Xayah's design;

Dominick Destine·Apr 4, 2017·2 votes·4,388 views

Is the cutest thing I have seen since Ahri. Absolutely waifu-tastic.

Thank you Riot. Please, continue this direction, I know I said this recently but now that it has been fully revealed I mean it more than ever. After several misfires (Taliyah/Kindred/Illaoi/Poppy/etc.), we finally have a grand-slam with Xayah.

The aesthetic of her skills, her splash, her outfit, her cat ears (even though she's bird) are adorable.

EDIT: Just heard the voice.... sigh, why Riot? first good design in a long time and the voice lines and vocal performance absolutely ruins it. Oh well, at least Evelynn will always be Evelynn <3

It is really annoying that the character talks about compromise (Not compromising) but she reeks of it. They made a cute character but they had to compromise a large chunk of her character to the propaganda they've been fueling. Couldn't you just make ONE new champion that isn't pandering?

30 Comments

SkyblazeHydraX3Apr 4, 201721 votes

Just because you don't like a champion's design or aesthetic does not make them "misfires".

Valor BotApr 4, 201714 votes

Taliyah and Illaoi are some of the most interesting female designs in the game in virtue of how unique they are among the cast. Having distinguished characters makes them feel real, recognizable, and memorable--both in game and out. If all you want is more "waifu" material, go play League of Angels or something.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Valor Bot,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001,timestamp=2017-04-04T19:33:55.919+0000)

Taliyah and Illaoi are some of the most interesting

No, they were pretty horrid.

Xayah on the other hand looks fantastic. Easily the best design since Jhin, The Virtuouso.

If all you want is more "waifu" material

Das raicis.

Valor BotApr 4, 20176 votes

Ok, why do you consider them horrid though? I'd say in terms of body type and facial structure they're far more distinct and recognizable than much of the female cast in League. I can much more easily tell Taliyah's face apart from Illaoi's than I can tell Sivir's from Quinn's, for example. (When Victorious Sivir's teaser was released there was a bit of confusion as a result.)

That isn't to say attractive characters don't have their place, but in a game of 100+ playable champions your best bet is making them as unique as possible for the reasons mentioned above.

DryditchApr 4, 20171 votes

Actually, that's why he considers them horrid.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Valor Bot,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=000100000000,timestamp=2017-04-04T19:43:50.530+0000)

Ok, why do you consider them horrid though?

Unappealing designs. Ugly. Borderline deformed. Poor aesthetic.

Compare to say, Ahri / MF / Ashe / Evelynn / Leona, etc. These are all great designs with a lot of variety to them.

That isn't to say attractive characters don't have their place

No one is saying you can't make 'untraditional' female characters.

Rek Sai, Anivia and Orianna were pretty well designed.

RalanrApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:09:32.866+0000)

Unappealing designs. Ugly. Borderline deformed. Poor aesthetic.

Compare to say, Ahri / MF / Ashe / Evelynn / Leona, etc. These are all great designs with a lot of variety to them.

No one is saying you can't make 'untraditional' female characters.

Rek Sai, Anivia and Orianna were pretty well designed.

What variety if I may ask?

midnight oil24Apr 4, 20171 votes

There was little appearance variety. Unless he means how much of them was covered, in which case there's a bit of variety.

But not much.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=midnight oil24,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=000100000000000100000000,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:23:07.016+0000)

There was little appearance variety.

TROLOLOL

Yes because Evelynn and Anivia are just so similar.

Rek Sai and Orianna are also almost indistinguishable.

midnight oil24Apr 4, 20176 votes

You listed Ahri, Ashe, MF, Evelynn, and Leona. Leona is fully dressed, but other than that among the physical designs of those champs they're all just busty females who wear little and have skins that don't change that.

Those later ones are distinct, yes, but Ralanr was focusing more on the first ones you said were super varied after listing the ones I said up there.

And I find it sad that you think that Taliyah, who is actually one of the more realistic designs to come out of this game, is "borderline deformed."

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=midnight oil24,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=00010000000000010000000000000000,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:33:28.397+0000)

You listed Ahri, Ashe, MF, Evelynn, and Leona.

For starters, I mentioned more than just those, but you are free to pretend I didn't with that lovely strawman argument.

And I find it sad that you think that Taliyah, who is actually one of the more realistic designs to come out of this game, is "borderline deformed."

It may have been ambiguous, but the deformed comment was aimed at Illaoi. Taliyah is just ugly, then again that massive eyebrow could be counted as a deformity.... but that would just be nitpicking.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

What variety if I may ask?

Evelynn (my main) has a motif of spikes, shadows and ... for some unexplained reason, is a smurf.

Orianna is a robot ballerina that strikes with clockwork mechanims and a giant ball.

Rek Sai is a giant cockroach.

Anivia is the largest breasted character in League of Legends, AND SHE'S NAKED.

More to the point though, surely you are trolling when you ask "what variety" when I named a smurf, a bird, a cockroach and a robot..... if you think these are in any way equivalent, you must be trolling.

Ahri, MF and Leona are also very different. Their motif, armor, weapons, facial features and (ears) are all distinct, colorful, unique and arguably quite interesting.

There's a reason Ahri and Leona were so popular in "A New Dawn".

RalanrApr 4, 20173 votes

I meant this group you mentioned.

Compare to say, Ahri / MF / Ashe / Evelynn / Leona, etc. These are all great designs with a lot of variety to them.

What variety?

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

I meant this group you mentioned.

I mentioned many more champions than the ones you listed.

Read the comment again. You can try to go after strawman arguments if you want though.... I pretend like what you said is what I said and I will take that position but you have to admit that you're presenting a strawman argument first.

RalanrApr 4, 20171 votes

Ok let me ask again, what is the variety of the champions you listed here?

Compare to say, Ahri / MF / Ashe / Evelynn / Leona, etc. These are all great designs with a lot of variety to them.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Ok let me ask again, what is the variety of the champions you listed here?

First answer; For what reason are you ignoring the rest I listed in that one post?

RalanrApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001000000010000000000000000,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:44:26.301+0000)

First answer; For what reason are you ignoring the rest I listed in that one post?

Because you specified those designs and then brought up the other list of champions as an answer to a different question.

So are you going to answer my question?

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Because you specified those designs and then brought up the other list of champions as an answer to a different question.

The answers were intertwined and a response to the same question.

The fact that the argument I was addressing was re-worded does not mean it was not the same argument. Your reasoning is deeply flawed.

So are you going to answer my question?

I had already answered it, you just refused to accept the answer because it does not march in lockstep with your narrative, this is why you insist on presenting strawman arguments. Here, let's show you how much you're wrong by quoting the earlier comment I made that already answers your loaded question.

Ahri, MF and Leona are also very different. Their motif, armor, weapons, facial features and (ears) are all distinct, colorful, unique and arguably quite interesting.

There's a reason Ahri and Leona were so popular in "A New Dawn".

RalanrApr 4, 20173 votes

Before we started on this new lady brawler’s look, we knew we wanted to do something different. This isn’t a commonly known fact, but a huge chunk of League’s female characters actually share an identical (or near identical) face and body, and are only differentiated by their hair and clothing. We wanted to try something different, and so set about creating someone significantly apart from the crowd for our brawler. She’s a bunch bigger, obviously, but alongside her larger frame we gave her a larger personality, too. We wanted her to be confident and comfortable in her own skin, a woman who knows exactly who she is and what she wants. We started tooling her up to be someone who was genuinely beautiful in her own unique way. The sketching began in earnest.

This is Riot's thoughts on the subject.

Ahri, MF and Leona are also very different. Their motif, armor, weapons, facial features and (ears) are all distinct, colorful, unique and arguably quite interesting.

This is yours.

But I'm going to stop here, because you don't care and I'm getting off work soon so I don't really need the distraction anymore.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

This is Riot's thoughts on the subject.

And of course that's taken way out of context, but sure, we can pretend like it is pertinent even if it isn't. Not to mention it STILL isn't a counter argument to what I presented, so good red herring there.

But I'm going to stop here, because you don't care and I'm getting off work soon so I don't really need the distraction anymore.

I thought as much. You have nothing.

TyrekGoldenspearApr 4, 20172 votes

AND SHE'S NAKED.

Rek'sai is too. Not so unique now eh?

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Rek'sai is too. Not so unique now eh?

Yeah but Rek Sai doesn't have Anivia enormous breasts.

Ahueahueahuehauehuae chicken jokes.

Valor BotApr 4, 20176 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:09:32.866+0000) Unappealing designs.

'Unappealing' is such a broad term it may as well be subjective; I find chocolate appealing but that doesn't mean everyone else does. Likewise, Taliyah's design may not be appealing to you, but it is appealing to others, so claiming that she has an objectively unappealing design seems unfair, at the very least.

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:09:32.866+0000) Ugly.

Also subjective -- I find Pantheon to be the most attractive character in the game; few will agree with me on that one, though.

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:09:32.866+0000) Borderline deformed.

I think you and I both know this is hyperbole. A bodybuilder form like Illaoi's is not a deformity, at least not in the traditional sense of the word (bodybuilding requires the tearing of muscle tissue, which could count as a deformity 'I guess'???). Taliyah has unconventional facial features within the context of the other champions you're using as examples (MF, Ashe, etc) but that does not in any way, shape, or form mean she is a physical anomaly like you seem to be suggesting.

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0001000000000001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:09:32.866+0000) Poor aesthetic.

How so? They've got very clear visual directions -- physically powerful battle priestess and transient earth mage. Their overall appearance speaks very clearly to these themes, from the design of their animations to their in-game silhouette.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Valor Bot,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=00010000000000010001,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:18:08.915+0000)

'Unappealing' is such a broad term it may as well be subjective

Objectively speaking, the designs are ugly.

YOU may like them and that's subjective, but there is no argument whether or not they are ugly designs. Illaoi and Taliyah specifically.

I think you and I both know this is hyperbole.

Nonsense.

Show me a female in real life that looks like Illaoi without being deformed. I can show you males that look like Tryndamere but anything beyond him would be considered deformity even within the bodybuilding world.

How so? They've got very clear visual directions

"Very clear visual directions" do not contradict anything I said.

Batman and Bart Simpson have "very clear visual directions", what relevance does this have? none. This is the level of your argument. The idea behind Taliyah was a homage to Toph from Avatar, but also to have a regal outfit coupled with an earth motif. It does not come across.

Conversely, let's look at a more straightforward design; Brand is a guy made of fire, he shoots fire, he is one fire. One might say it's too simple but it gets the point across.

Look at Rengar, he is a feral beast that hunts in the bushes. That comes across immediately.

Now for a human, Garen is meant to be a front-line fighter for "The Good Guys" , that comes across pretty much immediately, especially compared to Darius.

Taliyah has long sleeves and huge eyebrows, good (?)

While I DESPISE the voice-over for the new champions, at least their aesthetic is good.

Valor BotApr 4, 20176 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=000100000000000100010000,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:28:49.581+0000)Objectively speaking, the designs are ugly. YOU may like them and that's subjective, but there is no argument whether or not they are ugly designs. Illaoi and Taliyah specifically.

So my view that Taliyah's design is not ugly is a matter of taste, but your view that Taliyah's design is ugly is a matter of fact. Ok.

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=000100000000000100010000,timestamp=2017-04-04T20:28:49.581+0000) Show me a female in real life that looks like Illaoi without being deformed. I can show you males that look like Tryndamere but anything beyond him would be considered deformity even within the bodybuilding world.

I can't show you a female in real life that looks like Illaoi without being deformed, because we're on the Internet. If I began to link you images of bodybuilder women, the argument would devolve into 'is she deformed, is she not deformed', and there is no way for me to provide proof of such things. That said, there are plenty of images on the internet that you can reference, as well as videos and documentaries about physically capable women, that are healthy and not 'deformed'.

"Very clear visual directions" do not contradict anything I said.

Batman and Bart Simpson have "very clear visual directions", what relevance does this have? none. This is the level of your argument.

Ok, I only mentioned 'clear visual direction' because your response of 'Poor aesthetic' does not give me much to work with, so I tried to be charitable and read between the lines of that claim to find what it is that you were trying to say. If that's not the case, then what do you mean by 'poor aesthetic' exactly, and how does that transcend the simple taste preference of 'I do not find these women sexually appealing', which is probably not a claim we can have any meaningful discussion over.

Hauling AsheApr 4, 20177 votes

WTF, Taliyah is an amazing and underrated champ, both in character and in game. Poppy is adorable. Kindred is extremely creative. Illaoi is annoying af to lane against but an imaginative concept nonetheless.

Just because they don't fit your creepy little anime waifu fantasies doesn't mean they're not good characters. Most of us like some TnA, but to say a character is a "misfire" because they aren't thicc or conform to your fetish?

Bub O LardApr 4, 20174 votes

Look up "Gabi Garcia" m8. Brazilian jiu jitsu champ. She would armbar you into Oblivion. And just admit it. "Good" to you is someone you would bang. Nothing else. You want big ol titties on a models body. "Unappealing?" You only use that word to describe appearance, and that is only a fraction of what goes into making a character.

Dominick DestineApr 4, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Bub O Lard,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2017-04-04T22:09:35.681+0000)

Look up "Gabi Garcia" m8. Brazilian jiu jitsu champ. She would armbar you into Oblivion.

How about we put your "Gabi Garcia" against my "Connor Mcgregor" and see what happens...

You think she will "armbar him into oblivion"? Lol. This is your level of argument.

Bub O LardApr 4, 20172 votes

[{quoted}](name=Dominick Destine,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=2dK1mQL1,comment-id=00030000,timestamp=2017-04-04T22:15:36.041+0000)

How about we put your "Gabi Garcia" against my "Connor Mcgregor" and see what happens...

You think she will "armbar him into oblivion"? Lol. This is your level of argument.

Jiu jitsu rules? Absolutely. She's got 70 pounds on mcnugget and we all saw how good his jiujitsu was against Nate. And besides, I said she would armbar "you".

Bub O LardApr 4, 20172 votes

And if you find illaoi, taliyah, etc "unappealing," then exactly what features are it that you find "appealing?"