Can Aery follow you around all the time?

kda akali·Nov 12, 2017·160 votes·14,986 views

She only appears when you shield, attack, recall and homeguard. It would be really nice if she could appear all the time like the devourer ghost doggy :)

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/d/d7/Summon_Aery_rune.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/64?cb=20170926015444

65 Comments

RiotSparkleNov 13, 201750 votes

:c This is a hard answer to give because I totally love having Aery around too.

In the past, she showed up all the time and was given equal "visual weight" in all of her states - her ready state, the active and the cooldown state (where she travels back to you and actually needs the most player attention). Unfortunately, we found in testing that this made it really hard to tell all of those states apart.

We want to give each rune the appropriate amount of gameplay visibility and even though having Aery float around all the time is satisfying (because I love herrrrr) it's actually not great for clarity - if she's around all the time in ready/active/cooldown it actually makes it harder to tell which state she's actually in for everyone who needs to play around that info. Adding to the problem, she also has more states than similar keystones like Comet.

Thus, we made the call to have her be present for her most important states that need play for them (active/coming home) and to act more like a buff for her ready state (which she kinda is because she is a rune, after all). We've found that this change makes her significantly easier to track and play around for both enemies and owners.

PS I like to think that when Aery goes away she's actually returning into your heart though, where she came from. 💕

LightIsMyPathNov 13, 201726 votes

You're lying. Having her around all the time was in reality an indirect buff to the pickrate of the keystone.. Cause why would you ever pick another one??

Big Black CrocNov 13, 20175 votes

The amount of egirls in this comment section wanting a random blue ball following you is tilting.

LightIsMyPathNov 13, 201726 votes

Don't call my pet "a random blue ball" you heartless q.q I'm still crying for my Ghost who died with devourer

TattersallNov 13, 20176 votes

http://78.media.tumblr.com/2f9bb2628208ee1ac1b06ba6895529c3/tumblr_nrg15yqXXG1shiin5o1_1280.jpg

NeckoeNov 13, 201722 votes

[{quoted}](name=Big Black Croc,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=cbhU5Am7,comment-id=000d00000000,timestamp=2017-11-13T00:50:41.883+0000)

The amount of egirls in this comment section wanting a random blue ball following you is tilting.

It's actually the egirls giving you the blue balls ;)

Kitty Cat ToshaNov 13, 201710 votes

You know, it's okay to want a unicorn in your manly life. This is a safe space - let those repressed feelings out. We are here for you.

EmbertineNov 14, 20171 votes

I much prefer dragons, though I still like cute little ones like this, https://i.pinimg.com/736x/a5/51/35/a55135a9417d678adf48b69670897a74--anime-dragon-little-dragon.jpg

Kitty Cat ToshaNov 14, 20171 votes

Aaah, a man of culture

Linna ExcelNov 13, 20176 votes

I'd rather her be present all the time. Screw everything else, I want my little buddy you jerks.

SilverjustNov 13, 20172 votes

How about a really small aery?

NaqelNov 13, 20175 votes

But Meteor is okay to float around you while it is up... Where is the Logic?

I mean, there is precedent(Meteor), and people generally want to see Aery floating around them when she's ready to be sent out again, so why not? Hell, this could even be made an option in the menu: "Keystone Ready Effects". BAM! Problem solved.

RavenMagusNov 13, 20172 votes

{quoted}

But Meteor is okay to float around you while it is up... Where is the Logic?

I mean, there is precedent(Meteor), and people generally want to see Aery floating around them when she's ready to be sent out again, so why not? Hell, this could even be made an option in the menu: "Keystone Ready Effects". BAM! Problem solved.

Because just like the Rioter said, Aery has more states.

Comet is ready, then it shoots out, then it's done till it appears again. But Aery is ready, shoots out, floats around the enemy, then crawls on back.

It's less an issue of visual clutter and more an issue of clarity.

NaqelNov 13, 20175 votes

It's less an issue of visual clutter and more an issue of clarity.

And yet, there's people complaining they don't know if Aery is with them or somewhere away, especially in the heat of battle where you can actually lose track of her, and may not have the luxury of taking your eyes off the enemy to check the buff bar.

RiotSparkleNov 13, 20172 votes

I mentioned it in the comment above but didn't elaborate - Comet does not have the same 'catch me' state that Aery does, which is a pretty important distinction on the gameplay side. Therefore instead of up-hit-travel, Comet just has up-hit instead. The context for playing around is different between the two runes, therefore the visuals are shaped differently.

NaqelNov 13, 20175 votes

It also diminishes the satisfaction from using Aery to not have her float around you while you are out of combat, specifically because the visual is a cute pet. We were promised a cute floating pet with the previews.

Even on the visual indication side, there is nothing on the character that indicates the up status, which is indistinguishable from the travel one, particularly if the travel is to/from a target that is off-screen.

There is enough reasons to enable the Aery floating about to at least match the ones against, at the very least as an option.

SiachiNov 13, 20171 votes

Question: Is it that people with the Aery Keystone had a hard time telling the states apart, or people against/with another player with Aery, or both? If it's the latter, would it make sense for Aery to only display for the player with the keystone? It shouldn't be any different than what it currently is now, if enemy readability is an issue.

Also, I'm not a VFX person, so I don't know how much help it'd be, but would it help at all if she glowed more/less brightly in her different states? Like if she was more translucent in her 'ready' state? Or maybe have a case for in/out of combat?

EDIT: Also, personally, I think it's weird that the state where you can't see Aery at all (not counting the buff icon) is the state when she's ready to deploy.

ElipoNov 13, 20173 votes

And yet, there's people complaining they don't know if Aery is with them or somewhere away, especially in the heat of battle where you can actually lose track of her, and may not have the luxury of taking your eyes off the enemy to check the buff bar.

Acolyte of SteelNov 13, 20175 votes

Is it possible to have Aery have an over-emphasized model, and then change colors based on her state, using bright colors like orange, lime, and bright white? That way you can have a great deal of clarity on something fairly small, so it's visible, but not taking up your whole screen.

I say this because personally, I'm still having a hard time locating the lil' bugger when she shows up.

OkumaNov 13, 20171 votes

Great idea! I'd love that as long as the colors are good :p

FlashnFuseNov 13, 20171 votes

Hey Sparkle, may I suggest a middle ground? Can the player with Aery rune equipped have Aery appear to them (and only to them) all times where she may not be visually necessary for other players?

Even better if that could be toggled on/off with a ctrl+7 or something in the gameplay menu, defaulted to on of course.

Pika310Nov 13, 20173 votes

[{quoted}](name=Riot Sparkle,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=cbhU5Am7,comment-id=000d,timestamp=2017-11-13T00:24:29.380+0000)

PS I like to think that when Aery goes away she's actually returning into your heart though, where she came from. 💕

Ugh, so sappy...

RiotSparkleNov 13, 20173 votes

Yep, I am a sappy sap. Sappy as a pine tree. :)

AlistarMilkingNov 13, 20173 votes

Actually, I find it harder to tell if I have Aery with me or if she's somewhere else in a cluttered teamfight if I can't see her at my side

le concombreNov 14, 20171 votes

maybe you could leave her in a wisp like form when she is off of cooldown (sort of like navi without the wings) and have her turn into aery when she is used??

the weeabooNov 14, 20172 votes

Bruh. Why you Rioters always talking about "clarity" but dont display CD's on the smaller runes like Scorch and Manaflow Band?

And the thing that has bothered me for a while now: Kayn's passive bar. So confusing. How am I supposed to " track and play around" Kayn's passive bar?

MushkaiNov 14, 20172 votes

Was lucky to play the iteration where Aery would stay by your side when ready and it personally it felt great a little pet to summon on enemies or allies. However the current iteration makes Aery feel like an extra on hit that pop by every now and then. I early fight she is easier to track and manage but later it gets a bit harder to track where she is heading if not paying close attention. I find it tedious to look away from the fight to see the buff bar when I lose track of her to know if she's ready. Furthermore other keystones have visual 'ready' effect hovering over champions.

I understand the clarity issue, well to an extent, however I would like it if Aery had some more presence when idle. Maybe turn into a little foxfire the size of the Comet and Guardian Runes; though in hindsight it might be confused with comet.

Another option to satisfy both ends of this ( clarity VS feel good ) would be to use existing tech to make Aery hide when near enemies/combat and walk by your side when just strolling around the rift. When entering combat Aery will do the return animation and disappear into the buff bar unless she is interrupted to dive to an ally/enemy. With this iteration, player get to feel the " I have a cute pet following me around yay!" but when clarity is important, she goes into combat mode "returning into your heart" between summons until she can idle and prance around again.

Quite frankly I want a champion with a perma pet. Something like Orianna but rather than an inanimate object an actual pet. Daisy and Tibbers are fun and all but usually you don't care for them; you summon them to combo and harass but once that's done you have them tank towers. Having a companion to fight alongside with and protect each other is a fun play style. Some might know a Hero that fits this idea which also means I might never see something like this in League, which is sad.

LeonerdoNov 12, 201729 votes

Meddler said in a Twitch stream that they had to remove Aery following you around everywhere, because it caused too much visual clutter. i.e. Riot has already decided against it.

OverpoweredSoapNov 12, 201711 votes

{quoted}

Meddler said in a Twitch stream that they had to remove Aery following you around everywhere, because it caused too much visual clutter. i.e. Riot has already decided against it.

Was she really that distracting? I got use to her being there after like a game or two.

LeonerdoNov 12, 20177 votes

Compared to Arcane Comet: The particle that indicates when Comet is off-cooldown is much smaller, and the impact of Comet per usage is (supposed to be) bigger so it's should be more important to track. More importantly, you can already see Aery when she is returning to the caster, so you can see when Aery is on-cooldown rather than off-cooldown; i.e. you can infer that Aery is available if she is not on the screen.

TormentulaNov 12, 20177 votes

What they should do:

Enable Aery always following you, Make it apply to the eye candy option in the settings. (removing little critters like butterflies and stuff)

There's a lot of visual clutter in league and Aery isn't even remotely an issue (and devouror wasnt either). Like riot thinks aery isn't fine, but the numerous times I've canceled kayn engaging thinking an aatrox had passive or an ADC got GA up is?

Akali PrimeNov 12, 201725 votes

would be perfect for my sg Ahri having two pets!

HibekiNov 12, 20171 votes

Ahri has a pet?

Big Black CrocNov 13, 20171 votes

Her star guardian skin, she has a pet

LucasZatorNov 13, 20171 votes

He S.G skin doez

MelledoneusNov 13, 20174 votes

Like those high level WoW players who have a freaking gaggle of mini followers.

LucasZatorNov 13, 20171 votes

That would look pretty cool on a ahri

TPA Jason123Nov 12, 201715 votes

I honestly thought that was what Aery was going to be when i saw the preview

FairyfleurNov 12, 20172 votes

That's what it used to be, but they removed it after like a week on pbe.

TheGreatRasputinNov 12, 20178 votes

Why does it have half of the Kindred symbol on it?

RiotSparkleNov 13, 201716 votes

Papa AndreiNov 13, 20173 votes

You can't just leave us at the cliffhanger D:

RiotSparkleNov 13, 20173 votes

Not a cliffhanger - the symbol on her head references the runes symbol. :)

SwiftKitten88Nov 12, 20177 votes

this 1000x like PLEASE

the only downside i see to this would be me not wanting to take the proper runes because i want her to follow me on every champ

ZER0 2Nov 12, 20176 votes

it used to be like that =(

Dat KatNov 12, 20173 votes

Doggy https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C1BckcTXgAEZyuV.jpg

OverpoweredSoapNov 12, 20173 votes

I thought Aery did usually?

Could have sworn she did this when they first released the patch.

Did the patch it out with an update?

MetleonNov 13, 20171 votes

The main thing I'd like to see is more clarity on which aery is yours. In kept trying to pick up my ally's aery in a game. Could do something like green for you, blue for allies, red for enemies.

AnataBakkaNov 13, 20171 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbb75bCw0Xo You can even maker her not follow you at all xD

XonraNov 14, 20171 votes

Not unless I can turn it off so I don't have to see it following me all the time.

There are enough things going on added in with preseason, and fps is already an issue introduced (well more so made worse) with the preseason patch. All the "shinys" are cute and all, but some people are still playing on potatoes.