@Riot: "Lash" is a better term than "Slam" for Illaoi tentacles

l Helios l··21 votes·5,338 views

Here's why: lashes imply punishment for disobedience, typically for servants or religious followers. The word invokes a sense of retribution for misconduct to some discipline, which Illaoi sees herself as the "educator and enlightener."

> I am a teacher. Bilgewater will learn. > They must be tested to grow.

Lashes are a former of penitence for one who would follow a religious code, ex. self-inflicted lashings were common way back when. So it would make sense that Illaoi's tentacles "lash" her foes to punish them for not following Nagakaboros's commands like she does. That same sort of emotion and depth doesn't exist with "slam." It just sort of feels like, "hey the tentacle slams down. Let's call it a slam attack."

Imo, calling them "lashes" evokes that sort of religious overtone that Illaoi radiates, and it's a very appropriate one to help demonstrate her character as opposed to "slams."

41 Comments

Reaper Review8 votes

"I'm not big on sermons. Broken bones teach better lessons."

Just because she's a 'teacher' doesn't mean the lesson isn't painful. Her teachings pack a wallop, and her animations follow suit, with all her actions and tentacle attacks being very forceful.

"Slam" describes most of Illaoi's gameplay accurately, actually.

l Helios l1 votes

Oh no, I agree it's painful. Lashes hurt too. "Slam" just sounds too simple. There's more depth to it than just a hit. It's not like Illaoi just hits people for no reason; the purpose is righteous chastening. Chastening is painful by definition, and lashings use to be a common place thing. They're really extreme by current interpretations, but they fit her character.

bulldoggamer2 votes

Illaoi is actually a pokemon and slam is one of her base moves

RiotMeddler17 votes

That was pretty much our thinking. Lash had some good associations. Slam captured the raw strength and power vibe appropriate for Illaoi better though, versus the more whip like connotations of Lash.

l Helios l2 votes

I disagree, but I get your reasoning with the "power vibe" aspect. Imo, it just fits a "religious" character well.

DorkunedAuras1 votes

You can see that both are reasonable though.

roitferret1 votes

i dont see her as religious cuz that makes me feel like pope illaio and she is not that she just follows a god nagakaboros cuz she agrees with it idk she also doesnt seem like a punisher she feels like she inspires to keep moving and to not get stagnate i feel like she doesnt care what you do as so much

l Helios l1 votes

Well, the definition of a religion is a following around some god or doctrine of divine origin. So Illaoi is religious. Plus she is a priestess

roitferret1 votes

true i just dont see her that i see her more like a buddist anarchist lol

Rico Nasty1 votes

My thoughts exactly.

Blue Socialist1 votes

Why not "Body"? Then we'd see C9 play Illaoi Mid

RiotRiot Time Wizard9 votes

{quoted}

That was pretty much our thinking. Lash had some good associations. Slam captured the raw strength and power vibe appropriate for Illaoi better though, versus the more whip like connotations of Lash.

Some additional perspective:

In the literal gameplay sense, Illaoi targets a ground location with her tentacles, not an enemy. She is slamming the ground, not lashing it -- if her abilities were unit-targeted, lash may have been more appropriate.

Also, punishment isn't Illaoi's goal. She teaches through brutal, mostly physical adversity. Penitence and punishment revolve around atonement, meaning that some grievance needs to be paid for. Illaoi doesn't care about mistakes, "sins" or even justice. Her instruction preaches strength and the rejection of stagnation or passivity.

JavelinJoe1 votes

But her E functions way more like a whip than a smashing/slam ability. She Indiana Jones the shit out of people. Would make a good skin, maybe more up Thresh's ally though.

Quepha1 votes

{quoted}

But her E functions way more like a whip than a smashing/slam ability. She Indiana Jones the shit out of people. Would make a good skin, maybe more up Thresh's ally though.

Her E isn't referred to as a "Slam" "Slam" refers to what's caused by her Q or any of her passive tentacles' attacks.

Quepha1 votes

Tentacles slam So Leap of Faith is a Slam Jam

l Helios l1 votes

Still a Slam Jam because she slams the ground. :P

It just fits the character better imo

Quepha1 votes

{quoted}

Still a Slam Jam because she slams the ground. :P

It just fits the character better imo

One slam is not enough for a slam jam.

While Illaoi does make many references to teaching, she's a very straightforward and physical person, the tentacles and her put their full weight into every blow which sounds like a slam to me. A lash however is something that uses speed to maximize pain without much real damage beneath the surface (while Illaoi's tentacles actually slam through to the core of your soul)

l Helios l1 votes

A lash however is something that uses speed to maximize pain without much real damage beneath the surface (while Illaoi's tentacles actually slam through to the core of your soul)

That's more dependent on the tool used. A simple whip or belt hurts a certain amount, but add spikes or something and make it a spiked whip like Romans had and it accomplishes a new function in digging deeper (literally). Illaoi's tentacles hurt deeper because they're a different tool for the same function: chastening.

Quepha1 votes

{quoted}

That's more dependent on the tool used. A simple whip or belt hurts a certain amount, but add spikes or something and make it a spiked whip like Romans had and it accomplishes a new function in digging deeper (literally). Illaoi's tentacles hurt deeper because they're a different tool for the same function: chastening.

She doesn't punish with her tentacles, she challenges. She teaches by forcing you into a physical test.

And her tentacles lack any spikes or anything, they pretty clearly do all of their damage by simply impacting with a lot of raw force.

l Helios l1 votes

It's more of a test of spirit, meta-physical endurance, much like a spiritual dedication. Punishment comes because people don't follow the commands of her god, but she also tests them to see their dedication to life.

Quepha1 votes

{quoted}

Punishment comes because people don't follow the commands of her god

I don't think so. Illaoi makes no references to purging unbelievers or upholding traditions and rituals. Simply "here is your test, it won't be easy".

l Helios l1 votes

I don't think it's directly stated either, but I think infering that is fair.

Quepha1 votes

{quoted}

I don't think it's directly stated either, but I think infering that is fair.

In her background she laughs at Gangplank because he thought rituals and sacrifices mattered to her.

l Helios l1 votes

I think it's more of a practical type of religion. Not exactly fixed ceremonies like Bar Mitzvahs but still separate from a mere philosophy.

Beldair1 votes

She is just a crazy juggernaut SLAMMING ppl with tentacles.

l Helios l1 votes

There's more to the character than that imo. Slam sounds more akin to Vi's character.

Beldair1 votes

That's more of a Punch.

l Helios l1 votes

The ult I mean.

Beldair1 votes

A very big punch. Like super sayain punch.

Arakadia1 votes

This chain of comments is SO long.

roitferret1 votes

ya vi is straight up BOOM POW BABLAM and her ult i feel is like an upper cut punch back to earth from hell still a slam i guess but those tentacles are like a body slam from hell just laying on you

Lazypeon1001 votes

You make a good point

BUT C'MON AND SLAM, AND WELCOME TO THE JAM!!!

TheHurricaneGamr1 votes

But..... What about the slam jam? "Come on and SLAM and welcome to the JAM!"

deadlychuck1 votes

Sounds kinky

Evelynn would probably want in on that action

Princess Emma1 votes

Then you can't have Dunk Master Illoai if you just call it lash.

Slam sounds more brutal too, lash makes me think she is going to chain them up, put a ball gag in their mouth and start getting to work.

l Helios l1 votes

lash makes me think she is going to chain them up, put a ball gag in their mouth and start getting to work.

That's probably the biggest thing about it to me why it would be changed. Even so, I think it fits her character better. In a non-kinky way

TyroneWatermelon1 votes

What about Slap?

Photos of Ghosts1 votes

Slammaster Ialloi confirmed

QuasarDragon231 votes

COME ON AND SLAM AND WELCOME TO THE JAM

CerealBoxOfDoom1 votes

lash sounds like a whip

the tentacles are kinky enough without this

also I think another champion uses lash already

More from Gameplay

More by l Helios l