Hero Idea: Hoechst (Meepo-inspired)

[Shrimp Wheeler]

Someone was saying they were glad Puck was in the game, now Invoker and Meepo need to be added. It made me wonder what a shooter Meepo would even be. The idea I had requires some tech that likely doesn't exist, and other probable dealbreakers like extra keybinds, but it was too fun to not develop.

Name: Hoechst/Host
Flavor: Aesthetically similar to Dynamo/Paradox, perhaps looking a bit more like a computer or a server, with something... glitchy or demonic displayed in his head tank.
Background: Some kind of occult artifact or deal caused him to split/multiply/whatever. Maybe he doesn't even realize it until he starts seeing more of himself around.
Weapon: Low rate of fire, long-ranged. Possibly a very flat arc, very small AoE grenade launcher to compensate for having reduced screen space.

Gameplay:

• At level/soul breakpoints, gains additional Hoechsts up to a grand total of 4. 2' Hoechst should come out quite early as multiple abilities are very low value before that.
• Each Hoechst adds another screen split. Think splitscreen co-op but all controlled by 1 player. Each Hoechst has separate health pools and they die together, basically the other current Meepo rules except for 2 key distinctions:
  • They might share ability CDs?
  • There is a button that when held specifies that inputs go to Hoechst prime. There are separate buttons for 2', 3', and 4'; combinations of buttons can be held. If none of these are held, inputs go to all Hoechsts.
• Hoechst makes use of a new(?) mechanic. Multiple things are triggered by/check for line of sight. I will use the term Hoechst "sees". Basically, if you can imagine you could hit something with a hitscan weapon, Hoechst sees it; if you couldn't, Hoechst doesn't see it.

Abilities:

1. Push: (Passive) When Hoechst gains souls from a soul orb (or kills a neutral), all Hoechsts that can see it are healed for 20hp. This includes souls that are split among teammates. Maybe bigger number and few seconds CD. (Active) For the next x seconds, when Hoechst's bullets hit an enemy, all other Hoechsts that can see that enemy also shoot a bullet at them. Cannot trigger itself.
2. Shutdown: Hoechst slows the target (point and click, fast missile, think Wraith ult but much faster). The duration of the slow is equal to the number of Hoechsts that can see the target and the % of the slow is equal to the largest angle between Hoechsts that can see the target (minimum 30%, maximum 90%)*.
3. Distribution: (Passive) Hoechsts that are a certain distance from all other Hoechsts gain move speed and sprint speed. When sighted (switching from unseen to seen) by another Hoechst, Hoechst regenerates 1 stamina (with a short cd).
4. Purge: Hoechst whips out a very long range single-shot railgun that pierces terrain, and for x seconds is able to see the outline of any opposing hero which any Hoechst sees. Outlined heroes onscreen count as "seen" for the purposes of Hoechst's abilities, but the 1 missile and regular bullets after the railgun shot still require line of sight.

Ability Notes/Interactions:

• 1: Active could also be on 3, might be better for balance, but thematically it fits 1 passive better
• 1: Active probably should not trigger railgun shots, but maybe. Both ways could be cool and balanced.
• *2: This move is almost intentionally confusing but I think usage would feel more intuitive. To clarify: if 4 Hoechsts were surrounding someone evenly spaced, they would be 90 degree angles around the target, so this would be a 4s 90% slow. If you had 2 Hoechsts only, standing together, it would be a 2s 30% slow. If you pincered someone with 2 Hoechsts, it would be a 2s 90% slow. Basically Hoechst wants to approach his targets with as many Hoechsts as possible, but with at least one flanking relative to the others.
• 3: Rationale is Hoechst needs a lot of macro mobility to position, since he is a long range flanker and even a skilled player cannot be moving anywhere near optimally on all Hoechsts. The stamina gain is to incentivize placing Hoechsts like a network to aid each other, and to allow the player to be somewhat loose with using stamina to get in position for combat.
• 4: If CDs are shared, all Hoechsts would gain both the vision and railgun effects simultaneously. If not, only the Hoechst(s) that use(s) 4 would gain both effects. But their railgun shots are all separate.