Hey Riot, regarding the Mage Update and Blood Lord Vladimir...

Over Innsmouth·Feb 25, 2016·43 votes·43,077 views

So, we know that the most the Mage Update candidates will receive in terms of visuals will be updated animations and effects to support whatever changes go through (though I'm still hoping you do minor VU's in the future for them a la Maokai, Renekton or Singed).

But, of all the mage updates (Cassio, Zyra, Vel'Koz, Brand, Malz and Vladimir), only Vlad has a legendary skin.

Basically, what I'm asking (and hoping) is that you plan to grant a separate set of animations and effects for everyone's favourite Blood Lord. I look forward greatly with both eagerness and anxiety to see what you have planned for him and everyone else, but I'd personally feel a little cheated if Blood Lord Vlad ended up having the same particle effects as Classic.

Any plans to let the skies rain red in their own glory?

78 Comments

RiotReav3Feb 26, 201648 votes

Blood Lord Vlad will indeed have a unique animation as well as unique FX. Soul stealer Vlad will also have unique FX :)

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20164 votes

That's wonderful news! Thanks for popping in and answering my query.

Are the unique animations more...substantial than the current difference between BL and Classic or about the same?

RiotReav3Feb 26, 201617 votes

I would say that the animation standard at Riot is higher now then it was when Vlad was originally released.

But that's all I will say for now.

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20161 votes

Oh wait Reav3, does that mean you're the guy in charge of Vlad's update?

Does that mean we'll get a Dev Corner Vlad spotlight like we had for Vel and Malz earlier?

BlackquillFeb 26, 20161 votes

He is a product manager, not a game designer. Currently we don't really know who will work on Vladimir.

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20161 votes

Ah ok, thanks.

RiotReav3Feb 27, 20162 votes

Correct, I am the product manager of the Champion Update Team. The designers will be doing Dev Corner Blogs on all the Mages that we are doing for the mid-year Mage update though, so keep a look out for them over the next couple weeks.

BlackquillFeb 27, 20161 votes

Can you tell us who is working on Vladimir? (plzCertainlyTplzCertainlyTplzCertainlyT)

Shadow MerchantFeb 27, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Correct, I am the product manager of the Champion Update Team. The designers will be doing Dev Corner Blogs on all the Mages that we are doing for the mid-year Mage update though, so keep a look out for them over the next couple weeks.

Hey Reav3, how about a VU for the magnificent twisted fate? A very expensive skin but it's kinda lame and not up to Riots quality bar imo.

JakraFeb 26, 20161 votes

That sounds awesome!

I know you probably get this question all the time, but do you have an idea for when this will come out?

Can you tell us? Pretty please? We'll love you forever! ...Probably

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20163 votes

Sometime around "Mid-Year"

markiepieFeb 26, 20163 votes

Can Zyra's base and skin textures be updated as well?

CanastusFeb 26, 20161 votes

Speaking of skins, when will Cassiopeia finally get one? It's been 3 years already since Jade Fang Cass came out.

She really could use a legendary skin of her own after all this time, she only has a couple of 520 and 975 RP skins after 6 years.

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20163 votes

As I am on the Champion Update Team I can't really speak about new cass skins sorry.

The Queen ViperFeb 27, 20162 votes

Would it be possible to finally give Cassio some recall animations? Pleazi?

Currently she only has one and that's when using Jade Fang skin.

lcemanFeb 26, 20163 votes

Holy shit I can finally go back to feeding on Vlad with style!

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20163 votes

Don't. You. Dare.

FORGOTTÉNFeb 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Blood Lord Vlad will indeed have a unique animation as well as unique FX. Soul stealer Vlad will also have unique FX :)

Great news! I have one question tho. Is there gona be update like this for other 1820 skins? Bot nunu or The Magnificent Twisted Fate for example. This 2 skins feel like cheep skins :(

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20166 votes

Nope. I was saying that if we change a ability on Vlad for the Mage update, that 1 ability will have unique FX for soulstealer and blood lord. Not that the entire skin is getting updated. This is similar to how new Graves Q had unique FX for the pool party skin on that one ability.

LeafyGreenFeb 27, 20161 votes

Hmmm, Brand is in the update and he also has Zombie Brand (it seems like everyone else has forgotten) which has special character animations and effects for the skin. I am guessing those will be updated to any ability changes too right?

Hol HorseFeb 27, 20161 votes

Nunu Bot? Cheap skin? He's well worth the 1820 RP. H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H4H4

LoquaciousKumqatFeb 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Blood Lord Vlad will indeed have a unique animation as well as unique FX. Soul stealer Vlad will also have unique FX :)

Are you going to update some other immobile mages that are in desperate need of VU (looking at Morgana. Her thighs literally clips through her dress when she walks).

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20165 votes

Once again it's not a VU on Vlad. If we change any abilites for the mage update then we have to create new FX for those new abilities. If they have skins with unique FX we have to also create unique FX for the one changed ability on those skins as well.

LoquaciousKumqatFeb 26, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Once again it's not a VU on Vlad. If we change any abilites for the mage update then we have to create new FX for those new abilities. If they have skins with unique FX we have to also create unique FX for the one changed ability on those skins as well.

Ah, I understand now. Although my question still stands regardless; since immobile mage are getting reworked, would you consider a VU or are VU off the table? I only ask cause something as glaringly not-up-to-standards as Morgana seems like she'd fit right in to fix now.

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20162 votes

It's something we would always consider depending on resources at the time. Most of the champion update artists are busy working on Taric, so it won't be possible in time for the Mage update. Future roster projects could always have minor VUs in them, but that would of course depend on resources at the time. We would never delay a roster project in order to get a VU out at the same time as the focus of the roster projects is on gameplay.

SkyroarFeb 27, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Once again it's not a VU on Vlad. If we change any abilites for the mage update then we have to create new FX for those new abilities. If they have skins with unique FX we have to also create unique FX for the one changed ability on those skins as well.

Won't the new ability animations clash with the old ones? Some of the old ones look, well, old. It might seem inconsistent to have a really cool new animation, only to be shown alonside old, outdated ones.

I hope a VU mage update comes somewhat soon after Taric is out.

WooksterFeb 27, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Won't the new ability animations clash with the old ones? Some of the old ones look, well, old. It might seem inconsistent to have a really cool new animation, only to be shown alonside old, outdated ones.

I hope a VU mage update comes somewhat soon after Taric is out.

They never clashed with Graves and he was made early 2012

Vlad1Feb 26, 20163 votes

{quoted}

Blood Lord Vlad will indeed have a unique animation as well as unique FX. Soul stealer Vlad will also have unique FX :)

I bought that skin only for "Kneel Before Vlad". If you remove this, can I get a refund? o.O

FlackburnFeb 27, 20162 votes

ABOUT DARN TIME!!! I love Vladimir and his whole kit, since the patch he has got nothing but love. Now an update to visual and sound fx, BIG plus!

RedWitcherApr 23, 20161 votes

what about a recall animation for blood lord vlad Vladimir ?

RiviniFeb 26, 201614 votes

{quoted}

But, of all the mage updates (Cassio, Zyra, Vel'Koz, Brand, Malz and Vladimir), only Vlad has a legendary skin.

[zombie-brand-clap]

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20168 votes

Oops, my bad. Forgot about it because it's not usually inshop and/or I don't see it often.

Please don't flame me.

In fairness, I don't think we have to worry about Brand suffering/Zombie Brand losing the unique animations. I made this thread with the fear that Riot wouldnt bother due to how similar Classic and Blood Lord animate.

Troll for TrumpFeb 26, 20161 votes

Why do the 1350 RP skins look better than the legendary ones...

Vistha KaiFeb 26, 20162 votes

Because a good number of them was actually legendary tier before the revaluation.

EvewynnFeb 26, 201611 votes

While they're at it, make nosferatu vlad's abilities black and white.

Blood MagicksFeb 26, 201610 votes

Have absolutely nothing to add, will instead spam Vlad fanarts.

Maybe it will pretty please inspire a VU? His default model plays like pulling your own teeth out and looks like an alien with an ice cream on top.

http://i.imgur.com/EvnXASg.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/aFdHGg6.gif this one is a gif

http://i.imgur.com/T8zJ91x.png

http://i.imgur.com/8eWtdTo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/uF8lbvW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/izVHzwq.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/KCY1GQp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/tJAd06d.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/E6ikAZU.png

http://i.imgur.com/9GbIA6p.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gdIJnwX.png next summer skins?

http://i.imgur.com/4AIDuVO.jpg

TytoCorvusFeb 26, 20163 votes

Okay posting anything by Feversea is like... cheating. That guy (girl?) is so crazy good at those sketches. Also i'm loving the one with Darius, that's some awesome art.

ZarkkastFeb 26, 20162 votes

Considering how they did absolutely nothing for Red Baron and Ice Toboggan Corki, I wouldn't count on them adding any new particle effect, nor touching up on the model.

Now that I think about it, imagine how fucking cool they could've made Ice Toboggan Corki. Just imagine that giant ice Valkyrie.

Over InnsmouthFeb 26, 20167 votes

While I sympathize, difference is that Blood Lord is listed as a legendary and is considered as such, what with the new anims/effects and the Voice Over.

Though I think the whole concept of the following existing is a bit silly, those Corki skins just happen to be skins that cost 1820 RP.

ZarkkastFeb 26, 20162 votes

What defines a legendary skin is the price and not anything else.

They updated Firefighter Tristana with her visual update for that exact reason.

YumaS2AstralFeb 26, 20164 votes

{quoted}

What defines a legendary skin is the price and not anything else.

They updated Firefighter Tristana with her visual update for that exact reason.

Just to remember: There are some skins that are considered legendary and do not cost 1820

Ex: Surprise Party Fiddlesticks

ZarkkastFeb 26, 20162 votes

If by "some" you mean that and Primetime Draven.

These skins are 1820 skins which were permanently discounted. Surprise Party as a birthday gift and Primetime Draven for the eSports.

GigEm3Feb 26, 20161 votes

Just leaving that out there, Zombie Brand is also a legendary skin. Is that too going to get a VU?

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20163 votes

He won't be getting a VU, neither will Vlad. Any abilities that require new FX on Brand will also have FX that match for Zombie Brand and Soulfire Brand. This is how it has worked on all the roster projects. For example, Woad king Darius has a blue Indicator rather then a red one after the juggernaut update. Also Skarners pillars are different for the different skins.

Sahn UzalFeb 26, 20161 votes

Are there some tweaks planned to his model at all? Like MF level :P I bought Soulstealer, so I'm looking fancy regardless, but it'd be cool ;3 summoner 31

Spizzle9000Feb 26, 20161 votes

This will be very nice as the rather eh particle effects and stuff on Blood Lord always made me use Soulstealer over him (although both skins are really good) but now I"ll probably use Blood Lord much more often.

RiotReav3Feb 26, 20164 votes

To clarify once again. Particles would only be changing on any abilities we change for the roster project. These particles would still need to be in line with the rest of his particles, so I wouldn't expect a huge departure in how they look compared to the rest of his kit.

Spizzle9000Feb 26, 20162 votes

Ah, well, thanks anyways!