New champ + Swain VGU personal thoughts

Firstly - new champ. He/she will be a vanguard according to Riot, and the big fucking Viking horn they showed us in the Champion Roadmap today made me think of one thing - Lord Fredrik, the final boss in DK: Tropical Freeze. This is a huge tangent lol, I'm not saying the new champion will be a huge Viking Walrus who creates ice dragons with his lungs, but there are some cool things I want to point out.

One, this champ seems to be Freljordian. Since Freljord is our equivalent in Runeterra to Vikings / The North / Ice Magic and whatnot, as well as the tone coming from Riot about this champion keeping it warm (two comments from two different rioters saying something like this, I can't find them though), I strongly think this will be a Freljord Vanguard, but seeing as we already have Sejuani for big war leader, and Olaf as our resident Viking, I'm not sure what thematic space Riot has carved out for this new champ. However, I am beyond hyped for a new Vanguard since the last one we got was Mega Gnar 3 years ago. (Not so excited about Riot saying they are building on the themes of the tank update, which was a failure in my eyes. All three big players kept their %max HP damage and had it played up even more or improved, while gaining obnoxious CC tools that often went against their original fantasy or gameplay. Hope the new tank is more of a Leona, who is a good example of a Vanguard, than a Zac or Maokai). Really what I'm trying to say here is that the new champ seems to be a horn-wielder, which is a cool thematic space to employ as someone who leads the charge and literally sounds the horn. Lord Fredrik's boss battle is all about him running around trying to ram you and knock you off the platform while he shoots crazy shit from his ice horn of death, which would be an awesome tank to have in League. Then again maybe this isn't a Freljord champ at all and its a guy with a fire horn doing fire horn guy things completely separate from staying toasty in a Freljordian blizzard. Fingers crossed for huge barbarian horn guy though, the little teaser we got today just made me think of Lord Fredrik and I remembered his boss fight fondly. A big happy Tormund Giantsbane type Viking dude with a horn would be hilarious and I'd play it no questions asked. This was a little rambling and probably nonsensical, but whatever.

Secondly, and arguably more importantly, Swain. The teaser image we got today was rather fascinating to me, because if this is the aesthetic we can get from an upcoming Swain VGU then I am excited. I'll start by saying I'm not a fan of Swain's current state and I'm glad they chose him, even though I'm disappointed it wasn't Nunu, who was topping my list, though I can see why they wouldn't VGU him considering he's been getting so much attention from the balance team lately. Swain is an ugly, outdated champ whose kit is an insult to his thematic. One or the other needs to go, and it seems Riot is siding with the thematic of Noxian master manipulator, which isnt the demon bird warlock we have right now. (I'm not trying to Galio any Swain players here. If it turns out that very little of Swain's sustain - suck-y magic sort of thing remains then I'll definitely sympathize with the people who are sad to see demon healing bird go. I just wanted to share what I think the VGU might be doing based on one image). To dive right in, when I first saw the teaser image for the Swain VGU, I didn't immediately notice that it's only a bird skull icon, maybe an epaulet or something - what I saw was someone with their back turned, and a cape of blades akin to Talon's. It reminded me of SKT Azir's splash, in an odd way. I saw someone with their head bowed (and no legs lul) with a badass bird skull cape of chains and blades. What I think might end up happening is that Swain will become a ferromancer - in layman's terms, a metalbender. Here's why.

I'm a pretty avid lore reader but I'm no especial expert on Noxus culture - however, something everyone knows about the Big N is that strength and discipline is valued above all. A lot of their architecture and aesthetic is a lot of cruel black iron, intimidating and enormous, real ironpunk and grisly - I've always pictured Noxus Prime like a sleeker, more aristocratic Orgrimmar. What we know about Noxian elite outside of the Black Rose (which I'm also excited to see built upon in the inevitable Swain and Noxus lore update, maybe even a little Vlad action, my second favorite character after Tahm) is limited to pretty much the Du Couteaus and their Theon, vassal Talon. Both Katarina and Talon are big on metal - blades, knives, etc. - Talon even has a whole cloak of them sewn to the hem. Noxus is all about intimidation and strength, and a leader who wins by tapping into fel magic such as current Bird Demon uses would not win in the modern Noxus. New Swain will still use magic, yes, much to the chagrin of many, but if he's honestly going to become the guy Darius supports, he needs to approach magic in a much more visceral, in-your-face, and, well, Noxian way. Noxus respects strength (what is that, the fourth time I've said that), and if a sorcerer of any sort is going to rise to the highest position in the land, he needs to be a mage of the type that can literally bring your house crashing down about you, a guy who strangles his enemies to death with cold, emotionless iron. Forget axes, swords, knives - when you can turn an enemies weapon against them, destroy an army with a whisper, that's how you get all of Noxus behind you. Swain will become the eminent sorceror of Noxus, but in a way that can be respected. An elder statesman, out of the prime of his youth, this new Swain must be muscular, with a straight back, with cold eyes and a voice that commands respect, not a tortured rasp that sounds like a 90s cartoon villain. His limp must remain, to show he has fought and suffered in war, but not hinder his success and strength by implying fragility or weakness in such a martial society.

Swain will continue being a master of dark magic and sinister sorcery - but it won't be the icky green stuff you see from a warlock or whatnot. Swain post-VGU will be a sleeker, more Noxian sorceror. Whatever goes on behind the scenes with Sion, the Black Rose, and Beatrice is unimportant when we approach Swain's kit and outward appearance. A modern Noxian Swain needs to be one that uses magic a Noxian could theoretically respect - and dark fel magic that raises the dead and waxes on demonic is not that. Ferromancy (sigh, metalbending) could be just what Swain needs. Being a mage that ruthlessly manipulates dark-magic imbued iron and metal to enact his bidding and display his strength is not only unique in current League but would totally fit a reimagined Swain. It also allows him to keep a strong bruiser aspect that would keep him very Noxian - Swain should be deadly in mid-to-close range. Big Lincoln put it best that the leader of Noxus shouldn't be a 'pussy poke mage'. Swain will continue to be a mage, no doubt about that. But he very badly needs to be a sleek, visceral, cruel, and Noxian mage that isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Hell, Metallica Raven Form of Death as an ultimate sounds fun.

But maybe I'm completely wrong. Almost certainly, since all sources (Xayah/Rakan lines, theorycrafting, original lore implies magic connection to her) seem to point to bigger connection to Beatrice and a lot of dark magic. It may even be that Swain will be a puppet and Beatrice is the mastermind, and/or he'll still very much be a warlock with fel, dark magic and no Noxian overtones. I'm projecting here a lot and it's also rambling because I have to go eat dinner but these are my thoughts. Feel free to discuss/contend/ask questions of me, since I probably didn't cover certain things very clearly.