Northstar

Speed Burst starts the fight on cooldown for 24 seconds. When the cooldown expires, activating a Special Attack during or after a Dash, Dash Attack, or after Punishing a Heavy or Special Attack activates Speed Burst for 12 seconds. Then it goes on cooldown again. While Speed Burst is active, Northstar’s Special Attack costs are reduced by 25%. Speed Burst is paused while Northstar is using a Dash, Medium Attack, Striker, or during either Champion’s Special Attacks. As a Defender, Speed Burst activates immediately when the cooldown expires. Dev Notes: Speed Burst is Northstar’s key mechanic. While it’s active, his offensive capabilities are significantly increased, and he’s able to trigger many more Special Attacks. Managing its cooldown and when to trigger it is key to playing Northstar effectively. Triggering Speed Burst can also be a little tricky in spots, because it needs to be triggered off a Dash Attack or Intercept specifically, not just a regular Medium-1 Attack.

Light Attack Hits have a 30% to 10% chance to grant a Reverb Charge, scaling down with how many Charges he has. Medium Attack Hits cause the cooldown for Speed Burst to briefly expire faster. Against Skill Champions, the first hit of the second Medium Attack inflicts or refreshes a non-stacking Armor Break Debuff, lowering Armor Rating by 239.13 for 12 seconds. While that Armor Break is active, the Opponent’s Critical Resistance is lowered by 80%. If it is Purified, Northstar gains 1 Reverb Charge. Dev Notes: Balancing between Light and Medium attacks is also important to Northstar’s kit. You want Speed Burst to come off cooldown promptly, but you also need to build up enough Reverb charges to make effective use of his Special 2. The second two points in this section heavily influence his matchup against Skill Champions.

At tier 7

Activating a Special Attack grants 1 indefinite Momentum per level of the Special Attack. When a Skill Opponent Evades, gain 1 Momentum. The cooldown for Speed Burst is reduced by 3 seconds per Momentum. As an Attacker with at least… 2 Momentum: Become Passively Unstoppable while performing a Dash or Dash Attack. 6 Momentum: If the first or second hits of a Special Attack hit the Opponent’s Block, become Passively Unblockable for 0.75 seconds. Dev Notes: Momentum is Northstar’s other key mechanic, but it requires much less management than Speed Burst, since it builds up automatically. Over the course of the fight, Northstar will naturally build up Momentum, lowering the base cooldown for Speed Burst and granting him more Prowess (see the Special Attacks section for info on that). That said, the additional abilities that Northstar gains at particular Momentum thresholds can definitely be impactful. The first ability makes it safe to dash towards the Opponent without fear of being intercepted. The second ability lets him launch Specials and activate Speed Burst even when the Opponent is Blocking. And the final ability lets him chain Special Attacks one after the other in Speed Burst with no interruption.

Whenever Northstar would gain Momentum, gain a 144.74 - 6426.5 Physical Resistance Passive for 6 seconds. Duration is increased by +3 seconds per Momentum. Max stacks: 1. While a Physical Resistance effect is active, gain a Reinforce Passive, and incoming hits have 5 - 60.09% reduced Block Penetration.

At tier 7

On activation, 100% chance to gain a 12% Prowess Buff per Momentum for 10 seconds. Max stacks: 30. All Special Attack hits have a +5% chance per Momentum to grant an additional Prowess. All Special Attack hits gain 1178.57 Critical Rating during Speed Burst.

At tier 7

Northstar assails the Opponent with a flurry of punches and kicks faster than the eye can follow. On activation, inflict a Slow Passive for 10 seconds. Duration is increased by +4 seconds per Momentum. Each hit has a 15% chance to pause personal Prowess and Reverb effects for 2 seconds. These pauses can stack, and expire one at a time. Independently, if the hit was Critical, 100% chance to grant an additional pause. Dev Notes: The Special 1 primarily provides Northstar with utility. After his damage is ramped up via Reverb and Prowess, the stacking Pauses maintain his damage output. Alternatively, it gives him access to a Passive Slow for matchups where that’s needed.

Northstar warms up his Opponent with a series of strikes, then finishes them off with beams of pure light energy. Each hit converts one Reverb Charge into a 12% Reverb Passive for 14 seconds. Max stacks: 25. If the hit was Critical, gain 2 Reverb Passives instead. Independently, if Speed Burst is active, converting a Reverb Charge has a 20% chance to grant an additional Reverb.

Northstar dazzles the Opponent with a blast of light, then uses his incredible speed to attack them from seemingly every angle at once. He finishes off his Opponent before they even know what hit them. Gain 8 Reverb Charges. Once per fight, Northstar’s chance to trigger Prowess, Reverb, Reverb Charges, and pause effects is permanently increased by 200%.