Riven and Udyr are basically the same champion

Except Riven can't do damage without going full damage items, while Udyr can do shit tons while only going two. Totally the same.

Udyr has higher base damage, a better shield skill, and doesn't really require animation cancels or overly careful judgement to succeed. This meta is made for Udyr. He's all about pushing objectives and snowballing leads. Playing Udyr can be learned with a night or two of practice for most people.

Riven is highly item dependent for damage, requires high judgement to do things without going splat, and is near worthless without animation canceling. She also has a lot of skill matchups / hard to counter champions being played in the current meta. Playing Riven can take weeks of matches to get decent at her matchups and consistently doing the proper combos.

Both are excellent split pushers that force the enemy to pull off 2 - 4 of their members to stop them when fed.

In a team fight both can act as clean up or peel for the carries. Udyr is better for engaging / being in the middle of the teamfight. Riven is better for cleaning up and is horribly squishy when her shield is not active.

Both are highly mobile. However, Riven has to use her shield and main damaging ability constantly to take advantage of it. Udyr just has to spam his stun and can afford to build deadman's plate + Runic Echoes for the extra speed without much detriment.

Riven has 2 stuns. Udyr has 1. Edit: Riven has 1 stun and 1 knockup*

Udyr plays like a tank. Riven plays like a assassin.

Udyr plays mainly jungle with top lane as a rare secondary. Riven plays mainly top lane, with mid as a rare secondary, and jungle as another even rarer option.

Out of the 2 Udyr > Riven.. Why do all the extra work when you can play something easier to get the same results? That is outside of how boring playing as Udyr can be in comparison to Riven.

-EUW-

Jax and Taric as well

One has Lady parts

The other has Bear parts.

So Jax too is the same champion