Ghost Marchers, Steamboots, and Plated Greaves

[Khaos`]

Below are my proposed boot remakes. They are designed to replace the current Ghost Marchers, Steamboots, and Plated Greaves that are in the game as of patch 0.1.56.

All of these boots consist of Marchers combined with a +6 attribute item and a small utility item. They cost 1500 gold, give +70 movement speed, and are all relatively easy to build up to.

Each item gives only one different attribute, but you will see that they have additional abilities designed to help more skilled players decide what type is best for what hero. This also makes it much easier for new players to decide what type of boots to make on their hero.

Although designed for agility heroes, many strength heroes and a few intelligence heroes will want the "agility boots" because of its powerful Phase-like ability.

Although designed for strength heroes, many intelligence heroes and a few agility heroes will want the "strength boots" for the same reason that Fortified Bracers are so common. For the extra survivability it gives.

And finally, although designed for intelligence heroes, many strength heroes and a few agility heroes will want the "intelligence boots." An example would be a support-style Accursed, or mana-intensive heroes like Madman or Pebbles.

Now for the items.

Here are my proposed agility-based boots, inspired by Ghost Marchers.

Tracker's Boots - 1500

Marchers (500)
Fleetfeet (450)
Logger's Hatchet (225)
Recipe (325)

+70 Movement Speed
+12 Agility
+38% Damage vs. Non-Hero Units (Melee Only)
+18% Damage vs. Non-Hero Units (Ranged Only)

On activation, applies Tracker to self for 5 seconds. 15 second cooldown.

Tracker Effects
+10% Movement Speed
Unitwalking
Treewalking until three trees are walked through
Treewalked trees are immediately destroyed

Notes: Tracker is essentially Phased combined with the Logger's Hatchet ability. It does not give straight Treewalking as seen by Sand Wraith or Rampage. Instead, it will automatically chop down the next three trees you walk into while phased. This can allow you to make surprise ganks on side lanes, and can also help you juke enemy heroes in thick woods.

Below are my proposed strength-based boots, inspired by the recent armor-granting boots.

Plated Marchers - 1500

Marchers (500)
Bolstering Armband (450)
Guardian Ring (175)
Recipe (375)

+70 Movement Speed
+8 Strength
+4 Armor

Applies +4 armor to damage taken from front if hero is at more than half maximum health. Applies +4 armor to damage taken from rear if hero is at half or less of maximum health.

Notes: This ability is not activated and is always in effect. It is similar in design to Armadon's Bristleback ability. As an example, if your hero has 501 or more health, with a maximum of 1000 health, sources that attack you from the front will hit you as if you have an additional +4 armor. If your hero has 500 or less health, with a maximum of 1000 health, sources that attack you from the rear will hit you as if you have additional +4 armor. In all cases, Plated Marchers will always grant a passive +4 armor bonus.

Finally, here are my proposed Intelligence-based boots, inspired by Sacred Greaves in the "beta-beta."

Sacred Greaves - 1500

Marchers (500)
Apprentice's Robe (450)
Mana Battery (210)
Recipe (340)

+70 Movement Speed
+10 Intelligence

On activation, restores 15 health and mana per charge to self and nearest allied hero in a 600 radius. Maximum of 10 charges. 17 second cooldown.

Aura effects
+1 charge any time an enemy hero in range casts a spell.
+1 charge if no charge has been added in the past 10 seconds.

Notes: These boots are based off of the "Magic Battery boots" that were originally to be slated for patch 0.1.56. It's unfortunate that they were not included so we could test Plated Greaves instead. Regardless, these support-style boots are similar to Mana Battery and work in the same manner. The main difference is that these can now be used to heal and to give mana to an ally, in addition to yourself. The other change is that charges are added in the same way they are added to Puppet Master's Whiplash, so that the heal can be used once before a battle begins.

As I stated earlier, you can see how each of these boots each fulfill a different role. There are ganking and escaping boots, tanking boots, and a mana-boosting support boots. Although divided by attribute type for simplicity, it will never be an easy decision to decide what to get on your specific hero.

Please vote on the concept of this remake, not the specific numbers. Numbers can be tested and changed in the beta for balance!

I will try to make custom items for people to test these in Practice mode, if there is demand for it. Thank you for taking the time to read this!

[Forfeit]

In order:

Overpowered/gimmicky

Gimmicky

Overpowered

[Khaos`]

I don't suppose it would be too much to ask for an explanation?

I'm not convinced that Tracker's Boots are way better than Ghost Marchers, nor that the one item that gives additional strength and armor is underpowered compared to the other two.

And "gimmicky" doesn't even mean anything. Kuldra's Sheepstick is gimmicky, it turns people into sheep.

[Xylias]

I would rather see boots that are designed for fitting certain roles than certain attributes.