Skill Mechanics

The Duelist uses his sword to deflect incoming projectiles and melee attacks, sacrificing his ability to attack in order to gain an impenetrable defense. He then swiftly counters each melee attack with a blow of his own.

Parry [Q]
(Self i.e. no target)
Instant Cast
Mana Cost: 100/75/50/25
Cooldown: 7/6/5/4
Disjoints projectiles and makes you immune to physical damage for 1 second. Disarms you for 3/2/1/0 second(s).

Riposte [Q]
(targets the closest enemy within 250 range)
Instant Cast
Mana cost: 100/75/50/25
Cooldown: 7/6/5/4
If you were attacked while Parry was active or successfully dodged a projectile using it, the Riposte skill replaces the Parry icon in the Q slot.
Pressing Q will then initiate a melee range spell that does 75/100/125/150 Physical damage to the closest enemy within 250 range and lowers the target's armor by 1/2/3/4 for 3 seconds. If Riposte is not used within 1 second of using Parry, the skill icon switches back to Parry and Riposte goes into cooldown.

[Synergy] Parry allows for good survivability against Physical Damage (other carries, Deadwood, Panda) and targeted stuns so you can get in close enough to Hamstring, while Riposte allows The Duelist to lower armor (synergizes with his carry role) and deal damage while using Parry. Both Parry and Riposte can be activated during Duel.

[Balance] Parry allows The Duelist to dodge projectiles like Flash or any kind of blink or invisibility (though he stays in place and visible) as well as giving him physical immunity up to 1/4 of the time (1 of every 4 seconds). However, during this period he is disarmed and can only use Riposte to deal damage. He can still be hit by AOE spells, and Parry will take good twitch reflexes to use properly (thus the instant cast time). The disarm duration on the 4th and final level of Parry is 0 seconds, making it possible to be physical immune while using autoattacks and Riposte at the same time, increasing lategame utility and synergy with Duel

Riposte is like Swiftblade's Counterattack, except it's active, it doesn't scale, and it has very specific conditions for activation. So it's much harder to use and much weaker lategame. It could not be an attack command since The Duelist is disarmed while Parrying, and I didn't want to simply make an active version of Swift's Counterattack.


If it's OP remember numbers can be changed vote on the concept PLEASE

[Visuals] Parry: The Duelist waves his sword and deflects enemy projectiles/melee attacks. The Riposte will look like a normal attack with perhaps an armor breaking Shieldbreaker-like graphic on hit.

Skill Mechanics

Disdaining those who run from a fight as cowards unworthy of an honorable death, The Duelist lunges forward and slashes at their legs, crippling their ability to flee.
Mana Cost: 120
Cooldown: 15 sec
Cast Range: 350
Deals 13/26/39/52 Physical damage per second (65/130/195/260 total damage) and slows target's movement speed by 50/60/70/80% for 5 seconds. Only usable on Heroes facing AWAY from The Duelist.

[Synergy] A massive slow to give you some utility and physical damage to synergize with your carry role and the armor reduction on Riposte.

[Balance] : Comparable to Predator's Venomous Leap. It has less range and damage but a much better slow. Only usable on enemies who are actually running.

Skill Mechanics

The Duelist loves nothing more than a fair fight, and is at his best when his enemy stands and fights.

When target is facing you, adds .25/.5x/.75x/1x (1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 of) your agility as bonus attack damage.

[Synergy] Well I said he was a carry, here's the steroid skill.

[Balance] : It's the opposite of Nighthound's Backstab! May also get a thematic rework soon--maybe an AS buff or something like Ursa's Fury Swipes. Needs some thought.

Skill Mechanics

Superior Magic
Secure in his superior martial prowess, The Duelist challenges an enemy to a duel, forcing them to fight him 1 on1. Being a man of honor, The Duelist will neither run from a duel nor allow allies or enemies to interfere in the fight.

Mana Cost: 200/300/400
Cooldown: 105/85/65
Cast Range: 600/900/1200

Forces target enemy to attack you for 6 seconds (and forces you to attack that target enemy for 6 seconds). You can still cast Parry and Riposte during the Duel (like the way Devourer casts Decay while Devouring you) and you and your target are revealed and immune to damage from any source except each other for the duration of the duel.

[Synergy] Allows you to get close to enemies so you can wail on them with your autoattack (boosted by Code of Honor) and Hamstring. Though you are forced to attack the enemy during the Duel, you can still use Parry and Riposte to increase your survivability and DPS.

[Balance] : Double the duration and more than double the range of Legio's Taunt with way more than double the cooldown. Range is like Andromeda's Void Rip--also single target like Void rip, not AOE like Taunt. High mana cost. Thinking if the hero needs a buff of giving this +Attack Speed.

Duel forces you to attack the enemy you target (it's a mutual Taunt), which is thematically nice and somewhat limited in power (you can't taunt and run like Legio can for instance) and best of all it doesn't prevent you from using Parry and Riposte even though they are active skills (which increases the synergy between Parry and Riposte and Duel ) . It also grants both you and the targeted enemy magic and physical immunity from all sources except each other, making the skill both more powerful (you can kill someone in the middle of their base or team very easily, gives you a guarantee of getting your DPS off) and also weaker (you can’t lure people to towers with it or make them walk into traps anymore) Also reveals you and your target so you can't duel and then use invisibility.

[Visuals] Two crossed swords over the enemy's head and The Duelist's head.