Gemini, the War-Torn Descendant

Role: AP Tank, AP Support Mage

Inspiration: Originally I simply wanted to create a champion with a physical damage shield who gained stacking stats based on gameplay. This eventually took for the shape of a character with dual forms, similar to Jayce, but whose abilities shared a single cooldown between forms and changed dynamically between them. I also wanted to flex my lore muscle by designing a character born from a Demacian father and Noxian mother.

General Design Philosophy: Gemini is a utility and support-centric tank with a dual ability mechanic similar to Jayce or Elise. However, all of Gemini’s abilities last an extended period of time, and switching forms alters the ability mid-use for the remainder of its activated duration. These forms take the shape of shield stances, which he can swap between mid-ability at his leisure. This is an all-new take on the dual form style of champion and is core to Gemini’s identity as a ‘dual allegiance’ character.

Risk Analysis: Moderate. Having a continually active ability that changes between two forms is a completely untested mechanic, and may prove technically difficult or frustrating to use effectively. His permanent stat gains and true damage capabilities will likely need to be monitored closely and tweaked/iterated on often. That said, he has one of the most powerful lores and themes imaginable when it comes down to the feud between Demacia and Noxus, and his story is a captivating one.

Appearance: Gemini wields a massive two sided shield that transforms/flips around his armgard to provide additional stats and abilities. The shield morphs around his hand, which does not change positions during the transformation, almost taking on the appearance of a plane or bus schedule board as it updates its various departures. Additionally, Gemini wields a paladin's mace in combat.

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Lore: Gemini is a paladin born from a Demacian father and a Noxian mother. He grew up studying and mastering the arts and magics of both of them in seclusion from the world. When his heretic parents were eventually discovered in the hidden foothills they called home, they were murdered. Their son destroyed an entire battalion of troops to ensure his own escape and survival. This act interested both Demacia and Noxus, who then entered a feud over which banner the young paladin would fight for. Caught in a deadlock and refusing to join either side, Gemini made their decision easy by joining the League and fighting for the union of Demacia and Noxus. He considers this his only escape from his family ties and his past, and is the best solution he has to finding peace from the constant feuds over his mastery of both Demacian and Noxian tactics and skills.

This is also where Gemini gets his name, as it's a reference to the concept of "Twins" in certain mythologies and a representation of his duality.

Strengths: Multiple AoE slows, AoE heal, passive stat gains, self shield, gap closer, requires no resources to use abilities

Weaknesses: low damage output, dependent on skill order, pigeonholed into building AP and health to maximize tanking potential, poor offensive AP ratios

Plays Most Like...:

Auto Attack: Gemini strikes his opponent in melee range with a paladin's mace.

Note that Gemini's Ultimate is listed first in order to better educate readers about the unique mechanics of his kit.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_7124_pas_zpsf9388cab.jpg http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_14783_btn_zpsf5d2dbd7.jpg R- Shield Stance (6 seconds): This ability is automatically learned at level 1. Gemini reverses his hextech shield from the Righteous Buckler to Vile Bulwark or vice versa, granting him a new set of abilities. Gemini's other abilities share the same cooldowns from their opposite form, but having one ability active and then switching forms will change that ability dynamically. Switching to the Buckler grants 10/15/20/30 bonus armor for 3 seconds, while the Bulwark yields 10/15/20/30 additional MR for 3 seconds. Rank-ups lower cooldown and increase the resistance buff provided when swapping between stances. Design Philosophy: Gemini’s entire kit is built around the ability to swap between shield stances mid-ability. This allows him a great deal of versatility and player choice, but also makes him quite difficult to master. The brief resistance boost helps synergize with Gemini's Passive.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_3315_pas_zps52649ca1.jpg Passive- Dual Allegiance: After changing to the Vile Bulwark, Gemini's next basic attack deals true damage equal to his current bonus MR value. After changing to the Righteous Buckler, Gemini's next basic attack deals true damage equal to his current bonus armor value. Finally, Gemini's abilities do not require a resource to cast. Design Philosophy: This is a smart and thematically interesting way of providing this tank with some meaningful damage during trades or teamfights. It also promotes the stacking of tanking stats to deal damage, and further synergizes with Gemini’s stacking stat gains from his W.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_13772_pas_zps7ded557f.jpg Q- Bulwark’s Grasp (10 seconds, Vile Bulwark only): the skull on Gemini's Bulwark creates a beam of dark energy that slows targets in its line of fire by 20/22.5/25/27.5/30%, dealing magic damage over the duration. The beam fires continually in the direction Gemini is facing and lasts 5 seconds, similar to Rumble's Flamespitter. The slow lasts .5 seconds on a target after escaping the beam's effects. Switching to the Righteous Buckler transforms the ability into Holy Stream for the remainder its duration. Rank-ups increase damage and slow amount, as well as lower cooldown. Design Philosophy: This ability allows Gemini to deal constant damage and apply an AoE slow to all nearby enemies, similarly to a Rumble with Rylai’s Crystal Scepter. The ‘stream’ effect was vital for creating a visually and mechanically clear swap between shield stances.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_9702_btn_zpsaba3e16d.jpg Q- Holy Stream (10 seconds, Righteous Buckler only): Gemini creates a stream of light from the emblem on his Buckler, which hastens Gemini and friendly targets in its line of fire by 20% and heals him and his allies over the duration. The beam fires continually in the direction Gemini is facing and lasts 5 seconds, similar to Rumble's Flamespitter. The speed boost lasts .5 seconds on a target after leaving the beam's effects. Switching to the Vile Bulwark transforms the ability into Bulwark's Grasp for the remainder of its duration. Rank-ups increase healing amount and lower cooldown. Design Philosophy: This is a team utility item that helps allies escape or engage, keeping them healthy as they attempt to reach their destination. Creating a stream of energy that changes effects upon shield swapping was an iconic and visually impactful way to demonstrate Gemini’s kit.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_2664_btn_zpsfdcbc69e.jpg W- Vile Barrier (20 seconds, Vile Bulwark only): Gemini creates a massive magic damage-absorbing shield around himself that increases with MR and lasts 6 seconds. If the shield takes damage and holds, Gemini permanently gains .5 MR. If the shield breaks, he gains 1 MR instead. Switching to the Righteous Buckler while the shield is still holding causes it to swap to physical damage absorption and adds additional shielding equal to 50% of its missing strength. Rank-ups increase shield value. It is intentional that ranking this ability up does not lower its cooldown. Design Philosophy: The magic shield helps solidify the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the duality, of Gemini’s two-sided shield. The permanent stat gain is designed to encourage Gemini to take risks and enter the center of a team fight, rather than simply popping his shield every 20 seconds as he patrols the jungle. The shield swapping allows Gemini the ability to double down on countering a certain damage type based on his current opponent.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_5155_pas_zps4a10f370.jpg W- Righteous Barrier (20 seconds, Righteous Buckler only): Gemini creates a massive physical damage-absorbing shield that increases based on bonus health and lasts 6 seconds. If the shield takes damage and holds, Gemini permanently gains .5 armor. If the shield breaks, he gains 1 armor instead. Switching to the Vile Bulwark while the shield is still holding causes it to swap to magic damage absorption and adds additional shielding equal to 50% of the its missing strength. Rank-ups increase shield value. It is intentional that ranking this ability up does not lower its cooldown. Design Philosophy: The physical shield helps solidify the strengths and weaknesses, as well as the duality, of Gemini’s two-sided shield. The permanent stat gain is designed to encourage Gemini to take risks and enter the center of a team fight, rather than simply popping his shield every 20 seconds as he patrols the jungle. The shield swapping allows Gemini the ability to double down on countering a certain damage type based on his current opponent.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_15913_pas_zpsa2ee0982.jpg E- Noxian Construct (9 seconds, Vile Bulwark only): Gemini creates a corporeal shield at a target location up to 700 units away, which lasts for 4 seconds. This corporeal shield blocks enemy skillshots and ranged auto attacks, and has a slowing and damaging aura. If an enemy champion's skillshot or ranged auto attack is blocked by the shield, the radius of the slowing and damaging field increases by 20%. This effect can stack up to 5 times over its 4 second duration. Switching to the Righteous Buckler while the Construct is active causes the Construct to assume a physical form, which Gemini can then grapple to from range by recasting the ability. Rank-ups increase the damage and slow value of the construct, as well as lower cooldown. Design Philosophy: This ability provides a lot of utility, as it allows a tank to block incoming shots from reaching his squishy allies. In addition, it can also double as a gap closer, which is something that a melee tank like Gemini sorely needs. While not necessarily related, it should be pointed out that Gemini was conceived long before both Braum and Yasuo.

http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_12130_btn_zps694a6ddf.jpg E- Demacian Rush (9 seconds, Righteous Buckler only): Gemini fires a light-based image of his buckler in a line up to 1,000 units away, dealing magic damage that decays as it collides with multiple targets. The image hangs at its apex, at which point Gemini can tether to it by recasting the ability. After 2 seconds, the image disperses. The range of this ability is controlled similarly to Olaf's Undertow. Switching to the Vile Bulwark while the image is in flight causes it to immediately halt and transform into the Construct, remaining there for 4 seconds. Rank-ups increase damage done and lowers cooldown. Design Philosophy: The range of Demacian Rush is intentionally much larger than the range of Noxian Construct, allowing tactical shield swapping to grant access to more damage and a longer ranged slow than otherwise possible. This particular combo would prevent Gemini from using his gap closer, however.

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