Sarus
Active member
Muh lore: Legendary for their pride and cruelty in the ruedo (bullring), the aristocratic Madariaga clan is well known in Spain's Basque Country for their artistry in bloodsport. Some peasants even whisper among themselves that the family has fine-tuned its killing techniques outside the ring. There is dining room gossip of hapless foreign pit-fighters seduced by the promise of a generous prize pot for a fair fight. That is, until they realize there is no referee to call an end to the match. Their wounds are real, their blood is pooling on the ground. In a brief moment of clarity, they make out a series of subdued murmurs and sudden guffaws from a hidden crowd. The killing blow comes from above.
In this manner, the family accrued a long and bloody legend. Then, retribution struck. All at once, the clan faltered in every venture. Cancers wracked the wealthy and powerful elders. Promising heirs were wiped out one after another in a series of freak accidents, drunken mishaps, and spontaneous bouts of self-destruction. Except one. He was not much different from the rest, yet he was spared. He was not a peaceful man, in fact, he outdid them all in pure cruelty. One night, the reason was revealed. A dream-vision of a dark figure loomed over his bedside. Slowly, the shadow ebbed and a portion of her visage was revealed: a bull's eye. No words were exchanged, but he understood. "Be my champion. Or die." When he awoke, he knew his charge: lift the judgement by offering up his wish to this entity. On the table was his muleta, imbued with dark energies. Next to it was a horrific sight: basic economy class tickets to the Cursed Apple!
TL;DR design inspiration: Vega from Street Fighter. IRL Bull-fighting has been historically linked to real-life ancient pagan practices - a legitimate blood ritual as cruel as it is. These in mind I was inspired to create a kit with these elements.
kit concept: What it says on the tin. This character has access to unique disruption thanks to his shadow summon, can chuck shadow javelins across the map, has access to auto parry that counters initiators, and finally has a unique cage match ultimate.
Weapons: Astra model F. Real world Spanish Basque full-auto machine pistol. Would definitely be a unique addition for Deadlock. The IRL model F also has a ROF changing function, perhaps this could translate into a unique M2 that would give him a faster ROF with heavy recoil for close range encounters. Thanks to the magic side-cape, he can smack people around with it taking spiky shapes.
1 - Castigo
+1 charge, 35CD, 3.5s stack duration
- Throw a spear that damages enemies and applies a "pierced" stack on an enemy. Hold (1) to increase velocity and projectile size further increasing damage and applying a double stack of "pierced".
- Each time the enemy is damaged by a spear or a melee attack from the Matador, the stack is refreshed.
Pierced: -6% healing reduction, -4% damage penalty, -3% bullet resist
1. +1 charge
2. CD reduction, duration increase (1.5s)
3. All pierced negative effects increase 4%, each pierce stack now also lowers 0.5 m/s throughout duration.
Concept: Good ol' action game javelin. Powerful stack debuffs, but would be warranted as I picture these having a certain amount of arc in the projectile, upping the skill floor beyond close/mid range and differentiating this from talon skillshot or shiv knives. Standard tank debuff and quite powerful against DPS squishies. Melee refreshing stacks would give the Matador a reason for up-close combat. Originally, I wanted a sort of action game big spear poke lunge, but I think this would be more practical in Deadlock. Visually, his enchanted cape would rear back to conjure a shadow or bloody spear.
2 - Shadow Play
35m range 35sCD 4s duration. 2.5s arm time
- Materialize a shadow portal anywhere on the world that will summon a creature depending on the geometry.
- A wall portal will summon a Running Bull: dealing damage and dragging caught enemies alongside it.
- A floor portal will summon a Shadow Snake: auto-tracking enemies and applying spirit DOT and a fading slow.
- A roof portal will summon Shadow Crows -> they will follow the closest enemy for a time attacking with projectiles that deal damage and shred bullet resist.
- Only one creature is available at a time and the Matador can press CANCEL to banish the current summon.
1. CD reduction
2. Damage increase
3 .+1 charge, Shadow Bulls will do a second run in the opposite direction. Shadow Snake now spans two additional snakes. Shadow Crows will force characters to the ground after a full barrage.
Concept: A bit similar to puddle punch, but instead of a big pile of goo, it is instead a shadow portal that offers the Matador a variety of creatures to take advantage of. The running bull is a staple summon, forcing enemies to disengage or risk being dragged into towers, or into the Matador's special auto stance and what have you. The snake will force enemies into the air, or perhaps flank unwary hazes trying to sleep dagger and press 4. Finally, the shadow crows will immediately follow their targets harassing with a few barrages of projectiles that will weaken them for gun/melee builds and harass and weaken the hyper-mobile aerial characters in the air.
3 - Ole`!
35sCD
Passive: Successfully landing Bloody Flash on enemies grants +3% lifesteal to all hero WD/melee sources and empowers +30 bloody flash damage each time.
Active: Enter a proximity based counter stance. If enemies pass within 2m or through you, activate Bloody Flash, interrupting and mini-stunning with three quick slashes, dealing damage and healing yourself with each strike.
- If enemies melee you while in this stance, the Matador performs a single bloody flash with a 0.25s mini-stun and heal not counting towards passive.
1. CD reduction
2. Ole'! stance grants a temporary spirit barrier (3.5s duration)
3. Activation of Bloody Flash increased to 12m range.
Concept: Proximity based auto parry. The idea here is to allow Matador to counter big tank initiation abilities or abilities like infernus flame dash (when they're just being lazy and trying to go through you instead of engage). I promise I came up with this before Billy was voted in, so that would be handy in countering him as well. This ability would also have inherent combo synergy with 2 - shadow play, the staple combo is landing a shadow bull drag into Matador to trigger bloody flashes! Also inherent synergy with fellow 'brams or billy allies who know how to flank. The final upgrade would extend the range to actually utilize this as a staple combat ability mid-late game.
4 - Cage Match
15m 6.5s duration 130sCD
- Select an enemy hero to duel, materializing an impenetrable 4-walled flat-floor cage.
- Enemies cannot use movement abilities while inside the cage or wall-jump off cage walls.
- While inside the cage, enemy bullet velocity is lowered -25% and they suffer a 15% DPS reduction.
- Press SHIFT to leap and cling to a cage wall / Press ALT whilst clinging to perform a leaping dive slash AOE that damages, heals the Matador, and mini-stuns (.75s) the enemy.
1. All sources of lifesteal are increased 15% for Matador and allies in the Cage.
2. CD reduction
3. Duration increase, selected enemy is disarmed for 3.5s.
Concept: An alternate, more offensive application of Ice Dome inspired by Vega (Claw) from Street Fighter 2. Basically just 4 McGinnis walls, but could also put a cage roof if needed or if it simply looks more cool. Aside from the obvious advantage the Matador receives in the cage, he gets a special wall cling/wall dive offensive ability (also inspired by Claw) that allows him to challenge higher HP/soul enemies in a more tricky
way without immediately dying - or at least allows him to play for time. To avoid some of the objective stealing Ice Dome cheese, it is only activated by selecting a nearby enemy hero within a reasonable distance. Obviously, not quite as strong if activated underground or in a building but intelligent counter-play is the spice of Deadlock. Also, would just be funny to watch people get dive bombed over and over in a live match.
In this manner, the family accrued a long and bloody legend. Then, retribution struck. All at once, the clan faltered in every venture. Cancers wracked the wealthy and powerful elders. Promising heirs were wiped out one after another in a series of freak accidents, drunken mishaps, and spontaneous bouts of self-destruction. Except one. He was not much different from the rest, yet he was spared. He was not a peaceful man, in fact, he outdid them all in pure cruelty. One night, the reason was revealed. A dream-vision of a dark figure loomed over his bedside. Slowly, the shadow ebbed and a portion of her visage was revealed: a bull's eye. No words were exchanged, but he understood. "Be my champion. Or die." When he awoke, he knew his charge: lift the judgement by offering up his wish to this entity. On the table was his muleta, imbued with dark energies. Next to it was a horrific sight: basic economy class tickets to the Cursed Apple!
TL;DR design inspiration: Vega from Street Fighter. IRL Bull-fighting has been historically linked to real-life ancient pagan practices - a legitimate blood ritual as cruel as it is. These in mind I was inspired to create a kit with these elements.
kit concept: What it says on the tin. This character has access to unique disruption thanks to his shadow summon, can chuck shadow javelins across the map, has access to auto parry that counters initiators, and finally has a unique cage match ultimate.
Weapons: Astra model F. Real world Spanish Basque full-auto machine pistol. Would definitely be a unique addition for Deadlock. The IRL model F also has a ROF changing function, perhaps this could translate into a unique M2 that would give him a faster ROF with heavy recoil for close range encounters. Thanks to the magic side-cape, he can smack people around with it taking spiky shapes.
1 - Castigo
+1 charge, 35CD, 3.5s stack duration
- Throw a spear that damages enemies and applies a "pierced" stack on an enemy. Hold (1) to increase velocity and projectile size further increasing damage and applying a double stack of "pierced".
- Each time the enemy is damaged by a spear or a melee attack from the Matador, the stack is refreshed.
Pierced: -6% healing reduction, -4% damage penalty, -3% bullet resist
1. +1 charge
2. CD reduction, duration increase (1.5s)
3. All pierced negative effects increase 4%, each pierce stack now also lowers 0.5 m/s throughout duration.
Concept: Good ol' action game javelin. Powerful stack debuffs, but would be warranted as I picture these having a certain amount of arc in the projectile, upping the skill floor beyond close/mid range and differentiating this from talon skillshot or shiv knives. Standard tank debuff and quite powerful against DPS squishies. Melee refreshing stacks would give the Matador a reason for up-close combat. Originally, I wanted a sort of action game big spear poke lunge, but I think this would be more practical in Deadlock. Visually, his enchanted cape would rear back to conjure a shadow or bloody spear.
2 - Shadow Play
35m range 35sCD 4s duration. 2.5s arm time
- Materialize a shadow portal anywhere on the world that will summon a creature depending on the geometry.
- A wall portal will summon a Running Bull: dealing damage and dragging caught enemies alongside it.
- A floor portal will summon a Shadow Snake: auto-tracking enemies and applying spirit DOT and a fading slow.
- A roof portal will summon Shadow Crows -> they will follow the closest enemy for a time attacking with projectiles that deal damage and shred bullet resist.
- Only one creature is available at a time and the Matador can press CANCEL to banish the current summon.
1. CD reduction
2. Damage increase
3 .+1 charge, Shadow Bulls will do a second run in the opposite direction. Shadow Snake now spans two additional snakes. Shadow Crows will force characters to the ground after a full barrage.
Concept: A bit similar to puddle punch, but instead of a big pile of goo, it is instead a shadow portal that offers the Matador a variety of creatures to take advantage of. The running bull is a staple summon, forcing enemies to disengage or risk being dragged into towers, or into the Matador's special auto stance and what have you. The snake will force enemies into the air, or perhaps flank unwary hazes trying to sleep dagger and press 4. Finally, the shadow crows will immediately follow their targets harassing with a few barrages of projectiles that will weaken them for gun/melee builds and harass and weaken the hyper-mobile aerial characters in the air.
3 - Ole`!
35sCD
Passive: Successfully landing Bloody Flash on enemies grants +3% lifesteal to all hero WD/melee sources and empowers +30 bloody flash damage each time.
Active: Enter a proximity based counter stance. If enemies pass within 2m or through you, activate Bloody Flash, interrupting and mini-stunning with three quick slashes, dealing damage and healing yourself with each strike.
- If enemies melee you while in this stance, the Matador performs a single bloody flash with a 0.25s mini-stun and heal not counting towards passive.
1. CD reduction
2. Ole'! stance grants a temporary spirit barrier (3.5s duration)
3. Activation of Bloody Flash increased to 12m range.
Concept: Proximity based auto parry. The idea here is to allow Matador to counter big tank initiation abilities or abilities like infernus flame dash (when they're just being lazy and trying to go through you instead of engage). I promise I came up with this before Billy was voted in, so that would be handy in countering him as well. This ability would also have inherent combo synergy with 2 - shadow play, the staple combo is landing a shadow bull drag into Matador to trigger bloody flashes! Also inherent synergy with fellow 'brams or billy allies who know how to flank. The final upgrade would extend the range to actually utilize this as a staple combat ability mid-late game.
4 - Cage Match
15m 6.5s duration 130sCD
- Select an enemy hero to duel, materializing an impenetrable 4-walled flat-floor cage.
- Enemies cannot use movement abilities while inside the cage or wall-jump off cage walls.
- While inside the cage, enemy bullet velocity is lowered -25% and they suffer a 15% DPS reduction.
- Press SHIFT to leap and cling to a cage wall / Press ALT whilst clinging to perform a leaping dive slash AOE that damages, heals the Matador, and mini-stuns (.75s) the enemy.
1. All sources of lifesteal are increased 15% for Matador and allies in the Cage.
2. CD reduction
3. Duration increase, selected enemy is disarmed for 3.5s.
Concept: An alternate, more offensive application of Ice Dome inspired by Vega (Claw) from Street Fighter 2. Basically just 4 McGinnis walls, but could also put a cage roof if needed or if it simply looks more cool. Aside from the obvious advantage the Matador receives in the cage, he gets a special wall cling/wall dive offensive ability (also inspired by Claw) that allows him to challenge higher HP/soul enemies in a more tricky
way without immediately dying - or at least allows him to play for time. To avoid some of the objective stealing Ice Dome cheese, it is only activated by selecting a nearby enemy hero within a reasonable distance. Obviously, not quite as strong if activated underground or in a building but intelligent counter-play is the spice of Deadlock. Also, would just be funny to watch people get dive bombed over and over in a live match.
