Swain Doesn’t Have a Cane? Why?

Avocadolivia·Jan 23, 2018·82 votes·4,221 views

I’m actually really upset that they removed Swain’s cane in the rework. As someone who uses a cane on a daily basis, it was so nice to see a champion who also uses a cane. Representation feels good my dudes. I’m just not sure why they felt it was necessary to remove it? Like I GET his lore changed, and I understand that it’s not ~~cool~~ to have a cane, but I cried tears of happiness when I first found out Swain used a cane, and just don’t understand why they couldn’t have left it in. I know this probably isn’t the most coherent post, but idk this is just really important to me, and I’m sure it’s really important to other people too.

I’m also not sure if this is posted in the right place, so forgive me.

82 Comments

KeepeJan 23, 201840 votes

As much as I love the new Blood Lord Vladamir model, I- What? That's Swain...? No it's not, that's Blood Lord Vladamir- You're not joking? ... Where's his cane? From a sheer design standpoint, you don't make a character, leave him alone for several years, then rework this character to look like some average dude in armor. This feels instead like you ran out of creative ideas for character design and decided to go with a stock model... more than anything, that's disappointing. Especially considering the creativity of past reworks. Looking at you, Sion and Ryze. Both characters who are tweaked, but still the characters they were from a character design standpoint.

SpecterVonBarenJan 23, 201810 votes

They should make him look more like Christopher Lee.

OxyrottenJan 24, 20182 votes

{quoted}

This feels instead like you ran out of creative ideas for character design and decided to go with a stock model...

That's exactly what happened, years ago. Look at champion design since season 3, sure there have been some novel ideas, but how many champs are just mashups of two existing characters, or reworks of existing characters, or knockoff's of pop/gaming culture?

Not that I have a problem with any of them you see, just that Riot often struggles with new concepts.

TehNACHOJan 24, 20186 votes

...Gonna need more specific examples. As well as good explanations.

Also, I'm trying to parse what you're trying to say.

Gnar's and Kayn's entire schticks are their dichotomies. What's wrong with mixing two concepts to create a new one?
The vast majority of new champions nowadays fill unique niches nothing like champions before them. Or, and hear me out here, these new designs are literally reworks of existing characters.
Explain exactly to me what isn't a knockoff of pop/gaming culture nowadays, given how vast and deep and almost mainstream it's getting now. Like, literally nobody is safe from this accusation.

OxyrottenJan 24, 20185 votes

Keep in mind this crosses several different aspects such as imagery, lore, kit, etc. And remember I am not bitching about these just noticing and commenting. And things aren't going to matchup exactly so bear with me and don't be defensive just to be argumentative, I realize that having mechanics in common doesn't mean they are copies, try to use some reasoning. Also there's more but this is just off the top of my head.

Obvious folklore/common archetypes (pretty standard for gaming): Ahri Akali Alistar Amumu Cassiopeia DrMundo Fiddlesticks Galio Gangplank Karthus Kayle Kindred Malphite Maokai Morgana Nami Nasus Olaf Renekton Ryze Shaco Shen Sona Soraka TahmKench Trundle Udyr Vladimir Warwick MonkeyKing XinZhao Yasuo Graves

Pop/Gaming/Cultural knockoffs: Ahri Bard Blitzcrank Cassiopeia Chogath DrMundo Elise Galio Illaoi Ivern Jinx LeeSin Leona Malphite Maokai Morgana Nami Nunu Pantheon Rumble Shaco Shen Shyvana Sivir Talon Vayne Veigar Velkoz Vladimir Volibear Warwick MonkeyKing Zac Zyra

Reworked/MashedUp Champions: Darius Garen Jhin Caitlyn Jinx XinZhao MonkeyKing Tryndamere Yasuo Draven Rengar Khazix Riven

Inb4 "none of those things are the same your an idiot rah rah rah"

TehNACHOJan 24, 20185 votes

{quoted}

don't be defensive just to be argumentative

Inb4 "none of those things are the same your an idiot rah rah rah"

Uhhhh

Anyway, might want to knock out the S2 and younger crowd given your earlier post.

And other than Vi and Riven, or the Tryndamere-Yasuo-Draven triplet, I'm actually going to say the opposite. A lot of your reworked/mashed up champions were supposed to be similar to each other. Darius and Garen are both rivals and juggernauts (and S2 and younger). Jhin and Caitlyn both play the sniper archetype and Caitlyn and Jinx are supposed to be rivals. Xin Zhao and Wukong are both Divers and honestly you'd have had a better comparison between Camille or Malphite respectively, unless you mean the entire Diver subclass feels similar in which case you're not wrong but still stretching. And Kha'Zix and Rengar have an entire in-game event I mean.

Now I'm trying to parse the point of your posts. If you're not trying to make an argument, are you trying to be a captain obvious here? All champions, not just the ones you pointed out, borrow from folklore and archetypes and knockoffs, and most of your reworked/mashed up comparisons are intentionally designed to be so. Like you're not wrong, but you're not making a point either.

H1 H0w are YaJan 23, 201834 votes

Considering his Cane is a huge part of his lore, I find it ridiculous it was removed. Glad you brought it up

Forhonor321Jan 23, 201823 votes

I actually checked Swain on PBE. He does have a cane, it's just tied into his dance.

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

It still shouldn’t just be in his dance. In normal gameplay, you’d never see it.

ResterJan 23, 201812 votes

He probably sucked down on some fetuses and was able to walk again. (I swear if no one gets this reference)

VelasanJan 23, 201810 votes

If I had to guess it's because of his demon arm. If he has a demon arm on one side and a cane on the other you can't emphasize the cane wielding side while also bringing attention to the demon arm.

From an art perspective you can't reliably do both without giving up focus.

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

You don’t HAVE to emphasize the cane, what matters is that it’s there and he uses it. Hell, even if he has a super fancy cane and an over the top arm, there’s nothing that explicitly prevents people from noticing both.

SilenceOfHeartsJan 25, 20181 votes

i believe the cane was there to emphasize that he had a limp. you could still have both; a symbol of weakens being overcome by a symbol of power. there is no need to emphasize the cane as if it was a weapon, hell i expected just the bottom 1/5 to poke out from cape and swain to limp while out of combat while he does his current ulti pose all the time in combat or near an enemy target and his real ultimate to be full bird daemon take over.

Yes Daddy PIeaseJan 24, 20189 votes

How is it not cool to use a cane? Canes are dope, esp when they have a sword in them

BjørnetjenestenJan 23, 20188 votes

Ths old cane is always loyal: Nasus

and If you feeling really edgy, there is Kayn

Azir Is another birdman with a cane

Z3SleeperJan 24, 20187 votes

He... actually does tho.

https://youtu.be/XY1cXx0le2s?t=30

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

Just in his dance though

SaltLord451Jan 23, 20185 votes

It even says he was crippled in the Ionian wars.

Baron von JigglyJan 23, 201824 votes

they mean he was crippled in that he lost his arm. dude walks perfectly fine now.

SwiftKitten88Jan 27, 20181 votes

{quoted}

It even says he was crippled in the Ionian wars.

yeah according to what he says to Irelia in game, she cut off most of his left arm

Wînter FoxJan 24, 20185 votes

Who the hell says canes aren't cool? You can't be a true pimp without one

hoganftwJan 23, 20183 votes

Because Nasus has it, duh

D CANE

Hovering HentaiJan 23, 20183 votes

He has one in his dance animation but that's it

hazerddexJan 24, 20183 votes

but he does have a cane....[sg-lux-2]

MagíciansJan 24, 20183 votes

Tyrant Swain has a cane where his dick is

https://imgur.com/a/w5VsF

CrazyBigfoot28Jan 24, 20183 votes

He has a cane when he dances so its kinda a win lose i guess

SSmotzerJan 24, 20183 votes

From what I know about Riot, whenever they take something from a champion during their rework they reintroduce in a new champion.

Riot wants all of their champions to be visually distinct at first glance, which means Riot must be working on a champion who's main visual indicator is their cane. My money is on Riot making a hunched back old crone of a witch who walks with a cane.

Ashen RiderJan 24, 20182 votes

{quoted}

From what I know about Riot, whenever they take something from a champion during their rework they reintroduce in a new champion.

Riot wants all of their champions to be visually distinct at first glance, which means Riot must be working on a champion who's main visual indicator is their cane. My money is on Riot making a hunched back old crone of a witch who walks with a cane.

Could you please give examples? I know of no champions that use fans other than pre-rework Karma.

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

That’s the thing though, Swain, mr bird guy, and an old, hunched over witch would still be 100% distinguishable at first glance if they both had canes.

SSmotzerJan 25, 20181 votes

Well, I suppose you could then choke it up to Chekhov's gun. Riot's new kit didn't utilize his cane in his gameplay, so they just removed it.

I suppose they could have worked the cane into his eye thing, but they didn't want to lock Swain down while casting it to play the animation, so again, they just removed it. I suppose if they changed his identity a bit from being about birds to being about eyes, his cane being an evil eye thing could have worked pretty well, but they didn't want to change Swain's core identity. So they dropped the cane being the source of his power to his wicked ass demon bird hand.

DragonSheaJan 24, 20183 votes

People please. The man still got his cane. He is just hiding it until he wants to dance.

NO FUCKING BULLSHIT! But Swain still has his cane. He just uses it for his cane.

OtterssoulJan 24, 20183 votes

Hey, my cane is cool! Those posting that Nasus, Azir, and Kayne have canes really don't get it though... For those of us who genuinely have to walk with a cane to get by, the representation of an equally troubled champion felt really good.

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

I mean my cane is cool by default because it helps me get around, but most people don’t see it as such 😜. That’s exactly what I’m talking about though. Having that representation felt so nice, and the fact that they just took that away is so upsetting.

SkorchJan 23, 20182 votes

Proper spot is probably story/art/sound.

As for the cane he HAS one it just is in his cape, he uses it to dance.

TheGreatRasputinJan 24, 20182 votes

I also enjoyed Swain using a cane, but honestly, I don't see him needing it anymore. Now that he's a warlock who uses blood magic, he might age a little, but overall keep his body in perfect condition. The only thing I see him using the cane for is as a trick, like King Bumi does in Avatar. Making himself look older so he can surprise his opponent. I had to use a cane at one point, too. I know what you're going through, kind of.

IfnethJan 24, 20182 votes

Give him back his cane!

NorthernRedStarJan 24, 20182 votes

If you look closely, you can notice his cane has been replaced by supportive armor structures around his right leg. He's clearly sustained more damage than a missing arm - muscle tendons, joints in his leg are implied to have sustained injuries as well.

ZerenzaJan 24, 20182 votes

He does still have cane.

SociopathFriendJan 24, 20182 votes

Well for one it always was a bit of a dissonance. I get that the cane was part of his character but it always felt weird that the guy with the cane wasn't moving slowly at all. As a long-time Mordekaiser player- it feels more than a little tilting to watch a guy who literally is crippled can walk away faster than you.

For practical reasons they may have wanted to use his hands more for abilities and emotes in a more exaggerated fashion- which requires him to have said hands free.

theminiomJan 24, 20182 votes

He has a cane in his Dance emote

OleandervineJan 24, 20182 votes

It's probably from an animation perspective. Someone without a cane, being animation, can look more fluid, and it makes a lot more sense when other speed modifiers are involved. Current Swain looks fucking weird when sped up by someone like Zilean, because it completely breaks your disbelief seeing this guy hobble so much faster when he's clearly needing a cane to walk in the first place. Removing his cane freed up some creative room for him, and prevented this awkward break of your immersion when seeing a cane walker suddenly walk super fast.

Imaginary HeroJan 24, 20182 votes

His dance still uses the cane.

gabetheguyJan 23, 20181 votes

because he doesn't have any leg injuries.

AvocadoliviaJan 23, 20182 votes

You don’t need to be injured to need a cane. I have bad joints, for example. Plenty of people use them for balance. It wouldn’t be hard to write something like that into his lore.

BlakexEkalbJan 24, 20181 votes

If you read the new bio on PBE, it says instead of asking for a cane, he asks for a leg brace.

AvocadoliviaJan 25, 20181 votes

Okay? I still would have liked if the cane was left in there. The fact that they had him choose the leg means they intentionally wrote it out of his lore.

Dead Anime DadJan 25, 20181 votes

So graves can have his cigar but swain can't have Beatrice or his walking stick?

FPS P1 xSolusGodJan 27, 20181 votes

#AllCanesAreEqual

jocomotionFeb 4, 20181 votes

Yeah guys common, the cane was clearly- It was clearly, a very key aspect of Swain's charact... It's like, what if Xayah didn't have her hood?

I can't do this sentence, was the cane really important? Like from the 'old but wise nation leader' standpoint it served as something short of a prop, but why would a tactical leader clearly show his dependence on something so, so unnecessary? I feel like the leg brace makes more sense, because it's a lot more functional than carrying a cane around 24/7.

I'm more upset about Beatrice, and even she didn't do much for Swains character. Heck the fact that he named his favorite raven is a little too cute for a guy who looks like this. Swain