Description: Goes by many names. The Living Shadow, The Dread Assassin, The Night Which Consumes, etc. All of them point to a single man wrapped in mystery. Zio is a contract assassin, taking jobs whether they be large or small, and has an incredible success ratio. His skill with his vast weaponry is incredible to behold, but he is most proficient with his pair of oversized claw gauntlets. He’s also been seeing wielding unique types of magic designed to augment his abilities. When not taking jobs, he can be seen basking in the night air, contemplating thoughts that very few would even have an inkling to. While the world knows him as one of the most dangerous assassins, he is much more than that; Zio is an alias. His true identity, however, is a closely guarded secret. Rumors on the wind speak of having a beloved that his jobs fund. Such things are simply rumors, however, carried by those that speak far too much…
Passives:
Dark Hunter
“The shadows and I are one in the same...to defeat one, you shall have to defeat the other…”Through one method or another, Zio is capable of magic that manipulates the opponents perception. Such a thing appears as a dark fog around the field, one that he can freely move in and out of, and strike from any unexpected position. Zio can strike at any given time and place, appearing cloaked in darkness as a physical silhouette, before darting back into the abyss. At the start of any fight, Zio enters the Dark Hunter state, which makes enemies attack at disadvantage. The effect dispels when Zio is struck by a successful attack, but returns back up in 6 turns.
Unflinching Stature
“...I would advise you to stop that.”Zio is known for his stoic disposition, one that leaves very little to his character. His deep black mask hides any trace of emotion from his opponent, and has been known to always keep a cool head. However, should the mask come off, however, his emotions will be on full display, and make it difficult to hold back any longer. Few have lived long enough to tell the tale of seeing such a feat. Seduction based attacks do -1 damage and anything inflicting Charm as a status effect rolls at disadvantage. At half health, the mask cracks, revealing his face and bringing his own emotions to the forefront. The previous effects vanishes, and before every turn, Zio rolls an additional die. If the roll is under 20, Zio can attack twice in a single turn. Only one attack landed per turn can crit. If his HP is restored back up to above half, the added benefits of the ability are removed until he falls back under the health limit, but he is still capable of using attacks that require the ability active.
Attacks:
Terminus
“...there!”Zio summons his favored pair of oversized claws, Terminus, before closing the distance between both him and the target and dealing a massive swipe across their body, the claws pulsing with his dark magics. Deals 3 damage. Has a chance of inflicting Fear, which causes physical attacks to be launched at disadvantage towards Zio for 2 turns.
Three Thousand and One Talons
“Making me use something like this...what a troublesome mark…”Zio jumps backwards, splitting into 3 forms, before all 3 assault the target at once using their own Terminus in a vicious flurry of blows. The blow is strong and fierce enough to leave the seed of fear in anyone lucky enough to live the assault. Deals 4 damage. The target’s last two attacks are sealed for 2 turns. This effect stacks with any cooldowns associated with the skill. Can only be used from the 4th turn onward, and has a 4 turn cooldown.
Crossbow
“Took some time to make these...what a pain..”Zio pulls a small crossbow out of his cloak, the tip a deep purple, before firing it. The tip is coated in a magical, hyper fast acting poison, that works as soon as it comes in contact with the skin. Deals 2 damage. Inflicts Poison, dealing one damage per turn and can be shook off with a free action before their own each turn.
Falling Spider
“Poison’s running through your veins...but lose your focus, and…!”Can only be used when a target is afflicted by Poison. Zio’s Terminus glows a sickly green, extending it forward to poke into the target. The action seems to detonate the poison flowing inside them, as if their body is engulfed in an internal fire. Deals 3 damage. Lowers the target’s Attack by 1 for 2 turns, and removes the Poison status on the target.
Gate of Demons
“...need more power!”Strengthening the grip on his willful possession by a demonic force, he draws more power from the union of his own soul with the other in exchange for a portion of his own stamina. For the next 3 turns, Zio’s crit rate rises to any successful rolls over 70. Has a 4 turn cooldown once the effect ends.
Magic Block
“Magic is felt through the whole body...therefore, if you know how the body works...like so!”Behind the appearance of a battle hardened warrior is a cunning mind that has studied thousands of ways to incapacitate and kill whoever was necessary to kill. This includes an extensive knowledge of how living beings use magic, and how to prevent it. Zio delivers a series of seemingly small punches and blows dealt at specific points of the targets body, blocking off the flow of magic from their crucial areas, and building it up at this blocked points. Deals 2 damage. Has a chance of inflicting Silence on the target, preventing them from using magic. If they are unable to shake off the Silence for more than two turns, the target takes 2 more damage on that turn and the effect forcefully ends, the buildup of magical energy bursting from the inside under the pressure.
Thunderflash
“...you got careless.”Zio’s near perfect mastery of the shadows allows him to get creative with his abilities. Rushing at the target with both claws in hand, his form dissipates right before striking the target, instead launching themselves through the target’s own shadow and performing a quick back strike with a held knife, catching them by surprise. Deals 2 damage. Has a chance of Stun. Move acts at advantage if Dark Hunter is active.
Shadow Prison
“Got you. Your mistake.”Through his own magic granted to him by the contract, Zio makes a motion mimicking closing his fist around the target, bringing forth multiple bars of dark, shadow energy, encircling the target in a pulsing, shocking net of energy. Deals 2 damage. Inflicts Bind.
Shadow Cut
“You’ve pushed me to a point where I’m serious...don’t give up on me now!”Can only be used when Unflinching Stature’s 2nd act activates. Zio, having shed the mask and letting his emotions flow freely, no matter how stoic his face appears, starts to lose himself in the battle more and more. Swinging his Terminus forward, the slice seems to cut through the air, releasing multiple blades of magic from the tips that fly towards the target. Rolls twice, dealing 2 damage each successful hit. If both hits connect, inflicts Downed.
Dark Sap
“Magic can only make the body grow so strong...how will you fair, without it?”Can only be used when Unflinching Stature’s 2nd act activates. Zio clasps both Terminus around the target’s waist in a swift motion, the claws pulsing a sickly purple, before removing them. Deals 2 damage. If the target had bufs of some kind, damage is increased to 3 and a buff at random is removed and given to Zio. If the attack absorbed a buff, the move cannot be used for another 4 turns.
Reckless Charge
“It’s out of character for me...to get this excited..!”Can only be used when Unflinching Stature’s 2nd act activates, and only if Zio is under disadvantage, either from a target’s buff or a debuff on Zio. Zio’s emotions at a fever pitch, Zio rushes forward at a blinding speed to deliver a sudden and unexpected blow to catch someone by surprise, fast enough to make his own body ache from the motion. Deals 5 damage. The disadvantage currently affecting him is ignored for this attack. The move cannot be used for another 4 turns.
“You asked for my services? ...what? You wanted to know about me, instead? There’s very little to say. I’m simply a weapon. A tool, to be used by those who will pay for my services. That’s all there is to it. Looking any further will only cause you pain.”~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inspiration struck me once again, using some old concepts of other characters that didn't quite match them. I've always wanted to do a character like this, honestly. Thanks to the SoloWingPixy, Warrior of Darkness, and everybody else that chimed in with advice that I asked for, because lord knows this character would have come out as a mess without them.
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