# Kai's Kit Suggestions for Nathan *High-level concepts for Nathan to develop with his mechanical expertise* --- ## Design Philosophy Notes Based on Nathan's existing character designs, I notice these patterns that make his work exceptional: ### **Nathan's Innovation Patterns:** 1. **Dual-state mechanics** (human/beast, innocent/nightmare, ranged/melee) 2. **Resource management beyond mana** (rage, consciousness, dimensional energy) 3. **Environmental interaction** (battlefield changes, persistent effects) 4. **Narrative integration** (abilities tell character stories through mechanics) 5. **Skill expression through complexity** (not just button mashing, but meaningful choices) ### **What Makes Nathan's Designs Special:** - **Emotional storytelling through gameplay** (Hokura's family weapon names) - **Lore-integrated mechanics** (Revier's revenge bonus vs Iku) - **Complex transformation systems** (Umoya's trauma-triggered form changes) - **Innovation beyond current MOBA standards** (things League/Dota aren't doing) --- ## Kit Concept Suggestions ### **Portal Tactician - "The Dimensional Strategist"** **World Assignment**: Nexus (Crossroads World) **Role**: Support/Utility **Core Fantasy**: Reality-hopping strategist who manipulates battlefield geography **High-Level Concept:** - Creates **persistent portals** on the map that teammates can use for repositioning - Ultimate creates **pocket dimension battlefield** - pulls enemy into isolated 1v1 space - Portal placement becomes strategic mini-game with dimensional energy resource management - Team coordination around portal network creates macro-level strategy **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Portal durability/energy costs for balance - Portal interaction rules (who can use, cooldowns, etc.) - Pocket dimension mechanics and escape conditions - Resource management for dimensional abilities --- ### **Symbiotic AI - "The Conflicted Consciousness"** **World Assignment**: Keth-7 (Cybernetic Haven) **Role**: ADC/Assassin **Core Fantasy**: Human-AI merger where two consciousness disagree on tactics **High-Level Concept:** - **Dual consciousness bars** - AI wants efficiency, Human wants creativity - Abilities change based on which consciousness is dominant - Internal conflict creates resource management through negotiation - Form switching based on consciousness agreement/disagreement **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Consciousness switching mechanics and triggers - Ability variations between AI-dominant vs Human-dominant states - Resource costs for consciousness control - Skill expression through internal conflict management --- ### **The Forge-Master - "Combat Blacksmith"** **World Assignment**: Pyrros (Forge World) **Role**: Fighter/Tank **Core Fantasy**: Blacksmith who creates custom weapons during combat **High-Level Concept:** - **Mid-combat crafting system** - combines materials from killed minions/monsters - Temporary weapons with different stats/abilities based on materials used - Crafting speed vs weapon quality trade-offs - Material scarcity creates strategic resource decisions **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Crafting interface and timing mechanics - Material types and weapon combinations - Temporary item duration and power scaling - Integration with existing item system --- ### **Dream Walker - "Reality/Nightmare Manipulator"** **World Assignment**: Umbros (Shadow Realm) **Role**: Mage/Support **Core Fantasy**: Specialist who manipulates consciousness and dream states **High-Level Concept:** - Abilities work differently based on **day/night map cycle** - Can put enemies "to sleep" in **dream dimension** with altered physics - Dream state creates temporary battlefield changes - Team coordination around sleep timing and dream manipulation **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Sleep mechanics and dream dimension rules - Day/night ability variations and transitions - Dream state interactions and escape conditions - Counterplay and balance considerations --- ### **Scavenger Engineer - "Desert Improviser"** **World Assignment**: Moc (Desert of Scarcity) - *Potential for Izar* **Role**: Support/Fighter **Core Fantasy**: Survivor who builds equipment from battlefield salvage **High-Level Concept:** - **Salvages destroyed structures/abilities** to build temporary equipment - Everything is improvised, jury-rigged, and temporary - Salvage quality degrades over time - Strategic timing of what to build and when **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Salvage interaction mechanics and material types - Construction system for temporary structures/weapons - Degradation mechanics and timing balance - Integration with existing destruction events --- ### **Storm Rider - "Sky Warrior"** **World Assignment**: Aethros (Floating Realm) **Role**: Assassin/Fighter **Core Fantasy**: Aerial combatant who controls weather and gravity **High-Level Concept:** - **Altitude mechanics** - abilities change based on height above ground - Creates updrafts/downdrafts that affect all characters in area - Elevation management becomes positioning mini-game - Weather effects influence entire battlefield temporarily **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Altitude detection and ability scaling systems - Weather effect areas and durations - Terrain interaction with air currents - Positioning skill expression through elevation --- ### **Time Refugee - "Temporal Anomaly"** **World Assignment**: Any World (Time Lords recruitment error) **Role**: Mage/Assassin **Core Fantasy**: Someone pulled from wrong timeline, phases between eras **High-Level Concept:** - **Phase shifting** between "past self" and "future self" with different abilities - Can briefly exist in both states simultaneously for combo potential - Timeline synchronization creates complex interaction opportunities - Temporal energy management for phase control **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Phase timing mechanics and state transitions - Simultaneous existence rules and interactions - Temporal energy resource system - Combo potential between timeline states --- ### **Corporate Escapee - "Reformed Executive"** **World Assignment**: Keth-7 (Cybernetic Haven) **Role**: Support/Tank **Core Fantasy**: Ex-corporate leader who uses company resources against the system **High-Level Concept:** - **Hacked corporate abilities** - surveillance, resource allocation, team coordination - Abilities get stronger when protecting teammates (reformed leader protecting others) - Can temporarily "employ" allies for enhanced coordination - Corporate knowledge creates information warfare capabilities **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Team buff mechanics and employment systems - Information gathering and sharing abilities - Resource allocation between teammates - Corporate vs resistance identity conflict --- ### **Poison Garden Keeper - "Toxic Botanist"** **World Assignment**: Jabay (Jungle Paradise) or Moc (Desert Scarcity) **Role**: Support/Mage **Core Fantasy**: Plant specialist who cultivates battlefield toxins and remedies **High-Level Concept:** - **Plants seeds** that grow into different utility plants over time - Poison plants vs healing plants based on seed type and care - Garden management becomes strategic layer - Environmental control through botanical warfare **Nathan's Mechanical Development Potential:** - Plant growth timing and interaction systems - Seed types and garden planning mechanics - Plant synergies and combinations - Area control through botanical placement --- ## Notes for Nathan These are **raw creative concepts** meant to inspire your mechanical genius, not finished designs. Each concept is built around: 1. **A unique mechanical innovation** that doesn't exist in current MOBAs 2. **World integration** that makes sense with our established lore 3. **Skill expression potential** for competitive depth 4. **Narrative coherence** where abilities tell the character's story Take whatever sparks ideas and develop them with your mechanical expertise. The specific abilities, cooldowns, balance numbers, and interaction rules are all your domain - I'm just providing the creative starting points. Looking forward to seeing how you transform these concepts into the kind of brilliant, innovative character designs you're known for. --- *These suggestions are meant to complement Nathan's existing design work, not replace or compete with it. All mechanical development, balance considerations, and final implementations remain Nathan's expertise.*