[Champion Concept] Aldron, the Snow Wraith

gemini333·9/7/2016, 4:16:31 AM·7 votes·1,898 views

#Summary#

Introduction
General Info
Abilities
Strengths/Weaknesses
Lore/Background
Other Champs
Change Log

#Introduction#

Aldron is an ice golem hailing from the future, where the Frozen Watchers rule all. Originally created to serve the Watchers, Aldron is captured by rebels and comes to empathize with their cause. Subsequently branded a traitor for his actions, Aldron seeks a way to end the war between the Watchers and the rebels, bringing peace to Freljord once more. To do so, Aldron incorporates the use of powerful time magicks which send him back to the past in order to change fate, and ensure that the war never happens. He will do whatever it takes, utilizing his body's unique constitution and magic to protect those he believes are vital to the future's outcome, and prevent further tragedies from ever occurring.

#General Info#

Role: Support **Class:**Tank/Controller Subclass: Warden/Enchanter Attack Type: Melee (125) Secondary Resource: Mana Appearance: somewhat resembles this, but artwork isn't mine

#Abilities#

We will discuss Aldron's (W) ability first, as it is the main aspect of his skillset that his playstyle and identity revolves around.

(W) Glacial Shell - Aldron leaps to an ally, reforming his body as a coat of icy armor to shield them against enemy attacks. Aldron cannot attack or move in this state, but may still cast spells. Re-activating this ability will cause Aldron to rush towards a location, knocking away enemies on impact.

cast/dash range is 650 (single-target/skillshot), and costs 60/65/70/75/80 mana
Aldron leaps to a target ally, becoming untargetable and losing the ability to attack/move
target ally is shielded from 80/110/140/170/200 (+40% AP)(+10% max. health) damage, and gains Aldron's passive bonus
in this state, Aldron may still cast spells, non-mobility summoner spells, and use item actives
any damage/CC that affects the shielded ally is duplicated onto Aldron (before individual resistances apply)
Aldron may recast this ability to hurl himself towards a location, damaging the first enemy hit
deals 70/110/150/190/230 (+40% AP) magic damage, hitting enemies in an AoE (250 units) and knocking them back for 0.75 seconds (100 units)
all remaining shield health dissipates when Aldron recasts this ability
cooldown is 11/10/9/8/7 seconds (starts after Aldron recasts)

Design Notes : This ability functions similarly to Tahm Kench's (W) Devour, but in reverse. Simply put, Aldron fuses his body to an ally in order to protect them, while also giving himself a unique vantage point from which to use his spells. There are numerous ways of making use of this ability, depending on the champion Aldron is defending, but there are several risks to be considered as well. For instance, any damage/CC that the shielded ally is hit by will also affect Aldron. This means that enemies can nab 2 targets instead of 1 with a well-placed engage. Knowing when to use the secondary part of this spell is thus crucial, as Aldron can dash towards the enemy to engage, or run away and leave his ally to die.

_(Passive) True Frost _ - Aldron's damaging abilities leave a trail of black frost behind for 4 seconds. While inside a frost trail, Aldron gains bonus armor and magic resist. (passive levels at 1/6/11/16).

trail grants 10/15/20/25 (+12.5% bonus armor) armor and 10/15/20/25 (+12.5% bonus MR) magic resist
defense bonus doubles while inside a frost trail made by Aldron's ultimate

Design Notes : A simple passive that provides Aldron with some defenses while fighting enemies, albeit in a limited area. It should be noted that an ally also gains these bonuses while being shielded via (W) Glacial Shell, so laying down a path of ice before them can be useful for their survival as well.

(Q) Cryostasis - Aldron emits a freezing breath in front of himself for several seconds, slowing nearby enemies. Enemies that stay too long within the cold become stunned.

cast range is 750, cone width is 50° (cone AoE), and costs 60 mana at all ranks
deals 80/120/160/200/240 (+12% of target's max. health) magic damage over 4 seconds, slowing enemies within by 20/25/30/35/40%
affected enemies gain a stack every 0.5 seconds; at 3 stacks, enemies become stunned for 1.25 seconds (occurs once per cast)
this spell has no cast time, and locks Aldron into facing one direction while activated (similar to Braum)
Aldron may recast this ability to end the effect early, reducing this spell's cooldown by the remaining effect duration
cooldown is 11 seconds at all ranks (starts upon recast/duration's end)

Design Notes : A medium-range spell that helps apply hard crowd control over a wide range of enemies. It can be used alongside (W) Glacial Shell to keep melee enemies at bay, or single out targets for allies to focus. Positioning is key to maximizing this spell's potential, as the cone-shape AoE allows enemies to simply walk away if they are too close to Aldron. It's also worth noting that once stunning enemies, Aldron can immediately recast this ability to shave off a few seconds from this ability's cooldown time, allowing multiple casts of the ability during a prolonged skirmish.

(E) Time Jump - Aldron transports himself through time and space, shedding enemy slowing effects.

cast range is 475, and costs 70//75/80/85/90 mana
Aldron blinks to a location, removing enemy slows from himself
if shielding an ally via (W) Glacial Shell, this spell's effects will apply to them instead
cooldown is 17/16/15/14/13 seconds

Design Notes : In conjunction with (W) Glacial Shell, this spell grants Aldron and his ally a way to reposition themselves during fights. While it is possible to troll allies with this ability, clever use of (E) Time Jump can also make for some powerful team plays. More often than not though, Aldron will likely be using it to get an ally out of a tight spot.

(R) Ice Age - Aldron charges and unleashes wave of ice that radiates outwards from himself, damaging and slowing any enemies it passes through. The wave's damage and slow effectiveness are reduced for every subsequent enemy it hits.

AoE range is 600 (around self), and costs 100 mana at all ranks
1st cast: Aldron charges for 4 seconds, gaining slow strength over 1 second
if this channel is interrupted, this ability will go on a 25 second cooldown
2nd cast: Aldron sends out a waves of ice that damages/slows any enemies it passes through
deals 150/250/350 (+80% AP) magic damage, slowing enemies by 35-70/40-80/45-90% for 2 seconds, based on charge time (decays)
wave damage/slow effect is reduced by 25% for every subsequent enemy hit after the first (min. 25% effective)
cooldown is 120/110/100 seconds

Design Notes : An ultimate that provides an area of control during teamfights and skirmishes. It is exceptionally useful at providing additional CC during all-in engages, locking down the opposing team for allied carries to pick off. This ability can also prevent enemies from collapsing on an ally, allowing them to beat a hasty retreat. However, it should be noted that this ultimate loses considerable power if the waves are body-blocked by a large tank or minion waves. Careful consideration needs to be taken in regards to the position of enemy units before using this ability.

#Gameplay#

Aldron's basic playstyle focuses heavily around protecting important allies through the use of (W) Glacial Shell. With it, he gains a unique vantage point from which to utilize his spells for the benefit of his shielded ally. However, Aldron doesn't necessarily have to protect only allied carries; rather, he can switch tactics and play the aggressor by aiding fighters and tanks to engage the enemy, combining his own brand of crowd control and mobility with that of his ally. This means that Aldron can succeed in many different team compositions, and use his skills to compensate for any weaknesses they may have.

That being said, Aldron is not without his own weaknesses. His main ability (W) Glacial Shell makes him somewhat dependent on his ally's capabilities, and can serve as a double-edged sword if used incorrectly. In addition, Aldron possesses no long-range tools to harass enemies with, so consistent poke can hamper his effectiveness in the long run. Last but not least, although Aldron can be played as a typical engage support, he does not have any strong tanking abilities outside of the conditional defense boost his passive provides, making him very item-dependent to fulfill that role. Aldron works best when supplementing for a particular champion's weaknesses, but never having the full set of characteristics to work in that position himself. As such, it's often better to have Aldron helping out a dedicated tank/diver/carry on the team instead of putting himself in that role.

#Lore/Background#

Aldron was born into a world of eternal winter. Forged on the highest heights of Freljord's mountains, his body is made completely of True Ice, a testament to his Watchers' power and skill. In this era, he serves as one of the Watchers' generals, leading their forces into battle against the meager resistance, and enforcing their rule across Freljord. Created for the sole purpose of conquest, Aldron had never questioned his role in the world, until one fateful battle left him stranded at the bottom of an iceless cavern, broken in several pieces. Separated from his forces, and lacking the materials necessary to repair himself, Aldron could only wait for help to arrive.

As chance would have it, Aldron was eventually discovered by a couple of humans. Rebels no less, fighting against the Watchers' authority. He was taken back to their camp piece by piece, his movements restrained by magic to prevent any possibility of escape. Still, Aldron waited quietly for his chance; the rebels couldn't watch him forever, and he would escape, or his own forces would locate him and execute a rescue mission. It was only a matter of time.

But as days turned into weeks, and then slipped into months, Aldron couldn't help but wonder why these rebels fought so hard. He had been born into the world as the Watchers' enforcer, and seen the prosperity the Watchers' rule could bring to Freljord, so he could not fathom why they should resist. Left imprisoned in a cell with only his own thoughts to accompany him, Aldron's head soon busied itself in an effort to escape the boredom that came with his captivity. In many ways, it was the first time he had time to himself, to organize his thoughts and analyze his surroundings. For so long, he had been preoccupied with conquest, to unite Freljord under the Watchers' rule and stamp out dissenting forces. Only now, facing a situation where he could do nothing but think, Aldron was discovering new things about the enemies he fought, and himself.

It was a foolish war, he reasoned. There was little to gain by rebelling against the Watchers, and everything to lose. But as he questioned the guards and the people who came by his cell, he knew that it certainly wasn't the case for the rebels. They believed the Watchers would enslave them, taking away their homes and lands from which they were born. And for that, they fought and bled to their last breath; it was an act Aldron was familiar with all too well, given his position as one of the Watchers generals. It was a strange notion to be sure, but Aldron's doubts were eventually erased when the Watchers' forces led an assault against the very encampment he was imprisoned in. When the rebels guarding his cell took off to join the battle, Aldron made his move, breaking free of the enchantments that bound him before rushing outside.

For the first time, Aldron watched the battle through new eyes, taking in the destruction and carnage occurring throughout the camp. He saw people being ripped from their homes, their lives ruined by war. He saw his own forces, filled with young soldiers, who were killing and being killed for the sake of power and land. It was...wasteful. Both sides were destroying each other in an endless cycle of violence, to no end. He knew what he had to do. Making his way towards the Watchers' forces, he asked for the general in command to order a ceasefire, so that they might negotiate with the remaining rebels.

It was a naive, foolhardy tactic, Aldron would realize. The other general had no intentions of taking anyone alive, not even for other generals who had been captured. Escaping the onslaught wrought by his former allies, Aldron learned two things that day. One, for all his skill and strategy on the battlefield, he was still far too inexperienced with the ways of the world. And two, that he could no longer in good conscience fight those who he empathized with. He had believed that the Watchers and rebels could come to agree with each other, but it seemed the time for such things had long past, replaced by years of hatred and bloodlust.

Still, Aldron would not be swayed from his mission. Even now, cast out by his allies and likely branded as a traitor, Aldron served the Watchers with utmost loyalty. The only difference was how. In his mind, Aldron still believed his creators and the rebels could understand each other, settling their differences through discussion rather than with weaponry. But he could not reach the Watchers citadel by himself, given his current status; he would need others who shared his views, people who understood his ideas and would fight alongside him in his journey to the Watchers' capital. Rebels.

And so, Aldron wandered through the endless tundra, seeking out other encampments. It was a long, harsh task, unforgiving even in the best of circumstances. Some of the places Aldron found would attack him on sight, forcing him to retreat. A few would approach him warily, listening to his story but refusing to help. More often than not however, all he would find were a few trails of wreckage, indicating a battle long past. It would be a long time before Aldron found someone willing to help him, and even then, it was from the most unlikeliest of places.

In the deepest recesses of the Ironspike Mountains near the Gelid Vortex, Aldron happened upon a shaman who dabbled with powerful time magic. Taking pity on him, the shaman agreed to use his magic for Aldron's cause, though not before warning of the devastating effects such sorcery could have. Summoning his power, the mage sent Aldron back through time, to a point where the Freljord lived in comfort, before the war broke out and dashed away all sense of order and peace. It was here that Aldron resolved to find an end to the conflict, a solution that would prevent all the bloodshed to come in the future. One day, he would bring the Watchers and soon-to-be rebels together, not for combat but for peace.

"The truth is like ice; a cold, sharp clarity that requires a shift in perspective to see its many facets. It is the only way that peace can be attained."

#Other Champs#

Here's some of my past champ concepts:

#Change Log#

NEW! Lore/Background section and Other Champs section
replaced (Passive) Hypothermia with (Passive) True Frost
reworked (R) Ice Age
the second cast of (W) Glacial Shell is now treated as a projectile attack
cooldown of (Q) Cryostasis increased from 12/11/10/9/8 seconds to 12/11.25/10.5/9.75/9 seconds
added max. health ratio to (W) Glacial Shell, and reduced AP ratio from 60% to 40%
reworked (Q) Cryostasis
reworked numbers to ability cooldowns, damage, and mana costs
REMOVED (R) Ice Age no longer grounds enemies
ADDED (R) Ice Age now passes through enemies, but does reduced damage for every subsequent enemy hit
reworked (Q) Cryostasis
REMOVED (E) Time Jump no longer deals damage
ADDED (E) Time Jump now removes enemy slow effects

[Champion Concept] Aldron, the Snow Wraith

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