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Hopes and Expectations for Reworked Swain's character

Brutusness·2/7/2016, 11:13:37 PM·10 votes·1,806 views

With the information that Swain , the Master Tactician, will be getting a (very likely) complete rework in the next year or so, I'd like to list a few things I either believe we'll get, or some stuff I'd personally enjoy seeing myself:

  • This is obvious, but a more detailed and characterized model, one that illustrates that Swain is both a sorcerer and a leader. The current design is dated and the base colour scheme odd, so that could be improved. His bird form needs to be terrifying, Tyrant's design with the more warped human/bird design is a great start.

  • Another one we should expect, but many champion interactions. As the head of one of the countries of Valoran, Swain is one of the most influential characters in the lore, and he should have knowledge of many other champions, given his connections. Aside from champions from his own nation, he should have lines for JarvanIV and the other Demacia champions, obviously. He should also have lines for Mordekaiser, given that his fortress is now Swain's palace, and Gangplank, since he apparently stole Swain's prized ship. He should also have ones for independent champions, just to show some character on his end. For his VO, I think Riot's going to need to read through the voice actor big books like they did getting Raiden for Jhin.

  • A suitable lore replacement. This one is unfortunate because Swain is one of the few older champions who, in my opinion, has a pretty solid lore already, that just needs some expansion. Given the fact that no champions receive the kind of update he's getting with their lore intact, I understand it's going to go. However, this also gives Riot's lore team the chance to do something very interesting with his character, most importantly making him feel like a truly sinister champion, like he should. Expansion on how he found Beatrice and where he's getting his power from would be very welcome.

  • Swain needs a new skin and he shouldn't have to wait Sion-level amounts of time for one after his rework. He only has three and to be honest, for what they are, they aren't the kinds of skins that require waiting years for a new one just because they got a touch-up. If they make Northern Front look better than it already does, I'll be impressed.

  • Please, go nuts with his animations. He's one of the only champions in the entire game now to not have a recall animation for any of his skins. Hell the only extra animation he has outside of his base skin is that Tyrant walks without a limp. To compensate, he needs some great animations in his rework.

Thanks for reading and feel free to list your own hopes and expectations for Swain's rework as well. And to Riot, I'm very excited for what you guys have in store when we finally get the rework, I have hope you'll do him justice.

P.S. If you get Ed Blaylock for his VO, I'll love you. King Bradley as Swain would be a dream come true.

18 Comments

Over Innsmouth2/8/2016, 1:22:53 AM4 votes

I wholeheartedly support everything you've said, and would add he needs a fair amount of special dialogue with fellow Black Rose members (Vladimir Leblanc in particular).

From a thematic-gameplay standpoint, I'd love some emphasis on being tactical. Traps would be a good fit, but they're overdone and honestly don't fit a mage at all. I'm very happy with the current style he has as a straight mage on the battlefield with a history of being a tactical genius.

All I want is them to keep his ult, that's Swain.

Blood Magicks2/8/2016, 12:33:39 AM3 votes

He is the chessmaster of Runeterra and everyone is his pawn. I really think not unlike the Kench he should have a special interaction with most champions, with maybe just a general one for all Gods/Void monsters. The other thing I disagree with is the need for lore replacement. He is fine as he is, maybe needs more detail. But one of the things I love about League is how it leaves so much to the imagination when it comes to worldbuilding, so players can get creative without even intending to. I like the way he is shrouded in mystery TBH, I expect no less from the man who has the Black Rose and all of Noxus in his pocket.

Otherwise I agree.

PS: Can we have a "Think with your head, blood mage!" taunt to Vladimir ? Please.

WestTiger2/8/2016, 2:09:09 PM2 votes

During a job interview I recently had with Riot Games, I was told of a fairly major decision that was coming up for the game, that would have the side effect of affecting Swain 's lore for a fairly major (but not critical) event. I was told this because I happened to submit writing samples that showed Swain was my favourite champion that I wrote the most about on various social media outlets, so they wanted to see what kind of input I could give about resolving that issue.

I gave my piece about it. For confidentiality reasons I can't say the exact decision that was made, or what Swain's part in it is. Suffice to say, it's more than likely that his new revised lore regarding that event would be rolled into his rework. I suggested to make what they were going to do be part of the rework in some way, to contextualize it within the current lore, and to help replace Swain's connection to the original event with something new.

I only hope that the level of intrigue and common history he has with Leblanc remains relatively unchanged, for my own reasons (heh).

Also my own suggestion for his kit: One idea that I think could fit Swain is that he can send crows (maybe start with 1 up to a max of 3) to any point near his lane, to act as wards/sentries basically. They provide vision, and when an enemy alerts one, the crow would start and harassing them, slowing them down while also damaging them slightly.

Thematically, that fulfills his 'raven' motif, and the idea that he does see 'one step ahead' when a jungler tries to gank him. It could also be a compromise for him since he's not a mobile mage type, and unlikely to be one even post-rework. This would make his lack of an escape ability not be as big a disadvantage.

GreenLore2/7/2016, 11:26:01 PM1 votes

Overall I think there isn't much what they can change about Swain in terms of Lore. I mean it is pretty sure that Swain is going to remain the leader of Noxus,he has a raven,he limps,he has ties to the black rose and that he became the grand general after the deaths of Boram&Kieran(all that is clear from the sion promo/lore),those are already pretty much the most important parts of his lore(that wasn't directly retconned with the IoW),because the rest is simply "mystery"

HoukagoFapTime2/8/2016, 11:39:14 AM1 votes

Hopefully completely change his ult so that it actually refelcts a master TACTICIAN and not just:"BLEAAARGHH GWAAAARGH I DIVE 1 V 5 AND KILL YOU ALL".

Rito Staff2/8/2016, 12:31:56 PM1 votes

His new lore should mention something about Gangplank :| it'd deepen indirectly gangoplanko

Chase Me Daddy2/8/2016, 1:33:27 PM1 votes

His ult and his Q are the most unique spells in my opinion and should be kept similiar. I really like his theme and visuals (they still needs a little VU/VO though) but i really hope he will get a new passive, W and E. He could really be a tactical mage if he's done right. But sadly thats ways off till yet (Atm he is in my "wait for an eternity" folder, Ao Shin, Swain and Urgot are in there at the moment, but hey maybe next year i hope). Atleast the Taric and Yorick dream is coming true.

Shinirup2/8/2016, 6:04:03 AM1 votes

um Swain is one of the only characters with a somewhat decent amount of lore. Back from the Journal of Justice existing. They should not touch it. So much of the lore that actually works involves him. Darius, thus Draven, Kat, Kat's Dad, Talon, The Rose Members, even the question of what happened to J4/ Lebancs reflection. There are so many stories involving him that they could easily ADD TO, rather than change the lore that is out there. Plus his story about his leg is just bad ass. And the waddle from it supports his whole calm/ strategist personality. Rather than getting hyped up, excited and charging all in.

But didn't they just redo what he looks like a little while ago? And he has his Tyrant skin as far as looking like a Ruler. After all that is what the skin is. Him after he became leader. And his regular bird form is far more terrifying than his Tyrant one. His Tyrant one looks ridiculous. More like a wise old owl than something to be feared. The regular one looks like it could jump on you at any second and eat your face off. In fact his Tyrant bird form is the reason I haven't bought the skin.

In the end though I don't even remember Swain being one of the "significant rework" 6 or whatever. Also why do people see the need to keep posting separate threads about them rather than replying in the main one about mage updates. As if their thoughts are more important, and thus deserve to be separated to stand out.

Melledoneus2/8/2016, 1:48:47 AM1 votes

{quoted} P.S. If you get Ed Blaylock for his VO, I'll love you. King Bradley as Swain would be a dream come true.

inb4 Swain new ult. https://45.media.tumblr.com/26a876f93b6c7e1b6bfcacf1b4791529/tumblr_n8s6xxn8NR1r1mi29o1_500.gif

gasmask8662/8/2016, 4:24:01 AM1 votes

i would also like to add something, what about the not so serious side of swaaain? he should be like some ruthless noxian leader but also the old man with "that" dance. i feel like they should keep him as a long lasting DOT healing mage as his core and work from there. but, those are just some of the thoughts on swaaain.