(Champion Concept) Nikolai, the Freljord's Salvation

Role: Hybrid Tank / Hybrid Jungle / Hybrid Assassin

Inspiration: Ever since I started league, a champion with high burst potential and crowd control seemed like an amazing concept. I took certain aspects from champions like Vel'koz, Leona, Akali, Leblanc, Sivir, and Wukong, and compiled them into one champion with high scaling and cc potential.

Strengths: Nikolai brings plenty of damage into a fight with a lot of CC and utility as well. He's meant to counter assassins and adcs and performs extremely well in 1v1s. Setting up a gank is very crucial to defeating him. Building 1 or 2 damage items and going tank can set up the whole game for Nikolai.

Weaknesses: A silence, stun, or knock-up is enough to decimate Nikolai once his barrier is down. Mana problems and decent cooldowns also make him weak early to mid game. The more damage built, the less chances to sustain tons of burst is low. 100-0 burst champions such as Annie can easily stop a full damage Nikolai in his tracks, even with his sustain.

Lore

Nikolai Marshall was the captain of the Avarosan army, perhaps it's strongest soldier. He finished schooling at the age of 10, and by the time he was 13, he was accepted into the Avarosan military for his sharp combat skills that challenged even some Sergeants in the army. At 16, he was promoted to captain of the Elite Avarosan Guard, founded by the Lady Avarosa herself. He celebrated this achievement for weeks, and set off to different kingdoms of Valoran to teach his fighting skill to those of his age - Humans and Yordles alike. This was his first and only year as captain, not because of a demotion, but because of the loss of the most crucial event of the Battle for Freljord: The Raid on the Howling Abyss.

The young captain led his army into the swarms of Iceborn and Frostguard troops, destroying them one by one. In an attempt to finish off the last Iceborn, Nikolai flung him into the air and struck the final blow with his runic cutlass he recieved on a trip to Ionia. As he landed, he noticed the screams of his allies. Unknowingly, he had jumped over a giant Frost Claw that pushed his elite group of warriors of the bridge's side - his mother and father included with them. Suddenly the claw vanished, and the Ice Witch Lissandra appeared before him.

He took no time to morn his comrades. Nikolai drew his blade once more and battled Lissandra for what seemed like days. After an endless onslaught of attacks, Lissandra grabbed Nikolai and hurled him off the bridge, but not before he could grasp her arm and take her down with him.

They fell for nearly an hour until they reached the bottom. At the last second, however, the Ice Witch encased them both in ice to prevent them from dying from the impact. Lissandra was lucky, and the ice around her thawed within a few hours. She shot another claw up the steep side of the ravine, easily escaping death and continuing on with her armies to capture the Freljord. Nikolai, however, was not so lucky.

200 years passed, many wars raged, the near fall of civilizations, and the creation or The Institute of War. Finally, the True Ice that encased Nikolai thawed. He sheathed his sword and examined his situation. A lone poro, who somehow dropped into the abyss unharmed, sat at his feet. Randomly he picked it up and told it of what had happened, and that he will take his vengeance. Just then, a young girl came out of the abyss' wall, and asked where she was with a frightened look on her face. Without answering, Nikolai flung her on his back with the poro and climbed the wall at an insane rate. Within just under a minute, the three had reached the surface. The girl introduced herself as Laura, and Nikolai offered her to come with him on his quest for salvation. She took up the offer and off they went, eventually finding the League of Legends.

"Hell couldn't contain me, neither can you." ~ Nikolai, before slaughtering an entire Noxian squadron

Lissandra: The Story of Avarosa's Demise:

"After Avarosa destroyed the Ice Watchers, I had declared another battle to again take place on the bridge. This time however, it was my Frostguard army versus her elite forces. One boy, the youngest of them all, almost single-handedly destroyed my army. I had to find a way to level the battlefield, so when opportunity knocked, I plowed through the elite squad, leaving only him and I. We fought for what seemed like ages without rest, when finally I threw him off the edge of the bridge. But, he grabbed me and pulled me down with him. As we approached the bottom, he tried to inflict a final blow on me, but I encased us both with true ice. Within an hour I had thawed and lifted myself to the surface. I went for Avarosa's kingdom, where I snuck through to her throne room and impaled her head with an ice shard. 200 years passed, with my plans going as I wanted. But the boy came back, and now, whichever one of us lives longer wins the war."

Appearance

Nikolai is a young 17-year old warrior (appearance-wise, not his actual age, which around his judgement is 217). He carries a Cutlass with red runes on the blade (from the aforementioned visit to Ionia). He has black hair, navy clothing and jet black eyes. He is able to control magic from the abyss itself. Two rough drawings can be found at the end of the post, which I may update at any time.

Abilities

Passive: Child of the Abyss

Below 30% health, Nikolai gains 10/15/20% life steal and 8/13/18% spell vamp, recovers 5/10/15% of his missing mana every 4 seconds, and gains 5/7/9% movement speed. (Levels 1/8/15)

Q: Abyssal Spikes 60 mana

Nikolai slices the very earth with his sword. A long line of spikes shoots in the direction of the swing, dealing 25/55/85/120/135 (0.6 Ability Power) (0.8 bonus Attack Damage) magic damage and stunning all enemies hit for 1 second (13/12/11/10/9 second cooldown) Range: 850 units Width: 95 units

Empowered: Nikolai jams his sword into the ground, raising spikes in a selected area to deal 45/70/95/130/155 (0.7 Ability power) (1.0 bonus Attack Damage) magic damage and stunning all enemies hit for 2 seconds. There is a .25 to .8 second delay to the spikes, depending how far away from Nikolai your selection is. (13/12/11/10/9 second cooldown) Selection Range: 650 units Diameter of area: 300 units

W: Vengeance 80/85/90/95/100 mana Nikolai unleashes a blast of pure hate in a direction , dealing 30/55/85/115/130 (0.5 Ability Power) magic damage and decreasing the damage of the first enemy hit by 10/15/20/25/30% for 2 seconds. (10 second cooldown) Skillshot Range: 1000 units Missile Width: 50 units

Empowered: Infects an area with a lust for revenge, dealing 55/85/120/155/185 (0.6 Ability Power) magic damage and reducing the damage from enemies hit by 10/20/30/40/50% for 2 seconds. (10 second cooldown) Selection range: 700 units Diameter of area: 250 units

E: Abyssal Barrier No Cost Dash cost: 60 mana

Puts up a shield for .5 seconds that blocks the next incoming enemy ability, empowers the next ability Nikolai uses. The empower buff lasts for 10 seconds or until an ability is used. (20/18/16/14/12 second cooldown)

Empowered: Nikolai dashes in a direction, stopping at the end of it's range or the first enemy champion he comes into contact with, dealing 25/50/75/90/105 (0.6 Attack Damage) physical damage and displacing them for .25 seconds. (20/18/16/14/12 second cooldown) Range: 400 units

CD note: if an ability is blocked, Abyssal barrier's dash will immediately become available. When an ability is used or the 10 seconds are up, the cooldown goes off without the reduction.

R: Avarosa's Will 100 mana

Nikolai spins with his blade extended for 2 seconds. Enemies within range are dealt 50/100/150 (0.7 bonus Attack Damage) physical damage over the duration. Nikolai then stomps the ground, dealing 100/175/250 (0.8 Ability Power) magic damage in an area around him (180/160/125 second cooldown) Initial spin range: 275 units Explosion range: 800 units

Empowered: Enemies hit by the explosion are stunned for 1/1.5/2 seconds

Stats

Health: 572 (+75 per level)

Mana: 310 (+50 per level)

Attack Damage: 51 (+3.45 per level)

Attack speed: 0.67 (+3% per level)

Movement Speed: 335

Armor: 32 (+3 per level)

Magic Resist: 40

Recommended Items

Essential Items:

Offensive Items:

Defensive Items:

Quotes

I may update this section with some voicework at some point, to give you an idea on how I intended Nikolai to sound

Upon Selection: "Lose your will... lose your life."

Upon Spawing:

"There's a distinct lack of blood spilt here." "A real battlefield... what a treat" "Let's show them a real chill."

Movement:

"It's been so long since I've been on the battlefield" "For the greater cause" "Wait, why am I listening to you again?" "As you wish" "You don't have to click so much, you know..." "To battle" "Every step, every death" "Feels great to move my limbs again" "Ah, my natural habitat." "Finally, something that isn't frozen over."

Upon selecting an attack target

"I almost feel bad for them" "No mercy" "For Avarosa" "Good, my blade gets some entertainment" "Never should have come here" "Fresh meat" "Peace for allies, anguish for enemies" "I was just thinking the same thing, my friend" "Blood will be the least of their problems" "One swift strike" "Just another roadblock" "Oh, there's the mosquito!"

Jokes

"Any jokes? Nah, They're all pretty... dark." "A bottomless pit reaaally changes a man." "Hey, did you hear? They renamed death to 'Nikolaitis'"

towards Ashe

"Good thing we got you, or else the Avarosan would go down in... Ashes." "See get it, your name's Ashe, and ashes are... you know... nevermind."

towards Tryndamere

"Jeez... what do you do on your spare time?" "Try lifting it with your left hand, then maybe you'll require skill."

towards Anivia

"So... do you just become a baby again... how do you work?" "If I cooked an Eggnivia, would I have scrambled ice?"

Taunts

"Give in, I might just spare you" "Good time for a drink, eh? How about some bloodshed?" "I'd love to chat, but I'll start killing you any moment now"

towards Lissandra

"Just like the good ol' days" "All witches must melt, Lissandra" "A near bottomless crevice couldn't stop me, you think you're worth anything?" "Looks like there was a thaw."

towards Olaf

"I came for a berserker, not a weakling" "Oh super, a dwarf on stilts..."

towards Sejuani

"If only the strong can live in the Freljord, then why are you still around?" "How's about I give Bristle the treat of bleeding out"

towards Udyr

"Your rage is nothing before my power" "What's next, a rabbit stance?"

towards Trundle

"Troll town? No... this is my town" "You are no king... just a mere slave" "Your freedom isn't worth it for a hunk of ice, Trundle."

towards Volibear

"I've fought animals before but... this is just ridiculous." "A bear shouldn't need armor to protect himself" "Now, watch, as I unleash a Voli of pain over you"

towards Ekko

"You can time travel, right? So why not stop yourself from being a failure?" "Zaun: nasty and fiercely hated... it suits you"

towards Teemo

"...Sorry, I wasn't told I had to fight a cottonball" "tsk This is what scares people now?" "They treat you like a demon... why, I could just step on you. "Gah... people hyped me for a challenge and I get a squirrel..."

Ability quotes

upon blocking an ability (E)

"Nice try" "Heh. Sorry" "Don't think so" "Big mistake" "Step it up!"

upon hitting an enemy champion (E)

"Goin' somewhere?" "Not so fast" "You can't run" "Freeze!"

upon activating Avarosa's Will (R)

"Freljord!" "Avarosa!" "Kneel!" "Perish!"

after being revived by Zilean ult

"Could have used ya back in the day" "Heh, wish I knew that one" "I guess you really should respect your elders"

Buying Items

upon buying Frozen Heart

"I think I know where my heart went." "Huh... That explains the scar..." "Guess this one ain't thawed yet"

upon buying Guinsoo's Rageblade

"A blade fit for my fury" "Guinsoo woulda been a great friend" "I think my cousin got turned into a blade"

upon buying The Bloodthirster

"Soon they'll have no more blood for us to feast on" "This thing's got the right idea" "I don't need any shield... but I'll take it"

upon buying Zhonyas Hourglass

"I got all the time in the world" "Heh, now I'm golden!" "Stop. Zhonya time."

upon buying Randuins Omen

"This is not the first Omen to haunt me... but I hope it to be the last" "Randuin must have seen my dreams" "This must be a nightmare."

upon buying Rabadons Deathcap

"As fabulous as it is powerful" "Now this guy knew how to dress!"

upon buying Abyssal Scepter

"A grim reminder of my new home" "This from the same abyss?"

upon buying Hextech Gunblade

"If only I had this 200 years ago" "A sword... gun? Technology is wierd..." "Piltover has strange idea on "innovation"

upon buying Ravenous Hydra

"Guess I'm not the only thing that's 'ravenous'" "Never though I'd enjoy being surrounded" "Tying all lose ends" "Keep on guard"

upon buying Will of the Ancients

"A book that lets me heal? I should read more often" "See kids, this is why you stay in school" "Their will to mine... that's just brutal."

Dance

http://31.media.tumblr.com/6b1d95681e69c8c16d8f527b18662f38/tumblr_mr4egpQXEG1r5xby5o1_400.gif

Skins

Full Metal Nikolai: Basically Zero from the Megaman X series, with a cannon to shoot his magic and sword changed to a type of laser blade.

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/p__/images/e/e6/2959517-7852332035-original.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150403001250&path-prefix=protagonist

Forgotten Nikolai: Recolor with Dark Green clothing, silver hair and blue-hilted longsword with a full silver blade rather than his cutlass.

Kamui Nikolai: Male look-a-like to Ryuuko from Kill la Kill. Complete with scissor-blade and badassery.

http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/2014-06/10/19/enhanced/webdr02/enhanced-19307-1402441823-1.jpg

Battle Bunny Nikolai: Nikolai with a suit, tie, dress pants and a magical blade carrot. Also bunny ears.

Little Buster Nikolai: like Kamui is to Ryuko, this skin is a male look-a-like to Haruko Haruhara from FLCL

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/310/2/3/haruko_haruhara_by_pipetp_by_predaguy-d4fdokw.jpg

EDIT - League Judgement

Candidate: Nikolai Date: 21 July 25 CLE

OBSERVATION

Nikolai's footsteps are heard long before he enters the Great Hall. The ambient sound emmiting from his blade, echoing throughout the halls. Once in the great hall, Nikolai looks only at the doors to the Reflecting Chamber and halts to look at the scenery not once. He stops at the doors, taking a moment to breathe before entering.

REFLECTION

Nikolai enters the Reflecting Chamber, greeted by a single summoner. They both stood there, silent, for what seemed like ages, until finally the summoner spoke. "Why do you wish to join the League of Legends?", she asked, pacing around the chamber. "I wish to become the honorable warrior I once was," Nikolai responded. "To make up for the mistakes I made. To avenge my family and friends. But most importantly, to enact justice upon the Ice Witch Lissandra." The summoner halted, then spoke once again. "If you join the League of Legends, you are not allowed to harm or kill fellow champions outside of battles set by the Institute. How do you plan to inflict such 'justice'?" Nikolai thought for a moment, "I never planned on killing her for good, the Institute has done a good enough job keeping her devious plots in-check. Instead, my joining of the League shall be a warning to her." "Oh," the summoner replied, "and of what would she be warned of?" "She will be warned that if she tries to do anything outside of the Institute, she will never succeed. A warning that the one human who can stop her is back."

Acknowledgements

Thank you to my good friends Harry, Jake, and Seb, helping me come up with ability concepts and Lore Ideas. Please leave any ideas you may have for this champion, all feedback is appreciated.