE where if an enemy champion enters said aura or AoE the effects go away?

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

{quoted}

How does his passive work? I'm concerned because it says that his armor and MR bonuses last up until 1.5 seconds in combat. Does "combat" in this case mean being attacked for longer than 1.5 seconds? Or is it based on an aura or AoE where if an enemy champion enters said aura or AoE the effects go away?

It functions the same way that Boots of Mobility do. Anything that triggers "in combat" (dealing damage or being dealt damage, really) starts it. This way, Ambrose can deal with occasional poke damage or trades when he goes in close to reap his spires, without allowing him to tank up extended fights.

RiotRiot Lutzburg1 votes

I'm bringing some of my most-upvoted concepts back to the front page today, to see if a new audience still finds them compelling after so much time has passed.

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