Gaganok by FangzofFuzzy

"Well, that took a dark turn. But don't worry, we've reached our stop. This doesn't look like right, you say? ... Yeah, you'd be right about that. See, all that I've told you about, all them's legends. Rumors, stories, myths. They think the Swamp Lord's nothing but fiction, but I know he's real. So do Captain Illaoa a favour, lad. Don't take this too personally. I see the sleeping serum in the rum's starting to take effect. Good, you won't feel a thing. See, I'm terrified out of my wits but at the same time, I'm mortally curious. I want to see this Swamp Lord for myself. And I think deep down, you do too now. So don't struggle, I have a feeling he'll be here real soon."

• Vine Wrest is a Torrent-like ability, a basic nuke that helps set up for he and his team's assault with some careful timing and aiming. While it has a high range, even pulling a cluster of them from the max can still leave them out of reach of his other spells, so be patient with how it's cast. Since the pull is further against a lone target, precise usage can be as devastating as a Meat Hook but gives up the ability to mass pull, so choose wisely due to this nuance. As it tracks his current location, Swamp Lord can reposition during the delay for more creative drags. Blight is a strong ability that can shut down enemy cores if he can get close enough to them. The slow also cripples their ability to flee or give chase, allowing his team to capitalize on the helpless target. While it disarms himself, he benefits from not attacking often anyways thanks to Absorption. The damage it provides is beneficial over the course of a long fight but it is the healing that allows him to even drag on a fight. This passive helps him sustain in lane and in teamfights, similar to Feast that benefits from other durable opponents. Since he attacks less, he will deal less overall damage so keep that in mind.
  
  
• By itself, Drown is not a particularly impressive ultimate that brings flashbacks of Sanity Eclipse's old upgrade of breaking a teamfight. However, the debuff pausing makes it so this spell does not become a complete combo breaker. It is like Song of the Siren, a great tool to pick a fight or reset it midway, as well as to more easily time and land his spells. If used after Blight is already laid out, this can be a scary way to isolate a target from their team, allowing his to pick it apart. This is similar to Naga Siren's combo against a spell immune target but without relying on them buying and using Black King Bar first. With a low range but respectable cooldown especially with the level 25 talent, this can be a hard to land spell that he'll have up frequently, so play to those weaknesses and strengths.
  
  
• Here are some spell combos he can use to his advantage.
  
  
  1. Q then W, dragging further enemies into range or to guarantee a hit
  2. W then Q, slowing them to make it easier to hit the drag
  3. Q then R, primarily to drag enemies into range of the ult
  4. R then Q, timing it to hit just as the banish finishes to guarantee the drag
  5. W then R then Q, pulling the isolated target further
  6. W then R before W lands, allowing him to pause the duration of Blight
  7. E then W, always try to do this to maximize its uptime and efficiency
  8. E then R, pausing the damage and allowing him to stack it
  
  
• In game, it is foreseen that Gaganok would be a formidable offlaner with his free sustain to survive in lane and assist ganks with his plentiful disables, or can use those spells to gank as an aggressive support. He excels well with heroes who already disable and heroes who need disables to set up, as well as serving as a good frontliner in fights. Blight allows him to handle cores, especially melee ones while its combo with Drown can completely destroy supports that would otherwise be able to save their carries. In terms of counters to Swamp Lord, multiple carry threats can make his single target disarm less than impressive. Absorption is not as impressive against damage over time, healing reduction and in general a focused sustained assault. Mobility is especially a key weakness of his as Vine Wrest does have a downtime unless you take the talent, but that foregoes additional durability so choose wisely.
  
  
• In terms of items, as the game goes on he will benefit from aura items that supplement his durability such as Vladimir's Offering, Pipe of Insight and Crimson Guard. More offensive items that make use of his tankiness like Blademail and Radiance can work well too. As an initiator, the usual mobility items like Blink Dagger and Force Staff that help him reach key targets work well. Shadow Blade in particular synergizes well with Absorption while Meteor Hammer can be used in conjunction with Drown to great effect regardless of being used before or after. On a similar note, disabling items like Rod of Atos and Scythe of Vyse can be exploited well with the duration pausing. Overall in my opinion, Shiva's Guard as a whole is a perfect luxury item for him. In terms of talents, the left side improves utility and his already scary disabling power, while the right side can bulk him up even further.
  
  

Strengths Strong disables to set up for his team High sustain with respectable Strength Great anti-carry in general Can destroy enemy team coordination

Weaknesses Shambles slowly with no mobility and low speed Low Agility and Intelligence Low damage threat Requires allied team coordination

Voicelines

Entering the Game - What are you doing in my swamp?

Killing Heroes

Earth Spirit : Somebody once told me the world was going to roll me, but I expected a little more than this.

Axe : I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least I'm not the dullest.

Luna : You're looking kind of dumb with your index finger and thumb broken.

Faceless Void : They say the years start coming, yet yours has run out.

Earthshaker : I was fed to the rules, so I hit the ground. Sorry about that.

Undying : It doesn't really make sense not to live for fun, does it?

Silencer : Your brain gets smart but your head gets crushed.

Anti-Mage : Not a lot to do or see once you've drowned. Oh wait.

Bounty Hunter: Tell me, little one, what's wrong with taking the back streets?

Zeus : Never know until you go, right Thunder God?

Keeper of the Light : You'll never shine if you never glow, horseman.

Pugna : Get your game on, little one, go and play some more more.

Tiny : I heard you're a bit of a rock star, so be paid in dirt and mud.

Alchemist : All that glitters is gold, hehehehe.

Mirana : Shooting stars may break the mold, but I'll be the one that breaks the stars.

Visage : Your layers have been peeled, like an onion. Because onions have... yeah, you get it.

26/10: The Summoning

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