Is there still space for Warwick in League? Re-imagining Warwick :D
Is there still space left for Warwick in League? Both functionally in terms of mechanics and as a jungler, as well as thematically as a 'procurer of human test subjects' or a 'hunter niche,' Warwick feels not only dated, but increasingly less relevant as a viable unique champion experience on the fields of justice that potentially offers a healthy dynamic between rewarding/ engaging mechanics with clear windows for counterplay.
Since 2012 we’ve seen the release of jungler champions like Rengar, Kha’zix, Rek’sai and recently Kindred who all to varying degrees offer their own takes on hunter/stalker-type champion experiences which are facilitated through mechanics like stealth, or mobility, or other specialized types of interactions with other champions like marking, fog of war visibility, or other mini-games like tunnels or stacking resources either through kills like with Kindred, or Rengar’s bone necklace. Together these variations on the theme of ‘hunter’ demonstrate League’s ever evolving creative approach to champion design as well as reflect the larger evolution in gameplay itself.
For a champion like Warwick who DOES offer established hallmarks as a jungler historically emphasizing high-sustain, mobility based on health interactions in the form of bloodscent, and a very powerful ultimate with suppression, Warwick has the foundations of a compelling case within the ‘hunter’ jungler theme, however, his progression since 2012 has almost always been linear with little avenues for counterplay. Warwick has not aged well, and where other champions offer clear decision paths within their kits’ functions and build paths at clear match points, Warwick offers minimal flexibility beyond building ‘x’defensive/offensive item to attain y result—e.g. if I build these items I know I will beat these champions no matter what given a,b,c variables.
Put simply: not only has Warwick’s playstyle and theme become stale in the course of League’s progression, but as a whole as a champion, Warwick feels jarringly at odds with the game as it continually innovates in all areas. I know that Warwick’s rework/update has been shelved and this is potentially due to other more pressing concerns within the champion update team, but I also feel this could be due to perhaps Warwick simply not fitting in the game at the moment and the lack of clear direction for Warwick’s role in League.
Beyond imagination and role-play purposes of being Warwick, a clear disparity exists between fulfilling fantasy satisfaction at being a lycanthropic character with a clear history, gameplay style, and adaptive build paths, and the reality of a very limited gameplay expression. With all of this said I’d like to share some potential areas where Warwick might head both thematically and functionally as a champion in League and jungler role.
// What’s a werewolf? A werewolf is a mythological creature that is sometimes a person and sometimes a wolf, usually believed to prey on people. In different versions of folklore, the werewolf is either a magician or the object of a curse. In much modern literature and film, the werewolf is said to shape-shift under the influence of the full moon and to be vulnerable only to a silver bullet. The word werewolf derives from Old English wer-wulf, meaning "man-wolf.
// Warwick’s current lore: Warwick was once a man revered for his ability to track down human specimens for the darkest types of scientific research. When his ambitions exceeded his physical limits, he drank a dangerous elixir to transform himself into an unstoppable manhunter. His newfound strength bore a heavy price.
Before his transformation, Warwick found his calling in Zaun as a ''procurer'' of human test subjects. Known for his crafty methods and ruthless determination, people regarded him with a cautious mixture of fear and respect. As his reputation grew, so did the demands placed upon him. His clients wanted more rare and dangerous specimens, and they wanted them sooner. To meet their demands, Warwick needed strength that transcended his limited human form. His longtime friend, Singed, devised a powerful formula. The recipe called for three critical components: silver from the Shadow Isles, the fang of a Balefire dire wolf, and the heart of a celestial being. Warwick tracked down the first two in short order, but the third proved a much greater challenge. He traveled to Ionia to trap Soraka, a creature believed to be a child of the stars, but she discovered his ploy and drove him away with powerful magic. Unable to tolerate his failure, Warwick returned to Singed disfigured and furious. He demanded the chemist's incomplete potion, but Singed warned him that the results would be unpredictable. Ignoring his friend's warning, Warwick drank the concoction. The brew transformed him into a creature both man and wolf, infusing him with raw strength and heightened senses. Exhilarated, he immediately began testing his newfound power. Each day his instincts became sharper, but his human half slipped further away. He could feel himself losing control: though he always got his prey, he often failed to bring them back alive. Now he seeks the heart of Soraka to stabilize his transformation before his mind gives way to the feral urges of the beast.
''Eventually the beast catches up with all of us.'' -- Warwick
While there are many conceptions of a werewolf, a clear theme of transformation is almost always present in some form or fashion. If we look at Warwick’s lore he has definitive states between where he was as a human and where he ends up as a werewolf. We can instantly think ‘oh hey’ we could make Warwick have a transformation from human to werewolf like other transformation champions such as Nidalee, or Elise! However, given how problematic balancing can be between 6 or more abilities, an easier update to Warwick might emphasize his progression already as a werewolf form to match his lore.
In Warwick’s lore after he drinks Singed’s potion, Warwick gains ‘enhanced strength and heightened senses’ with a progression over time that comes with a price of losing control. I feel this leaves Warwick some potential either through a ‘rage bar’ or ‘ferocity’ type mechanic to similarly progress mechanically where either his abilities could alter either or both throughout individual champion skirmishes or throughout a league match as a whole. Warwick could gain perhaps increasing damage over time with perhaps “unstable” mechanics like a pounce over a certain distance that gains radius and area of effect at the cost of accuracy or some other clear penalty as a risk/reward structure.
Or perhaps Warwick could after a certain amount of time or damage or other variable purchase in the shop a “Stability Potion” that is “incomplete” since it lacks the heart of Soraka and only lasts for a temporary length of time and comes with further trade-offs for his abilities and gameplay style. In another area if we wanted to look at Warwick’s ‘hunting of prey’ we could delineate perhaps changing gameplay modes for the Warwick player at different points of a match as a progression of his lycanthropy and increasing instability or “loss of control.”
Early game jungle play could feature a certain set of abilities, or patterns focused on hunting/ganking champions through modes that become increasingly reckless. E.g. Warwick might offer a slow on an ability early-on that changes to a stun in mid game after a certain feat is accomplished yet Warwick would have to give up something of himself sacrificing range or damage conditionally.
A similar state progression might feature a shift in damage from magic damage for instance to true damage at the cost of % of Warwick’s maximum health each use. Or perhaps complete set of decisions focused on utilizing ‘X’ ability only a certain number of times in a certain way with permanent “consequences.”
I’m hoping to re-ignite the discussion around Warwick as a compelling and even exciting champion within League who could offer a rich expression of the ‘hunter’ jungler theme that is equally balanced and blends well with League’s current game state and where it is headed.
So League community, what are your thoughts on Warwick and the champion he could become?
