Champion Concept: The Redeemed Voidwalker (WIP)
Before I get into the champion, a few things to know:
- I'm not going to add any numbers to the abilities, as I'm no balancing expert. I'm here to give a concept.
- The lore doesn't really exist, there is only a base line.
- The champion doesn't have a name yet, so he will here on be referred to as Ron Burgundy
- Some abilities also do not have names, which will be referred to by their default key bind (Q, W, E, R)
- This is a WIP. If this gets some reviews and people want more, I'd be willing to try and add more to this.
Concept
I have a fascination with champions that can transform, I like the idea of going from one play style to another with new abilities to follow it at the click of a button. However, the current champions who transform are all the same style. These champions are: Elise, Gnar, Jayce and Nidalee. Shyvana also has a noticeable transformation but her ability are empowered instead of changing, so I'm withholding her. These 4 champions all have similar play styles, ranged forms that deal damage and have one ability that's utility that become melee forms that deal damage. There are some variations, Gnar has more CC and stuns people while dealing damage, Elise has another utility ability in her melee form, etc. Additionally, three of the four have transformations as their ultimates, so they are given 6 basic abilities to compensate.
What I want is something different, so I've created a champion who utilizes two melee forms, each serving a different tanking purpose, and has his transform as a basic ability to leave room for very powerful ultimates that he has to choose from. One form makes him stronger against physical damage, and bolsters his melee allies to more easily join the fight. The other is a more nimble form, and makes him stronger against magic damage, turning him into more of an anti-mage. The anti-mage form has access to more damage than the first, but I'd still classify this champion as a support / fighter.
Additionally, this champion has access to many different forms of scaling depending on what the situation calls for. The player may choose to build the champion as a jack of all trades type, and play each specific fight out as needed. The player may also choose to adapt their item build on the fly and rely more heavily on one form to better serve the team if a specific damage type on the enemy team has become the problem. Alternatively, the player may choose to favour one form over the other and make item purchases that both double dip for stats, and provide access to the full potential which that side has to offer.
Abilities
Passive: Ron Burgundy is able to change between light and void energy at will using his ability (W), gaining new abilities and utilizing a different side of his passive. Each form of energy binds to him and works as effective armor in battle. While in light form, he gains bonus armor based on his maximum mana. While in void form, he gains bonus magic resistance based on his maximum hit points. Ron Burgundy starts the game with 1 point in his ability (W), and maxes at 6 points.
Light Form
Q: Vigil Strike - Ron Burgundy thrusts his weapon in a target direction with light extending from it, dealing damage (+AP) and marking any champion hit. Any melee units moving toward a marked target gain increased movement speed.
W: Transform and assume your void form, swapping abilities and causing your next basic attack to deal bonus damage equal to a percent of their current hit points. No Cost.
E: Ron Burgundy thrusts his weapon into the ground beneath him, dealing damage (+AP) in an area around him and consecrating it. All enemies inside of the consecrated area have reduced attack speed.
R: (Serenity as a possible name?) Ron Burgundy radiates his light energy outward, healing all nearby allies by a flat amount plus an additional amount based on their own health regeneration per second. Ron Burgundy receives only a portion of this amount. This ability is channeled, costing an initial amount of mana plus mana every second. During this time, Champion may still move, but cannot attack or cast spells, and loses his passive bonus. The ability is cancelled when the timer reaches the end, you run out of mana, you recast it, or are interrupted from it. At the end of the cast, you are transformed to your void side and (W) is put on cooldown.
Void Form
Q: Hamstring - Ron Burgundy quickly swings his weapon in a cone in front of him, dealing damage to all enemies hit. Additionally, enemies hit by the blade and facing away from him have their movement speed severely reduced.
W: Transform and assume your light form, swapping abilities and causing your next basic attack to stun the target. No Cost. (Editor's note, the next basic attack may be more balanced if it snares instead of stuns, as the kit has so much minor CC in it. Then again, we have champions like Nautilus...)
E: Void Assault - Ron Burgundy sprints in a target direction with his weapon at his side facing the ground, dealing damage (+AD) to all enemies along the way. If an enemy champion is met on the path, the sprint ends on the opposite side of the enemy champion. Ron Burgundy then turns and sweeps the blade upward, dealing damage (+AD) and pushing all enemies in front of him back. (Editor's note, after reading this ability it's a bit confusing. So if a champion is hit, you will continue running until you pass them, at which point you turn and basically Thresh flay them back towards the way you came from)
R: Silence of the Void - Ron Burgundy forces his void energy outward, creating a zone of void around him that follows him for the duration. All enemies who enter the zone are silenced until they leave. This ability is channeled, costing an initial amount of mana plus health every second. During this time Ron Burgundy loses his passive bonus. The ability is cancelled when the timer reaches the end, you recast it, run too low on health, you recast it, or are interrupted from it. At the end of the cast, you are transformed to your light side and (W) is put on cooldown.
Concepts Continued
Now that you've read what the abilities are, time for some explanation. The light form gives armor based on mana, which incentivizes you to build mana. This form will have high mana costs, specifically on the ultimate ability costing mana every second, so failing to build mana means you won't be able to do too many rotations of your high utility abilities before you run out. The void form however is less of a tank support and more of an anti-mage fighter with lower than average damage, plus only a slow and a displacement as crowd control. Failure to build health here will result in you dying much more often, especially if you want to have that area silence work for you.
The transformation will have a cooldown slightly longer than the current transforming champions, I was thinking around 10 seconds or so. This incentivizes getting to 40% cdr as well.
This champion is also very snowbally, allowing to assume a weaker form of a carry roll when ahead. A player ahead on Ron Burgundy should be able to go toe to toe with an enemy carry who is behind and get favourable trades, or hold their own under tower. However, later in the game you will likely just be ignored (so long as your ultimate is down) as you pose little to no threat.
Lore
Ron Burgundy was a warrior who trained with a battle staff as his weapon. After many years of training, he leaves his home to go and face the Void in hopes of defeating it. After venturing to the Void, he is assaulted by the power that it holds and succumbs to the darkness, his staff gaining a blade of Void energy. Even still, he uses his new power to continue to combat the Void, until he meets his end. But even in death, he receives redemption from the light for his deeds in suppressing the void. He was given a new form of life that allows him to suppress his Void powers, and gives his staff a blade of light. Now, in a form of life after death, with the powers of light and dark, Ron Burgundy seeks to join the League as a way to serve purpose to his existence.
Visuals
I can't draw to save my life, so this section will be pictures from Google with worded modifications.
Void form body and weapon approximations:
http://lolwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Djinn-Malzahar-Chinese.jpg (Less red, more pale grey and void energy surrounding his torso clothing) https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/fc/30/f9/fc30f9eb0621a41130233880a3d0fdab.jpg
Light form body and weapon approximations:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v24/Pkmaster/Random/RP%20Char%20pics/templarknighth.png (More golden toned with light radiating) https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f6/Ranseurs.jpg/220px-Ranseurs.jpg (Far right one)
Again, if you want to see more of Ron Burgundy, let me know in the comments.
Until then, stay classy San Diego.
(Editor's note, I recently rewatched Anchorman. It was better than using ambiguous words or pronouns for the descriptions)