Zealot's Falchion (Version 0.13) Improves Value of Tablet of Command and Hack

[Ragnarok17]

Vote on Concept and not so much on the Numbers, please! The item will be balanced over time! :)


Don't like how Hack usually is an unreliable item due to its low chance on hit for Crippling Wounds? This item proposes an autocombinable item consisting of both the underused Hack and Tablet of Command.

Concept: This item is pretty much an upgraded Hack with a reliable slow, so that you won't have to hope as much for that low chance Crippling Wound. Zeal allows you to push any hero. Unless if you're a support hero, its primary usage would be on you, to help you chase. After pushing yourself or someone else, they have a 100% chance to Maim on next hit, making the slow even more reliable.



Components


Hack
http://i36.tinypic.com/2uztgue.jpg
+16 Strength
+10 damage
15% chance on hit to Crippling Wound


Crippling Wound: Lasts for four seconds. Slows Movement Speed by 20% and Attack Speed by 30%. Deals 30 Bonus Damage.
2250 gp


Tablet of Command
http://downloads.gamereplays.org/assets/heroesofnewerth/images_medium/items/recipes/push_staff/icon.jpg
+10 Attack Damage
+10 Attack Speed
+10 Intelligence
Command


Command: Target Hero. Costs 25 MP. Cooldown 25 seconds. Pushes Hero 500 units in the direction it is facing.
2200 gp


Falchion of the Zealot (Recipe)
500 gp
Total: 4950 gp
http://web.dota-allstars.com/static/images/dota/BTNINV_Sword_25.gif
(Placeholder Image)
+16 Strength
+20 Attack Damage
+10 Attack Speed
+10 Intelligence
25% chance on hit to Maim
Zeal


Maim General Exclusive Modifier - Passive - Lasts for four seconds. Slows Movement Speed by 45% and Attack Speed by 30%. Movement Speed returns to normal at a steady rate over the duration of four seconds. Deals 40 bonus damage.


Zeal - Activate: Target Hero. Costs 50 MP. Cooldown 9 seconds. Pushes Hero 500 units in the direction it is facing. Gives target (if an ALLY) 100% chance to Maim on next hit, or until 6 seconds is over.

~Thanks to deathdawn's suggestion on how to improve this item
~Thanks to vikhik who suggested to remove the 100% Maim buff when cast on enemy heroes
So How Does it Work?

Zeal will ultimately help you chase, and increase maneuverability of everyone on the battlefield; meaning you and your teammates. It can also be used to lower the maneuverability of enemies.

The way this item works fits nicely because when you initiate a battle or start chasing, you can activate Zeal, which will conveniently help you start the chase or initiate a fight.

Purpose of this Item

It will create somewhat of an item that mirrors certain aspects of Geometer's Bane. Falchion of Zeal and Geometer's Bane both use one of the components of Hack and Slash. Falchion of Zeal is designed more for Strength Heroes, while Geometer's Bane is designed more for Agility Heroes. Of course, they can both be used by both Strength and Agility Heroes, since it is often times more efficient for a Strength Hero to get more Damage Output while having Illusions to tank a little and movement speed to chase from Geometer's Bane, but this item will also often times provided needed survivability from the strength, along with chasing utilities for Agility Heroes.

A Look at the Recipe

So, this item basically combines both Hack and Tablet of Command. Why these items? It's because their concepts can synergize together like in this proposal.

Slash is often times a better item than Hack. Why? Unlike Hack, Slash gives a constant movement speed increase for chasing down heroes. However, Hack's Crippling Wound is unreliable, as there is only a 15% chance to perform a slow. Imagine trying to kill a hero. He begins to get away, one hit from death. Your spells are on cooldown and you won't be able to disable him anymore to finish him off. Unfortunately, during the 5 seconds that you had him slowed or disabled, you didn't get that Crippling Wound off, and you aren't able to catch up. Because of situations like this, Slash is a more popular upgrade, as it is more reliable. If the hero with Hack in the previous example had Slash instead, he could have caught up and got the kill. Anyways, Slash gives passive ms, so you can travel faster too aside from chasing. In addition, Slash has it's own upgrade, Geometer's Bane, aside from Hack and Slash, making it a more flexible item than Hack.

Tablet of Command is also heavily underused. You will probably see only 1 player get this item every 50-100 games as a maximum. This item is pretty inconvenient to get because of its awkward build up and the strange new ability it presented to HoN. Its command is situational but its potential is surely very high, especially when used by a team of well practiced competitive players. Furthermore, it doesn't have an upgrade.

Tablet of Command, in this recipe, also mirrors Blessed Orb, which is needed for Geometer's Bane. They both give 10 intelligence; however, Tablet gives 10 attack speed instead of 10 agility and 10 damage instead of 10 strength. Nontheless, they help in very similar ways.

With Zealot's Falchion, Hack and Tablet of Command will both become more worthwhile to get. Players will think twice before building Slash first, and Zeal will provide great crowd control. (Not to mention weird but funny looking battles of players chaotically sliding all over XD).

Also, because of the slightly unconvenient task of having to build Tablet and Hack for this, as they don't synergize well while separate, this item's recipe cost isn't too high at all. The 30% attack speed slow on Maim also helps a lot especially during a 1v1. The attack speed slow will help you tank, stay alive, and do more damage to them than they can to you.


For Which Heroes Could this Item Potentially be Good for?
This Item will help Chasing, Tanking, DPS, and Crowd Control. These aspects also make this item especially good for Support (which can consist of both tanks and casters). Players will have more reason to take down tanks who have this item, as it would greatly help a team, rather than take down the carries or weak intelligence heroes first. If an intelligence user like Plague Rider (who fits the role of a support hero especially in late-game) gets this item, then it would help him support too, not to mention the extra 11 intelligence and 16 strength (304 hp) which increases his manapool and improves on his fragile survivability. Getting this item on a fragile intelligence hero like Plague Rider isn't a bad idea since you can use Zeal defensively if the other team tries to kill you first in a team battle.

Plague Rider
Succubus
Armadon
Keeper of the Forest
Behemoth
Pebbles
Jereziah
Accursed
Kraken
Panda

Etc.

Some of these heroes may look weird with this item, but consider that Hack and Tablet are both useful even without combining them. For example, Tablet's int gain and damage helps Panda kill and maintain some mp. An Accursed, a support hero (or even as a carry if you're in a pub or something), will often times get a Hack and go for Hack and Slash. If during the game he decides he wants Tablet, he could build Zealot's Falchion instead of Hack and Slash. Tablet helps him chase, like a mini blink, especially if you just need to catch up to that almost dead enemy just to slow him down with your Sear. Tablet's int gain also helps him as he needs mp for his skills.

~List will be narrowed down and revised to only those heroes that this item would be good to get at least half of the games they play.

Item Strategies and Synergies

Coming Soon!

Matchcraft and Balance

Coming Soon!

Notes: I will try to keep a Changelog of this item if it receives some attention. Poll will also be added soon!

Feedback? Thoughts? Do you feel this item is way too broken and want to quickly correct me for it? Want to tell me that this item's stupid? Please post your reply! :)

[Ragnarok17]

Changelog

Versions
___________

0.01
-Posted

0.01
-Editing and Revising

0.02
-Buffed Strength from 10 to 12
-Buffed Attack Damage from 20 to 25
-Buffed Attack Speed from 10 to 12
-Buffed chance to Maim from 15% to 17%
-Buffed Maim's bonus damage from 35 to 50

0.03
-Added Poll

0.04
-Completed some incomplete sentences
-More editing
-Fixed Color Coding
-Changed version from 0.14 to 0.04

0.10
-Semi-Major changes in the mechanics of this item
-Made Simpler
-Buffed, so that the recipe gives a larger reward late-game for having to create the inconvenient Tablet of Command

0.11
-Str from 25 to 17
-Atk Dmg from 25 to 17
-Atk Spd from 15 to 12
-Int from 15 to 12
-Chance to Maim from 20% to 17%
-MS reduction on Maim from 50% to 45%
-Atk Spd reduction on Maim from 40% to 35%

0.12
-Implementing something similar to deathdawn's idea into my item
-Removed Command
-Changed Zeal to replace both the ideas of the old Zeal and the old Command
-Bonus damage on Maim removed
-Added 100 Bonus damage on Maim when Zeal is activated

0.13
-100 Bonus dmg from Zeal removed
-Original bonus dmg on Maim is returned and increased from 30 to 40
-Int, Str, Atk Spd, and Atk Dmg are now exactly the total of Hack and Tablet's
-Changed into an autocombine
-More of a functionality item than a late-game item
-Atk Spd reduction on Maim from 35% to 30% (original)
-Chance on hit for Maim increased from 17% to 25%

0.14
-Removed Zeal's 100% Maim buff when used on enemy heroes

[Evil_Andrex]

My head hurts from this, too many things going on at the same time try to tone it down a bit. T-up for combining items and making supposedly useful item

[Ragnarok17]

Heh ok thanks for feedback :). I knew there were too many colors, I'm trying to find a simpler way to display the abilities and passives of this item without creating two different abilities.

[Nome]

Add a poll or else.

[Ragnarok17]

Hmm ok then, if you want me to.

[Ragnarok17]

Poll added.

[RTBardic]

I really like the idea of making Hack more flexible, and this would certainly be a viable equivalent to Geometer's Bane. Great reasoning for why you made your item; T-up from me.

Fix your color edit btw -- it's mistyped currently. :p

[Ragnarok17]

Thanks :).

Oh yes, I was going to fix that but I forgot XD. Color coding sure is a pain.

[Evil_Andrex]

Remove command and keep Superior command is what i would do because they are basicly the same thing.

[Ragnarok17]

Yes but the thing is, I need a way to accomplish all of the following:

Create a cooldown time of around 50 seconds for Zeal.
Create a cooldown time of around 25 seconds or equivalent for Command.
Have the item only have one activatable ability (two wouldn't work).

Have the command that you use during Zeal have a shorter cooldown time than Tablet of Command's Zeal.

I'm still thinking of how to simplify this.

[Evil_Andrex]

My vote is held until you make your change for concept.
Im sure it will be a good change when you make one

[Ragnarok17]

You mean rebalance it, or just fix the stuff with Zeal/Command/Superior Command/Maim which is really confusing?

I'm thinking right now of a good way to simplify things, except that the ability will be easier to access, unlike Geometer's Bane which has a cooldown of 60 seconds. I think it will be better if I don't "cling" onto trying to keep Command exactly the same as it is.

I'm planning on changing the ability to passive, removing Superior Command and Command, replacing them all with Zeal. Zeal would be a passive which gives you charges, which would be needed to push a target 500 units the direction they are facing. Does this sound better?

[Ragnarok17]

Awaiting moar feedback.

I'd also like to hear from people whether or not to keep the stats/chasing ability about where it's at right now, or give more stats/dmg/etc and have a little less chasing ability. As you can see, the stats for this item are rather low.

[kHaniu]

2 whole votes.. you must be pleased :S

[Ragnarok17]

Lolwut? If you mean the changelog, I actually decided to put that in anyway, even if this item didn't get much attention.

Thanks for voting :).

[Evil_Andrex]

T-up for concept, just needs to be explained better, also Khaniu u got 7 post u have no right to flame someone like that.

[Ragnarok17]

It's alright, I'm not sure what he really even meant with his post. Ok thanks Evil. I am still thinking of the best way to change this item to make it less confusing.

[Ragnarok17]

Btw if you vote "No", then please explain why, even if it is one simple sentence.

[Sabre]

Stapling two bad items together really doesn't improve either one of them. Can't say I would look foreward to this being included.

[docterj208]

why so many pushes? One push wasn't enough?

[Doggan]

Concept could be good, but I think you worked it way too much. Have you given any thought to make it so that each maim gives a command charge, but max the charges at 1 or 2, with a short cooldown on it? Making a crazy overcomplicated item doesn't really fit anywhere, and is just going to throw people off. I mean, you effectively have 3 different cooldowns attached to 1 item. I'm not going to T-down, because I think you could fix this and make it not so insane.

[Ragnarok17]

It wouldn't hurt either though. Ima change it up now and buff it because I think I made it too humble.

No docter, one push was not enough. While in combat or chasing, you're going to need a lot of pushes to move heroes around to strategic positions or use the pushes to help you chase. Remember, this isn't a 500 range blink, it's a slide. The slide is around the equivalent of 500 movement speed, so really it's like making you run faster. Plus, since the slow on this item slows them down a lot in the first second, this allows you to tactically push yourself forward to go in front of him to block him. The higher slow at the start and lesser slow at the end of Maim promotes constant attacking, as attacking them while they're 40% slowed is better while they're 20% slowed, for example.

Thanks for not T-Downing Doggan.

I've thought of a way to simplify this. Honestly, in game, if you were to use this item, most people who read this wouldn't get confused. But I'm going to make the charges and stuff a passive, so you don't have to activate it like Geometer's Bane.

[Ragnarok17]

Building a Tablet of Command and Hack up during a match doesn't synergnize as well as most item builds, so I give this item a bigger boost for the recipe, as an award for lategame.

[Ragnarok17]

Ok, item buffed more and gives a larger reward for completion of this item.

[Rice_RockeT]

um, what exactly does the "zeal" ability do? nowhere in your original post do you say what happens when the charges are released, guess that got edited out somewhere.

Anyway, it seems like your item has way too much going on at once... I'd suggest combining the zeal and command ability with a single ability, maybe something along the lines of this:

Zealot's Command:
50 manacost, 20 second cooldown, 800 cast range.
Pushes target unit or self 600 units in the direction it's facing. If targeting an enemy, maim is applied to the target. If targeting an ally or self, then the next attack made by the target will automatically proc maim.

[Doggan]

um, what exactly does the "zeal" ability do? nowhere in your original post do you say what happens when the charges are released, guess that got edited out somewhere.


"This item has two passives. A Maim and another passive, Zeal, that gives you charges. So you really only need to worry about the one Activatable Spell. Charges can be used for Command, which will ultimately help you chase, and increase maneuverability of everyone on the battlefield; you, your teammates. It can also be used to lower the maneuverability of enemies."

That's the first paragraph of the item.

[Ragnarok17]

Yes thanks for pointing that out :).

Thanks for asking though Chow!

[deathdawn]

Okay I kind of like the concept but the values are just too high; you could trip down on the stats to make this item more of a function-item rather than a stat pad item.

Other than that I thought of a nice way to turn this into something decent and viable. Scrap the Zeal Idea. Keep the maim and add a 100% chance to maim a target whenever you use command on an opponent. This might be rather strong but the pricing of the item is very high.

T-Up

P.S. I'd appreciate it if you would comment on my heroes the Astral Sentinel and Aqua.

[Ragnarok17]

Ok I was thinking that a bit, earlier the stats were lower. However some people brought it up that "combining two bad items into one" isn't worth it. So I buffed it more as a reward for getting Tablet of Command, which they think that it doesn't help much. I sort of agree, it is a weird item, but its effect is very good.

Thanks for the idea! It sounds great. I will modify my item a bit, based on the idea you gave me. I'll give a little shoutout to you in my OP :).

Alright sure I will take a look at them. I will have to do it tomorrow though, it's past midnight right now sorry.

[Ragnarok17]

I have at least two people who voted no without saying anything. Please comment and share why you voted no, even if you already voted.

Also, item's revised again.

[RenoFox]

Okay, I like the concept. Tablet with some slow effects to make it more useful. Really it's quite a simple idea if you think about it and that's a good thing.

The current numbers are off imo. you should increase the chance of maiming by double, not the effects (which can get a slight boost, maybe copy those from Hack and Slash). The reason people don't like Hack is because it's so unreliable. Actually you can just follow Hack and slash for this items maim.

I think that the maim should effect on the push too to smooth it out. Don't think it needs the +100 damage. Then you can lower the price of the item...

The problem with this item is: Look at the current heroes that use Hack, and the current heroes that use Tablet... they don't match. So that could be a major problem. When you merge items I think that's a very important factor to look at.

[Jil2]

Tablet is already useless. If you had suggest it to remove it i would vote yes.

[Ragnarok17]

Tablet's not actually useless. If used correctly, it can be very good. For example.

Succubus with Tablet can really pwn.

Now in a higher level game, a Succubus would get a level 1 Nightmare and not level it up until much later in the game. She would get the Brain Sap ability after Nightmare.

This is a very devastating combo with Tablet:

If an enemy is within 1100 range of a tower, simple Nightmare him. Then use Tablet of Command to push him into the tower's range. Then the enemy will get hammered on for around 5 seconds ( i forgot the number ). After that, you can use Brain Sap or even your ultimate if he still isn't dead.

It can be used, although it's sort of a risky item to get.



I think that the maim should effect on the push too to smooth it out. Don't think it needs the +100 damage.

What do you mean about "the maim should effect on the push"?

Ok thanks for your suggestions :). I've changed this item into more of a functionality item, so I guess I can lower the cost of the recipe, especially since having to get Tablet for this would be a pain to most people.

[ImpBloody]

Add a poll or else.

i kinda laughed when nome threatened you about adding a poll =P

[Ragnarok17]

Lolyainoamirite?

[Subrandom]

Maybe I'm just blind but I couldn't see myself wasting money on this with any hero. The hardly usable effect is really not worth the money.

[Ragnarok17]

I can see that this is a very weird item, but it gives a reliable slow. If you think about it, Frostwolf Skull isn't very popular either, although it's good for its overall stats and its reliable slow.

[MrSnowman]

Seems close to hack and slash. But thats just because of the crippeling thingy is there. Like it. Dunno about the stats though. Seems very powerfull. Seeing push effects in action (first time I saw it was with rampage) this feels op. But then again its kinda expensive.

[HClCaSaT]

Awesome work man! I like that you've taken two items that hardly get used and made them look sexy together. Yes vote hands down.

Check out my suggestions if you can!

[Ragnarok17]

Thanks for feedback, this item is oddly doing much better than my other item, which I have spent a lot more time into XD.

Will do, HClCaSaT!

[Bugglez]

I don't like this item as much as I did your Thrash and Gash. However I think if Maim was applied with Command (pushed then slowed) when cast on enemies, or if you target an ally then the targeted ally gets a 100% chance to cast maim it could be a better item. Not that it's bad, it just doesn't *pop* for me =/.

G

[vikhik]

I love it but I hate the Maim on enemy idea...

[Ragnarok17]

Hmm ok I'll consider removing that.

Lol yeah I'll remove that right now. I just realized you could betray your own allies XD.

[Iaito]

I'm wasting my first post to tell you how much I like this idea. T-up.
Tablet of command is one of the most underused useful items for support heroes. I love to get this item, also the DotA equivalent (back when I played DotA).
Also I love Hack 'n' Slash, which I also see often underused. I only ever see it on SB/Rhino these days.

Good item, Great concept.

[vikhik]

Hmm ok I'll consider removing that.

Lol yeah I'll remove that right now. I just realized you could betray your own allies XD.

Naww, I don't get recognition in the OP? D:

[Instop]

I liked this item, combine good in itself, balanced... But chage sizes of icons in yout theme, pls.

[Ragnarok17]

Lol thanks for feedback.

Kfien, I'll give you recognition :).

[imposteroak]

yes more hack based items is always a good idea.

[Twine]

I'd like it as an alternative to portal key on some blink initiators.

[Ragnarok17]

Thanks again for feedback.

@Instop, ok will fix that right away XD

[Uggle]

I give it a thumbs up ;) always fun with items that are able to create some nice chaos

[Mittsies]

I'd consider getting Tablet if it, as an item by itself, was made better -- but I don't know if this would ever be worth the extra push. Always keep in mind if there would be better alternatives. What's more useful, a push with a maim or a 3.5 second disable from Kuldra?

Either way it's a nice concept -- T-UP.

[Ragnarok17]

Good point.

Speak of the devil, Tablet has just been buffed XD. (Well it's not a direct buff, but overall it's more flexible and more cost effective for its stats).

Well when I created this item suggestion I did not know that Tablet has a ministun when used on an opponent... Now that I know this, may be I should also add a 0.1 ministun effect buff to the pushed player, so that on next hit he Maims and ministuns to stop channeling or spell casting?

[GGreenBass]

So how are you going to incorporate the fact that Hack is now Icebrand?

EDIT:
I really do like the concept of the item. I've never actually used Tablet of Command because it seems like such an odd item to have, but this could definitely make it worth getting.

[Ragnarok17]

Hm idk honestly. I'll think of something ;). I'll definitely have to adjust around the fact that Icebrand isn't as suckish an item as it used to.

[Tatts]

I still like the overall idea of this item. I feel a remake is desired.

[PzKw]

A much better use for Sange than Frostburn, which is horribly and terribly conceptually overpowered.

[Ragnarok17]

Yeah that's a problem ^^.

I guess I'll just put this item "on hold" for now until another item fills up Sange's niche or if Icebrand gets nerfed.