Nicholai, Curator of Energy
Role: AP Tank, AP Jungler
Inspiration: Three years ago, I decided that I wanted to create a champion who must collect orbs to power his abilities. I must have been onto something because since then, Riot has released three “collection” themed Champions- Thresh, Zac and Bard. The existence of Bard especially both delights and disappoints me, because his theme of pick-ups and collectibles is what initially fueled the design of Nicholai.
Nicholai is also, of course, directly inspired by Nikola Tesla.
General Design Philosophy: The primary inspiration for Nicholai is to evoke a feeling of “collection” to his game play. Similar to how a player might feel compelled to collect rings in a Sonic game after taking a hit, or coins/star bits in a Mario game, Nicholai players will be incentivized to path to and collect the energy orbs created by their abilities.
His kit revolves around being tanky enough to apply constant harassment and slows to the enemy team in melee range while simultaneously collecting orbs. Two abilities are used to generate orbs, one is ideal for collecting them amidst a chaotic battle, and his ultimate utilizes what he has collected over time. It is up to the player to decide how many orbs is “enough” to warrant using their Ultimate, as it has no cooldown.
Risk Analysis: Originally high, though now much lower. Nicholai was designed before the unveiling of Thresh, Zac or Bard, and his core mechanic revolves around the collection of orbs on the battlefield. This was, at the time, a very untested mechanic that could have proven unfun. Needless to say, the reaction to these officially released Champions has been quite positive, though at this point Nicholai runs the risk of falling too closely to their now-novel mechanics.
Appearance: An educated man of tall and slender stature, Nicholai wears a chest plate that is riddled with electrodes and light bulbs, adding considerable bulk to his frame. He has crazy, wavy/frazzled hair and a goatee. A pair of metallic discs are strapped to his palms with leather, which he attaches briefly to his armor to power his abilities (similar to a defibrillator).
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/NikolaTesla_AoF_Willmurai_910_zpsdtnlfa9n.jpg
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/megavolt_zps5c5pnfbv.png
Lore: Nicholai has an unhealthy fascination with light and energy and all the powers they bestow. After discovering a process that could convert mana into raw energy, Nicholai went to his peers with electrifying enthusiasm. His colleagues, however, laughed him out of the room. Now, as a failed scientist of energy, Nicholai feels the world at large doesn't have an adequate appreciation for the advancement of energy science. As such, he has made it his life’s work to educate the people of Valoran about just what it is they’re missing. He does this, of course, using questionable methods of violence. He joined the League in order to demonstrate the true power of, well, power, to the largest audience possible.
Strengths: While primarily melee, has good range on his abilities, preemptive damage reduction, constant slow, ultimate has no cooldown
Weaknesses: Mana reliant, limited capability to damage, no gap closer or hard crowd control, must manage orbs efficiently to be effective in team fights
Plays Most Like...: 
Auto Attack: Nicholai jabs at enemies with open palms, sending a jolt of energy coursing through them via his metallic disc apparatus.
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_8264_pas_zps1t9rtouc.jpg Passive- Perpetual Energy: Nicholai's abilities generate orbs of energy that land on the ground. These orbs explode after 5 seconds or if coming into contact with an enemy, dealing magic damage. If Nicholai touches an orb, he collects it, powering his Ultimate ability. (orbs resemble Karthas’ Lay Waste). In addition, collecting an orb grants Nicholai a brief armor/MR buff, which refreshes and stacks with each new orb collected. This buff scales with level. The amount of orbs Nicholai has at any given time is shown by a buff on his character portrait or by hovering over his Ultimate. Design Philosophy: Orb collection is key to Nicholai’s entire kit. The original inspiration for this was to create a Mario or Sonic-like ‘coin collection’ mechanic to League, wherein a player must actively move their character to the location of these objects to power their abilities. Nicholai players will likely put themselves into dangerous positions in order to collect orbs, similar to Draven players over-extending to catch axes, so the armor/MR buff is designed to soften that blow. Thematically, Nicholai is literally addicted to power, and feels compelled to grab it up whenever he can.
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_13702_pas_zpsbboyl4p1.jpg Q- Power Surge (4 seconds): Nicholai fires a focused blast of energy at a target location (300 range), dealing magic damage and slowing enemies by 40% for 1.5 seconds. If the blast damages an enemy, it splits into five energy orbs. Rank-ups lower the ability’s cooldown and increase the damage dealt. Design Philosophy: This is a cross between Galio and Dr. Mundo’s Q. It is a near constant but short range AoE slow effect, which is needed to help Nicholai get into melee range. The ability is spammable to promote the collection of orbs.
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_11063_pas_zpsqmqi1nxm.jpg W- Fortify (9 seconds): Places an energy field on an allied target, reducing the damage they take by 10/12.5/15/17.5/20% (+2.5% per 100 AP) for 3 seconds. For every attack inflicted on a Fortified target, the shield sheds an energy orb (up to 10 orbs). Rank-ups increase the damage reduction value and lower its cooldown Design Philosophy: Again, as a melee character, Nicholai requires some survivability when engaging enemies once he finally reaches them, especially since his gap closer is a more methodical one, where he will likely be taking harass during his approach. Shedding orbs upon shield hit was simply a fun and natural progression of the orb collection mechanic.
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_12858_pas_zpsrpactte8.jpg E- Absorption (15 seconds): Nicholai creates an energy field around himself for 5 seconds that causes his auto attacks to deal bonus magic damage. In addition, nearby orbs are drawn to the Nicholai while the field is active. The orbs rocket towards him at high speed, dealing magic damage to enemies caught in their travel path and displacing them slightly. Orbs affected by Absorption do not detonate on contact and are always collected by Nicholai. Rank-ups increase damage of orbs and auto attacks, and lower cooldown Design Philosophy: Absorption is designed to allow players to collect multiple orbs from long range automatically. It also provides an interesting new skillshot style, as each orb on the battlefield inherits a dynamic trajectory point, traveling towards Nicholai wherever he happens to be on the map (someone similar to Talon’s Ultimate). If a player can manage to position an enemy champion between them and multiple orbs, this ability can deal significant damage. Finally, this ability ensures that orb collection will occur at some level, in the event that enemies are intentionally detonating them to starve Nicholai of his Ultimate’s resource, which is a valid and encouraged form of counterplay in most situations.
http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_11211_pas_zpsuixqvamq.jpg http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_11212_pas_zpscwimyo15.jpg http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_11213_pas_zps8p8srwdl.jpg http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag47/Lutzburg/icons_17509_pas_zpsojeehcjw.jpg R- Energy Crisis (no cooldown): Nicholai unleashes all of his stored orbs in a targeted area near him. Energy Crisis can be cast after Nicholai has collected at least 10 orbs, though he can only store a maximum of 50 orbs at a time. The orbs appear like a power grid across a city map, sending bolts of electricity between each orb at random intervals, dealing magic damage and slowing enemies caught in them similarly to Gangplanks's Ultimate. This effect lasts 5 seconds. The more orbs stored by Nicholai, the larger his Ultimate becomes. At max orbs, this ability’s effect radius is comparable to Pantheon’s Skyfall. Orbs used during Energy Crisis cannot be recollected. Rank-ups increase damage. Design Philosophy: The power of this ability is intended to be both visually and mechanically impactful, with said power being directly proportionate to the number of orbs the Nicholai player has collected.
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