I often spend time mucking about with champion designs. Occasionally I happen upon an idea so horrifically bad that it deserves to be put into the wild. Thakkrad Goldtooth is just such an idea.
Thakkrad was born through the epiphany that a champion could have abilities which cost gold to use, which is possibly one of the worst champion design concepts ever imagined. At the same time the idea was so unique and hilarious I couldn't help but attempt to make it work.
At the outset I recognized that there were two paths to take in order to balance this mechanic. The first path was to compensate Thakkrad for his trouble by making his abilities significantly stronger than normal. As he would be expending a meaningful amount of gold on his abilities, he would normally be weaker by virtue of having fewer items. The second path was to find a way to augment Thakkrad's gold income to make up for his extra expenditures. Both paths have significant issues.
The first path has the potential to snowball very powerfully. If Thakkrad were to get a lead he could easily leverage his over-potent skills to dominate the early and mid-game. While he'd have a slump toward the late-game, he'd be exceptional in very long games simply because by the end he'd eventually have a full item build plus naturally stronger abilities. This path seemed too difficult to balance, so I avoided it.
The second path has its own pitfalls. With an enhanced gold income, Thakkrad could potentially pull a "Bank Plank" and farm incessantly, show up with a trifecta of super-items, and destroy the game. It also had some snowball potential, though not as much. As this seemed easier to balance, and more unique, I took this route.
The net result was the following monstrosity.
Thakkrad Goldtooth, the Wealthy
Thakkrad is an extremely wealthy warrior from Lokfar. He gift for acquiring riches is matched only by his ability to spend them. He fights by swinging a giant bag filled with gold.
Passive: Avarice
All of Thakkrad's gold per 10 is doubled (includes base gold per 10).
Q: Crush
Thakkrad crushes an enemy under the weight of his wealth, dealing 50/100/150/200/250 (+ 1.5 Bonus AD) physical damage, and stunning the target for 1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8/2.0 seconds. 14/13/12/11/10 second cooldown. Costs 17/19/21/23/25 gold.
W: Fast Money
Thakkrad passively gains 15/20/25/30/35 movement speed. When activated the passive bonus is doubled and Thakkrad gains 25/35/45/55/65% attack speed for 7 seconds. 12 second cooldown. Costs 20 gold.
E: Clear the Field
Thakkrad swings his bag around up to three times, dealing 20/35/50/65/80 (+ 0.3 Bonus AD) each swing and moving 30% slower than normal. At the end of his spin he hurls his bag, dealing 30/60/90/120/150 (+ 1.5 Bonus AD) damage to the first target hit and knocking them back. Thakkrad can activate this ability again to end his spin and throw the bag early. The knockback distance is based on the number of spins. 10 second cooldown. Costs 25 gold.
R: Ransom
Thakkrad gains 5/7.5/10 gold per 10. When Thakkrad dies, he can activate this ability to spend 30 + Level * 15 gold to revive immediately where he fell with full health. 180 second cooldown.
This is not a good champion design. This is, in fact, a terrible champion design. Without even taking his ultimate into account, Thakkrad can burn 400 gold per minute spamming his abilities without cooldown reduction. Despite looking like a bruiser he'd probably end up as a support, sitting in bushes waiting to crush opponents while abusing his massive gp10 advantage to get good items.
I can't overstate how bad this design is, or how fun it was to make.
Showing posts with label gp10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gp10. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Thought: Junglers Skipping Gp10s
Recently I discussed my thoughts on gp10 items and how, with or without the recent nerfs, they are overrated. As a somewhat related tangent to that thought, I've come to believe that many junglers may be doing themselves a disservice by buying gp10 items.
It's extremely common for junglers today to buy both Philosopher's Stone and Heart of Gold. The reasoning is pretty simple, Shurelya's Reverie and Randuin's Omen are both very good items, so why not buy components for them early on and generate additional revenue? This is not a bad argument, and in some situations this makes a lot of sense. Sitting on gp10s helps secure late-game relevance.
The issue I, and others, have begun to see is that junglers shine the brightest during the early and mid-game. By purchasing gp10s junglers are building counter to their critical timings, playing for a late-game where they are no longer the most important player on the team. When many games don't even reach the late-game, this tradeoff makes considerably less sense.
Investing 1625g into gp10 items delays other, critical mid-game items. With just a little more gold you could have Aegis, or Wit's End, or Phage, or be halfway to a really big item. While much later in the game you might earn that lost gold back, during the critical mid-game you will be at best right where you started. Unless your team is losing very hard or plans on simply free-farming until the late game, it's simply better to have strong, completed items in the mid-game.
As I continue to jungle I plan on phasing out gp10s wherever possible. I'll still buy them often as they are important on some junglers, but on many others rushing for other items is simply the better choice.
It's extremely common for junglers today to buy both Philosopher's Stone and Heart of Gold. The reasoning is pretty simple, Shurelya's Reverie and Randuin's Omen are both very good items, so why not buy components for them early on and generate additional revenue? This is not a bad argument, and in some situations this makes a lot of sense. Sitting on gp10s helps secure late-game relevance.
The issue I, and others, have begun to see is that junglers shine the brightest during the early and mid-game. By purchasing gp10s junglers are building counter to their critical timings, playing for a late-game where they are no longer the most important player on the team. When many games don't even reach the late-game, this tradeoff makes considerably less sense.
Investing 1625g into gp10 items delays other, critical mid-game items. With just a little more gold you could have Aegis, or Wit's End, or Phage, or be halfway to a really big item. While much later in the game you might earn that lost gold back, during the critical mid-game you will be at best right where you started. Unless your team is losing very hard or plans on simply free-farming until the late game, it's simply better to have strong, completed items in the mid-game.
As I continue to jungle I plan on phasing out gp10s wherever possible. I'll still buy them often as they are important on some junglers, but on many others rushing for other items is simply the better choice.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Thought: Gold per 10 Items are Overrated
Gold per 10 items are extremely common purchases in League of Legends. Originally the purview of supports, they've become popular in the jungle, top lane, and now even mid lane. Despite the surge in popularity, I strongly believe these items are vastly overrated.
The first important factor is simple math. On average it takes 12-13 minutes for a gp10 item to generate enough gold to break even (i.e. selling it will result in no loss or gain). Essentially the purchase is an investment that does not begin to pay off for a significant portion of the game. Because most games are determined during the early or mid-game, such a long term investment is questionable.
The second problem is that gp10 items provide fewer stats that the alternatives. With the recent nerfs, a Philosopher's Stone has identical Hp5 to a Regrowth Pendant, and a Heart of Gold gives a mere 20 health more than a simple Ruby Crustal. The majority of a gp10 item's completion cost is spent investing in the gp10 stat.
As a result, buying gp10 items puts you at a disadvantage against your opponents. It's a sacrifice of current efficacy for the possibility of greater power later. However, League of Legends is a game where early advantages can easily snowball into greater and greater advantages. In most situations buying gp10 items tips the balance against you, giving your opponents an edge with which to punish you.
Purchasing gp10 items should, therefore, never be done for its own sake. Only if the stats on the item itself are useful, more so than any alternatives, and the items on its build path desirable should a gp10 item be built.
The first important factor is simple math. On average it takes 12-13 minutes for a gp10 item to generate enough gold to break even (i.e. selling it will result in no loss or gain). Essentially the purchase is an investment that does not begin to pay off for a significant portion of the game. Because most games are determined during the early or mid-game, such a long term investment is questionable.
The second problem is that gp10 items provide fewer stats that the alternatives. With the recent nerfs, a Philosopher's Stone has identical Hp5 to a Regrowth Pendant, and a Heart of Gold gives a mere 20 health more than a simple Ruby Crustal. The majority of a gp10 item's completion cost is spent investing in the gp10 stat.
As a result, buying gp10 items puts you at a disadvantage against your opponents. It's a sacrifice of current efficacy for the possibility of greater power later. However, League of Legends is a game where early advantages can easily snowball into greater and greater advantages. In most situations buying gp10 items tips the balance against you, giving your opponents an edge with which to punish you.
Purchasing gp10 items should, therefore, never be done for its own sake. Only if the stats on the item itself are useful, more so than any alternatives, and the items on its build path desirable should a gp10 item be built.
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