Emperor Shaohao was the ruler of the Pandaren Empire, which was not as peaceful as modern history remembers it to be. In this timeline, Emperor Shaohao becomes corrupted by the power of the Sha due to his war crimes, using the power of his fatal flaws to subjugate all of Pandaria under his terrible iron rule.
This character idea is started as "What if Shaohao had never conquered his doubts? He was the emperor of the Pandaren EMPIRE, after all. What if he found the Sha to be powerful tools used for subjugation, refusing to listen to the wisdom of the Celestials?"
A lot of my inspiration came from watching the series of shorts with Emperor Shaohao, and saying “What if he did the opposite? What if we forced the enemy into these positions Emperor Shaohao (not Warlord) had found himself in?”
Warlord Shaohao
Universe: Warcraft
Role: Tank
Basic Statistics:
Health: 2074 (+4% per level)
Basic Attack Damage: 76 (+4% per level)
Basic Attack Range: 1.5
Basic Attack Speed: 0.9 attacks per second.
[Developer Notes: Shaohao’s base statistics are somewhat lacking for a tank’s, primarily because of the sheer power of his peel. He has trouble survivng through high burst damage (though his heroics help him with that), and has issues retreating, but has unique and powerful CC that can make strong plays, as well as a strong solo lane game.]
Default Mount
Z (Mount) – (3 sec cooldown)
Increase your movement speed by 30% until you get hit.
[Developer Notes: No need for a special mount.]
Shaohao’s abilities take inspiration from the Sha he had conquered in his animated short. For example, his trait, Shroud of Doubt–
Shroud of Doubt
Trait (35 second cooldown)
Warlord Shaohao cloaks himself in doubt, dealing 11 (+4% per level) damage to all enemies in a medium radius around him for 5 seconds. Whenever he takes Heroic damage during this effect, he gains 2 Armor, his damage increases by 5%, and the duration of this Shroud increases by 0.5 seconds.
–makes him very powerful–if he’s getting focused while the shroud is on him. However, if one takes the advice of the Jade Serpent and acts as the reed, and ignores the problem, the problem disappears.
Despair
Q (14 second CD, 60 Mana)
Despair is made manifest in an area after 0.5 seconds, which roots enemies caught for 0.75 seconds. Anytime rooted foes deal direct damage, the duration of Despair is refreshed and they take 21 (+4% per level) damage. Additionally, they take 42 (+4% per level) damage every second they are rooted.
[Developer Notes: Despair is a powerful, entangling roots-eque skill shot that requires the enemy, just like Shaohao in the animated short, to stop fighting against despair but to put hope in their allies. The longer the enemy is in Despair, usually to their own fault, the more their allies cannot save them from their inevitable death.]
Fear
W (17 second CD, 80 Mana)
Blackened claws swipe in a direction after 1.25 seconds, catching the first enemy hero hit in it’s devilish grasp, dealing 364 (+4% per level) damage over 3 seconds and keeping the foe in stasis for the duration of the damage. This damage starts weak and ends strong.Other enemies can break this stasis early by destroying the claws grasping the enemy hero, and each hit against the claws reduces the amount of damage over time by an equivalent amount.
[Developer Notes: Fear is a single target crowd control that requires teamwork to break, similar to (but weaker than) cocoon. It uses vector targeting.]
Details
- Claws are spawned facing a direction.
- After 1.25 seconds, they suddenly rush forward.
- If an enemy hero is in the path, it gets caught by the claw and crushed for 3 seconds.
- Allied heroes can attack the claws to reduce the damage dealt and the total duration of the move.
Anger
E (11 second CD, 50 Mana)
Instill the Sha of Anger in the enemy hero’s heart, and after 2 seconds, taunt that enemy hero for 1.5 seconds. They move 50% faster for the duration of the taunt.
[Developer Notes: Just like Shaohao, rage takes control after frustration. It makes one blind in pursuit of their goal. This move shares similarities with Bone Prison, as it has a long delay before the powerful effect occurs.]
Sha of Pride
Heroic #1 (180 second CD, 100 Mana)
Transform into the Sha of Pride for 15 seconds, gaining 1197 (+4% per level) health and gaining new abilities for the duration.Summary
Q: Sorrow
(10 second cooldown)
Pools of Despair are made manifest under all enemy heroes in a large area around you after 0.5 seconds, which root enemies caught for 0.75 seconds. Anytime rooted foes deal direct damage, the duration of Despair is refreshed and they take 21 (+4% per level) damage. Additionally, they receive 75% less healing and take 42 (+4% per level) damage every second they are rooted.W: Terror
10 sec cooldown
Five claws whirl around you after 1.25 seconds, catching the first enemy hero hit in it’s devilish grasp, dealing 364 (+4% per level) damage over 3 seconds and keeping the foe in stasis for the duration of the damage. This damage starts weak and ends strong.Other enemies can break this stasis early by destroying the claws grasping the enemy hero, and each hit against the claws reduces the amount of damage over time by an equivalent amount.
E: Rage
5 sec cooldown
After 1 second, taunt all enemy heroes in a large radius around you for 1.5 seconds. They move 50% faster during the taunt.If you die as the Sha of Pride, you die as Warlord Shaohao
[Developer Notes: The ability is a playmaker. Turns your singular CC into very powerful teamwide CC. However, the Sha of Pride is very susceptible to focus fire (as it has a very large hitbox, simlar to Dragonqueen or Deathwing), as well as not adding armor to Shaohao.]
Spirit of Cruelty
(10 second CD, 50 Mana)
Activate to steal 5% of every enemy hero’s maximum health that is suffering from CC.Passive: Whenever there is an enemy hero suffering from the crowd-control effects of one of your basic abilities, you are unkillable.
[Developer Notes: This Heroic makes Warlord Shaohao very difficult to kill. However, since all of his CC is difficult to land skill shots, this is some what balanced. This reinforced his bully capability, but doesn’t allow him to capitalize on the power of the Sha as fully. Focus on dodging Shaohao’s skillshots and breaking down his Fear to minimize this Heroic’s prevalence.]
Patch Notes
1.0.1: Clarifed details.
1.0.0: Created Warlord Shaohao
