User blog comment:LivesByProxy/Heir To Blackblade: Fulfilling League's Thief Fantasy/@comment-1330314-20160409232153/@comment-26815373-20160410043356

Thanks! I wanted the AP ratios to emphasize that her power is magical in nature, and to make some support items look better for her. I also didn't want AD ratios because I feared they gave her an assassin sort of vibe, which a thief is NOT, by definition. Now I get to run the gauntlet... >;^)

Each of your points, in order:


 * Will do.


 * You're right, I won't deny it. I was looking to explore a unique attack pattern, as Riot calls them, and I really like the gamplay of . I think it's fun and fair, and I wondered what an attack pattern of shoot, reload, shoot, reload, etc would be like. Essentially, she had one 'bullet', whereas and  had two and four, respectively. I thought this highlighted her support features, seeing as how she can't truely become a lategame powerhouse DPS monster like, , , etc. It evolved though, into this iteration, as I thought the idea of 'unlocking' her ability to attack would be rewarding, as well as gate her DPS. Like you opened the chest and voila, bonus damage. I think I just realized how I can give her a more impactful feeling of bonus damage... but your suggestion about rewarding her for avoid combat intrigues me... I do feel a bit hamstrung though, as  is probably the ideal form of 'sneaking' gameplay in League.


 * The ability details should fill you in, but for clarity, no, it doesn't let you pass through terrain (that's Bard's special); the perimeter of the AoE is the exit i.e. you can leave the corridor at any time and location, and no, if it appears over them it can't be seen and doesn't affect them. For it to have any effect at all, champions must use the door, which I imagine to be like . Simply passing through it puts you 'in' the corridor. Maybe reactivating it is unnecessary, but part of me thinks she should have at least one damaging ability in her kit.


 * Cool, glad you like it! It was inspired by Dishonored's Keyhole effect and the art is from the Android: Netrunner card of the same name!


 * I thought I was being clever at incorporating a into her kit (since thieves are suppose to be sneaky) and it's a useful soft-CC. I was also inspired by all those scenes in games and movies where our group of protagonists is trying to sneak for some reason, and there's always some buffoon at the rear who makes a bunch of noise and the guy up front / lookout / point-man turns around and glares at him / her to STFU. Basically, this idea with a bit of this too. As for why she's healing people, I thought it reinforced the idea that she's a support, and I thought it expressed the tender caring side of her character (like when a mother will shush a crying child who scraped his knee while playing). It seemed like a good idea at the time. Also, I think it has synergy with her kit, as if she's running down her corridor she can silence and slow enemies to chase or flee, since it is a line-skillshot. A better name is possible though, I'm sure.

Also, the stealth she gains from her Q doesn't break from her spells or abilities, meaning you can totally steal those spells without even being seen!
 * My defense of this ability is that 1) on the grounds of uniqueness, it is undeniably unique, as it is the only spell-shield ultimate in the game, and what is (probably) the most powerful effect a spell-shield could give; and 2) on the grounds of flavor. She's not trying to launch herself into combat, as you say, but rather is waiting for the golden opportunity to steal that key spell that turns the whole fight. That, which is death for everyone else, is a treasure in her eyes. She has to have it. So she deftly leaps forward, snatching it out of the air before escaping down one of her corridors with a big smile on her face. I like the short cooldown, as it's a bit like , and I think the dash and timing necessary to steal a spell requires a very high amount of skill, and is super challenging and rewarding, especially when now you have to use that spell semi-competently. I think using an 'interface' (like how 's passive works) would lose so much of that.

I was totally researching the Thief series when I was making this! Also, I searched all sorts of games that had a 'thief' or 'rogue' class / skill-tree / abilities, etc. With the exception of the Thief series though, most games fall into that trap (hehe) of making thieves a sub-class of assassin. I love your 'tool box' metaphor for describing how she should feel / play, and I like the idea of rewarding her for avoiding interaction with her opponents, but (about the latter idea specifically) I don't know how / what can be done in that regard. My hope is that her gameplay will consist of someone who doesn't want to fight in duels or even 5v5 teamfights, but rather looks to skirt around the battle (helped by her range) and seeks to mislead and break up the enemy, trying to create skirmishes and smaller fights.