[Rework] Malphite, the Walking Volcano

Eranell··2 votes·689 views

This is just a skill set I thought of so nothing to major. I went for more of a Volcanic theme than just a Mountain theme. If I were any good at drawing I also would have put my vision of him onto paper, or for that matter whatever programms people use for drawing nowadays, but sadly I'm not.

Well then here we go:

Malphite, the Walking Volcano

(Passive) Magma Mantle

Malphite constantly produces magma which leaks and solidifies periodically, granting shields (4% max health) every 4 seconds when out of combat up to a maximum of 3 shields. Damage from minions or non-epic monsters resets the recharge timer to 2 seconds.

(Q) Volcanic Bomb (Mana cost: 55/60/65/70/75; Cooldown: 10/9.5/9/8.5/8)

Malphite shoots a Volcanic Bomb from his left arm, dealing 70/110/150/190/230 (+75% AP) magic damage to the first enemy hit. If the first enemy hit is a minion or monster the rock shatters, dealing the same damage to the enemies behind it. If a champion is hit the champion is slowed briefly for 50%/55%/60%/65%/70% and the "Bomb" bounces behind him, which then can be picked up to reduce "Volcanic Bomb"'s cooldown by 2 seconds and replenish one of "Magma Mantle"'s shields. Rocks that dont hit anything can also be picked up but only grant the cooldown reduction and not the passive shield.

(W) Eruption (Mana cost: 70; Cooldown: 8/7.25/6.5/5.75/5)

(passive) If a "Magma Mantle"'s shield is destroyed by any means Malphite leaves igneous rocks behind for 4 seconds, which deal magic damage to enemies walking over it for 20/30/40/50/60 (+10% AP) per second and slows them for 15%. Destroying multiple shields at once with "Eruption"'s active effect does NOT increase this passives damage but the area in which the igneous rocks are left behind.

(active) Malphite causes an eruption, dealing 50/80/110/140/170 (+30% AP; +15% bonus armor) magic damage around him for 1 charge of his passive. For every aditional charge of his passive the damage is increased by 40%. (30% increased damage against minions and non-epic monsters) The passive shields are used up in the process.

(E) Rock Slide (Mana cost: 50; Cooldown: 16/15/14/13/12)

Malphite charges forward, dealing 50/80/110/140/170 (+50% AP) magic damage to all enemies hit, stopping at the first enemy champion or terrain. If an enemy champion is hit you can charge again in the next second in a 120° angle while the enemy champion is stuck onto you. Charging together with the enemy champion into terrain deals 50% (+4%/5%/6%/7%/8% max health) extra magic damage and knocks him up for 1 second. If you dont charge him into terrain you push him away instead without dealing additional damage.

(R) Continental Catastrophy (Mana cost: 100; Cooldown 150/135/120)

Malphite accelerates his magma production, granting him 1/2/3 of his passive shields (which can excede his normal maximum but only last 6 seconds if doing so), while he starts pumping it into the ground for 2 seconds, causing a traveling tremor in a big cone shaped area, dealing 100/200/300 (+50% AP) magic damage and unleashing a massive wall of erupting magma for 4 seconds at the end of the earthquake which act as indestructable terrain. Enemies inside the earthquake area are slowed for 15%/22.5%/30% while Malphite is sped up for 10%. If an enemy dashes through the eruption or is slammed, pushed or pulled into/through it by displacement abilities the eruptions deal 100/160/220 (+30% AP) magic damage (this damage can only be dealt once). Standing where the magma erupts when it erupts also deals the 100/160/220 (+30% AP) and always pushes the enemy between the wall and Malphite. While pumping the magma into the ground Malphite cannot be disabled.

Context to the "massive"ness of the magma wall. It's supposed to be broad enough to cut of an entire lane and the intial tremor has a range of about Nami's Ult. I also played with the thought of increasing its width with every level but if I intend his ult to be of the charging kind it would be to easy for the enemy to escape even without escape tools presuming his level 1 ult cant cut of an entire lane.

Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments.

7 Comments

Chembaron Yamada1 votes

I like the concept of the shields in combination with the eruption. But the passive effect dealing damage for every broken shield should be removed in my opinion.

And there is way too much stuff put in that ultimate. I mean, come on, let's list what's in it.

  • exceeding passive shields granted
  • damage
  • indestructable terrain wide enough to block an entire lane (why indestructable????)
  • slow
  • speed buff
  • extra damage for displaced enemies
  • cc immunity
  • extra damage if the enemy stands at the magma eruption
Eranell1 votes

I can see what you are talking about and in hindsight I agree that it is a bit loaded. The extra passive shields are maybe a bit to much, the though just came along when I experimented with the names for the skills, as well as the speed buff and the last point you made but you also have to consider that the enemy doesn't have to try to escape. If he decides to face Malphite head on the extra damage for displaced enemies is hard to execute.

I actually thought of this Malphite as more of a jungler anyways who can initiate tower dives with a lane gank and his ult as he is quite predictable in lane. And the cc immunity ends with his initial charge. He cant really make much from that immunity as he literally just stands around while being immune. Just imagine an actual volcanic eruption. You cant stop that either. Natural disasters are unstoppable after all.

I only added the "indestructable" aspect because of Ornn if I'm honest. If you ask me no matter how hard you headbutt a magma fountain one shouldn't be able to put a stop to that kind of "Force of Nature". I also intend it to be uninterruptable by Malphite himself. I could have written it like this: "Once unleashed noone can stop the magma from flowing, not even Malphite himself." So if the enemy makes it through the magma wall he is safe but has to pay some health as a literal toll. Maybe it would be better to swap the damages of the ult around meaning the lower damage being "certain" and the higher one optional. You know "reward" the enemy for staying for the fight but punishing him for leaving the lane.

The extra damage from the eruption itself is also supposed to be the same as the displacement one. It doesn't double up when one tries to dash through it.

Lastly I really was torn about the massiveness when I created the ultimate. If you go for a lane gank and unleash your ult it would be underwhelming if one could just walk past it but at the same time it's also hard to balance something that massive and I know that. Maybe some sort of global announcement like with Sion's ult would be good.

tl;dr You are right, the ult, the way I imagined it, is a bit loaded. I got carried away by the whole "Force of Nature"-thingy.

Ndelok Rojo1 votes

I really like these new mechanics for our mountain friend. Though I do this his ultimate could use to have a few less aspects. If any ability has too many aspects all of them must not be very strong, and no matter what feel rather cluttered. I'm a big fan of the volcano theme, however Riot just recently released Ornn; the fire below the mountain. So I don't think the volcano aspect would work, unless the two were directly related. Though I do think if the volcano theme did have to go (not saying it does) all of these mechanics would still work just fine. So all in all I really like this idea. So I was wondering if you had any ideas for how his lore would be updated; origin, personality, genre, region, or things of the like. Awesome concept! God bless! NdelokRojo

Eranell2 votes

In hindsight I agree that the ult is a bit loaded. I answered SatomiKun more detailed so I would like to not repeat me here, just read my reply to him in this thread for more information on my thought considering his ult if you so desire.

On the topic of his lore I actually dont have very much. I would really like to relate Malphite to Ornn but Ornn's lore is pretty precise so just saying that Malphite was the mountain Ornn dwelt is impossible because Ornn's home is specifically mentioned in his lore. Maybe I could make a lore in which Malphite is the remains of the cataclysm caused by the fight between Ornn and Volibear that scattered Hearth-Home around Runeterra with the biggest chunk (Malphite) trying to reassemble itself to its former self and finally "reunite" with Ornn. This way Malphite maybe could even keep his title as the "Shard of the Monolith" as a Monolith is geologically speaking a single monumental mountain (I think).

Nothing is 'Set in stone' though. Ba dum tsss

Ndelok Rojo1 votes

Yeah, I don't think how loaded the ult is is a big deal. Just giving thoughts on that. In terms of lore, I was just curious. What you have so far seems like a good start. My thoughts on the concept as a whole are not changed though, I really like it. I think it's 'just a stones throw away' from perfect in fact... AHAHAHHA BWHAHAHHAHA.... cough

wiplash da beast1 votes

Yeah I feel like his old ult was fine otherwise this rework is fantastic and captures a cooler version of malMalphite phight

Eranell1 votes

You know, I think nearly nothing of his old kit made much sense or was just plain boring and uninteractive. Just take his ult for example. A whole mountain just out of nowhere without any warning shoots in your face like a massively oversized cannonball? Doesn't make sense, right? And all his other skills are extremely uninteractive. A targeted ability, an auto attack steroid and an AOE around him. Boring of you ask me.

Edit: But one also has to consider that Malphite is a reaaaaally old champion and his kit is just very outdated.

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