8.5 KiB
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:
- Dual-state mechanics (human/beast, innocent/nightmare, ranged/melee)
- Resource management beyond mana (rage, consciousness, dimensional energy)
- Environmental interaction (battlefield changes, persistent effects)
- Narrative integration (abilities tell character stories through mechanics)
- 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:
- A unique mechanical innovation that doesn't exist in current MOBAs
- World integration that makes sense with our established lore
- Skill expression potential for competitive depth
- 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.