top145nykanen
New member
Support hero concept. The Librarian / Spirit of the library.
Visual outlook: Don't have anything too concrete for this, as I think the character could stand to be either male/female coded in terms of visuals. If female, then something similar to Vindicita's outfit (blouse + black dress I suppose would do for a librarian). Male design could maybe be something more ethereal/ghostly (cultist robes + mask). AGAIN, do not have a greater input on this, and I'm sure someone more artistic could come up with a more appropriate design. At the very least I don't think they would have a face, and would only wear a mask over some sort of vague, spiritual visage.
Main gun: Paper planes. The hero would spawn a sheet of spiritual paper into their hand and crumple it, spawning a small fleet of paper planes around their wrists (this would be the reload animation). The paper planes could then be sent out one by one (relatively low fire rate, probably similar to default mirage), OR in groups of five/six etc, for a shotgun effect (right click).
Ability 1 - Bookmark: Ward-type ability that could also deal damage on hit. The librarian would throw a metal bookmark (similar trajectory/speed as a shiv-knife, slightly bigger projectile), which would stick where it lands. When the bookmark lands, it casts a sphere of detection around it, which reveals nearby enemies through walls and veils. IF the bookmark hits an enemy hero, it deals damage and sticks to them for around five seconds before dropping onto the ground. The enemy hero could also parry to drop the bookmark instantly if they get stuck (This WOULD put the parry on cooldown, which could be used to set up melee-heroes nicely). On the ground, the bookmark can be destroyed with a heavy melee. If destroyed, the ability gets put on full cooldown. If a bookmark is placed, it will not charge up until destroyed or recalled.
The ability would be charged, and the Librarian would have the option to recall ALL bookmarks by long-pressing 1. Recalling the bookmarks would only put the ability on half or 1/3 cooldown. I would kind of want the play with bookmarks to be that you either have all your bookmarks down for scouting purposes, but that weakens you in a direct conflict (as you have no 1-ability to deal damage with), or you have one or two bookmarks warding, and save the other two for damage. OR if you know that a big fight is coming, let's say you're pushing the enemy base, you would/could recall all bookmarks and simply use them for the damage.
It might also be kind of neat to have the bookmarks slow the enemy down whenever they are attached to them. So you could potentially stack like 3 bookmarks on one enemy during a fight and make them really sluggish. Could also be applied as just direct stamina drain per bookmark hit.
Ability 2 - Veil of knowledge: The librarian would cast a veil directly in front of themselves. I think it should be fairly big (something between paradox wall and mcginnis wall) in size. By default, it would act as a regular veil, blocking sight coming from the front of the Librarian, BUT with upgrades, this would get really fun.
First level up would increase the veil size. Second level up would make it so the veil is two-sided for the Librarian, meaning they can see through it from both sides. Third level up would make the veil function two-sided for the Librarian's entire team, but not the enemy team.
The Librarian would also have a passive veil effect on this ability, where going through a veil (could be just any veil, or just their own (to balance)) would replenish their stamina. This would be the only movement ability for the character, but I think with a reasonable cooldown, it could work. Might require some balancing for veilwalker-usage.
Ability 3 - Late return/ Borrow & return: The librarian throws out a book, which attaches to a friendly hero. (Feel like this would make for better plays as a skillshot, but could also be made for shorter range where it just automatically locks to targeted hero). The book would give a temporary small buff to the friendly hero (thinking some resistance and health). But everything the buff gives, would be taken from the Librarian (say the friendly gets 10% both resists and 300 health, the librarian would lose those resists and that health.)
Once attached, the book would have a timer (think base 15 seconds or so). After the time runs out, the buffs wear off, and the friendly hero is forcibly teleported to The Librarian. The librarian could also recall the book whenever they want, which would do the same.
I think this ability would really shine when applied to dive/tank heroes, who go in, and cause mayhem, but if they are about to die, could be teleported to safety. I imagine this ability to have a pretty long cooldown, so this would only get cast once, maaaaybe twice in a team fight. Should provide good utility all around.
Level upgrades could increase the buff amount, make the timer longer, and potentially give the targeted hero unstoppable for a few seconds upon cast/remove debuffs (at max level ofc).
Ability 4 - Silence! / Shhhh! / Quiet in the library: Ultimate ability. I had envisioned this in a few different ways.
1. Just an AOE Silence. Think affliction, but applying the silence effect. It could be given a caveat where it can also hit friendly targets as not to be too OP.
2. Channeled silence, where the librarian casts out two/three shadowy tendrils, which randomly attach to any enemy hero in the ability's range (or three closest enemies). The silence would apply after 1 second of being attached, and could be broken by breaking line of sight with the librarian. I think this approach would fit well with ability 2, where the Librarian could cast a veil, and ult, hiding in the veil and keeping a big chunk of the enemy team silenced, basically forcing the enemy team to charge through the veil if they want to fight.
Level-ups would increase the duration, number of tendrils (I think should start with just two, maybe get one additional one as an upgrade). Max level could leave a lingering silence effect for 1-2 seconds even after LOS has been broken.
Personality/Lore: I'm thinking he/she/they are semi-powerful entity (spirit), not quite on the level of doorman, but not too far off. They obviously love books/knowledge, and that would basically be their motivation to summon the patrons; to obtain more / ALL knowledge. They would inhabit/manage the New York Library/ wander around all the big libraries of the world just studying things endlessly. I imagine Dynamo should be somewhat familiar with them.
I feel like they would be a bit condescending, not necessarily bragging about their knowledge, but basically shunning those who don't seem to strive to obtain more. They would get along well with characters like Dynamo, McGinnis, Kelvin, and maybe Seven. They would show general fascination with almost all characters, perhaps giving small flashes of obsession, dropping some lore/character details that the other characters themselves thought they had kept hidden, and maybe managing to fluster some with how much they know. I feel like he would be VERY obsessed with Abrams' tome. I'd imagine they would also speak almost all languages, which could lead to good interactions with Yamato/Geist etc. I also feel like they would NOT get along that well with Paige, who represents the other side of the spectrum in book-enjoyers, only dwelling in fantasy, which naturally holds no real value for true knowledge-seekers. Their speech should probably be quite formal, similar to how doorman talks, but maybe some more inflection (kind of the obsessive, "I must know" vibe in there).
Visual outlook: Don't have anything too concrete for this, as I think the character could stand to be either male/female coded in terms of visuals. If female, then something similar to Vindicita's outfit (blouse + black dress I suppose would do for a librarian). Male design could maybe be something more ethereal/ghostly (cultist robes + mask). AGAIN, do not have a greater input on this, and I'm sure someone more artistic could come up with a more appropriate design. At the very least I don't think they would have a face, and would only wear a mask over some sort of vague, spiritual visage.
Main gun: Paper planes. The hero would spawn a sheet of spiritual paper into their hand and crumple it, spawning a small fleet of paper planes around their wrists (this would be the reload animation). The paper planes could then be sent out one by one (relatively low fire rate, probably similar to default mirage), OR in groups of five/six etc, for a shotgun effect (right click).
Ability 1 - Bookmark: Ward-type ability that could also deal damage on hit. The librarian would throw a metal bookmark (similar trajectory/speed as a shiv-knife, slightly bigger projectile), which would stick where it lands. When the bookmark lands, it casts a sphere of detection around it, which reveals nearby enemies through walls and veils. IF the bookmark hits an enemy hero, it deals damage and sticks to them for around five seconds before dropping onto the ground. The enemy hero could also parry to drop the bookmark instantly if they get stuck (This WOULD put the parry on cooldown, which could be used to set up melee-heroes nicely). On the ground, the bookmark can be destroyed with a heavy melee. If destroyed, the ability gets put on full cooldown. If a bookmark is placed, it will not charge up until destroyed or recalled.
The ability would be charged, and the Librarian would have the option to recall ALL bookmarks by long-pressing 1. Recalling the bookmarks would only put the ability on half or 1/3 cooldown. I would kind of want the play with bookmarks to be that you either have all your bookmarks down for scouting purposes, but that weakens you in a direct conflict (as you have no 1-ability to deal damage with), or you have one or two bookmarks warding, and save the other two for damage. OR if you know that a big fight is coming, let's say you're pushing the enemy base, you would/could recall all bookmarks and simply use them for the damage.
It might also be kind of neat to have the bookmarks slow the enemy down whenever they are attached to them. So you could potentially stack like 3 bookmarks on one enemy during a fight and make them really sluggish. Could also be applied as just direct stamina drain per bookmark hit.
Ability 2 - Veil of knowledge: The librarian would cast a veil directly in front of themselves. I think it should be fairly big (something between paradox wall and mcginnis wall) in size. By default, it would act as a regular veil, blocking sight coming from the front of the Librarian, BUT with upgrades, this would get really fun.
First level up would increase the veil size. Second level up would make it so the veil is two-sided for the Librarian, meaning they can see through it from both sides. Third level up would make the veil function two-sided for the Librarian's entire team, but not the enemy team.
The Librarian would also have a passive veil effect on this ability, where going through a veil (could be just any veil, or just their own (to balance)) would replenish their stamina. This would be the only movement ability for the character, but I think with a reasonable cooldown, it could work. Might require some balancing for veilwalker-usage.
Ability 3 - Late return/ Borrow & return: The librarian throws out a book, which attaches to a friendly hero. (Feel like this would make for better plays as a skillshot, but could also be made for shorter range where it just automatically locks to targeted hero). The book would give a temporary small buff to the friendly hero (thinking some resistance and health). But everything the buff gives, would be taken from the Librarian (say the friendly gets 10% both resists and 300 health, the librarian would lose those resists and that health.)
Once attached, the book would have a timer (think base 15 seconds or so). After the time runs out, the buffs wear off, and the friendly hero is forcibly teleported to The Librarian. The librarian could also recall the book whenever they want, which would do the same.
I think this ability would really shine when applied to dive/tank heroes, who go in, and cause mayhem, but if they are about to die, could be teleported to safety. I imagine this ability to have a pretty long cooldown, so this would only get cast once, maaaaybe twice in a team fight. Should provide good utility all around.
Level upgrades could increase the buff amount, make the timer longer, and potentially give the targeted hero unstoppable for a few seconds upon cast/remove debuffs (at max level ofc).
Ability 4 - Silence! / Shhhh! / Quiet in the library: Ultimate ability. I had envisioned this in a few different ways.
1. Just an AOE Silence. Think affliction, but applying the silence effect. It could be given a caveat where it can also hit friendly targets as not to be too OP.
2. Channeled silence, where the librarian casts out two/three shadowy tendrils, which randomly attach to any enemy hero in the ability's range (or three closest enemies). The silence would apply after 1 second of being attached, and could be broken by breaking line of sight with the librarian. I think this approach would fit well with ability 2, where the Librarian could cast a veil, and ult, hiding in the veil and keeping a big chunk of the enemy team silenced, basically forcing the enemy team to charge through the veil if they want to fight.
Level-ups would increase the duration, number of tendrils (I think should start with just two, maybe get one additional one as an upgrade). Max level could leave a lingering silence effect for 1-2 seconds even after LOS has been broken.
Personality/Lore: I'm thinking he/she/they are semi-powerful entity (spirit), not quite on the level of doorman, but not too far off. They obviously love books/knowledge, and that would basically be their motivation to summon the patrons; to obtain more / ALL knowledge. They would inhabit/manage the New York Library/ wander around all the big libraries of the world just studying things endlessly. I imagine Dynamo should be somewhat familiar with them.
I feel like they would be a bit condescending, not necessarily bragging about their knowledge, but basically shunning those who don't seem to strive to obtain more. They would get along well with characters like Dynamo, McGinnis, Kelvin, and maybe Seven. They would show general fascination with almost all characters, perhaps giving small flashes of obsession, dropping some lore/character details that the other characters themselves thought they had kept hidden, and maybe managing to fluster some with how much they know. I feel like he would be VERY obsessed with Abrams' tome. I'd imagine they would also speak almost all languages, which could lead to good interactions with Yamato/Geist etc. I also feel like they would NOT get along that well with Paige, who represents the other side of the spectrum in book-enjoyers, only dwelling in fantasy, which naturally holds no real value for true knowledge-seekers. Their speech should probably be quite formal, similar to how doorman talks, but maybe some more inflection (kind of the obsessive, "I must know" vibe in there).
