Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

So what do you guys wanna do with Taric?

RiotIronStylus·10/7/2014, 8:41:20 AM·92 votes·109,489 views
http://i.imgur.com/xX49gvk.jpg

Got my eyes on him as of late. This isn't at all a confirmation of any release or production work any time soon, we're just snooping around the concept potential now.

A lot of people have a lot of different opinions on Taric, and many of them differ. This discussion has been had before, I'm sure it will be had again, but I'd like have you guys spitball some ideas. This isn't a mechanics discussion as much as it's an art and theme discussion. Taric as a character, visually and thematically.

There's a lot of nuance that people have gleaned from our Gem Knight, despite him being quite the old and outdated asset. Pizza feet, a whole 16 VO lines and a whole lotta gems. The line that we always have to walk is how to we retain/enhance/reconstruct what makes that champion special while also doing the hard work of an overhaul, which objectively, the character needs.

I maintain that Taric is an interesting and complex case. Almost a blank canvas due to how low fidelity and limited his in-game assets are and even the supporting story and themes around him. However, many people see different things when they see Taric. Be they enthusiasts or newcomers. It can be difficult to parse what's objective reality and what's been created and filled in by the player. Currently, one of my assumptions is that so many people have different projections as to what Taric is because right now there's no solid foundation as he exists. You can pretty much project whatever you like to on him, and currently, that projection tends to be a bit of a joke.

Despite that, there's great opportunity with Taric. But the question is.. what sort of opportunity? What do you see as important aspects to consider, to build upon, or to remake when it comes to Taric?

What would you do? Feel free to throw reference imagery here, personality write-ups, or just drop your 2 cents.

Thanks, guys!

EDIT: You guys are awesome. I'm reading every single one of these comments, just so you know. Keep them coming and don't be hesitent to post even if it's far down. I'm still skimming and reading! Gunna start another thread to ask for some reference that players think would help define Taric's look. Thanks again!

733 Comments

Epengu10/7/2014, 9:30:34 AM179 votes

There are a few things core to Taric's identity for me.

  1. Smooth. Everything about this, and everything that players read into with it or project onto him, comes from his voice. I don't know if a new voiceover would be included here as well, but draw inspiration for everything related to his personality from that voice. It's unfortunate that it's made him a walking joke, but a charming and serene character is something the league doesn't really have. I love that Taric seems to have this otherworldly serenity that comes from his love for gems. Playing up his charm would be awesome. He's a perfect counterpart to Jayce - charming, but in a humble and natural way. (Whoa, gems vs tech... this is writing itself! DUDE, THEY BOTH EVEN HAVE HAMMERS) Maybe he's even too charming for his own good - people make fun of Taric because he's just so good and charming and likes everyone?
  2. Paladin. Taric is cool in that he actually fits the warrior-who-heals archetype - he's a tanky guy, but his support aspects are his strongest ones, which is the type of paladin I find most compelling. I think that's why the hammer works well - it's a weird weapon, and when its outfitted with gems its more of a stave than a weapon of war. Hmm, maybe a long halberd like stave hammer could be cool? Who knows. This works well with the charm.
  3. Gems. Gems gems gems. Let's continue this in what could be cool to change.
  4. His femininity and his hair. This is such a touchy point because I don't like that so many of the jokes against Taric seem to be pretty homophobic at their core to me, but keeping the feminine aspects of him is something I'd like. I think the reason he's such a joke is because he's a one-note character at this point, and making him more complex would erase that.

Although Taric's suave voice is part of what I love, he is a tiny bit boring. He loves gems, and that's it. What if he really loved gems? Like to the point where it's a little hilarious just how much he loves gems. The idea that he's a charming and suave guy who has this crazy obsession really tickles me. Dispelling some of his wisdom for naivete and a charming and kind persona that is so exaggerated to the point of ridicule seems like the way to go.

His model is pretty outdated. Triangle feet, as you mentioned, but also the fact that Taric is so weird and bulky. I like the heavy armor just ENCRUSTED with the gems, but a more streamlined model would be nice - this relates to what I said with the stave hammer, I guess? They look more like rock candy than anything, to be honest.

I feel like Taric's "aesthetic" personality-wise - that of the smooth, flowing knight - is pretty well defined. Because that's such a contrast with the gems, it could be interesting to go for smoother gems that make for an armor that emphasizes curves more - more polished gemstones around, more variety in the gems in his base outfit rather than just blue. I say this, but another option is to really play up the contrast - smooth in personality versus rough in armor. But that smoothness has to be there somehow, and whether you highlight it through contrast with this visuals or through marriage with them is up to you. But because that core identity IS so well defined, I think he needs more of an update than anything. Core to that update would be playing up these things that make Taric Taric - even more charm, really noble and valiant in an impossible hero sort of way, to the point where he's ridiculous - too good to be true, even, as the ultimate lawful good paladin. And gems. Obsession, love, overwhelming passion, for gems.

And finally... there's no reason that Taric has to be white in the (possible) rework. I'm all for more representation, and Taric, whose old splash art was of a slightly darker skin color, would be a good candidate.

Also, leg warmers. Those have to stay.

Thanks for asking for our input, parrot!

AychAychAych10/7/2014, 9:03:31 AM112 votes

Calm, poignant, reserved. People want to make "outrageous" jokes about him, but what to me defines Taric is that he is that kind of a gentle man who protects weak out of pure empathy. Akin to Finrod from Silmarillion, a man defined by his noble and generous heart. Maybe "noble" is the keyword here. He is not brash and jolly like Braum or dominating and vicious like Thresh. Old fashioned nobility, "the prince charming" quality.

It would also fit him as a protector, but as someone who stands aside you instead of front of you, to contrast to Braum.

Snow J10/7/2014, 9:20:36 AM65 votes

I don't speak for everyone, but as someone who enjoys the gem knight on occasion and enthusiastically recommend him to others, I'll toss my two since on why i think Taric is awesome and in some ways to work on him. I base my Taric off the one from this animation. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGy5ZJ8cSUE

  1. His voice. Granted there isn't a lot of lines or lore to pull from, but Taric's voice has this grace to it that no other champion seems to have. It's gentle, soft, even when threatening or attacking. It's got this calmed but controlled demeanor which is pretty awesome for this MASSIVE tank character. He's almost got the Braum effect, gentle but strong. Beautiful but Stern.

  2. He's a WANDERING Knight, but not a traditional one. In his lore he's a badass wandering knight whose the ONLY ONE WHO USES THIS MAGIC. He's a loner who knows the power he has and wants to protect with it. He has a great power and a responsibility to protect people with it. You never associate Diamonds and gems as the definite symbol of manliness, but being able to just walk in the enemy's face and take little to no damage is pretty manly. He should have this style of play. A freaking Tank made of diamonds that gets in your face.

  3. Gems are EARTHEN magic. It's an aspect we never really think of when someone is an Earth mage, but it is part of earth. He converted a long lost form of magic used for healing to being able to protect himself and others with it. It really adds to the unique aspects of Taric and shouldn't be changed. He's "Outrageous" only in the Novelty around in his uniqueness . It shouldn't define him.

  4. To me, all his abilities have this bit of glamor to them, shine, and style. I think I'll define outrageous in that Taric's flashy with his moves, but not as consumed with himself like Draven. Maybe he restrains himself because he's humble, and his ult is his power unhindered. OR maybe his abilities INSPIRE with how magnificent they are. Maybe Taric wants to inspire others through his actions. In his old lore he went off on his own path despite his Father's wishes. Maybe he wants others to forge ahead like he does (support class)

  5. The Humor. I imagine despite all this, Taric is pretty feminine as far as tanks go. It's where all those Outrageous jokes come from, but I find it awesome that (gay or not) this guy who might not seem manly is an in your face bruiser. If you want to keep the humor, keep him as a gem (no pun intended) from the 70s. He's a beautiful man knight with long flowing hair (Fabio effect) who probably puts more care in his appearance than most women would in the game. He's a Metrosexual who kicks ass. (imagine a /joke where he talks about Cass's complexion.)

  6. He's Gentle. Like his voice, Taric is in his nature gentle. He doesn't WANT to cause harm, but he has to for protecting others. He's a strong character physically and morally. He almost has a sorrowing aspect to some of his lines, "I will weep for you", he doesn't want to cause harm, but has to for the sake of protecting others. It's why he holds back his power. To enrage Taric is to be crushed.

So in short Taric is a nontraditional Wandering Knight with an unparalleled connection to the Earth. He devoted his alents to protecting the beauty of life found in people and earth. His acts inspire his allies as he charges headfront into battle and fear from his enemies as he wields the purest form of Earth as protection. While effeminate, He has his own unique power he humble keeps at bay and hopes for peace rather than combat. He doesn't want to fight, but will. Taric

TamOcello10/7/2014, 8:59:32 AM55 votes

As a playable character, Taric to me means someone who brings the healing power of Soraka with the protectiveness of Leona. Someone who can both engage and disengage, and keep himself and his allies kicking, but at the expense of damage or siege. These are the core elements of Taric as a unit, and any potential rework, at least to me, should be kept along these lines.

As a living character, Taric's much more complex.  He's a strong father figure, similar to Leona's strong mother figure, but he's also perfectly fine with showing his more delicate side.  He come across as the kind of guy you call up when you're crying, AND the kind of guy who's got your back in a dark alley.  He also comes across as 'straight gay.'  He is, he knows he is, he acknowledges he is, but it's not an important part of his daily life.  This comes across in his softness as a whole, as stereotyped as that is, but particularly in his dealings with, say, Garen or Draven.  Even though, of course, Draven only cares for Draven, and Garen's too proud to acknowledge Taric's interest, if he notices or cares at all.  He seems like the kind of guy who easily gets crushes, and possibly is in love, or acknowledges feelings for more than one person at a time, but is torn between them individually, as well as his duties.

Between the inner turmoil, possibly deepened by his own brooding, and his job as a fighter, it's easy to see why he'd reach for healing and protective magic.  He's a softie, but still accepts a need to get his hands dirty.  He doesn't WANT to, but such is life.
Wightraven10/7/2014, 9:31:24 AM35 votes

For me, Taric needs to be 3 things...

  1. Not just a guardian... but a caretaker. A man with a lot of love in his heart. The kind of guy who wouldn't be afraid to shed tears of pride, joy, sorrow, etc.

  2. Quietly homosexual. Being camp is out of the question; it doesn't suit his personality. Even if he's "out", he's refined. Like a gem. He's not "in your face" about it. I don't expect there to be any reason to draw attention to it outside of maybe an interaction or two, but DEFINITELY DO NOT OUTRIGHT DENY IT.

  3. Fabulous. Those gems need to sparkle. They need to be huge, and awesome. His hair needs to be Fabio levels of silky and gorgeous. Taric should look so good doing what he does that you feel better about yourself.

There's that art floating around of shirtless Fifth Age Taric, and aside from the doofy look on his face that's honestly a pretty good place to start. The gems are big and the hair is Real. Replace the goofy face he's pulling with that serene, glowy-eyed expression he typically has and you're headed in the right direction.

In terms of lore, I'm assuming Taric is going to be losing his whole "from another world" thing. That's fine. The dude can just be from Demacia, or Targon, or wherever. But he DOES need to have a reason to feel alone in the world. Perhaps the beloved single father who raised him and trained him about gems has passed on. Nothing dramatic, or caused by someone else's hand; maybe he died of old age or other natural causes. But that was the last piece of family Taric had, and now he's lost it. It's part of what makes him such a good caretaker, I think; he knows what it's like to be taken care of and now that he can't feel that anymore, he wants to make sure everyone he meets feels it, too.

Monkeytender10/7/2014, 9:49:38 AM34 votes

Taric has always struck me as a gentleman from a few centuries ago. His campy, "outrageous" factor comes from how serious he is when he comments on the beauty in things - sort of like a poet. You know that poem about comparing someone to a summer's day? I could see Taric reciting something similar to that. Taric embodies a character who has much more antiquated ideals, and I think that is what sets him apart. In a game with characters like Jinx, who could very well be torn out of a story set in 2014, it is nice to have a character like Taric who describes things with words like "vigor" and "tranquil" with a calm sincerity that few other characters can pull off. Taric finds the beauty in everything and has the mindset of a 17th century poet, and that's why I like him.

Mandersoon10/7/2014, 8:45:50 AM31 votes

As long as he stays truly, truly, truly outrageous - he'll be fine with me. ;D

multimate10/7/2014, 6:04:36 PM25 votes

Ever since I saw the summoner showdown animation I thought it was a great summary of him.

As a character; I like thinking him as the kind of guy who will be there for you when you are feeling down. He will comfort you and tell you it will be all ok. He really cares about people. But when those people are hurt, he is not afraid to go all out and quite literally destroy anyone brave enough to try. He has such a great sense of empathy, he just can't stand seeing people he cares about getting hurt.

"There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man." ― Patrick Rothfuss, The Wise Man's Fear

From the gameplay perspective; He is a unique support, he is both a healer and a protector. Tanks like Braum or Leona will either stay between you and the enemy, or they will stay on the enemy and prevent them from getting to you. They stand in front of you as a shield. On the other hand, Sona, Janna and Soraka are fragile themselves, dont like to stand too close to the enemy. They keep you healed and react to the enemy if they make a move on you. They stay behind you as a helper. Taric on the other hand, doesn't go into the enemy nor he stands behind you. **He stays with you, fights beside you. **He will stop enemies if they run so you can catch up and keep fighting, heal you up if you need it, but he won't leave your side. I think his current kit reflects that even more, he gives you armor and ad/ap. You are stronger just by being near him. I know auras are a little hard to appreciate but I like the idea of it.

I think he is a gentle protector that stays with you and fights beside you. And he has a great potential that can be explored further.

I Eat Thyroids10/7/2014, 9:02:02 AM23 votes

I think players are happy as long as he is still fabulous. Honestly, his VO is awesome, so if you wanna add lines it would have to be with the same voice.

Thematically, Taric is supposed to be about the abstract concept of "beauty" I think. There's also this idea of Taric as a type of power "harnesser", as in he grabs different powers from different gems and can distribute said power. I think this both justifies his all-aroundyness (explained below) and opens up the possibility for the space of a literal "power sharing" champion. Where Soraka sacrifices health to heal, maybe Taric's thing should be sacrificing power for allied power, though that's just a shot in the dark honestly.

Visually I can only think of a few don'ts. Don't make Taric crazy, violent, or "badass". He shouldn't be huge or particularly intimidating, avoid the Sion route. Light, glitter, and color should be heavily incorporated into his design, so perhaps the days of singe colored taric are over (if he has so many different gems why is he blue?). I also think of Taric as the male champion pools answer to Ahri and Miss fortune. If fan service exists for the male audience, then Taric is league's opportunity for female fan service, because I think it fits his character pretty well.

I don't know if you are gonna do anything with his gameplay, but honestly you shouldn't. Me and a friend would duo Taric and Jinx, and he seems plenty healthy to me. Only thing I guess you could complain about is him not really having some kind of wow! factor or specialty. need cc? Taric has a solid single target stun. need some health? Taric has a pretty ok heal. need a tank? sure, Taric can tank. want a buff on top of all of that? Taric's got your back. Arguably all of these things are things that other supports do better (Taric isn't beating Leona at tanking or cc, if it's heals and buffs there's already sona, the list goes on), but Taric is cool because he can do all of them. Not every support has to be Soraka or Braum you know (as in, hyper specialized towards one thing, healing in one case and shielding in the other), I think Taric fulfills the role of "all-around support".

Just remember: Gems are truly outrageous.

RiotXelnath10/7/2014, 6:32:07 PM21 votes

I feel like Taric is a story untold. He's either overcome something rough and pressed on becoming a positive force - or is still young and optimistic and is about to face great difficulty.

ModCaptainMårvelous10/7/2014, 10:42:35 PM21 votes

If I may, Taric is an interesting character because of just how different he is from other "knight" archtypes we have in League. Now, let's see the examples we have:

Darius/Garen- Champions of their respective states. Burly, strong guys who are always hardcore and throwing down because that's what men do, they fight.

Mordekaiser - Sort of the "dark paladin", Morde's got a lot of visual power in being Taric's opposite. Instead of bright gems, he uses shards of metal. Instead of taking the purity of the earth, he bends and refines it to his whim. I think there is a lot to say of a possible rivalry with Mordekaiser.

Taric, however, is a fascinating person because out of the armored types, he's the only one who seems to go "If fighting is what we HAVE to do, then I'll do it, but I don't want to".

Let's compare Taric to your own baby, Leona. Leona occupies the same role: Protector, bastion, leader, the one on the front line. However, her kit and her quotes reflect a bit more of an aggressive playstyle. Leona almost isn't a protector, she's just the one setting up a fight. If anything, Braum fills the role of protector more than she does, but he's hardly a knight. I think, again, Taric could be another key counter to Leona. As opposed to her aggressive, targonian™ type of protecting in which the best way to defend is to cut out the problem before it's a problem, Taric should be the "reactive" character. He doesn't start fights and nobody is going to when he's around. That's the type of person he is: He's the bouncer who keeps people from causing havoc.

Now, visually and audio-wise, Taric has strong things going for him:

  • His armor should be the most stupendous, 'magnificent' armor in the game. This is strong armor, but it's not necessarily armor that defends him. Taric's armor should be an extension of his gem magic and serve as both a suit of armor and a suit of power, if that makes any sense. Even Leona's radiant armor should be less visually splendid than Taric's because that's what it's meant to be.

  • Motionwise, Taric is slow at a glance. However, these movements shouldn't be "slow" without purpose. They should be methodical, planned out. Taric watches where he walks and moves with a calm and almost elegant pace. When he fights, every strike is decisive. There is no hacking, no slaughter, no cruelty. It's enough to get the job done, no effort wasted and no sweat broken.

  • Voice, you have to keep the ambiguity of him being possibly homosexual. I'll say it: The maybe-maybe not aspect of Taric's sexuality is what makes him a great character. It's why it's fun to play and talk about him. Maybe he IS gay, what of it? It's his preference, who cares. Maybe he isn't and just has a bit of femininity to him. Either way, the fact that this is open to reader interpretation and study is why he's enjoyable to play. There's always this sense of unknowing and it makes for a great character that the player will never fully understand. And that's why it's great. It makes Taric feel human.

MEMEME67010/7/2014, 9:47:02 AM15 votes

This discussion has been a long time coming. I'm going to be as in-depth as possible to try and give good feedback, so while I may sound pretentious I'm not just here to humblebrag.

FIrstly, I'll explain who I am in relation to the discussion. I've been playing since December of 2009, and for a long period of time, Taric was my main. I played him day in and day out basically every game. This was both before and after the meta of adc//support bottom emerged.

I had the most Taric games played in the world pre-season 1 according to a solomid.net poll. I played Taric in the original Garen champion spotlight, laning bot with Phreak. Heck, I even mained Taric during a (long) time when his ult being activated on my screen caused me to go to 3 fps because of a graphics card bug. Point is, I played him a shit ton.

And eventually his ult got nerfed, and that was fine. It was less good than before, but I got used to it. Eventually, though, with the removal of Starks, lack of a universal aura item that was good against Physical Damage (FH is not very good against certain team comps), and the total rework he went through, I stopped playing him altogether.

I still love the character, but he lost his identity somewhere along the line, and never got it back. To me, Taric was about helping people. I took pride in the fact that although I personally wasn't doing much DPS or providing a lot of CC aside from a small single target stun, I was giving my allies what they needed to succeed, and I could do it no matter what they needed. Armor, MR, AD, AP, CDR, AS, LS, Health Regen... You name it, I could provide an aura for it.

I personally don't understand where you guys were going with the Taric rework. He feels like Ryze now. You are very weak in the laning phase, and eventually you can cast a lot of spells very quickly to do some good stuff (assuming you can attack in between every spell quickly, which is generally impossible). You gave him a lot of tools to do nothing. He still provides stuff for his allies, somewhat like his old identity, but with the removal of Starks, and no way for me to buy an aura that helps against Zed or Pantheon or the likes, he just feels crippled.

The other thing is that people see Taric as a joke. I never understood this, so I generally ignored it. It was annoying when it started and it's been annoying ever since, but I don't pretend to know why most people are okay with it and I don't pretend to care. If you guys could get rid of the 'stigma' that surrounds him without destroying his character, I can say I would greatly appreciate that. And if you read the whole thing, thanks.

-MEMEME670

2nd Fiddle10/7/2014, 1:44:13 PM15 votes

I feel that there is a dissonance in Taric's current design that needs to be addressed.

Jewelers are careful craftsmen

Taric talks like a careful craftsman

But, his hammer and armor look like they were thrown together from some crystal formations he found in a cave somewhere and never thought twice about it.

I don't know exactly what Taric should look like, but I know that hammer should look like a Work of Art(that you don't want anyone swinging at you).

Ze Ocelot10/7/2014, 8:13:36 PM13 votes

A lot of others have already touched on the main points, but I'll sum up my own thoughts, including a quick sketch that could have gone through a few more iterations.

Apart from the "fabulous and outrageous identity" that takes the forefront currently, I've always viewed him as noble, smooth, reserved, and just a bit indulgent. He shows the utmost respect for the finer things and is more than okay with discussing these things with others. He's open. His slight obsession with gems is another characteristic that I love; to him, he looks beyond than just a gem's appearance but also its resonance with emotion, strength, and other qualities. Like an art form. His appearance integrates gems/crystals into the armor. Not just armor with gems tacked on, nor a suit made purely made out of gems, but a finely crafted, cohesive combination. Again, like a piece of art.

Anyway, in some way, I'd describe him as soft, but not weak. He isn't aggressive, but he'll do his best to support those he protects. Nor is he overly jolly, but he's down to earth. Motherly. Touches of femininity.

Love this discussion btw :)

Glutenburger10/7/2014, 8:54:31 AM13 votes

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Tisaric10/7/2014, 10:00:56 AM12 votes

I feel like Taric is to League what Sunbro (Solaire) is to Dark Souls, that is, a very enthusiatic and almost glamous character in an otherwise serious setting (for the most part).

I feel he needs to be a very noble paladin figure, as described above, possibly using his "Gem Knight" status as a means similar to a following such as the Warriors of Sunlight who follow Solaire. He doesn't necissarily have to be a leader figure, but someone that embodies a sort of noble group.

Talith PA10/7/2014, 12:11:50 PM12 votes

To me Taric should take the heroic knight in shining armor version of a paladin... and just really play up the gems and appreciation of beauty part. Make him have hair that flows in the wind, a smile so dazzling it stuns, etc.

I want to see more sparkles out of him than in kill la kill.

Dendus10/7/2014, 11:02:24 AM11 votes

I just want to say that while Taric wasn't my first support, he was my second because I fell in love with him as soon as I was able to try him on a free rotation, and he has been one of my favorites ever since. It wasn't even his kit at the time that I fell in love with, it was all about his personality, and how outrageous he was. Now, let me define what outrageous is to me, so that I can clear this up. Taric has always felt a little bit out of place when compared to the other characters, mostly because he is so calm in contrast and always struck me as a bit goofy. He seems like a truly innocent character in the world that he has been placed in, but he's still a badass in his own more feminine way, and I really like that.

I adore his femininity, and his confidence. It truly makes him feel like he's from a different world. I would like him to keep that sort of personality, and I think it would be kinda cool if he had more VO that supported that. While I would like him to remain dignified, the humor is really important too. In my opinion, nothing is more fun than telling the enemy team how outrageous your gems are after turning the tide in a teamfight with a well-placed stun.

Epengu mentioned him having an obsession with gems, and I really, really liked that idea. In fact, I think it would be kind of awesome if he had VO interactions with characters that have rocks, stones or gems integrated into their designs, like Malphite, Skarner, Galio, etc. Even better if you can make it skin-specific, like Dark Crystal Ryze but I'm not sure if that's actually possible with the coding. I'd also like to see more variations in his skins as well. Right now they feel very similar, except for the Bloodstone one, and I'd honestly love to have a Diamond Taric skin. I do have some ideas on what I'd like to see for his kit as well, but I'll save that for another thread. I am really, really excited about this one though, as far away as it may be. Taric

IAmNeverViable10/7/2014, 12:07:04 PM11 votes

maybe we are looking this at the wrong way. maybe we should list off the characteristic that does not match with taric. It should be easier to identify him. here goes my.

he's not a......

  1. patriot person who believe in justice or honor like garen or kayle.
  2. person who is sinister like swain or thresh.
  3. person who like to go into battle or violence like aatrox, kha'zix and tryndamere
  4. cheerful person like lux and lulu.
  5. highly think or show himself better than anyone like draven and cassiopeia
  6. upset with his desire and curiosity like viktor and vel'koz

he's the type of person who....

  1. reads a nice book in a warm fireplace
  2. avoid fighting if possible but ready to fight hard when needed. he remain calm even in battle.
  3. not very emotional person but can crack up some joke once in a while.
Ad Astra per Asp10/7/2014, 12:09:39 PM11 votes

You guys got rid of Sion's best voice over line and the one friends and I laughed over repeatedly when I was getting into league and playing with them. I hope you don't do something similar with Taric's VO. The line of Sion's that got us was always "Who is your summoner, and what does he do?" I mean come on he's not supposed to be that smart but there he is, breaking the 4th wall while sounding like Arnold. So hilarious.

I think you guys are making a shift from the campy bright colored graphics world and jokey characters to hide their bad 3d models and assets, to a world you feel you can get super serious and redefine fantasy in a tone that will be kept close to peoples hearts and be related to but I'm telling you, don't lose your roots or forget what got you here. It isn't a novel, it's a campy cheesey game that has a gimick for lore that lets a ton of weird heroes battle it out even if they aren't on the same side be teammates with each other... lore will be tricky at best to make that hold. Tristana asks if there's a rocket in your pocket and soraka says yes that is a horn on my head and no i'm not happy to see you. That's the tone of league. Immature campy sometimes borderline raunchy humor. Stuff you'd see on meme caption text. I don't think any attempt to redefine the entire tone of the game will be met any better than the forums has so far so I'd urge you to keep to your roots and remember what got you here. People want something that brings a wry smile to their face and then go bash some brightly colored heads in. Not grimdark super cereal or even light blasted nobel charming paladin. A bit of that but.... in light heart.

LordArchanon10/7/2014, 4:50:03 PM10 votes

As several people have mentioned, I think the most important thing to keep is Taric's overall serenity. He's calm, he doesn't get overexcited, he is polite even when beating your face in. He may regret the necessity of entering combat but he won't shy from it. Even his taunts are serene.

The gems are also important to keep in some fashion, but streamlining them would not be a bad idea. The rock candy look of the hammer is a bit much, honestly. Shatter's passive armor, although jagged and bulky, works well with him as it is, but if the rest of him was streamlined it might have to be too.

The hair has to stay. The hair is very important. Actually, let's expand that to his general 80's cartoon character aesthetic - it should be silly but at the same time it just works really well with his personality. Keeping some of that would be nice - but as long as the hair stays, and the legwarmers on Armor of the Fifth Age stay, anything else can go.

BennyTits10/7/2014, 9:24:01 AM10 votes

I love his theme of being a Gem Knight and how his kit reflects that. His stun, heal, and ultimate aura come from the radiance of his gems and his armor shred comes from shattering those gems. Thematically I think it all comes together really well but the problem I have is what exactly is a "Gem Knight" in the world of League of Legends? The only other champion that really has anything to do with gems is Skarner the " Cyrstal Vanguard" who also happens to be listed as a friend of Taric on his info page.

Currently Skarner's current lore points him towards being a guardian of something deep below the Shurima desert. The idea that there might be this vast, cavernous world underneath Shurima that draws from the themes of crystals and possibly gems seems like a very good place to start drawing ideas from. What is this world that Skarner alone protects? What was it relation to Shurima? Could Taric possibly exist in this world were these crystals give life to something like Skarner and give Taric the strength that he displays? Could this possibly be related to the Dark Crystal Ryze skin? Maybe Ezreal is the one who evades Skarner and finally discovers whats under Shurima and finds Taric ;). Can we possibly throw Malphite into this as well? He is listed as a friend of Skarner and his lore seems to be a dead end when it comes to relating to whats happening in Runeterra without any Summoners to be expected in the lore (this was how Malphite came to Runeterra).

Kinda just throwing ideas around, but this is the only way I can see Taric retain his image as a "Gem Knight". Without that identity it just wouldn't feel like we're playing Taric anymore which would devastate a large amount of us who still enjoy his theme but just don't know who Taric really is in relation to the world around him.

Lefey10/7/2014, 1:29:14 PM9 votes

From just his voice line and the little lore I read from when I started playing a while ago I got the impression Taric was what a tea master or herbalist was to minerals. He could pick out the best stone to help you heal and another to hurt you with. I also got the impression he was a protector not a warrior, the way Leona is but for the earth instead of the sun.

Talon Silverwing10/7/2014, 9:04:19 AM9 votes

As long as he remains more of a fun character instead of a super srsbns grimdark character I don't care what you do with him.

BioSurvival10/8/2014, 4:57:30 PM8 votes

This is how I see Taric being redesigned, I don't really like anything anyone has shown so check this out. I promise you this is the vision!! Riot please look.

Guardman10/7/2014, 1:47:51 PM8 votes

It could be because his kit is such aura focused, but I have always imagined him as the most generous person in league. His gem magic is meant to protect people, so in his context, he doesn't horde gems, he gives them to his allies. His quotes are to inform his allies how to use the gems he offers.

His outrageousness and fabulousness is a reflection of him being subtly flamboyant. I think in terms personalty him having a subtle flamboyance is one of the key traits. It goes along with his calm demeanor and generous nature to create a protector personalty that is extremely comfortable with who he is. That is why he is outrageous, because he is one of the few champions who is not afraid to be himself.

For visuals I would like to see more emphasis on his Hammer and Shield. The problem I have with Taric's animation right now is that they make his hammer and shield seem superfluous. Where instead you should feel like you are using your hammer when you basic attack and slam the ground with your ult. When Shatter is off cooldown he should walk around with his shield up, to give you a feel that you are protecting even more than before. The last thing is while you should feel like you are using his hammer, his attacks shouldn't feel raw or aggressive. All his movements should have a grace and beauty to them. He isn't attacking you out of anger, but out of the bond he feels for his allies.

Also a big point, bring back the person that did his original VO. His voice is one of the best in LoL and perfectly matches his character.

WickedKing10/7/2014, 12:04:27 PM7 votes

What is the proper way for Taric to wield his shield? Most of the champion have it around up to their wrist, while Braum looks like he have it on his forearm. Would it be like an armguard/vambrace of natural crystals that expands and shatter against his opponent? (Plus he can wield his hammer two-handed)