Soraka, the Starchild
Overview:
Post-VGU Soraka's identity as a self-sacrificing healer isn't too far off from what I had planned for her, and creates room for a dedicated ally-sustaining support that still has elements of risk-reward and healthy trade-offs for the damage they can undo.
While I'll largely be sticking with Soraka's current format rather than drawing too heavily from my initial redesign, one element that will be carrying over is a push away from aggression and poke (which have a history of balance issues with her). By refocusing Soraka's gameplay around her defining characteristics of compassion and mercy, the core of her identity should be kept intact in the midst of these changes.
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On top of making Soraka as non-lethal as it gets, these changes should also refine her niche as a specific type of healer - a siege-sustaining healer - to keep her distinct from other health-restoring supports. To help her fill this niche, her new Innate rewards her for keeping allies healthy over long periods of time while protecting her from the occasional poke (which also provides enemies a means to curb her mana sustain).
Star's Call has remained functionally unchanged as a means to keep Soraka from killing herself while staving off aggressive foes, but trades damage for disruption and a larger AoE. She has also picked up Thresh's ally-saving lantern, which makes more sense on an enchanter that wants to keep allies out of harm's way than on a sinister catcher that wants to put enemies into it.
All values in blue are meant to give a general idea of the ability's properties, and are subject to change.
Class: Enchanter
Recommended Positions: Duo Sidelane (Support)
Complexity: Low
Innate: Salvation
Soraka draws in grateful prayers from allies within 1100 units that have over 75% health, manifesting as a star in a constellation that surrounds her. The constellation can hold up to 10 stars, and each ally will only offer a prayer every 6 to 3 (based on level) seconds.
Each star causes Soraka to regenerate 0.75% of her missing mana every 5 seconds. Receiving damage from an enemy champion expends all stars to shield Soraka for
3 to 25 (based on level) + (9% AP), decaying over 2 seconds. The shield's strength is increased by 100% per star.
Q: Star's Call
Soraka draws the deepest prayers from enemies within the target area after 0.25 to 1 (based on target range) seconds, leaving them in a meditative state of contemplation that slows them by 30% for 2 seconds and silences them for half the duration.
Drawing in a prayer from at least one enemy champion grants Soraka Rejuvenation for 2.5 seconds, healing her for 5/6/7/8/9 + (3% AP) every 0.5 seconds and granting her 15/20/25/30/35% bonus movement speed while moving away from visible enemy champions, decaying over the duration.
While Soraka is Rejuvenated, she can Rejuvenate other allies with Astral Infusion, granting them the same effects for the same duration.
Range: 800 (target range), 300 (effect radius)
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Circle
Cooldown: 8/7/6/5/4
Cost: 60/65/70/75/80 mana
W: Astral Infusion
Soraka heals the target ally for 80/115/150/185/220 + (60% AP). If the target is a minion,
40% to 90% (based on level) of Astral Infusion's cost is refunded.
Astral Infusion cannot be self-cast, nor can it be cast if Soraka is below 5% health.
Range: 550
Targeting Type: Targeted
Cooldown: 6/5/4/3/2
Cost: 10% maximum health + 40/45/50/55/60 mana
E: Guidance
Soraka creates a Guiding Star at the target location for 6 seconds or until she moves 1500 units away from it, revealing its surroundings.
Ally champions within 600 units of the Guiding Star gain 20/30/40/50/60% bonus movement speed and are ghosted while moving towards it. An ally can select the Star while in proximity of it, dashing to Soraka's current location.
An ally cannot select the Star while silenced, grounded, or immobilized.
Range: 950 (range), 150 (selection radius), 300 (vision radius)
Targeting Type: Skill Shot - Circle
Cooldown: 22/19.5/17/14.5/12
Cost: 50/55/60/65/70 mana
R: Wish
Soraka channels for 5 seconds, glowing so brilliantly for the duration that her location is revealed to enemy champions.
During this time, Soraka answers the prayers of the most wounded ally champion every second, healing them for 150/250/350 + (55% AP), which is increased by 50% on targets below 40% health.
Range: Global
Targeting Type: None
Cooldown: 160/145/130
Cost: 100 mana