[Champion Concept] Imperia, the Spirit Waker (Macro-style Mage)

Summary: Imperia is a mage who specialises in controlling parts the map, and flow of the game. Though she lacks in direct combat ability, she makes up for it with her ability to summon Spirits and Conduits, and to use these in order to gain a strategic advantage on the enemy team. Though designed as a mid-lane mage, Imperia may also function as a support, or even jungler with varying degrees of success.

Attributes

Attack: [|] [1/10] Defense: [|] [1/10] Magic: [||||||||||] [10/10] Difficulty: [||||||||||] [10/10]

Description: Young woman, white hair which comes down over one eye. Slender build, wearing light armor, with channels running through it. Channels glow with energy while the edges are gilded. Imperia speaks mostly with a calm, though sometimes emotionless voice.

Gameplay:

Early Game:

This is Imperia's weakest point in the game. She should strive to survive lane by farming, harrassing enemies with Spirits, or even assisting other lanes by warping Guardian Spirits to provide sustain. Placing Conduits in key bushes with several Guardian Spirits can help shut down ganks before they even happen.

If you are aware of the jungler's movements, you could even 'countergank' by sending in Conduits to either defend your ally, or try and cause a turn-around. After all, tough on ganks, tough on the causes of ganks.

However, at this stage of the game, Imperia must watch her mana pool. Being unable to use a charge of Unbound on yourself makes you very vulnerable to enemy aggression, as you are unable to shield, or even summon your spirits to help you.

Above all, keep an eye on your Conduits. Replace them as soon as they start to expire, as spirits die very quickly without them, and each spirit-loaded Conduit is a large investment in mana which you may not easily make.

Maximising Spirit efficiency is important as Imperia. For example, if an ally has left lane, try sending spirits so you can benefit from the gold and exp they are missing while they're away. Help losing lanes by supplying sustain.

Having excellent map awareness is key to playing Imperia effectively.

Mid-game:

Mid-game is when Imperia starts to shine. Having acquired a decent mana pool, she no longer has to guard her spirits as she did in the early game. Because of this, as well as the fact that teams have now started to group, Imperia can now start using Spirits effectively.

Lone Conduits make for decent wards, but Conduits loaded with Spirits can easily split-push multiple lanes at once, putting pressure on the enemy, making them pick between taking objectives, or losing their own.

One of the key points is not to fight, at least not on the enemy's terms. Try picking away at enemies, and always be with your Spirits. At the very minimum, fill your personal aura with spirits so that the enemies cannot easily engage on you, but it is best to set up an 'entrenchment' of sorts, from which you can destroy minion waves.

Fighting on your terms is what you should do. Using your ultimate is very important. There are multiple ways to do this. For example, it can be used to force enemies away from objectives. It can also be used to set up wombo combos, or save allies, though the delay means forethought is required to pull this off effectively.

Most importantly, however, is making sure that you have Spirits waiting when enemies engage.

Also important is map awareness. Soulfire Barrage is on a pretty low cooldown, so don't worry about being conservative with it. Keeping key Conduits alive can make sure that the enemy has a hard time pressuring your towers and can pick away at their health.

In general, being in vision range of an enemy champion is something that should avoid. Let your Spirits do the fighting for you.

Don't be afraid to teleport Conduits into the thick of the fight. A Conduit packed with Infernal Spirits makes for a very dangerous source of damage, forcing the enemy to either kill them or your teammates.

While Imperia does have decent 1v1 and protection potential, not using a Unbound on yourself means an extra charge with which a Conduit could have been moved, gaining further map control.

Soulfire Barrages also have multiple uses. It is advisable to stack several Conduits close to you (but maintaining enough on the map for general control) to make the best use of it, whether to siege the enemy, steal neutral objectives or jungle camps, or even for clearing distant minions.

Late Game:

Much like mid-game, Imperia looks to avoid fights. By having groups of spirits everywhere to pick apart the enemy team, Imperia can make skirmishes, or even fights, very difficult.

Stationing Conduits with Tempered and Infernal Spirits in all lanes is a good way of shutting down enemy pushes, while creating slow pushes of your own.

Soulfire Barrage is also extremely potent at this point. Maintaining 6-8 Conduits close by makes Soulfire Barrage deal tons of damage and is enough to force any priority target hit back to base. Be liberal with it's usage. With 40% CDR, it is possible to fire it once per wave.

It is also possible to solo certain objectives, such as Baron or Dragon with sufficient Spirits and liberal uses of Unbound on yourself. However, doing so is very visible and can easily provoke enemy suspicion.

Even if you do lose a team-fight, don't worry. Spirits do not self-destruct when you die, and leaving pockets of resistance could slow down an enemy, and buy you and your team precious time to revive. It is better to direct your Spirits from afar, to at least pressure the lack of enemies in a lane.

Most importantly however, is to not actually be in line-of-sight of the enemy. Imperia works best if the enemy doesn't see her, where she can direct her forces and call down Barrages on unsuspecting enemies.

Base Statistics:

Health: 479.32 (+79) HP/5: 5,69 (+0.55) Mana: 360.8 (+60) MP/5: 6 (+0.8) AD: 57.5 (+3.5) AS: 0.670 (+2%) Armor: 19.72 (+3.5) MR: 30 (+0) MS: 335 Range: 550

Abilities

Passive: Hallowed Ground

Imperia and her Conduits generate Hallowed Ground around them (400 initially), which expands at 10 units per second (total 800). Hallowed Ground grants 5% movement speed and 5 (+1 per level) HP/5 to all allies on it. If the source of Hallowed Ground is destroyed, any Hallowed Ground created by that source is destroyed at 100 units per second. Imperia cannot benefit from the Hallowed Ground that she herself generates.

Imperia also passively generates a field around her that can hold 4/6/8 Spirits. This field does not expire.

Q: Summon Spirit

Summon a Spirit over 1 second at target location. Change Spirit type by clicking a small tab above the icon.

Charges: 4 Recharge: 4 Mana: 40 Range: 800

Notes:

• Spirits must be summoned within a Conduit, and take 50% extra damage while being summoned.
• Spirits are tethered to the Conduit they are summoned at, but can move into adjacent Conduits. However, they must remain within 1000 range of the original Conduit.
• If the Conduit a Spirit is tethered to is destroyed, other Conduits can ‘adopt’ the spirit

• While Spirits are not tethered to a Conduit, they will lose 20% of their max health every second
• Spirits cannot attack structures.
• Spirit attacks count as spells and only apply spell effects.
• No cast time

• Enemies hit by more than 1 Spirit of a type will take 25% damage from Spirits of a type beyond the first.

** Q1: Infernal Spirit**

Infernal Spirits rush enemies, exploding and dealing 20/40/60/80/100 (0.2 AP) magic damage to enemies in a 250 radius. If they are killed, they will also explode, but after a delay of 0.5 seconds. Imperia can also manuallly detonate Infernal Spirits by right-clicking them.

Other Stats:

Health: 75 (+20*Imperia’s level) (+25% AP) Range: 200 MS: 325 (+1 per 1 bonus MS that Imperia has) Armor: 30 MR: 30

** Q2: Tempered Spirit**

Tempered Spirits deal 45/60/75/90/105 (+0.3 AP) to enemies in a 200 unit radius (attack is ground targeted) with an attack speed of 0.75 (+2% per level).

Other Stats:

Delay: 0.5 - (0.02champion level) (0.5 at level 1, 0.14 at level 18) Health: 50 (+15Imperia’s level) (+10% AP) Range: 800 MS: 300 (+0.5 per 1 bonus MS that Imperia has) Armor: 30 MR: 30

Q3: Guardian Spirit

Guardian Spirits cannot attack. Instead, they will rush at enemy champions, slowing them by 20/25/30/35/40% for 2 seconds if they collide. This consumes the spirit. If 3 Guardian Spirits collide with an enemy champion, they are stunned for 1 second, and Guardian Spirits will not target them for the next 8 seconds. Imperia can right-click them to sacrifice them, healing all allies within 300 range for 20/35/50/75/90 (+0.15 AP). Heal amount is increased by 1% per 1% health missing.

Other Stats:

Health: 100 (+20*Imperia’s level) MS: 340 (+1 per 1 bonus MS Imperia has) Armor: 30 MR: 30

W: Summon Conduit

Passive: Regens 1/1.5/2/2.5/3 % of your missing mana every 5 seconds.

Imperia also exerts a Control Aura, allowing all Conduits within 4000 range to operate. Conduits and linked Spirits outside of a Control Aura take 25% more damage, and do not attack enemies without provocation.

Imperia can also designate Control Conduits (right-clicking an empty Conduit) which exert their own Control Aura. Control Conduits cannot hold spirits, and last until destroyed. Imperia can only designate a Control Conduit once every 60 seconds

Imperia may have a maximum of 2 Control Conduits at once.

Active: Summons a Conduit at target location. Conduits allow Spirits to be summoned near them, and can have a maximum of 4 Spirits at once. Conduits also passively grant 5 mana/5 in it’s area (does not stack). Conduits last 90 seconds.

Health: 100 (+50*Imperia’s level) (+0.5 AP) Armor: 30 (+0.1 AP) MR: 30 (+0.1 AP) Radius: 400 Mana: 70 Cooldown: 12/11/10/9/8 Range: 800

E: Mystical Energies

First Cast: Selects a Conduit or Imperia.

Second Cast - Conduit: Select a location. Selected Conduit and all tethered Spirits are teleported to the new location after 2 seconds.

Second Cast - Imperia: Teleport all Spirits to Imperia for 8 seconds. Imperia gains a shield while also passively generating an unlimited Conduit aura during this period. After the effect ends, all Spirits are teleported back to their starting locations. (If a second self-cast is used while the first is still active, it will only extend the duration the Spirits stay and refresh the shield, not stack it.

Using Mystical Energies on Imperia costs 2 charges.

Shield: 60/90/120/150/180 (+0.4 AP) (+6/8/10/12/14 shield per spirit on the field) Selection Range: 30000 Movement Range: 30000 Radius: 400 Charges: 4 Charge CD: 18/16/14/12/10 Mana: 70

R: Soulfire Barrage

Passive: Conduits gain 1 (+0.5*Spirits linked) Soulfire each second. Spirit attacks generate 5 Soulfire per attack. Upon reaching 100 Soulfire, Imperia can right-click the Conduit to Spirit-charge all Spirits linked for 6 seconds. While Spirit-charged, Spirits gain additional effects, and do not generate Soulfire. Conduits do not generate Soulfire for 10 seconds after the effect expires. Spirits linked to Imperia cannot become Spirit-charged.

Infernal: When detonated, Spirits will split into 2 smaller Spirits, which each deal 25% of the original Spirit damage.

Tempered: Also deals 2% max health magic damage to target hit (capped vs monsters)

Guardian: Heal nearby allies upon crashing into enemies. If manually-triggered, heal for 50% more

Active: Causes Imperia and all Conduits within 2000 range to fire a Soulfire Strike at target location. Each Soulfire Strike deals 50/100/150 (+0.3 AP) damage and lowers magic resistance by 8 for 4 seconds (stackable). Enemies hit by more than 1 Soulfire Strike take 33% damage beyond the first.

(Indicator for enemy begins to form 1 second before the first strike lands, and is fully visible 0.5 seconds before the first strike lands. The first strike will never land before 1 second has passed between casting and the first strike landing)

Range: 4000 Projectile Speed: 2000 Radius: 500 Cooldown: 80/60/40 Mana: 100

Tips:

Playing as Imperia

• Always have Spirits with you. Imperia has almost no damage output, defenses, or utility without them. Make sure your personal spirit aura is always filled.

• Stay at range. Imperia is very weak at close range, and her long-range nature make it best if you don't physically see an enemy champion. Additionally always keep a charge of Unbound handy, as using it on yourself can save your life if enemies jump on you.

• Observe the whole map. Don't just send Spirits to one location. Send them everywhere, whether that be wave-clearing, poking, sustaining allies, or simply providing vision. Good map presence and macro-control is key to playing Imperia effectively.

Playing VS Imperia

• Aim for the Conduits first. Without them, spirits quickly die. Following retreating spirits can also lead you to further Conduits.

• Keep the pressure on. Severely damaging or poking her can force Imperia to use Spirits/Unbound on herself, means that she is not using spirits to pressure your team.

• Attack Spirits and Conduits while they're being summoned. They take extra damage while being summoned, so use that to your advantage!

Synergises well with:

- Amumu's Curse of the Sad Mummy makes for a perfect set-up for Soulfire Assault, immobilising enemies who would otherwise escape the delayed strikes. The magic resistance shredding further amplifies the Sad Mummy's damage, allowing his AoE's to take a deadly toll.

- Combining Cannon Barrage and Soulfire Assault leads to a deadly combination - A powerful slow mixed with MR reduction makes for a strong initiation or dis-engage. Combining Gangplank's global pressure from top lane with Imperia's regional pressure from mid-lane can allow for strong map control and area dominance.

- Normally fragile, Kog'Maw can seek solace within Imperia's Conduits, poking away at enemies with Living Artillery while being defended by Imperia's Spirits. Her zoning potential allows Kog'Maw to play more aggressively, while offering the option to retreat behind Conduits if problems arise. Soulfire Assault's MR shredding also does wonders for Kog'Maw, allowing his mixed damage to be even more potent against enemy champions.

Imperia has difficulty with:

- The Void Burrower is effective at getting on top of Imperia with her Tunnel/Unburrow combo, able to bring her down before Imperia can summon reinforcements. Utilising Tunnel with Void Rush allows Rek'Sai to combat Imperia's own map presence, while her early pressure can put both Imperia and her team behind before she reaches her mid-game powerspike.

- Rengar's ability to operate stealthily behind enemy lines and burst priority targets before they can react is especially valuable against Imperia, who often operates out of vision of the enemy team. Able to bypass her defending spirits, Rengar can kill her, leaving Spirits in the area defenseless, allowing his team to move in.

- Evelynn's stealth cloak allows her to pass through Conduits and Spirits undetected, ambushing Imperia when she lacks the bulk of her Spirit forces to back her up. Her early ganking can also put an Imperia - whose early is her weakest point - behind, forcing her to play from behind. Stealthed until attacking, Evelynn can also take out Control Conduits before nearby Spirits can react, denying Imperia control of the area.

Lore:

The wind rustled gently in the trees, the branches gently shaking against the dark, star-lit sky. The wind itself was gentle, melding into the quiet night. Too quiet, Imperia thought, looking up at the stars. She had lived in these forests all her life, playing, exploring, eventually meditating within, for there were spirits rumoured nearby. A myth to most, she had been told, but they lie within the forest, playing, toying with humans from time to time. And decade or so, there comes one strong enough to wield it’s power. She had, of course, initially dismissed these claims, thought them to be nothing more than children’s tales. But that had been the old her, the innocent one, the time before the Noxian war had ravaged her home, her life, her Haeris. But it had not stopped there. She remembered that day most vividly, burned into her memory like the heat of a thousand suns. How she had left that morning, sun shining brightly, how her mother waved her goodbye, how Haeris had given her that ever-confident smile as she turned and left. The peace among the forest, as she heard the birds sing quietly among the trees. Nothing had seemed amiss, the Spirits dancing through the air, the tranquility of her surroundings, the soft rush of the waterfall in the background. Then a rush. A flare of emotion. Blinding her, briefly, snapping her out of her trance. As she came out of it she heard shouts, yell, screaming. The clanging of metal on metal. The sounds of death. Yet, it seemed, as she ran closer and closer to the edge of the forest, that the sounds became more and more diluted. She hid behind a tree, pressing her slender form against the wood. Gruff, male voices pierced the silence. “She’s not here. That, or we killed her already.” “Does it matter?” “Nah” “Either way, maybe we’ll get reasssigned, face a real challenge.” Imperia heard them turn away, their heavy bootsteps growing fainter and fainter as they trudged through the light rain which had just begun to fall.

She stepped into what was left of her village, the wooden stumps mixed among the human ones. Stepping through the ashes, she wanted to break down, get away. But she heard rustling, movement. Wondering if one the soldiers had come back to check, she hurridly picked up a slender sword, advancing carefully to the source of the sounds. She stepped deftly between the broken timbers, bracing herself for a confrontation. Yet when she found the source, it was not a Noxian soldier, but Haeris, his armor bloodied and scratched, a hand gently wrapped around his side, the bodies of three Noxian soldiers around him. He looked up, smiling when he saw her presence. “End of the line, huh?” he said, smirking weakly. “No”, she rushed to counter, “ I can heal you.” Haeris shook his head with acceptance. “You can’t. The blade’s been poisoned. At least they didn’t get what they came for.” His words were pained, his breath ragged. Imperia knew he didn’t have long. “Promise...me...this...” he said, gasping his final breaths “That you’ll fight..”His breath cut off, she, knowing he was dead, turned to the forest. And she called. Called to the spirits to rally to her. To bring freedom. To bring tranquility. To bring revenge.

Imperia snapped once more to the present. Watching the stars shine, their light reflected in the campfires below. Another Noxian battalion, she thought, the third in a week. The invasion must have been bad, if they had struck this close to the Presidium. She had learned much in the days since she had given in to the power, urging the spirits to her, their power now coursing through the lines of her gilded armor. She moved her arms in a somatic gesture, willing the spirits to gather around the Conduits she had forged from the power of the forest. She saw the Spirits gather, a mass of energy around each Conduit, whose light extended to the sky. And she looked at the camp, the rows of tents stretching before her. Most were sleeping, no doubt. Perfect, she thought. They’ll never see their death coming. As she once more shifted her hands, slicing through the air with a tranquil fury, light enveloped the Conduits, disappearing briefly before the light glow of the spirits enveloped the camp, as she heard the screams, the cries of those who found surprise in death, who had been weary eyed when the assault had begun. She needed only to listen to the sounds to know it was a massacre, and she reveled in it, felt alive, once more having purpose.

It hadn’t taken long, for it was over in less than an hour.She strode purposefully through the lines of trampled tents, the bodies that scattered the field a testament to what she, no, they, had achieved that night. She continued her walk, until she felt a flash of danger. She whirled, but it was too late, for a jagged blade had already found it’s way through her armor, as she felt the cold iron piercing her flesh. Yet the sensation soon passed, reinforced only by the gasp of the bloodied soldier who possessed a most familiar tone. She pulled the blade out, straining somewhat at first, and brandished it with a smooth action. She examined it in front of the soldier, who had now attempted to shuffle back into the corner of a ruined tent. “I recognise this blade” she said, “Warped, ugly. Fitting, how you face oblivion...together.” His reply was naught but a hoarse whisper. “Who...who are you?”

She smirked at the comment. “The girl you never found.” Imperia took a moment to savor his shock, the fear that emanated from him, before plunging his warped blade deep into his gut, twisting it, watching him writhe in pain and agony. She then spoke in a whisper. “Merely...repaying a debt from a friend, not long ago.” She turned to leave.

She emerged once more into the open air. At last, she thought, vengeance...is mine. But it is only the beginning...

And, while the dawn light broke, Imperia looked into the distance, as the spirits swarmed around her once more.

Quotes:

Selection:_ Let us...begin_

Moving:

The Spirits whisper to me Guide us...all _ I walk the path to tranquility _ I hear my calling_ _ A wise choice_ _ There is no time to waste_ _ Their fate is sealed _ I---We...will not hesitate We will not falter...We will not fail...We - I cannot I...will never stop fighting Submission...I'd prefer...extinction

Attacking:

_ They guide my hand_ _ Press the attack_ I strike...now _ Ionia will be free_ Freedom, at any cost Break their line Shatter their forces

Taunt: (opens a portal, showing thousands of spirits)

We are legion, for we...are many...so what are you? Yes, I suppose you kill take one. But five? Ten? _ Surely, you must realise...that you are doomed_

Joke: Summons 3 spirits of random color, which fly around before crashing into each other. They are then dismissed, while she shakes her head

And this...is why I'd like to work alone I thought I'd have competent allies. Apparently...not Of all the spirits in the world...and I get you

Death: It...is not over

Summoning Infernal Spirit:

Unleash your rage We require your presence Burn with your fury

Summoning Tempered Spirit

_Strike true, friend We require your presence Leave no-where to hide

Summoning Guardian Spirit

Shield those who cannot shield themselves We require your presence Prepare the ultimate sacrifice

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