Cathartes, Scavenger of the Rift

Role: AD Assassin, Jungler

Inspiration: The inspiration for Cathartes was simply to create a champion with an ultimate that behaved like the "cool" movie heroes who land from the sky in an impressive and dazzling fashion.

General Design Philosophy: Cathartes is designed to carry out assassinations by diving an enemy team from very long range and live to tell the tale later. To offset this, his lane presence is minimal and his passive is only useful in later team fights. His high single target and moderate AoE damage make him an ideal candidate for the jungle.

Risk Analysis: Low. Cathartes does have a new type of skillshot, but it is heavily influenced by existing mechanics. The fantasy of playing a Matrix-style assassin with a physical leap of his magnitude is compelling.

Appearance: an armored, semi-humanoid vulture with wings similar to Talon’s cloak. Reminiscent of Song Bird from Bioshock Infinite.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/Vulture_zpsa8edfa20.jpg

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/latest_zps7cd93bf4.png

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/image_299660_orig_zpsf115c7c5.jpg After taking to the skies, Cathartes lands in the perfect position to assassinate Graves; Soraka cries out in protest, but there's nothing she can do...

Lore: Missing

Strengths: powerful AoE burst and sticking ability, capable of entering/initiating a team fight to assassinate a priority target and then escape, passive makes it possible to survive through team fights and continue to snowball into additional kills.

Weaknesses: Susceptible to crowd control and can be easily focused down if caught, no natural or passive sustain, reliant on combos for damage output, ult requires foresight and can lead to instant death if not planned accordingly.

Plays Most Like...:

Auto Attack: A melee strike with a taloned claw for a hand.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_2130_btn_zps01e8535e.jpg Passive- Scavenge: Champion kills heal Cathartes for 20% of his maximum health. Assists grant half of this bonus. If this effect occurs more than once within 6 seconds, subsequent heals are reduced by 30%. This ability could also be referred to as “Cathartes’ Aura,” which is the scientific name for King Vulture. Design Philosophy: Rather than granting ability resets like some other assassins, Cathartes’ team fight snowballing comes from his ability to sustain through burst damage. Reducing the healing if enemy kills come in rapid succession is a failsafe to prevent frustrating lack of counterplay, though this may prove unnecessary in playtesting.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_17041_btn_zps0a6eef64.jpg Q- Fan of Blades (1-5 sec cast time, 4 sec cooldown): Cathartes fires an outward cone-based skillshot (similar to Karma’s old Q) that lets loose a series of 5 dagger-tipped feathers. Each dagger deals an individual amount of physical damage, slowing enemies hit. If one or more feathers doesn’t find a target, the ability can be cast after a short global cooldown, firing the remaining feathers in a dynamically shrinking cone. This can be done up to 3 times before the entire ability resets and goes on cooldown. (ability automatically goes on cooldown if all daggers find targets, or if there’s longer than 3 seconds between casts) The fifth and final feather to strike an enemy stuns that enemy for 1.5 seconds. Casting the ability at point blank range increases the likelihood that a target will be hit by multiple daggers. If two or more feathers connect simultaneously and there are no additional feathers to be recast, all enemies struck are instead stunned for 1 second. This ability is set to smart cast by default, similar to Karthas’ Lay Waste. The mouse always pinpoints the exact center of the cone. Rank-ups lower cooldown and increase damage, as well as increase slow percentage to 15/18/21/25/30% Design Philosophy: This is a new skillshot mechanic that requires multiple casts for a single spell. Skilled players can aim multiple feathers into a single target at a time, or set up AoE stuns. This ability also makes for decent ranged farming and wave clearing, which is one of Cathartes’ most glaring weaknesses. Landing consecutive Q's is vital to Cathartes’ damage and ability to stick to targets. Typically, against a single target, a player will need to cast their Q all three times in order to stun their victim. Using nearby minions as “dagger dumps” will allow them to expedite this process. In groups or if minions are nearby, players can attempt to make 4 out of 5 daggers land on the first cast, stunning a priority target on the second.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_13692_btn_zps0f0b4874.jpg W- Decompose (9 sec): Cathartes targets an enemy and infects them with a rotting poison for 4 seconds, dealing physical damage over time. Cathartes’ auto attacks gain an additional 5/10/15/20/25% armor penetration against decomposing targets. Rank-ups increase armor shred amount and damage. Design Philosophy: A simple damage over time ability that allows Cathartes to deal a threatening amount of damage to a single target of his choice. Granting individual armor penetration over a flat armor-reduction on the target keeps the hidden power of this ability low.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_7708_pas_zpse1179d9d.jpg E- Noxious Gust (16 sec): Cathartes powerfully flaps his wings in a directional skillshot similar to Caitlyn's Net, loosing noxious fumes and propelling him in the opposite direction upon cast. Colliding with enemies deals mild physical damage. Enemies struck by the toxic gust of wind are knocked back slightly and suffer minor mage damage over 2 seconds. Rank-ups decrease cooldown and increase damage slightly. Design Philosophy: This is Cathartes’ primary disengage tool, which can also double as his gap closer. The ability has a long cooldown and is intentionally clunky, as it is not designed to be a ‘get out of jail free card.’ Its range is small enough that it merely augments or supports an existing initiation or escape. When supplemented with his Ultimate, Cathartes can appear in the backline and simultaneously push a carry’s peel away from them while also propelling himself closer to his target.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_8552_pas_zps8fee2a36.jpg R- To the Skies (110 sec): After a brief takeoff animation, Cathartes takes to the skies, sky-rocketing himself as a lined skillshot towards a target location at incredible range (1500/2250/3000). This ability can be stopped short similar to Hecarim's Ultimate. Cathartes is immune to crowd control during his brief flight period, but is still susceptible to damage, and will push enemy units out of the way on the flight towards his destination. Upon landing, an explosion of dagger-like feathers expands around him, dealing physical damage and blinding enemies for 1.5 seconds. Rank-ups increase damage and cast range and lower cooldown. Design Philosophy: This ability is quite simply meant to be badass. It’s a powerful initiation tool that allows Cathartes to dive a back line and assassinate a high priority target. This synergizes well with the rest of his kit, as he can deal AoE physical damage and apply a stun to at least one target shortly after landing. Ideally this will net him a kill, proccing his passive and allowing him to continue his murderous rampage or Noxious Gust out of the backlines and back to the safety of his team.

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