Taran Zhu is the Head of the Shado-Pan, a skilled order of Pandaren monks and warriors dedicated to protect Pandaria from all threats coming from within or without the continent.
He held a great mistrust of any race outside the pandaren and saw the Alliance-Horde War as a pointless "race war" that did not need to involve his homeland. His hatred would ironically draw the Sha of Hatred to him, eventually being freed of its grasp by the very adventurers he believed were corrupt.
This concept is based on my own concept originally crafted in early 2015. The game has changed a lot since then, and I've always felt a connection to this particular concept. I really wanted to rework it into something more modern, so here we go.
"Emotion - it is a dangerous thing. Even the most pure intentions may be driven by folly. Discipline is the only way. Remain centered, stay focused, and keep your passions in check.
There are many who do not understand this, and some who fail even after they do. Then there are some who cleanse ignorant and master alike. For this reason, my Warmace will always be prepared to come to your aid." - Taran Zhu
Combat Trait
1
Centered [Passive]
While this is Zhu's passive, he will gain 20 Armor, reducing the damage he takes by 20%. Once Zhu damages an enemy Hero, this passive will last 4 seconds before being replaced with [Battle-Weary].
For visual representation, Zhu will be surrounded with a faint Mist-Green hue when Centered's effect is active. The +25 Armor Icon will also display.
"There are two forms of concentration - focusing on the battlefield, or focusing on one's self. You would be surprised how effective the latter is."
2
Battle-Weary [Passive]
During Battle-Weary, Zhu will lose 15 Armor in addition to losing the 25 Armor from [Centered], but will also deal 20% more damage from all sources.
Battle-Weary will persist until Zhu has not damaged an enemy Hero for 6 seconds, at which point it will be replaced with the Centered passive again.
For visual representation, while this passive is in effect, Zhu will glow with a deep red hue. The -10 Armor Icon will also display.
"You tire me - let us end this quickly."
Primary Abilities
1
Palm of Xuen [Q1]
Cooldown: 6 Seconds Mana Cost: 45 Range: 1.5 (Melee Range)
An advanced form of Tiger Palm, Palm of Xuen channels the Aspect of Xuen to strike with great ferocity, causing physical shock to Zhu's target and slowing them briefly.
Palm of Xuen inflicts 160 (+4%/level) damage to its primary target, resetting your Basic Attack and slowing your target by 15% for 3 seconds. While this ability is on cooldown, Tiger's Force [Q2] may be activated.
"A true warrior must make use of all his physical attributes..."
2
Tiger's Force [Q2]
Cooldown: 6 Seconds Mana Cost: 35 Range: 1.5 (Has a small Radius at target point)
Cooldown of this ability is independent from [Q1], but may only be used when [Q1] is on cooldown.
Zhu calls on the Aspect of Xuen, planting his Warmace into the ground and generating a blast of wind from the point of impact. All nearby opponents are knocked a short distance away from the target point and suffer 90 (+4%/level) damage.
"...and fuse them with his spiritual attributes."
3
Flying Crane Kick [W]
Cooldown: 8 Seconds Mana Cost: 50 Range: 3
Channeling the Aspect of Chi-Ji, Zhu launches forward in flames toward a target location, granting Unstoppable and dealing damage. For reference, 3 Range is 1 Range shorter than Imperius' Q, so this ability does not travel far/last long.
Zhu launches a flaming kick forward, becoming Unstoppable and dealing 72 (+4%/level) damage to the first Hero he encounters and igniting them for an additional 118 (+4%/level) damage over 5 seconds.
If Zhu does not come into contact with an Enemy Hero, he instead lands with a blast of flame, dealing 118 (+4%/level) damage around him over 5 seconds. Landing in this manner causes Zhu to stop for 0.5 seconds upon reaching his destination.
"Take wing, interloper, before I am tempted to."
4
Yu'Lon's Descent [E]
Cooldown: 12 Seconds Mana Cost: 65 Range: 1 - 6
As seen in his combat with Garrosh, Zhu is able to manipulate wind to travel from place to place. This ability cannot traverse over Enemy Structures, does not grant Unstoppable, and Zhu cannot take any action except reactivating [Yu'Lon's Descent] after it is cast, until it is reactivated or reaches its destination.
Zhu surrounds himself with wind and tunnels toward the target location, ignoring any collision of enemy Heroes or Terrain. While travelling, Zhu deals 34 (+4%/level) damage per second to any enemies he comes in contact with, and gains 25% movement speed. May be reactivated to instantly leave the wind tunnel instead.
Upon exiting his wind tunnel by reaching his target or reactivation, a powerful turbulence is exerted from him, dealing 115 (+4%/level) damage in an area.
"Do you not see the wind? Close your eyes, and look again."
Heroic Abilities
1
Crackling Lightning
Cooldown: 55 Seconds Cost: 80 Mana Cast Range: 5
After channeling for 0.5s, Zhu blasts a bolt of Lightning in a direction, dealing 200 (+4%/level) damage to anyone in its path. If multiple Heroes are hit, the lightning chains to nearby targets, including those hit, for an additional 69 (+4%/level) damage. Additional damage can only affect each target once.
If only one Hero is hit, no chain damage will take place. Instead, the victim will suffer Stun for 1.5 seconds.
While the initial cast range is 5, the Chain range is 3, and chains up to 5 targets, preferring Heroes.
"You should be grounded. No, really."
2
Enveloping Mist
Cooldown: 60 Seconds Cost: 80 Mana Cast Range: Self
Zhu fades into the mists, becoming Shrouded for 6 seconds. While Shrouded, Zhu gains the beneficial effects of both [Centered] and [Battle Weary] and additionally receives 15% Movement Speed.
At the end of the effect, Zhu transforms into a vapor, becoming untargetable and returning to the location that [Enveloping Mist] was activated.
"Shrouded" surrounds Zhu with mist and makes him partially translucent, but does not Stealth. Note that "Shrouded" only gains the beneficial buffs from Zhu's passives. Upon leaving the "Shrouded" state, Zhu will immediately enter the [Battle-Weary] state.
"We Shado-Pan do our best work in the condition our name suggests."
STATISTICS
[HP]
TALENTS
Tier 1 - Level 1:
1. Discipline Through Combat [Q]:[Quest] Hit a single target with both [Palm of Xuen] and [Tiger's Force] 20 times within 6 seconds of each other.
[Reward] [Tiger's Force] no longer has a cooldown, and costs no mana.
2. Air Time [E]:[Quest] Spend 90 Seconds tunneling through the air with [Yu'Lon's Descent].
[Reward] The Range of [Yu'Lon's Descent] is increased by 2 and its speed is proportionally increased.
3. Easy Prey [Q]:Tiger's Force will no longer knockback Minions, and will deal 200% damage to them.
4. Flow of Combat:Casting a Basic Ability increases the damage of Zhu's next Basic Attack by 20%. Hitting an enemy with a Basic Attack reduces the mana cost of Zhu's next Basic Ability by 20%.
Tier 2 - Level 4:
1. Momentum Switch:Your first Basic Attack after Tiger's Force will deal 50% more damage and have 2 Range
2. Wind at Your Back [E]:Upon exiting Yu'Lon's Descent, Zhu will maintain +15% Movement Speed for 2 seconds.
3. Focused Strike:Zhu's first Basic Attack since entering the [Centered] state deals 200% damage. This only occurs once, and refreshes when [Battle-Weary] is replaced with [Centered].
4. Change in Strategy:While under the effect of [Battle-Weary], Tiger's Force becomes a Targeted Ability, and stuns its target for 1 second instead of knocking them back.
Tier 3 - Level 7:
1. Prescience:While under the effect of [Centered], Zhu predicts his opponent's movements, dodging the first instance of Ability Damage he takes. Refreshes when [Battle-Weary] is replaced by [Centered].
2. Martial Mastery:[Quest] - Damage an enemy Hero 20 times in each of [Battle-Weary] and [Centered]'s effects (The Shrouded buff does not count toward this Quest).
[Reward] - [Battle-Weary] no longer reduces Armor, but does not gain any.
[Passive] - Basic Attacks reduce the cooldown of all Basic Abilities by 0.5 seconds.
3. Crane's Onslaught:
INTENDED PLAYSTYLE(S) & EXPLANATION
Zhu is intended to be a Dive Assassin. He has medium-high, consistent damage,[Battle-Weary] and Basic Attacks secondarily raising his baseline damage when his Basic Abilities are on CD (or primarily, with a Basic Attack build).
Zhu's Passive is a double threat conundrum: Does your dive target immediately unload all their abilities on you to prevent you from diving them? If they feel the need to do this, they are punished for their mispositioning by your Armor absorbing some of their damage.
If they do not unload on you, they have to wait 4 seconds before seeing your Armor disappear, in which case you will have time to take them down or wound them enough that they cannot easily retaliate. After that, Zhu can be bursted when he enters [Battle-Weary], but also his Basic Abilities come off CD soon thereafter, and his damage is higher, allowing him to finish the target before they finish him.
However, opponents have some counterplay in this regard; Burst Heroes may be able to stop Zhu from finishing the kill, and Heroes coming in for the peel after Zhu has been going on a target can more easily eliminate Zhu.
As the game progresses, Zhu's playstyle becomes less strict and he is able to build for more flexible Trait usage,
SUMMARY OF REVISIONS
[W] Yu'lon's Descent moved to [E].
[E] Disarm removed.
[W] Flying Crane Kick added.
[R2] Shado-Pan's Temperance/Resolve removed.
Most of this was moved to the Level 20 talent.
[R2] Enveloping Mists added. [Centered]/[Battle-Weary] adjusted to be weaker untalented (Less Armor/Damage Bonus, less time in [Centered].
Complete Talent Rework, many talents removed/added. Additionally, more focus on a "build" rather than individual talent strength.
[Q]/[W]/[E]/[R1] Tuning changes to make these abilities more competitive as an Assassin.
[Q1][Q2] Reworked to allow for more flexibility and a less straight-forward attack plan.
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