Al’akir is the elemental lord of air, and he has both a cool theme and a unique look. With Ragnaros introduced to the game, the other elemental lords have the potential to make it in. Pursuing the goal of an elemental lord team, I decided to make my favorite Elemental Lord. I chose him over Thunderaan because of his unique set of abilities from his raid, and I like his appearance more.
In Hots, Al’akir is a tactical tank who focuses on displacement and forcing his enemies to move about, potentially forcing them into damaging abilities or keeping them away from allies. He is quite a bit squishier than the average tank, but makes up for it with his massive area denial and unique bag of tricks, similar to Anub’arak in a way.
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Tank
Twister
Z (Mount) – 4 Second CD
Increases your movement speed by 30% while mounted.
Explanation: This mount is like Ragnaros’s molten counterpart, being special because of their character but not actually having a different gameplay implication.
Relentless Storm
Trait (90 second CD)
Al’akir disappears and reappears at a target location within 7 units after a 1 second channel time. When he appears, all enemies in the area are knocked out of it and Al’akir is much larger, 2.5 units in radius. He lasts in this form for up to 5 seconds, becoming stationary but gaining 50 Armor for the duration. Activate again to end early. While in this state, his Q is disabled and all enemy heroes on the map are slowly pulled towards him (as by a conveyor belt).
Explanation: In the vein of Ragnaros, Al’akir can grow extremely large, controlling an entire fight by soaking skillshots and disrupting the entire enemy team. He also is much tankier in this form, although it only lasts 5 seconds. Its long cooldown makes its usage extremely important, but it can turn a fight in your favor. To make it less similar to Ragnaros, it is free form and does not change his abilities.
Dragging Winds
Q (8 sec Cooldown)
Al’akir targets an enemy within 5 units and drags a vector from them in any direction. For the next 3 seconds, the enemy is affected by a conveyor belt effect, slowing being pulled in the vector direction (80% of the strength of Volskaya’s belts). The enemy is additionally dealt 25 (+4% per level) damage every .5 seconds.
Explanation: Dragging Winds is a unique and powerful way for Al’akir to force enemies in a direction, oftentimes to combo with his other abilities that control their movement. While it is point and click, it’s conveyor style drag instead of a push makes it much less annoying to fight against.
Squall Line
W (12 sec Cooldown)
Al’akir creates a perpendicular line of three tornadoes (each 1.5 units in width) that he sends in an 8 unit line. If an enemy touches a tornado, they are pulled into it, being dragged until the end and being dealt 25 (+4% per level) damage every .5 seconds within. Each tornado can only hit one enemy, and the enemy can continue to use abilities and basic attacks while within.
Explanation: Squall Line denies an entire path, as getting caught by a tornado can either take you out of the fight or keep you unable to run away for quite some time. Remember that if an ally gets hit, holes start to appear in the line, making the skill easier to avoid. The trap effect is like Zarya’s Graviton Surge, not stopping you from acting but preventing your movement. The tornadoes are slow, taking 4 seconds to reach the full way.
Northern Gale
E (12 sec Cooldown)
Al’akir calls down a rain of hail at a target location within 6.5 units in a trapezoid-shaped area (furthest side being short, 3 units tall, 5 units wide at base and 3 units wide at top) after a .65 second delay, dealing 220 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies hit and stunning them for .75 seconds. In addition, a patch of ice forms under the ground, causing enemies who walk on the ice to slide in the direction they input when they walked on the ice until they slide off the ice. If they hit terrain, they bounce in the opposite direction. The ice patch lasts for 4 seconds.
Explanation: While it may be a bit difficult to code correctly, Northern Gale offers even more area denial, with an added useful stun. Pushing an enemy into this will ensure they are locked down for a good time, and the added ice patch will create pandemonium. For an example of the sliding effect, look at Skadi’s Permafrost from Smite.
Stormling
Heroic #1 (25 sec Cooldown)
Al’akir summons a Stormling at a target location in a lightning flash after a .65 second delay, which will blind any enemy within 3 units of the impact zone for 1.5 seconds. The Stormling then remains for 3 seconds, stationary, dealing 30 (+4% per level) damage every .5 seconds and reducing the attack speed of all enemies in a 4 unit radius area by 35%
Explanation: Stormling specializes in countering basic attack centric characters, coming with a quick blind and a longer lasting attack speed shred on top. It can apply a burst of CC and then, if Al’akir can keep the enemy pinned in the area, continue to deny the attack speed of enemies. The Stormlings cannot be damaged or killed.
Static Shock
Heroic #2 (60 sec CD)
Al’akir creates an aura of electricity around him for 5 seconds. If an enemy within 5 units casts an ability, they are instantly dealt 80 (+4% per level) damage and are silenced for 1 second. The radius is based on his collision hitbox.
Explanation: Frequent casters beware! Static Shock creates an aura around him that force enemies to consider which spells they want to cast, as casting one will keep you from casting others for a short time. While very long-lasting, enemies have ample opportunity to escape it. Yet, it serves as a powerful counter to enemies who like to use many abilities in quick succession.
Tier 1
• Wind Burst: Dragging Winds’ conveyor effect is reduced in power by 20%. At the end of the duration, the enemy is pushed 4 units in the vector.
• Crosswinds: After reaching the end of the line, any unused tornadoes return back in the duration they came until the reach their starting location. The tornadoes move 100% faster on the return trip.
• Nezir’s Chill: Enemies affected by Dragging Winds that are touch Northern Gale’s ice path are sent in the vector direction, and are slowed by 50% while on it.
Tier 2
• Hail Guard: While on an ice patch generated from Northern Gale, Al’akir gains 25 Armor. Relentless Storm always grants 75 Armor.
• Anshal’s Respite: Upon using Squall Line, Al’akir heals 2.5% of his maximum health every .5 seconds for 2 seconds. This effect refreshes while near a tornado created by Squall Line.
• Buffeting Winds: (Activate) Al’akir gains Protected for 2 seconds. 30 second Cooldown.
Tier 3
• Windlord’s Blade: While within Relentless Storm, Al’akir deals 100% increased damage and his basic attacks cleave in a 180 degree cone, damaging all enemies hit.
• Siamat’s Fury: Dragging Winds causes enemies to take 40% increased damage from Al’akir’s other abilities.
• Serrated Ice: Every .25 seconds an enemy is sliding on an ice patch from Northern Gale, they are dealt 8 (+4% per level) damage. Northern Gale’s ice patch lasts an additional second.
Tier 4
• Stormling: Al’akir summons a Stormling at a target location which will release an aura of damage around them. All enemies near the Stormling are taunted to it, attacking it with basic attacks. The Stormling can take a total of 5 basic attacks, and lasts a maximum of 1.75 seconds. This has 2 charges, with a 5 second internal cooldown.
• Static Shock: Al’akir creates an aura of electricity around him for 5 seconds. If an enemy nearby casts an ability, they are instantly dealt damage and are silenced for 1 second. The radius is based on his collision mask.
Tier 5
• Cunningness: [QUEST!] Every time Al’akir survives while within Relentless Storm while nearby enemy Heroes, the cast range of Relentless Storm is increased by 60%. All increases are lost on death. [Reward] After reaching 300% increased cast range, upon appearing with Relentless Storm, all nearby enemies are slowed by 50% for 1.5 seconds. Also, the increase can no longer be lost by death.
• Dissipate: (Activate) Al’akir vanishes into the air, becoming unrevealable and untargetable (abilities and attacks deal no damage and pass through) for 5 seconds. 80 sec Cooldown.
• Wind Vortex: (Activate) Al’akir places an enemy Hero into stasis for 5 seconds. While banished, the enemy can move at 20% of normal speed. 60 sec Cooldown.
Tier 6
• Crystalline Fracture: When the ice patch expires, it shatters, stunning enemies for .75 seconds and dealing 135 (+4% per level) damage.
• Chains of Heaven: Enemies can no longer use movement abilities while trapped within Squall Line.
• Rohash’s Control: Dragging Winds now has global range, but using it outside more than 150% its natural radius reduces it’s duration by 1.5 seconds.
Tier 7
• Armies of Skywall: Stormling can now store up to 3 charges, but deals 25% reduced damage, and blinds for 1 less second. Attack speed reductions from their auras do not stack.
• Energy Drain: Each time an enemy is silenced by Static Shock, Static Shock’s duration increased by 1 second. Lasts a maximum of 10 seconds.
• Eye of the Storm: While Relentless Storm is active, all allied heroes within 12 units start flying, gaining 30% increased movement speed and being able to move over impassable terrain.
• Enough!: Upon arriving at Relentless Storm, all enemies within 4 units of Al’akir are knocked up for 1.25 seconds. In addition, the duration of Relentless Storm is increased by 50%.