Has anybody else just, ceased getting excited for new champions?

Mira Arya Enthe·Apr 3, 2017·244 votes·18,961 views

Every time my thoughts are "It is either going to be an attempt to be excessively unique and/or be busted as fuck on release(or with post release buffs), then will drop off the face of the earth and nobody will give a fuck about it."

I personally am more in favor of new maps/map skins, reworks and features. And the last time I felt excited about a new champion was two years ago. They all either end up like Aurelion, so 'unique' they are never played. Or like Camille, so overloaded they break the game.

Plus Riot no longer ever just releases 'generic' champions. One of the best things about generic champions is I can go "I feel like being an arcane wizard today. And Riot has one!" Nowadays if Riot released an arcane wizard it would have seven fingers on one hand, one wing sticking off it's opposite side and use a sword to cast arrows at enemies. Just to be 'unique'. Then would have a million fucking tools in it's kit.

I say this because I saw the new teaser image but instead of going "CANNOT WAIT to see what the new champion is!" I got flashbacks to bullshit like Ivern.

Maybe I am just alone in this.

435 Comments

doodlebob666Apr 3, 2017103 votes

im honestly way more excited for reworks, since they feel less ambitious but put more resources into the atmosphere of the character. WW's new w is the perfect example its pretty similiar to his old w but way more fun

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 201712 votes

This, so much this. And at least they don't try-hard try to tunnel vision uniqueness just so they can pretend that almost every character in the game isn't a cliche. Little did they know that is a huge draw of LoL vs games like DOTA is that it has so many lovable cliches. Warwick works because he is a werewolf, the cyber werewolf spinoff is just a nice detail to make him unique without giving him sword legs or some stupid shit.

DessemApr 3, 201731 votes

I honestly think new champions can safely be reduced to 2 a year, and to put that time and effort into reworking old champions.

Anivia - Gameplay is OK-ish, could use a modernising pass. Model rework would work wonders. Annie - New model and gameplay update would work wonders, though the gameplay probably doesn't need that many changes. A modernising pass of a small scope. Amumu - Newer model, an actual VO (six lines doesn't count), modernising pass on gameplay. Chogath - Could use a complete rework. DrMundo - Definitely can use a complete rework to add skill expression to his kit. Gragas - Holy shit what are those feet. Irelia - I gathered everyone still wants Irelia to be a real blade psycher instead of what she is now. Jax - New model would be great. Kayle - Is a thematic mess and looks terrible to boot. Kennen - Ugly model, gameplay needs just a modernising pass and polish. Morgana - Just a model and modernising pass. Nunu - Really could use the work instead of a new champion. Boy riding a Yeti whose magic manipulates temperature has got to have more exciting gameplay options. Pantheon - Them feet (and binary gameplay pattern). Rammus - Lack of skill expression in kit. Ryze - Always needs a rework. Always. Tryndamere - Thematics and gameplay don't match, model looks janky.

And that's just a small grabbag. I'm sure people'll be able to add their own favourite to it, or even argue some of the champions with OK gameplay could use a complete rework. (Left out Urgot since he's next). I honestly think giving each of these champions a fresh look (and gameplay pattern) would make League a lot more enticing and fun than just adding new champions. Some of these champions have bullshit gameplay, some of them just have bullshit niches, but all of them (except maybe Ryze) would love a new model.

AimléssApr 3, 20177 votes

Is ADC so perfect that not even one even made your list?

IllegalBagelApr 3, 201715 votes

Really only kalista and Lucian need a rework. Kalista because she is super overloaded and Lucian since he is either broken or unplayable

OyddAWqJ5rApr 3, 20179 votes

Lucy just needs that minor gameplay touchup. I feel like there's just a screw missing somewhere in his kit to balance it out.

Sraeg2013Apr 3, 20179 votes

He needs built-in wifesteal.

EvanThomasApr 3, 201748 votes

Then each ability has several paragraphs of text like this:

R: Cosmic Eruption

Lu'Kath calls upon the mist of the shadow isles, covering jungle camps which are currently available to be taken. Upon going and clearing all camps that are marked, Lu'Kath's next basic attack against champions will be empowered, dealing bonus damage equal to 30% of his AD, plus 30% of his AP, plus the square root of his total health and mana. Upon successfully landing the empowered basic attack on an enemy, all of Lu'Kath's cooldowns are reduced by 10%.

Additionally, if this empowered basic attack kills the target champion, any allies that received gold for assisting on that kill will grant Lu'Kath bonus Armor and MR equal to 5% of their respective resistances. Also, for every champion that assisted with the previously mentioned kill, a satellite will be launched into orbit around runeterra. Periodically throughout the game (5 minutes, reduced by CDR), these satellites will locate places where various item components can be found scattered across summoner's rift. By going to these locations, which will be marked on the minimap, you can collect these components. These components can be sold or kept, as normal. If Lu'Kath's inventory is full, he will instead be granted XP.

If Lu'Kath levels up from the XP gained from picking up an item uncovered by the satellite which was launched when your allies scored an assist on the kill you got with your empowered basic attack, then he gains a stack. At 5 stacks, Lu'Kath's basic abilities will passively grant him stacks of Mist. Upon reaching three stacks of Mist, the stacks reset to 0, and Lu'Kath gains 0.5 seconds of invisibility. For every unit killed before the invisibility timer runs out, Lu'Kath gains a stack of Independence. At 50 stacks (scaling with the number of states in the USA), the stacks of Independence will automatically jump to 1,776. At 1,776 stacks of Independence, Lu'Kath gains Freedom Fighter

Freedom Fighter: 5 seconds after being spotted by an enemy champion, any enemy champion within 1000 units of Lu'Kath are forced to stop and salute at the American Flag, which will be flown over Summoner's Rift by 5 jet planes. During this time, they cannot move or cast abilities, and their vision is locked to whichever direction they are facing, but the visuals are slightly blurred, as they are looking at the American Flag, and therefore can only see parts of Summoner's Rift out of their peripheral vision.

The American Flag has a chance of falling to Summoner's Rift and covering it completely, based on Lu'Kath's critical strike chance. If this event occurs, the minions of the side allied to Lu'Kath will be turned into American Marines. American Marines are champions, but coded with special AI equivalent to Mordekaiser's Dragon Ghost, and therefore will not obey any of your commands, because they don't take shit from anyone. Despite being champions, however, they are coded as minions, and will grant gold for the Bandit mastery, any of the Gold Generation items, and from Azir Ult.

If a Marine kills an enemy champion, that champion gains a stack of Freedom. At three stacks, the US military invades their respective homelands, freeing the people from the Commies. Upon the time that freedom is delivered, that champion's cooldowns will only go down by spamming emotes. However, if the emote spam isn't entertaining in any way, that ability corresponding to that emote will not have its cooldown refunded, and that champion will be forced to go without that ability for the rest of the game.

Upon killing the enemy nexus (because Freedom is inescapable), an American flag drops out of the sky to land the final blow on the Nexus, granting 50 gold. to America Additionally, instead of "Victory," "Freedom" will be the end-game screen, and a screenshot will automatically be taken and made your desktop background. 'Cause 'Murica.

Edit: Day 53. Still no one has noticed that this ability has nothing to do with the cosmos or any kind of eruption.

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20176 votes

This was the best thing I have read in ages, this comment is... Thor's blessing upon mount Olympus.

EvanThomasApr 3, 201710 votes

Thanks.

Maybe once I meme hard enough, I'll be able to come up with witty replies. But for now, I guess I'll have to leave that to the high elo memers.

Papa AndreiApr 3, 20175 votes

Thor.... Mount Olympus....

(My inner Norse is about to release the rage of a thousand frost giants)

Big LincolnApr 3, 201738 votes

reworks are a lot more interesting

most of these new champs try hard to be unique but they only use slight variations on shit already in the game

and we already have a huge roster of shitty outdated champs, I'd rather see them brought up to par than to see more champs that make them look even worse by comparison

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20173 votes

Again, this

Big LincolnApr 3, 201730 votes

it's a sad time when we have a champ as visually astounding as AurelionSol and then Nunu DrMundo in the same game

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20177 votes

Don't worry, I am sure the next champion will be a disaster like Cho'Gal from Heroes of the Storm but instead of being a tank mage it will be a mage ADC just to make you soooo happy : ^)

Big LincolnApr 3, 20172 votes

t r i g g e r e d

I'm going to be irritated if that new champ is actually a duo thing. How does that even work? One person picks it and someone else just has to comply?

why does this dumb bitch have wings and Kayle ult but isn't Kayle though that's the real bullshit

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20173 votes

Apparently it is a support and ADC mixed in one and works like Cho'Gal from heroes, where two duo people play it(explains why they left duoQ).

Big LincolnApr 3, 20176 votes

stupid ass mechanics

i hate dumb gimmicks

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20179 votes

Riot actually once promised they'd never make champions like Cho'Gal or Abathur or Lost Vikings. But from circulating rumors it seems they might : ^) prepare to have your Janna literally attached to your Vayne.

Big LincolnApr 3, 20177 votes

You know what I really want, is a void-born juggernaut. make it real kaiju-y too, with a massive mouth laser and glowing shit all over its body.

now that's something I'd get excited for

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20172 votes

Better than most the stuff Riot comes up with.

Big LincolnApr 3, 20176 votes

I think they could do novel stuff, just by mixing up some archetypes instead of trying to forcibly alter something we already have. We still don't have a proper fighter support, which is something I've been cooking up a little bit. can't figure out a good passive so i haven't posted it yet though

also I heard that if i post any concepts on the concept board then it's riot property, so that's quite discouraging as well

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20172 votes

I've wanted a fighter support since S2, I posted one who was a spellblade semi-tank fighter who could do damage but to make them a support there was some special conditions on their damage and shit :c it was ignored.

Big LincolnApr 3, 20172 votes

mine's sort of like a... combat healer/aggressive buffing support, mixed in with their own respectable damage output.

i really want to push them as a juggernaut but being a damage-oriented melee support I think I'll have to give them a gap closer to combat ranged champs

i'm pretty excited about the idea overall though

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20175 votes

If you give them white hair, a weebo story and a sword it will sell.

Papa AndreiApr 3, 20179 votes

I personally like reworks less. They tend to remove the thing that we love about a character. Yorick was 100% replaced. Galio was also. Mundo (lore) was gutted...

Atleast new characters can't remove things we love.

Big LincolnApr 3, 201717 votes

the only thing I felt yorick had that was worth keeping was his old ultimate

this dumb maiden is the most boring shit ever

Sassmast3rApr 3, 201722 votes

Frankly I'm surprised how anyone can want new champions. I would literally be overjoyed if they didn't make another new champion, and reworked all the old champions that need some attention.

LeetriApr 3, 201724 votes

You're surprised people like brand new content?

Emmy Cha0sApr 3, 201715 votes

Rito isn't willing to fix the champions they already have and they intentionally drop new ones they know matter-of-factly will crowd out older picks even further. They purposefully keep specific champions in perpetual states of unplayability or mediocrity for the luckier ones...

Their excuse? "New champion design and champion reworks are 2 separate departments. We can't reallocate employees from one to work on the other." No Rito, that's exactly what you can fucking do. However, that's not even the issue. The problem is that Rito just very clearly do not want to balance the game, they make selfish changes. They don't even try to hide their own bias when people like Meddler are allowed to come here onto the forums and publicly declare that a specific nerf is their own personal idea that they didn't bother discussing with the rest of the team. As far as Meddler is concerned, his IS the whole team.

ModCaptainMårvelousApr 3, 20179 votes

That's kind of blatantly false.

We've had several class reworks aimed specifically at old/outdated champions to bring them up. Regardless of balance or gameplay preference, Riot DOES notice them. On top of that, we've had both large-scale updates like Ryze, Sion, Galio, Taric, Poppy, Gangplank and Warwick alongside smaller-scale reworks like Fiora, Shen, Miss Fortune and Shyvana. If you were right, they'd just retire or icebox these champs for the rest of League's lifespan and write them off as hall-of-famers.

Miku Hime samaApr 3, 20179 votes

And Meddler personally stated that all of those class reworks have been overall failures. With the odd successes, which are usually only to champions that were already playable, the majority ended up worse off from a balance perspective. Most ended up either weaker or with a less-healthy kit that's more difficult to balance.

Besides, you're purposefully misinterpreting Emmy's post, she didn't say Rito is ignoring old champs. She said Rito is intentionally keeping old champs weak, which is the opposite of ignoring a problem. It's the realization that a problem exists and the action & decision of continue keeping it as a problem

Inaction is a type of action. A crime by omission is equivalent to a crime by acting.

RIP Tahm KenchApr 3, 201714 votes

Honestly, the hatred of new champions is nothing new at all. I joined back when people had very recent ptsd about the Xin release, and rumble was just tearing the place up too. The accusation of BS champs getting released has always been with the league community.

ElikainApr 3, 201710 votes

I personally am more in favor of new maps/map skins, reworks and features.

New maps are unlikely.
Reworks and class updates are independent from new champion releases.
Client features are also independent and Riot will start working on them once the new client is stable on every PC.

It is either going to be an attempt to be excessively unique and/or be busted as fuck on release(or with post release buffs), then will drop off the face of the earth and nobody will give a fuck about it.

Jhin says hi four times, trying to catch your attention. And i don't quite get the argument. If a new champion disappears from queues after their release, then they don't matter but once they do and are being played, it's because they're OP/overloaded? That's not fair. That is equally true for every champion you normally never see and they suddenly Ryze to the top.

And it isn't true that Aurelion Sol is underplayed. His lolalytics page says he has a sample size of 19219 games in Plat + in the last 7 days. Compared to him, Urgot has a sample size of 7294 games. Even Aatrox has 14747 games, Karthus 21797 and then there's this Yasuo of 199415 games... Shit.

Plus Riot no longer ever just releases 'generic' champions.

Yea, they did. Taliyah. Is there anything complicated about her kit? She has a typical burst mage pattern with a huge utility Trump ult. She's more similar to Lissandra. But you shouldn't expect that every new champion release is now going to be a "generic" archetype. There needs to be some diversity.

I say this because I saw the new teaser image but instead of going "CANNOT WAIT to see what the new champion is!" I got flashbacks to bullshit like Ivern.

What's wrong about Ivern exactly? He doesn't appeal to you? How can you base an entire argument around your own preference? The Ivern player might now enjoy playing with or against champions of your preference so who's right in this case?

And the last time I felt excited about a new champion was two years ago. Maybe I am just alone in this.

I'm split 50/50 between new champ releases and reworks. My two favorite champions (Morgy and Evie) are waiting their turn at the rework table. Morgana's in the middle with a stable winrate and just OK to play with or against. But there's really no expression of mastery than just "i can predict my Q toss really well". Eve sells herself as an Assassin but plays like a Diver. I don't like her tanky builds at all and her squishy but bursty builds are not viable in long games. Actually, both her squishy and tanky builds are useless in long games.

The reason why i anticipate reworks more than i do new champion releases is because i am familiar with the "original" League roster and i am quite attached to them, even if i don't play all champions. Seeing them re-imagined in a new light and given a new purpose is more exciting than seeing a new addition to League trying to wow me. The thing is, in order for a new champion to wow me, it has to meet MY criteria. I just love to play mages and that doesn't mean i like every mage. I like them glass-cannon types.

Taliyah on release, didn't at all appeal to me. It took me some time to accept her as a champion and find my own uses for her. Today, i was thinking of buying her. Didn't like Kindred before, bought them a week ago. They are fun to play with. I HAVE HATED ANNIE WITH A PASSION FOR ALL THESE YEARS and just yesterday (when i was grinding April Fool's bots + Slumber Party event) was ecstatic how fun she actually was as a full AP support. The new Galio's a beast. I might be just one of the few of the people who never liked how his old self looked and played like.

##My own values can sometimes block me from realizing that some champions may be to my liking in not so distant future.

AxzariousApr 3, 20179 votes

With the way champ reworks and re-releases are going, the new champ is going to have at least 8 of the following - Self heal, mobility, Stun, Max Hp damage, mobility, True Damage, CC Cleanse, % damage reduction, a blink, % health damage, a shield, or an execute that deals bonus damage based on missing hp, Knockback, a Knock up, or a dash.

Based on this trend, I can really look forward to the new tryndamere rework, where he fears people who are facing him with his W on top of it's existing effects, passively converts 33% of his crit damage into true damage per rank in his ultimate all on top of his ultimate gaining an additional second per crit he lands (to a max of 10) while instantly putting his E's off cooldown when he lands a crit.

LimmieApr 3, 20178 votes

You forgot a 3-hit passive.

Kuronii LumiiraApr 3, 20178 votes

The grammatical structuring in the title triggers me

Stop that.

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20179 votes

http://i.imgur.com/CNLvT8N.jpg?1

BlastRushApr 3, 20178 votes

The latest champ that was released that I love when jhin. I think hes such a good champ and he matches his theme on a crazed artist or whatever. How his ult makes you dance and stuff

PureSilvrrApr 3, 20178 votes

I just want a mage ;-; or a support, and pls no paragraph ability descriptions, and not that many complicated things in It. Like TahmKench and his things were ok Jhin Is Ok (pushing it though, but its jhin so I'm fine with it) Ivern Is ummm... Unique Camille OP BUSTED TOO MUCH SHIT IN THIS KIT Taliyah Simple. I like.

SlythionApr 3, 201711 votes

I love how Camille get's the "OP BUSTED" part (the "too much shit in this kit is accurate rn) meanwhile Ivern has been rocking a 57% win ratio for 5+ patches straight

AzteryzApr 3, 20176 votes

what happened to just simple designs and thematics

why not just a simple knight in shining armor? or a mage? or a thematic monster like a griffin/demon/chimera?

its always just unique and complicated that we dont need it

Kindred : im supposed to be death but my twist is im two entities a wolf and lamb

AurelionSol : im Ao Shin... i mean im Aurelion sol im a dragon but my twist is im cosmic and i have no wings and the most upfront thing about me is three balls spinning

Ekko : im a time traveler who likes to be tanky and dash and make bubbles... WAIT IM A TIME TRAVELER? SERIOUSLY?

like im not saying we shouldnt have unique designs but there shouldnt be a reason to say no to a thematic just because its simple

last good examples of champs who was released like this imo is Taliyah a simple earth mage and before that was Jhin a revolver tooting gunslinger

let their lore and reasons be whats unique about them

the look doesnt always make the character, but the story always does

Troll for TrumpApr 3, 20175 votes

I'm ecstatic and mortified for whatever thing CertainlyT comes up with.

What usually happens is:

Introduce something unique Is that unique thing good or bad? Bad? Good:
Try to make bad -> good or good -> bad, often overdoing it
Try to make it evened out. (Aurelion's actually fine right now)

EDIT: I'm talking about in terms of how good and powerful they are (wr), and not uniqueness, sorry.

Mira Arya EntheApr 3, 20173 votes

From rumor it will be an ADC and support combined into one champion who two players play similar to Cho'Gall in HotS

Linna ExcelApr 3, 20176 votes

Which means the champ will be useless to everyone who doesn't have a duo botlane buddy.

Troll for TrumpApr 3, 20173 votes

Premade power :v

AbiwonKenabiApr 3, 20174 votes

Nah you're not totally alone, lots of people feel this way. While I like some aspects of Ivern in particular, I hate all these "more than human" Champions. Ivern is an ancient tree guy, Aurelion is a space dragon, Kled is in every Noxian war in history for some reason (makes me worry what the heck they are doing to Yordles...)

These days, I barely have time for League so I stick to my core champions when I get the chance to play. I get more excited about lore implications and expansions relating to new Champions. Camille was cool for me because of her role in Piltovian society and her possible connection to other Champions. Back in the day I called the release of both Sejuani and Lissandra based on the lore alone (ah, I miss you JoJ). That was a really cool feeling to read about this important character in history and then get to play them. We need more of these alluded to Champions, like Irelia's brother or Kassadin's daughter or Kog's daddy.

That said, this is also the reason I find reworks more exciting. A fresh take on an old favorite, with lore expansion to boot. (Can't wait to see Urgot!)

YoungSirJ0eyApr 3, 20175 votes

Yordles seem to be immordles, considering Poppy's been around since the founding of Demacia.

That wasn't funny. I'm sorry.

AbiwonKenabiApr 3, 20175 votes

Why can't Yordles just be nor...normordles....normaldles....bah forget it.

But seriously, remember when they were just another race in the world? If you read all this new Demacian lore, seems like every story they introduce a new scary creature. So Yordles can't be a nice creature race? Having different races is pretty common in fantasy stories, I don't know why Riot is against the only fantasy race they even have being an actual people and not randomly appearing spirits or whatever.

Makes Gnar's backstory make less sense. Why would there be neanderthal Yordles? How did they evolve if they're this immortal race?