Champion Design: Djau-ahn, The Observer

I was playing League after beating the Witcher 3: Blood and Wine DLC and I realized that we don't really have a vampire-esque champion: something immortal, definitely inhuman, but with nuances around survivability mixed with smart applications of violence. Vladimir is the closest we have, but he really plays like a perverted blood-mage that likes the taste of that unhallowed red wine (still a lot of fun to play though). He feels more like a blood elemental of sorts to play, rather than an entity that stands astride the line between human and monster, so I came up with this design (heavily inspired by the character of Regis from aforementioned DLC and related books) to address that. I could write much more on the lore I have thought up for Djau-ahn, but I'll spare you that and focus on the character itself.

I want serious feedback on the whole. I tried to keep it balanced, but there are always situations in which I could fail -- or anyone could fail (tank Ekko is my example here). Thanks!

Name: Djau-ahn, the Observer (Origins: Irish world for “vampire”: deamhan fola --- pronounced djow-agn fulah) Role: Jungler/Mid Class: Assassin/Skirmisher

Base Stats: HP: 510 HP Growth: +65 HP Regen: 15.5 HP Regen Growth: 1.5 Armor: 23 Armor Growth: +1.5 Magic Resistance: 32 MR Growth: 0 Attack Damage: 58 Attack Damage Growth: +1.5 Attack Speed: 0.635 Attack Speed Growth: +3.5% Movement Speed: 350
Attack Type: Melee Attack Range: 125

Rationale: Would a creature that isn't human allow himself to be limited to something like mana? I don't have a resource bar here because either A) His damaging ability is relatively weak or B) everything else has a long-ish cooldown. I don't like the idea of mana for this concept as a whole, but if I had to implement a resource bar, it would either be Energy or Health costs.

Passive: Time Well Spent Djau-ahn has spent his limitless time on this world wisely, studying every aspect of human life and technology. As such, he ekes 30% additional effectiveness out of each item. (All items’ stats give 30% more to Djau-ahn --- passives and unique passives are unchanged)

Rationale: He's immortal, so it only makes sense that he would be widely knowledgeable, and knowing of many ways to use or improve technology is only a logical extension of that. I feel this also doubles down on the "long-term" nature of the character, in terms of gameplay and lore. In-game, he has one damaging ability, and it is on a somewhat long cooldown for his only damage ability at the really early levels. Its base damage is also very low, so even once it quickly becomes spammable, it isn't doing earth-shattering damage -- until he gets items. This entire character is designed to be able to scale into the lategame harder than any other melee skirmisher -- and have more ways to survive it. However, he is inherently squishy and weak to burst damage -- meaning if he gets singled out, he dies. If he cannot get his items to scale, he becomes only moderately useful, He's already fairly weak until level 6. Improving item efficiency is a massive attribute for the game, and 30% might still be too high -- 20% may be more reasonable in some cases.

Q: Unsheathe Talons 8/7.5/7/6.5/5 second CD Djau-ahn reveals more of his true form, unleashing his talons from his fingers, swiping forward and dealing 30/40/50/60/70 (+110% AD, +40% AP) damage to all targets in an arc in front of him. (Dashes approximately 300 units forward and swipes a 120 degree arc in front of him AFTER the dash)

W: Inhuman Regeneration (Passive) 45/42.5/40/37.5/35 second CD Whenever Djau-ahn takes damage greater than 50/40/30/20/10% of his max HP, his Health Regeneration becomes immune to Grievous Wounds for 15 seconds and after 2 seconds he recovers for 30%(+1% for every 10 AP) of the damage taken over 10/9/8/7/6 seconds.

Rationale: I want this character to play the long game. Go for small trades constantly until lategame, where he can kill one target fast. BUT if he does try to double-down upon the inherent regen-tank qualities he has, he will do very little damage even with his ultimate, because his base damages are equal to the AD of a Draven with a Doran's blade at level 1. If he builds AP, he will do some damage, but not much -- he will just be more survivable. An Attack Damage focused build, with maybe one tank item, is the way to go here. This ability helps him in the long harass/poke game, and not at all against an all in/burst.

E: Surviving Fog 20/19/18/17/16 second CD Djau-ahn transforms into a black fog for 2/3/4/5/6 seconds. While in this form, Djau-ahn can neither take, nor deal, damage – and is immune to crowd control. His movement speed is increased by 200% (+1% for every 10 AP) for the duration, and he ignores terrain collision. Djau-ahn is stunned for 2.5/2/1.5/1/0.5 seconds after returning to his usual form.

Rationale: Probably the best escape ability in the game has to have a drawback: He's useless in any kind of combat while in the duration, and for the vast majority of the game he will be stunned for a fairly long time after coming out of fog -- meaning if he gets cornered or surrounded, he's still going to die.

R: Savage Muse 100/90/80 second CD Djau-ahn uses his many years of cultivated charm and refinement to entice one target. That target is charmed and drawn harmlessly towards Djau-ahn for 2/2.5/3 seconds, and is slowed by 25%(+5% for every 10 ap) for 5/6/7 seconds. During that time, Djau-ahn does 15/30/45% more damage to that target and is healed for 150/200/300 (+50 for every 5 bonus HP regen, +100% AP) if the target dies. If the target is stunned, taunted, rooted, or knocked up in this duration by any source the effect is broken. (Charm range is 300. Effect ends if Djau-ahn dies. Is able to be cleansed. )

Rationale: This is where all of Djau-ahn's damage comes from in 1v1's, and as such is his first major power spike. But because he has such a powerful dueling ultimate, I had to ensure that this kind of effect would be much less effective in teamfights -- to better focus on the skirmishing side of his character. This is where the risk/reward of the character is fullest -- and this is the only real return he has to an all-in during the lane phase or as a jungler. Sure, the Fog let's him run away, but this gives him a chance to kill. If it works, he heals for a lot. If not, he probably loses to a smart opponent. If the player chooses to build him like say, , then this ultimate's damage increase is the only way he will be able to deal serious damage -- but the heal return will be much greater. There is choice here, but it is between being a damage threat or a regen-tank.

Lore: Djau-ahn is a member of a long-lived race of humanoids from a distant world. He and the few of his kind on Runeterra have been stranded there by a magic event millennia ago – and as such have lived in solitude and privacy among humans all this time. While blood is a favored delicacy among their species, there are some among them that eschew its sweetness – human blood is as addictive to them as any drug is to humans. Djau-ahn is one such person. A pseudo-scientist scholar among his species, he assumes human form over his more natural predatory state and learns all he can while he is here, preferring talk and society over violence. But when threatened, he will not hesitate to draw upon the lethal qualities of his species to eviscerate any who threaten him.