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#Riot Champ Design, Is there any interest in creating more niche champions again?

King Braum··4 votes·2,564 views

given that we're on 140+ champs by this point, is there a chance that Riot will attempt to revive some of the lost elements of the game that target more niche audiences so the game can truly have a champion for everyone?

Such as the horiffic monster archetype which sort of died with Swain and Urgot. Or the good natured monster which died with Galio. Or even the tragic champion that straight up made you feel depressed for playing him, looking at Old Maokai.

Given how big the roster is I personally would like to see more of these archetypes return to league, though I'm worried that the focus on data and trying to make a champion fit for the many over the few will greatly hinder that ever happening.

As to quote someone from an older post. League used to be "there's a champion for everybody" and now it's very close to being "every champion is for everyone" which just makes everything feel and look the same.

11 Comments

King Braum1 votes

Also I know this has been said before but can we just address how Swain went from a fairly iconic and orginal villainous character to a straight up harry potter villain. https://i.imgur.com/qWwzA9S.png

Like seriously the resemblance is uncanny.

VolatileAkali1 votes

Akali was a niche pick, look how that turned out.

DerMangoJoghurt1 votes

I have to disagree. There are still plenty of horrific monsters out there. Pretty much every Voidborn and most Shadow Isles champion fits that category. Good natured monsters are far from gone either. Alistar, Malphite, Maokai, Nautilus, Willump, Rammus, Shyvana, Skarner, and Warwick are all various kinds of "monsters" with good intentions. And lastly, for tragic champions Aatrox, Amumu, Kalista, Yorick and many, many more come to mind.

King Braum1 votes

Yorick's old lore stuck me more as a tragedy where his new lore make him more of a tragic hero fighting for a cause rather than his more depressing predecessor.

Amumu and Aatrox as well who are tragic characters dont strike the same cord as Maokai who always made it known to the player that you're forcing him into a battle he doesn't want to be a part of. Which is what I ment with the "tragic champion that straight up made you feel depressed for playing". I feel like these kind of champions are somewhat lost. mainly because of the rewritten lore making it so champions are their own person and there no longer are monsters that are controlled by outer worldly forces.

In terms of Good Natured monsters, I feel like many of them play it too clean, the wonder of Galio to me was being so down right scary on the outside but still being caring, many champions dont carry this sentiment over. I also dont see Malphite, Rammus and Warwick especially as good natured monsters, they're more forces of nature than anything else.

For the horrific champions, the voidborn and shadow isles severly limit the horrific factor for champions for me, where as urgot was a monsterous amalgimation of metal and flesh, barely clinging to life and swain turned into a horrific crowlike demon. these elements will never be seen in the void or shadow isles. The horrifyingly ugly champions of league will most likely never make a return as an archetype. Which is, to me atleast, quite sad.

Failed Abortion1 votes

{quoted}

I have to disagree. There are still plenty of horrific monsters out there. Pretty much every Voidborn and most Shadow Isles champion fits that category. Good natured monsters are far from gone either. Alistar, Malphite, Maokai, Nautilus, Willump, Rammus, Shyvana, Skarner, and Warwick are all various kinds of "monsters" with good intentions. And lastly, for tragic champions Aatrox, Amumu, Kalista, Yorick and many, many more come to mind.

You cant compare old Urgot to champions from the void. Void monsters are just brutes that have the intent to kill. Urgot was suffering 24/7, he kept caughing and talked about being in pain. He kept losing consciousness in his idle animation(heartfailure) for gods sake. Urgot was grotesque and a lot of people love that about him. We do not have a champion like that anymore, which is why I kinda think about quitting.

Oleandervine1 votes

Swain was never a horrific monster archetype. Sure, he had a transformation temporarily, but his archetype was the wise, cruel leader of Noxus who made pacts with unknown entities.

And Urgot is still a horrific monster archetype. Have you SEEN him? He's an obese man merged with all kinds of machinery.

King Braum1 votes

I tend to bunch Swain in with the monster as his old ult stuck out to me a lot more than his current transformation which turns him into a crimson angel.

In terms of Urgot, his ult is scary but his old design showed a lot more horror being an vile, ugly amalgamation of metal and flesh, barely clinging onto life and covered in the scars of his near death encounter. His new design looks more badass than monsterous to me.

Alzon1 votes

https://youtu.be/m1_BVtGY-fo

Mira Arya Enthe1 votes

I thought you meant gameplay. But yes I agree on both. More niche options both for gameplay and story. And don't be scared of archetypes.

mrmeddyman1 votes

Old Swaina and Urgot were just goofy looking

King Braum2 votes

All the old champions look goofy. Just look at warwick. still they were able to translate his look over and only enhance it further rather than take away from it.

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