The removal of Kayle's armor makes sense. (Sort of)

King Braum·2/19/2019, 2:43:30 PM·6 votes·2,334 views

Now, to start things off, please do hear me out.

I love, Kayle's pre-rework design, it's one of my favorite design's in the game and for me personally unmasked kayle is the closest thing I can have for a perfect Default Skin. So now you may be wondering then, why defend this change to Kayle and it's for quite a simple reason.

It's because from a designer's point of view, it makes perfect sense.

We actually have a tweet by Spideraxe that gives a bit more insight at this. https://twitter.com/Spideraxe30/status/1097663801627947008

For new players, getting into a game against a champion you dont know, visuals may be your only aid to figuring out how a champion works and this works quite simple, most of us do it quite regularly with new champions too.

If they have a ranged weapon, they're most likely a carry, Anyone with a spellbook or magic particles is probably going to itemize into AP A lean looking character with a smaller weapon is most likely an assassin And someone in a massive suit of armor is most likely a tank.

Kayle's current design, while fitting for her personality and lore, Clashes with her role in game and could potentially cause confusion. So the design was changed. And this isn't to say her new design is particularly good or bad, but at least it may give some insight on what Riot was thinking when they redesigned Kayle like this.

Though in my personal opinion they could have simply gone with a smaller armor set instead of removing most of it, such as in the popular redesign that has been floating around lately. https://media.lolusercontent.com/api/embedly/1/image/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fpbs.twimg.com%2Fmedia%2FDzvlYRjVYAIAUnz.png%3Alarge&key=a45e967db0914c7fb472fd4381e6c85b&width=425&height=800 Though that is only my opinion.

25 Comments

DrCyanide2/19/2019, 3:06:14 PM8 votes

The rule is broken in enough places I don't see why it should be changed in this case.

Azir Zed Kayle are armored Carries. Sejuani Shen Gragas Amumu are unarmored/lightly armored Tanks.

Warlord Rhinark2/19/2019, 2:47:44 PM7 votes

I understand the reasoning, and you make a pretty decent point.

But come on man.

It's not like putting Kayle in less armor is suddenly going to help new players just starting out by a large margin.

If Riot really stands by this reasoning, why do they even bother making skins like Marauder Ashe or Warden Sivir, which puts carries in heavy armor?

Or are skins exempt from this rule?

Daddy ReTaric2/19/2019, 3:54:40 PM3 votes

Current iteration fan made is 10x better than Riot current design. However the color should go back to gold/red/white.. purple and blue doesn't give justice to Kayle.

Oleandervine2/19/2019, 3:01:32 PM2 votes

That's the most bullshit excuse I've ever heard. Tham Kench isn't weating platemail, yet he's a tank. Gragas is barely clothed, yet he's supposed to be a durable AP juggernaut. Garen is wearing full armor, yet he's a bruiser, and not a tank. Amumu isn't wearing any armor, he's a corpse wrapped in toilet paper, yet he's a tank. The whole "she's not wearing armor because she's a carry" is such utter bullshit.

Kazekiba2/19/2019, 3:16:06 PM1 votes

[{quoted}](name=King Braum,realm=EUW,application-id=A8FQeEA8,discussion-id=KNuGtsjv,comment-id=,timestamp=2019-02-19T14:43:30.323+0000)

Anyone with a spellbook or magic particles is probably going to itemize into AP

I can't wait for the Katarina rework where she's visibly AP. I built armor against her the first few times I fought her because "hey shes throwing daggers at me, better get armor."

boricCentaur12/19/2019, 3:18:00 PM1 votes

Well riot that is very hypocritical coming from riot when they made a fucking ninja a TANK.

The Highest Noon2/19/2019, 3:57:23 PM1 votes

TBH I don't understand the complaints. What she has in the rework looks pretty protective for me considering she's a carry. It's like they want assassins in full plate mail or something lol

Chad Champion2/19/2019, 3:09:23 PM1 votes

I disagree with the visual aid thing. Unless if the champion has a weapon that dedicates if they are ranged or melee, most new players don't know what to buy their champions. AD Annie

Jaspers2/19/2019, 3:11:38 PM1 votes

I mean sure, it would make sense in a fighting game where the characters take up most of the screen. Looking at Tekken, you know Jack is going to be a hard hitting, simple combo guy, while Xaioyu is a small chinese girl, quick and agile, chipping away at your HP. The common pattern in Tekken is those with bigger models are that, slower harder hitting or smaller, quick but weaker. The bigger have more telegraphed attacks so easier to avoid while fighting against those who are smaller it pays to block and counter instead.

And yet, there is Lars, armoured up yet is doing back flips and air combo like nothing, Alisa, a robot who hits hard but is in the form of a young woman and Bob, a fat guy who's whole thing is "Speed and WEIIIGHT!!"

In league, we have an isometic view where the champs are tiny in comparison in confusing fights. Yas and Trynd are fighters encouraged to build crit, Galio is apparently a skyscraper tall statue encouraged to build AP, Poppy is a small fae creature but is building as a tank and Sylas is a half naked smacking people with chains and getting in their faces and is building AP, not AD/defence like other 'fighters'.

6 of one, half a dozen of the other. I understand the point though.

B3Prof2/19/2019, 3:15:44 PM1 votes

Kayle's redesign is terrible. Not just because of the lack of armor, although that is upsetting...it just looks terrible altogether. What on earth were they thinking.