Oars, the Calmwater Ferryman

An idea I had. Taking a loose Musashi Miyamoto concept and ameliorating on it, Oars was the result.

Oars, the Calm Water Ferryman

“It’s hard to stay afloat in the rough and tumble city of Bilgewater, and even harder in its ports. However, for a small fee and a righteous cause Oars will guide you through these turbulent waters. Some call him a ferryman, but we few know that he is far more than that. Oars isn’t just an ordinary sailor; he’s a messenger from the Mother Serpent, searching for his Prophet.”

Oars is a vaguely Ionian man (though no one is really sure) of average build, perhaps slightly taller than most. He is dressed in an untucked plain white shirt and murky blue work pants, with large black rubber boots coming up to his knees. Around his waist is a sky blue sash and on his head is a wide conical straw hat to ward off rain. His hair is long, black and straight. He basic attacks with a long wooden oar.

Base Stats

Health: 576 (+87) Health Regen: 5.42 (+0.55) Mana: 302.2 (+40) Mana Regen: 6 (+0.8) Range: 175 Attack Damage: 60 (+2.7) Attack Speed: 0.625 (+2.125%) Armor: 23.544 (+3.8) Magic Res.: 32.1 (+1.25) Mov. Speed: 345

Rather standard stats for a tanky support (used Leona as reference). Armor is rather low to weaken his early game, but scales better.

Abilities:

Passive: Calm Water Whenever Oars activates an ability he creates a 300 radius zone of calm around himself, slowing all surrounding enemies by 5/7/9/11 + (1% Bonus Health)% for 1 second.

The maximum possible slow ends up around 60-70% with 5 Warmog’s and a Cinderhulk. Still, it’s a nice incentive to build health and some much needed instant cast cc (which you will understand in a moment).

Q: Rescue Cost: 50 Mana Cooldown: 9/8/7/6/5 seconds Oars channels briefly before thrusting his oar forwards in a 450 range line, dealing 50/65/80/95/110 + (100% AD) physical damage and applying on hit effects as well as slowing all enemies hit by 20/30/40/50/60% for 2.5 seconds. While the oar remains extended for the next 0.5 seconds, allies can click it to grab hold and be pulled behind Oars once the duration ends. Oars cannot be interrupted during the duration of Rescue.

A fun ability that gives Oars his basic damage and cc spell but also gives him an interesting method of moving allies around. He can move as many allies as he wants to but they need to react quickly to grab onto the oar. Teamwork meta OP! The channel is a windup for both his allies’ and enemies’ sake.

W: Current Control Cost: 40/50/60/70/80 Mana Cooldown: 18/15/12/9/6 seconds Passive: Each time he activates an ability, Oars ignores unit collision for the next 3 seconds. Active: Oars channels for 0.75 seconds (interruptible by hard crowd control and damage from champions or turrets) before dashing 375 units forward, gaining a 30/40/50/60/70% movement speed boost towards allied champions within 1000 range for 3/3.5/4/4.5/5 seconds.

This is Oar’s “get in the fight” ability. It allows him to get over small walls and rush to his allies in a teamfight or help his allies sneak around the map by shifting and using Rescue to pull the entire team over most small walls. However, due to it being a channeled ability he cannot use it to dart around in a teamfight or escape without a hitch. This is probably one of League’s few utility-only dashes.

E: Guiding Sweep Cost: 65 Mana Cooldown: 20/18/16/14/12 seconds Oars channels briefly before swinging his oar in a circle, dealing 30/40/50/60/70 + (60% AD) physical damage to, stunning and dragging all enemies within 350 units clockwise towards the targeted direction over 0.25 seconds. Enemies struck maintain the same distance from Oars and stop on walls.

An ability I’ve been wanting to implement forever and finally found the perfect opportunity to use. Oars can use this ability to reposition enemies like a boss, using careful positioning to drag enemies away from his squishies or pull escaping targets back into the fray. The channel allows some advance warning since the crowd control potential is just so strong.

R: Just Direction Cost: 100 Mana Cooldown: 140/120/100 seconds Oars channels briefly and indicates a righteous path, creating a large 1300 unit long 400 unit wide path for 4 seconds on the ground. Allies on the path gain Current Control’s movement speed bonus and cause their next basic attack or spell in the next 4 seconds to stun for 0.75 seconds. If the basic attack or spell would have applied a stun anyway, the stun duration increases by 0.75 seconds.

Can you spell steamroll? With all Oars’ defensive capabilities, this is the ability that allows him to speed towards the enemy and push his team to victory. By using Just Direction to empower his Guiding Sweep, Oars can rush up and stun the entire enemy team for 1 second, or he can empower his Rescue to separate an enemy champion from their fleeing team and dogpile onto him/her.

Gameplay:

Oars starts out the early game rather lacking, having short range, no engage abilities and low damage. Instead he hangs back and plays it safe, waiting for the enemy to come to him before fighting. Even at low levels, Guiding Sweep is a game changing ability when used correctly, so he can turn even a 3v2 scenario into a triple kill under tower. He also has the potential to save his allies from problematic situations, using Rescue and Guiding Sweep to create distance between his marksman and their pursuers.

At all points of the game, Oars has powerful objective control. By using Current Control to jump into Dragon pit and then using Rescue to bring along his teammates, Oars and co. can sneak a Dragon kill undetected even if the enemy has taken the Scuttle crab ward. This same combination can be used to flank enemy teams and maneuver around well warded areas with the jungler, as well as surprise an enemy over the wall with an unexpected 1v5.

Oars’ teamfighting potential really shines post-6, when he can set up devastating initiation with his teammates. His Current Control allows him to quickly maneuver to his teammates, following up with a Just Direction to steamroll the enemy team with unprecedented speed and cc. Just as he can calm down a heated encounter, the enemy team also has to worry about sudden flash floods of action.

Oars benefits a lot from health items like Warmog’s, Frozen Gauntlet and Sunfire Cape or the Cinderhulk enchantment. He also synergizes well with items such as Randuin’s Omen and Righteous Glory, which turn his ability effectiveness up to 11.

Pros: High Crowd Control Good Engage Post-6 Can Save Allies with Rescue High Mobility Outside of Combat

Cons: Low Damage Brief Channels on All Abilities Easily Kited and Dodged

Goes Well With:

: Oars and Braum have excellent ally save potential with Rescue and Unbreakable, allowing a quick combo to yank squishy teammates behind the shield with ease. Just Direction also helps Braum get in a teamfight and line up the perfect Glacial Fissure or pound down on the nearest enemy to proc his passive even quicker.

: Oars grants the Terror of the Void the movement speed he needs for an in-’n-out Feast, as well as giving him extra safety and mobility with Rescue. With a quick Guiding Sweep, Oars can turn the entire enemy team into the way of Rupture, allowing for a devastating wombo combo from level 1.

: Oars and Sejuani have excellent engage potential together, with her lengthy stun getting even longer thanks to Just Direction. Once the Glacial Prison is used, Oars can move in to clean up the enemy team with a Guiding Sweep, furthering their combo potential.

Does Poorly Against:

: Alistar has no reason to fear Oars. The Minotaur’s abilities grant him excellent peel for keeping Oars away from his wombo combo, and by casting his ultimate at the right time Alistar can break free from even Guiding Sweep to turn the tides on the Calm Water Ferryman.

: As Oars turns on his Just Direction, Sivir can outrun him and kite him through most stages of the game with On the Hunt. Her range grants her safety from his crowd control and even if he pulls his allies back with Rescue, Boomerang Blade slices right on through.

: The Secret Weapon has powerful engaging tools and disruption abilities which severely outclass Oars’; greater range on his slow and dash, higher damage and an ultimate which can slap away even those who choose to ride Just Direction forwards.

Quotes:

Oars speaks in a whispery, amiable voice. Oars shares some rather foreign beliefs to Bilgewater, advocating balance and respect of natural forces as opposed to the brutal ideals of the Slaughter Docks. Nevertheless, he greets every thief and thug with a smile, trusting in them as they trust in his benevolence.

When Moving: I know a way. No charge for a just cause. You can’t put a price on what’s right. I guide, they follow. Trust is a two way street. The easiest way to travel is through kindness. No harm can come to my customers. The backroads are my home. We lose nothing but time. Do not fear the current. Wandering rivers may cross more than once. Calm waters can turn in an instant.

When Attacking: All for a just cause. No hard feelings. You are not on my good side. You dare attack my client? Calm yourself. The tide is rushing in. Man or myth, I search. Bilgewater’s creeks are deadlier than the world’s oceans. I’m not alive for charity’s sake. You don’t have the liberty to survive here. I’m the exception. You stick to the rules.

When pulling an ally with Rescue: Quickly! This way! Grab on! Go! Go! I’ve got you! Not if I can help it!

When using Guiding Sweep: ‘Round and ‘round! Whirlpool! Riptide! Don’t rock the boat! Get over there! Nice try!

When using Just Direction: The answer is before us! The righteous path! I’ve found the solution! Bravely, we go!

Emotes:

Joke (Waves around oar): I had a sword back at home, but it didn’t hold water. Who needs a sword when the oar gets you upstream? You can hold others back, or you can keep moving forward. The real question is, where’s the second one? (Near , , , or any sword wielder) Have you tried an oar? Try this on for size, see how you like it. (Near ) A good oar would solve your problem, Riven. An oar would never fail you, Riven. Why carry your past when you can save those close to you? (Near ) Gangplank! I came to return this. You didn’t need this oar, did you? (Near ) I bet a lady like you never rowed a day in your life! (Near ) Actually, the oar is mightiest. (Near ) Following the wind is for people who don’t have an oar to paddle with.

Taunt (Tips hat forward and hoists oar onto shoulder): These fools are left adrift. If only I could save you too. I regret to inform you that the ferry is closed. The ferry has already departed. (Near ) At least my little dinghy is headed in the right direction. (Near ) You can’t put a price on a life... or death. (Near enemy ) This vengeful soul can return to the sea. Sink back to where you came from. I mourn for you, but I must make things right. (Near ) I can't very well expect payment from you, Twisted. (Near ) You’re an odd one, aren’t you? (Near ) Apologies, but my boat does not accommodate Merfolk. (Near ) Have you found your way yet? Let me guide you on your path.

Dance: “Rock the Boat” (Either Hues Corporation or AAliyah, they’re both hilarious)

Laugh: Starts slow as a sort of derisive snort, builds up until he has to use his oar to support himself and stifle his laughter.

Allies:

Enemies: ,

Skin Ideas:

Captain Oars: Sports a pirate hat similar to Jack Sparrow’s. Crimson color scheme instead of blue. Shirt is more open and hair is in dreadlocks. Pirate boots. Beard.

Underworld Oars: Sports a ghostly green bandana. Dressed in long black robes with green sash and skin. VO filter and particles are Harrowing-themed.

So I had this concept in my head of a Gondolier champion but struggled for a while to make a kit for it, mostly because Bard and Tahm Kench already had a lot of the good “ferryman” abilities. I considered “Secret Passage”, an ability that granted both Oars and an ally invisiblity, but decided against it. Rather than harp over what could have been an awesome ferryman concept I turned to the idea of him calming the waters and moving around his enemies and allies as he pleases. Whatever strange control he has over Bilgewater’s ports is put well to work in his new kit.

Oars does a lot of brief and not so brief channeling. This is to reflect his calm, careful nature while also limiting his strengths to his utility, mobility and crowd control ability. It wasn’t my intention to make him a spammable slow champ or a crazy disruption assassin. Each skill cast is meant to be impactful and well thought out. His passive is just something to make the time he spends channeling feel worthwhile too in addition to encouraging tank builds rather than bruiser builds.

The ability to go through walls and pull your allies along is an idea that Bard already delivers on, but Oars’ Rescue ability can be used in so many more ways. While Oars can’t make a quick escape on his own like Bard, he can: A) Pull an ally from the other side of a wall. B) Pull an ally away from an assassin. C) Just use Rescue to deal damage and slow. Thresh does this too, but he has longer range and duration plus a shield in exchange for only being able to pull a single target.