Full Build Friday - Azir, Emperor of the Sands (Patreon)

I usually try to avoid doubling up on sources much less classes but I wanted to get this out before somebody beat me to it. I had a lot of fun with this one so I hope you'll enjoy it!

As always, this build is conceptualized entirely in a vacuum, with choices made in my best attempt to fit the character. These choices may not hold up in a campaign with different themes and should be adjusted accordingly.

Enjoy your time in the sun with this build for Azir, Emperor of the Sands from League of Legends!

AZIR, THE EMPEROR OF THE SANDS

CHARACTER Omah Azir

SOURCE League of Legends

BUILD GOALS

o    Omah Azir was one of the last emperors of Shurima only to be betrayed and slain at the height of his greatest triumph

o    Millenia later, he returned from the dead and was reborn as an avian Ascended with the power to control sand and then intention to resurrect his empire

o    A rather unique character within League, he is a mage-like specialist who commands sand soldiers to do his bidding with a wave of his staff

o    Through Shuriman Legacy, he can create a magical turret from the ruins of another

o    He is locked into Arise! as his first ability, which creates a sand soldier that attacks his enemies

o    Those sand soldiers can be commanded to dive towards a singular point with Conquering Sands, damaging and slowing enemies that they pierce through

o    Shifting Sands grants Azir a shield and allows him to dash to a sand soldier, dealing damage along his path

o    His ultimate is Emperor’s Divide, which summons a phalanx of sand soldiers who charge forth to push back and damage enemies. They briefly remain as a wall

o    In LoR, he summons and empowers short-lived sand soldiers and can also create more powerful sand chargers

Summary of Goals: Azir might be the straightest example of minionmancer I’ve ever tried to build. He summons a host of elementally-themed warriors to fight for him and has lots of means of mobilizing them. He can leap to them, command them to charge, or even use them to force back and hold off foes. There’s a great concept to explore this, but it’s going to be a little weird. Meanwhile, his ability to create turrets seems challenging, but I’ve actually already got an idea in mind for it.

LEVEL 1

Ancestry & Heritage: Jinxed Tengu

o    Ability Boosts & Flaws: +Dexterity, +Intelligence

o    Ancestry Feat: Squawk!

Background: Royalty

o    Ability Boosts: +Intelligence, +Dexterity

o    Skill Increase: Society (T)

o    Background Feat: Courtly Graces

Class & Subclass: Puppeteer Necromancer

o    Class Ability Boost: +Intelligence

o    Skill Increase: Acrobatics (T), Arcana (T), Diplomacy (T), Intimidation (T), Undead Lore (T), Nature (T), Occultism (T), Religion (T)

o    Grim Fascination: Bone

o    Suggested Spells: Cantrips – phase bolt; 1st – kinetic ram, phantasmal minion, summon undead

Details

o    Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +3, Con +0, Int +4, Wis +1, Cha +1)

At one point in his life, Azir was a human man. But following his rebirth, he became a bird-like Ascended that I intend to represent through the tengu ancestry. None of the heritages are truly fantastic but given his descendant’s ability to protect herself with a Spell Shield, I do like the looks of the jinxed heritage. Given his position as a king who did seem beloved in his time, Squawk can help him recover from social faux paus, especially in the modern era, and he’s also obvious royalty. However, his class is a bit of an odd choice. Azir doesn’t actually forth the undead, he simply shapes the sands into soldiers to serve him. The nature by which he does so within League though is incredibly reminiscent of the recently released necromancer class, especially with the puppeteer method letting him create more thralls. These thralls stand in for his soldiers and the likes of the bone spear focus spell resembles the general stab of his sand soldiers as they strike in a line. From the occult spell list, he can use kinetic ram to knock back enemies a bit like the Emperor’s Divide while summon undead could let him call forth the sand chargers of his LoR version.

LEVEL 2

o    Class Feat: Muscle Barrier

o    Skill Feat: Hobnobber

o    Gear: psychopomp mask

LEVEL 3

o    General Feat: Adopted Ancestry – Human

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (E), Undead Lore (E)

o    Gear: spotless spats, psychopomp mask, ring of discretion

LEVEL 4

o    Class Feat: Ghostly Stride

o    Skill Feat: Glad-Hand

o    Gear: pendant of the occult, spotless spats, trusty helmet, psychopomp mask

LEVEL 5

o    Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +0, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +4.5, Wis +1, Cha +2)

o    Ancestry Feat: Haughty Obstinacy

o    Skill Increase: Society (E)

o    Suggested Spells: 3rd – begone, bind undead, horde of underlings

o    Gear: cloak of repute, pendant of the occult, golden legion epaulet, spotless spats, psychopomp mask, ring of discretion

This is a build that actually fully delves into and devotes itself to the necromancer class. With second level, he can take the Muscle Barrier for a focus spell of the same name that lets him grant temporary Hit Points based on the shield of his Shifting Sands. Ghostly Stride is also somewhat inspired by that by virtue of letting him move through the space of enemies. I’m having him focus on Diplomacy feats for the time being simply because that still makes the most sense to a king for me with the likes of Hobnobber and Glad-Hand affording him a solid foundation. Through the use of Adopted Ancestry for the human ancestry, he can take Haughty Obstinacy, which also feels very on-brand for the character. There’s another shoving spell with begone, which is also only a single action and is kind of fun, as well as horde of underlings as another option when it comes to representing his sand soldiers.

LEVEL 6

o    Class Feat: Conjurer of Corpses

o    Skill Feat: Leverage Connections

o    Gear: +1 leather armor, cloak of repute, sleeves of storage, pendant of the occult, trusty helmet, spotless spats

LEVEL 7

o    General Feat: Feather Step

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (M)

o    Gear: staff of the dead, +1 leather armor, wand of contagious frailty, cloak of repute, pendant of the occult, golden legion epaulet

LEVEL 8

o    Class Feat: March of the Dead

o    Skill Feat: Entourage

o    Gear: jar of shifting sands, festrem mortu, staff of the dead, +1 leather armor, cloak of repute, sleeves of storage

LEVEL 9

o    Ancestry Feat: Cooperative Nature

o    Skill Increase: Society (M)

o    Suggested Spells: 5th – king’s castle, wall of flesh

o    Gear: +1 resilient leather armor, jar of shifting sands, commander’s signet, staff of the dead, wand of contagious frailty, wand of shardstorm (1st-rank)

LEVEL 10

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Intelligence, +Wisdom, +Charisma (Str +1, Dex +4, Con +1, Int +5, Wis +2, Cha +3)

o    Class Feat: Overburdening Spell

o    Skill Feat: Seasoned Command

o    Skill Increase: Athletics (T)

o    Gear: greater pendant of the occult, +1 resilient leather armor, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-rank), jar of shifting sands, festrem mortu, staff of the dead

While he likely already has this spell learned, I still think Conjurer of Corpses is a good get for Azir as it lets him still treat his more powerful undead as thralls and gives an additional spell slot at his highest rank for summon undead each day. March of the Dead was also seen on the Yorick build and actually seems like a solid option for his Conquering Sands outside of its lack of damage. He does take a spellshape in the form of Overburdening Spell, which is something Yorick never did, as I think an Overburdening Spell into phase bolt has the damage and slow of the aforementioned Conquering Sands. You could also pick a more damaging effect than a cantrip. Outside of Leverage Connections, which is bolstered slightly by his background, he continues his exploration of Diplomacy skill feats. Seasoned Command is a newer such option, and gives him an extra reaction to Aid, which means he’ll still have a spare reaction for Inevitable Return. Cooperative Nature builds on that ability to Aid and Feather Step is just punny. He can create the wall of his Emperor’s Divide through wall of flesh¸ or another wall if you’re feeling squeamish, and can pull off a slick Shuriman shuffle with the king’s castle.

LEVEL 11

o    General Feat: Incredible Investiture

o    Skill Increase: Occultism (E)

o    Suggested Spells: 6th – skeleton army

o    Gear: greater staff of the dead, greater pendant of the occult, wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank), +1 resilient leather armor, jar of shifting sands, commander’s signet

LEVEL 12

o    Class Feat: Expanded Necromancy

o    Skill Feat: Shameless Request

o    Gear: +2 resilient leather armor, greater staff of the dead, greater endless grimoire, greater pendant of the occult, wand of teeming ghosts (3rd-rank), tyrant’s writ

LEVEL 13

o    Ancestry Feat: Sense Allies

o    Skill Increase: Occultism (M)

o    Suggested Spells: 7th – incarnate ancient specter

o    Gear: wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), +2 resilient leather armor, sandcastle, greater staff of the dead, greater pendant of the occult, wand of shardstorm (3rd-rank)

LEVEL 14

o    Class Feat: Skeletal Lancers

o    Skill Feat: Eye of the City

o    Gear: general’s signet, wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), greater quick runner’s shirt, +2 resilient leather armor, greater staff of the dead, greater endless grimoire

LEVEL 15

o    Ability Boosts: +Dexterity, +Constitution, +Intelligence, +Charisma (Str +1, Dex +4.5, Con +2, Int +5.5, Wis +2, Cha +4)

o    General Feat: Fleet

o    Skill Increase: Diplomacy (L)

o    Gear: +2 greater resilient leather armor, general’s signet, wand of shardstorm (5th-rank), wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), sandcastle, greater zombie staff

The use of Expanded Nature might seem a mite odd, but I mainly just wanted it for desiccate given Azir’s association with sand. From his second class feat for the block, the skeletal lancers focus spells feels like a fantastic fit. The cluster of thralls calls to mind the Emperor’s Divide while the enhanced damage of their thrall charge and ability to move them all at once feels more along the lines of Conquering Sands. After a Shameless Request (why should a god king ever feel ashamed for imposing on his lesser?), he can us Diplomacy or Society for his Eyes of the City with the latter actually being slightly better due to it scaling off of his Intelligence. I feel like, as an Ascended, his ability to seize magic should suit Incredible Investiture while Sense Allies is based on his was as a minionmancer. Both the spells I’m suggesting for this round are incarnate spells but while skeleton army is more suitable for his soldiers, incarnate ancient specter might be him calling on one of his own ancestors and matches his arrogance nicely.

LEVEL 16

o    Class Feat: Instinctual Creation

o    Skill Feat: Legendary Negotiation

o    Gear: greater cape of illumination, +2 greater resilient leather armor, major staff of the dead, general’s signet, wand of teeming ghosts (5th-rank), greater quick runner’s shirt

LEVEL 17

o    Ancestry Feat: Heroic Presence

o    Skill Increase: Society (L)

o    Gear: wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), greater cape of illumination, major zombie staff, +2 greater resilient leather armor, general’s signet, wand of shardstorm (5th-rank)

LEVEL 18

o    Class Feat: Amalgamate

o    Skill Feat: No Cause for Alarm

o    Gear: crown of intellect, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), medal of phoenix’s fire, greater cape of illumination, +2 greater resilient leather armor, major staff of the dead

LEVEL 19

o    General Feat: Diehard

o    Skill Increase: Occultism (L)

o    Suggested Spells: 10th – dragon turret

o    Gear: +3 greater resilient leather armor, crown of intellect, wand of shardstorm (7th-rank), wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank), greater cape of illumination, major zombie staff

LEVEL 20

o    Ability Boosts: +Strength, +Dexterity, +Intelligence, +Wisdom (Str +2, Dex +5, Con +2, Int +6, Wis +3, Cha +4)

o    Class Feat: Instant Army

o    Skill Feat: Divine Guidance

o    Skill Increase: Survival (T)

o    Gear: locket of sealed nightmares, +3 greater resilient leather armor, true endless grimoire, crown of intellect, greater staff of the black desert, wand of teeming ghosts (7th-rank)

Necromancers normally take a bit of set-up and Instinctual Creation just makes that a bit easier. Amalgamate can let him create his sand chargers by combining a pair of sand soldier thralls together, and then Instant Army is a similar idea to Instinctual Creation as it lets him just fill the field instead of having to build up his thralls. Legendary Negotiation and No Cause for Alarm can help him ease emotions and possibly bring others under his sway without having to fight. Divine Guidance is a bit different than that and is based more on his association with the Sun Disc and his nature as a god king. I like the team-bolstering effects of Heroic Presence for him and then given how he managed to emerge in the modern age to Ascend, I think Diehard is a good general feat to finish out on. As the last suggested spell of his build, dragon turret actually manages to replicate the turrets he can raise with Shuriman Legacy, something I wasn’t sure I would be able to do when I first thought of this build.

FREE ARCHETYPE SUGGESTIONS: Given the earth that features prominently within Azir’s kit in League, I’d like to suggest a Kineticist or Druid Dedication for him. The latter might mesh better with his overall build in Pathfinder, but will likely require some reconfiguration of his ability scores. I think he could also make use of something like a Marshal Dedication, using its passive effects to bolster his allies rather than trying to use the actions of the commander or something.

BUILD CONCLUSION

Azir, Emperor of the Sands is a jinxed tengu puppeteer necromancer with a background in royalty based on him being one of the last emperors of a united Shurima. While once a human, as evidenced by his Adopted Ancestry, his return saw him take on a more avian form, leading to the use of the tengu ancestry. As a necromancer, he is a proper mage, but a bit of an odd one who calls forth minions with create thrall as a stand-in for his Arise! The puppeteer method enhances this as does Instinctual Creation and Instant Army letting him flood the field. Their standard attacks can be represented through either Commanding the Thrall to Strike or sending them hurtling into the fight with thrall charge. Though I do think that spell, along with bone spear from his grim fascination, might be a good way of resembling the charge of his Conquering Sands. The slow could come from Overburdening Spell or any spell you find that has a slow and some damage on it. Shifting Sands is probably going to require some set-up, but I like muscle barrier with its temporary HP resembling the shield of it while king’s castle lets him possibly swap places with one of his thralls, throwing them into the thick of it to cover his escape. His ultimate is a little rough. I like skeletal lancers to lead the initial charge while he might be relying on push effects such as begone for its knockback. For the wall, you can find a wall of your choice or stay on theme with wall of flesh to keep foes at bay. Finally, while it’s a little backwards, he can actually create the turrets of his Shuriman Legacy through the tenth-rank spell, dragon turret.

Sent through the centuries, this squawking sovereign is served by soldiers and sentinels of stirring sands that seek to sunder the status and seat their sultan on a supreme seat.

Have a fantastically fatal Friday!