Champion Concept: Aridus, the Arrogant Bulwark
#Aridus, the Arrogant Bulwark Mt. Targon Fighter/ Tank
#Design Philosophy Aridus is a melee, tanky fighter, who boasts both offensive, and defensive power, but his array of abilities make him able to play in almost any position on the team. Aridus' primary motive is piling on offensive damage, defense of any kind is a secondary thought, but he can do both quite well. While he can focus actively offense his abilities have hidden defensive capabilities. Aridus wants to get in the enemies' face and crush them, his teammates can come along and he can defend them while attacking if the going gets rough. He is a bully, asserting himself, disrupting anyone who tries to fight back.
#ABILITIES
Passive - Audacity:
When Aridus is above 50% health he gains 10% bonus mana regen. When he is below 50% health he deals a bonus 10% extra AD.
Q - Vice Grip/ Battering Ram:
First Cast: Aridus uses his favorite way to inflict pain, his next AA gains 75 bonus range. He grabs an enemy unit and viciously squeezes, stunning them for 0.5 sec, dealing damage and decreasing the target's AS for 4 seconds. Applies on-hit effects. Second cast: After Vice Grip hits it's target it becomes Battering Ram for 2 sec before going on CD. When Battering Ram is activated Aridus will dash forward 350 units and knock back the first enemy champion (or large monster) he collides with damaging them. Aridus will deal 50% bonus damage to enemies with active and passive shields. If cast within 200 units of a Stunned unit Aridus will pull it with him.
Note - Vice Grip is Aridus' thematic ability, he literally crushes his victim making it harder for them to move and attack back after her has come in close. Battering Ram is a way for Aridus to deal some more serious damage since Vice Grip is more of a utility sustain ability, it is also a very nice disengage. Since Aridus will dash before he knocks back a target, you must plan when you want to use it, but it is a nice follow up to Vice Grip. And true to its name, this ability also helps Aridus crack down on squishy targets that think they are safe behind enemy shields. Aridus hates people who try to hide behind walls and will attack with extra energy. The best way to use this ability is use it to help get your enemies away from your allies if they are in trouble. Pushing an enemy to the side is a great way to screw up their skill shots.
W - Aegis Arm: Radius: 400 Aridus swipes his arm across the front of his body to the left or right (based on mouse location) in a semicircle dealing X damage (+ 25% bonus armor). His arm blocks 75% of ranged damage, and 50% of melee damage that it comes in contact with. When the arm reaches the side that it was cast to, he holds his arm out on that side for 2 sec. Allied units within 175 units of his arm are shielded for x damage (+ 25% bonus armor) for 2 sec. Can be cast again if no allies are within 500 units.
Note - Aegis Arm is all about correct planning with your allies. Cast right and you can shield yourself and an ally or two. But you cannot shield yourself and an ally at the exact same time, sometimes being the Arrogant Bulwark means you take a bit of damage to protect your squishies. Correct timing is key because Aridus can only reduce the damage of abilities that hit him if his arm connects, on the other hand, allied units will be completely shielded, if they are in range when his arm reaches the side it was cast to. This ability along with Vice Grip/ Battering Ram makes a great in your face attack. But this ability can deny a good amount of damage, cast at the right time, and still allow you to get some in too. It can also give Aridus the ability to deal a lot of damage in the jungle.
E - Gouging Claw:
First Cast: Aridus shoves the claws of his vambrace into the ground at his side and begins channeling. Upon giving a move command he slashes it forward causing the ground to be torn and ripped apart in a target direction, the decimated earth is forced forwards, leaving long ruts in the land ahead of him. Deals damage to the 1st enemy champion hit. The rutted land slows enemy units and lasts for 8 sec. If an ally clicks on Aridus' vambrace while he is channeling, he will toss them forward as well. Passive: When activated, for 10 sec, every 5th AA grants 10% armor shred which lasts 3 sec.
Note - This is Aridus’ main engage ability, Battering Ram is good for closing the distance, but only if you can get a successfully landed Vice Grip on a target 1st, which makes Gouging Claw a more reliable way to stick to your targets. While it is not a true engage for Aridus, it does allow him with correct planning to allow another teammate to engage from the toss, while the rutted ground slows them down and allows Aridus to catch up. It can also save a teammate in dire situations. Just think of Aridus as a catapult that uses teammates as ammo. In addition the passive is really strong but only if he has allies with him to take advantage of the short window.
R - Bursting Bastion:
Aridus digs his hands into the ground, channels for 1.5 sec gathering his strength, and lifts up a huge flat stone roughly in the shape of a square (450x450). He flips it upright and sets it down for a max of 5 sec. Enemies on the site of stone lift-off when it is tossed, will be knocked away. Allies behind the stone will be shielded from enemy sight. If he AA's the stone it bursts in the direction of the AA: sending out chunks of rock in an 80 degree cone 800 units. Bursting Bastion's bonus damage scales off 15% of his AD. The stone crumbles apart after 1.5 sec.
Note - This is a big part of what makes Aridus a siege engine. Once that huge stone is up, you and any allies behind the stone will be hidden from view. The enemy team won’t know what is going on behind, or what attacks will come flying out. If your team engaged, but found themselves on the losing side, this ability provides a great chance to regroup and try again. Firstly it has the potential to knock an entire team away but only if they are very clumped together. The closer they are to Aridus the further they are knocked away making sure that initially his team can take full advantage of the vision shield. Additionally since it blocks enemy sight it is also a great way to start a fight.
#Lore
Everyone in Rakkor thinks the sword, spear and shield are the mightiest of weapons. But Aridus was an exception. He always preferred to use his hands as weapons, or rather he was forced to. He disliked weapons for their fragileness; none were ever durable enough to last long in his hands. Born with extreme strength Aridus was gifted, or rather cursed with an iron grip, allowing him to grip fleeing foes so tight that he ripped flesh; regretfully this also extended to bending sword handles. Aridus, instead, sought to prove his strength and prowess on the battlefield by taking down and dominating his opponents with his hands alone, no matter who or what he was up against. There was nothing better than the feeling of opponents withering under his vice grip around their throat.
In battle he would always lead the charge of the formation, absorbing all the blows first, taking the brunt of the attack and carving a way for his fellow fighters behind him. He was always aware of his team around him. He was strongest when he fought with them. Being with his phalanx was when he felt most at home. Troops always rallied behind him, if a group was losing, Aridus' arrival always signified a chance to regroup with fervor.
But even then Aridus was never satisfied, there was always a way to be better, destroy faster, inflict more damage. Aridus needed a weapon, but it was of no avail, his strikes were so intense and swift and that even wrought iron clubs could not withstand his vicious onslaught for long before they were rent and started to crumble in his grasp.
He was like a siege engine, always attacking, yet not allowing his enemies to retaliate and return any damage, not relenting until they were crushed under his hands. Even when his weapon broke he still continued.
If nothing survived in his hands, then he would have to find something to fight with that encased his hands. Aridus knew what he needed; a vambrace. From the day he first put it on Aridus never took it off, the metal just as strong as him become an extension of him and his strength, fusing to become one instrument of combat. It was the ultimate weapon with it Aridus could attack and defend (not that he needed to) and yet still be an swift and agile fighter. With this there was once again nothing that could hinder him.
But not everyone agrees that the vambrace is the perfect weapon, especially his fellow Rakkor clansmen. And Aridus knew the best way to prove them wrong: Crush everything else that people think is better.
"Other weapons are inferior, the vambrace, is the supreme weapon; with it, you can crush opponents underhand, literally" – Aridus
Tips *Don't be afraid to 1v1 with someone at low health. Making use of his passive below 50% health is a risk, but if you can duke it out there is a reward. *Use Gouging Claw's active to stop ranged champs from kiting you, then Vice Grip a nearby enemy minion and use it to charge forward with Battering Ram *Use W to help you win trades, or to save and ally to your left or right from damage. *W's timing needs to be near perfect to reduce the damage of abilities it hits, it's much easier to shield allies than it is to shield yourself *W is more reliable for damage *build armor to boost your W *build AD to boost your ult *when retreating you can shoot E at your pursuer, they will take damage, but they will only have to walk though a portion of the slow, or you can shoot it to your escape route, and the enemy will have to be slowed the entire path to chase you. *if an ally is too far away for them to click on your Vambrace for E, use the ranged slow instead to help them get away
Tips *Watch out for his passive; while Assassins can deal extra damage to targets with low life. Aridus gets stronger when his health is lower. *Harass Aridus with poke if you can, as much as possible before entering a melee 1v1 or getting close to him. *Finishing him off with Poke is also a good idea *Aridus is a melee champ he deals a ton of damage up close, but his weakness are ranged champs *His dash from Battering Ram is not readily available, it must be planned with a lead of from Vice Grip, which means he needs a target. *Try not to get caught by Vice Grip not only will it stun you but it will reduce your AS, giving him a boost in trades, if you get caught its best to run out of range if you can until the AS reduction is over. *Aridus doesn't have to land Vice Grip on you to land Battering Ram in you. If Aridus Vice Grips a minion near you watch out for a dash, it could come in your direction. *Don't use shields if Aridus has used Vice Grip on you or near you, he will likely take advantage of the situation to deal extra damage to you. *Spell shields can block Battering Ram's damage (Sivir, Nocturn) *E doesn't do nearly as much damage as W or Q but it's slow can be dangerous as well as the allied toss. *Try to stay away from Aridus when he uses E, his AA will become very deadly *R's sight shield on all the champions will only last a few sec before the stone crumbles away *If there are any enemy champions on the same side as the stone as Aridus' allies the allies won't be hidden.
Rivals: He hates Twisted Fate, which he lost a card game to in the Champion Teaser. Check it out here!
Quotes I've got the upper hand now! Hands down I'm the best warrior around Hand me that. Can't touch this. I have the better hand now. I'll crush all that oppose me I've got my weapon ready and armed Some people say I'm underhanded, those people don't live Ready to fight Show me where the weaklings are Try to hide behind a shield huh? I'll prove them wrong Nothing is better than a Vambrace Come to poppa, my arms are wide open I'm coming for ya!
Dance Does a 1 handed handstand, then does some push-ups in that position “Hand stand! 1, 2, 3 aaand done.”
Joke Someone once called me lopsided...then I showed them what it meant to be lopsided, they never insulted me again.
