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Bard's lore replaces the Institute of War

Finnical·2/25/2015, 11:06:54 AM·19 votes·7,751 views

Bard, the Wandering Caretaker, revealed

Riot has said that the problem with the Institute of War was that they were too powerful/ever-present, that any problem in Runeterra that was too big was instantly solved with "Summoners came and did magic, problem solved." So they removed the Institute.

Enter the new champ, Bard. Their description of him:

"The celestial vagabond known only as Bard dwells beyond the physical universe in realms unknown to man. Manifesting when others threaten the cosmic equilibrium, the ancient caretaker acts with speed and intent, only returning to his endless watch once he has steered Runeterra from catastrophe."

So when Bard sees a threat to Runeterra he "...came and did magic, problem solved."

I see Bard as a far less interesting way to solve problems in Runeterra. I would much rather read a story about about a far-reaching and complicated political organization full of heroes, villians, and dangerous individuals than one dude who teleports from some nebulous other-realm and musics our problems away with his goofy style.

This seems like a serious step backwards. The Institute is a very adult way to solve problems, and their solutions had far-reaching consequences (see Skarner's original lore). Bard would appeal in a children's story, the magical fun-guy who makes your problems go away.

Come to think of it, the new Shurima lore and Amumu's recent update would fit really well into a children's story too. Sion's lore is a notable exception, the bits about Swain and Vlad in there were very pleasantly complicated and obscure. Are we moving towards a more simplistic or youth-appealing story?

P.S. I think his game-play looks fun, trollish or not. Some really cool ideas there. Just really PO'd about him replacing the Institute.

45 Comments

GreenLore2/25/2015, 11:38:47 AM10 votes

I dunno why you suddenly think that bard is now the solver for everything. He is a wandering care taker,not an omnipotent god,he doesn't replace the IoW in any way,as his influence is most likely restricted to the places where he currently is and even then its not like he'll be able to solve everything on his own.

Also I am not sure about Shuirma being that children-book like,Xerath being a slave,who basically kills his best friend and devestates his home land for power and freedom and Renekton being a hero that sacrificed himself and now simply can't stop his own rampage after he was locked away with a madman for centuries are pretty dark too me. Same goes for amumu who kills everything he comes in contact with.Imagine wandering around killing everything you touch,without wanting to do so,then you get frustrated because of that and destroy a whole city by accident,now you have to live forever a life as an undead who killed hundreds and can't go near others without hurting them as well.The curse of king midas looks childish in comparison...

Rafael Merlo2/28/2015, 1:24:37 AM6 votes

If they are trying to fill the black hole of the erasing of the IoW with an Deus ex Machina champion as Bardo (his name was translated in my server (yeah, I wished to throw my notebook away when I saw it)) I only can say that my prayers will turn to be daily for Ryze Ryze or Tryndamere showing up apologizing for the mess the lore of the game came to be, peaking in removing the League of Legends from the League of Legends, and bring the salvation of reverting the Great Retcon.

Impetual2/26/2015, 8:27:16 AM3 votes

LoL, really good point.

Grouchy Poro2/27/2015, 8:51:13 PM3 votes

I think Bard is more of a backseat driver than a problem solver. I mean just looking at the examples, tragedy and destruction still happen; Bard just kind goes, "Alright, I'll give this a shove in the right direction so the universe won't end. There we go."

His kit reflects this, almost all his tools going along the lines of 'I'll help you help yourself'. The IOW always solved the problems and they would be solved, without any true or interesting conflicts surfacing. It was all solved by saying, "Alright, you guys can fight it out on Summoner's Rift."

GenoXx2/25/2015, 1:24:48 PM3 votes

Even if it was the case(which it isnt) There is good reason why the IoW is gone. I dont see how people can't see that. Omni potent summoners that can deal with anything around runeterra would get restricting and boring. You would never hear anything about runeterra unless it was tied to the IoW somehow.

The way the lore is going will open more stories, instead of having all mighty summoners taking care of everything.

Bard doesnt replace this in the least. He's just a wandering spirit.

Stars Shaper2/26/2015, 8:40:55 AM3 votes

That would also explain his "trollish" kit:

"I'm on your team.. but.. not really..."

Séph3/5/2015, 10:49:41 PM3 votes

When talking about the retcon as a whole, I am actually for it. Now none of the champions need a reason to join the league. We can have more interesting champions like bard who would have 0 interest in the league and others who may be beyond the control of the summoners. I like that each champion can have their own stories without having ties to an all powerful organization.

Sorry for the offtopic bit and on to the bard replacing the institute of war. I see him/her (it?) as a being from yet another plane of existence that the people or runeterra do not quite understand yet. We already have the afterlife and the void, this could possibly lead in to yet another plane from which the bard originated from or better yet bard could have been created by beings of this other plane to watch over runeterra. Bard then again could be like Aatrox in that bard (trying to not use gender words >.

HigeR3/6/2015, 12:36:23 AM2 votes

I don't think Bard acts in the name of "good" nor "balance" either, in the cinematic you can clearly see that when he focuses the power of the egg, a bunch of meeps appear, also, the words of the old geezer "they'll die without it" probably are directed at the meeps, Bard being a caretaker probably has interest in keeping them around hence he meddling on the whole thing,

Stephenizgod2/27/2015, 8:58:53 PM2 votes

Hmm do you know what this means? There is something that threatens the cosmic equilibrium which is why Bard is here. Who is this? The Void? or something else?...

Dreamspitter2/28/2015, 7:19:49 PM1 votes

{quoted}

Riot has said that the problem with the Institute of War was that they were too powerful/ever-present, that any problem in Runeterra that was too big was instantly solved with "Summoners came and did magic, problem solved." So they removed the Institute.

Enter the new champ, Bard. Their description of him:

"The celestial vagabond known only as Bard dwells beyond the physical universe in realms unknown to man. Manifesting when others threaten the cosmic equilibrium, the ancient caretaker acts with speed and intent, only returning to his endless watch once he has steered Runeterra from catastrophe."

So when Bard sees a threat to Runeterra he "...came and did magic, problem solved."

I see Bard as a far less interesting way to solve problems in Runeterra. I would much rather read a story about about a far-reaching and complicated political organization full of heroes, villians, and dangerous individuals than one dude who teleports from some nebulous other-realm and musics our problems away with his goofy style.

This seems like a serious step backwards. The Institute is a very adult way to solve problems, and their solutions had far-reaching consequences (see Skarner's original lore). Bard would appeal in a children's story, the magical fun-guy who makes your problems go away.

Come to think of it, the new Shurima lore and Amumu's recent update would fit really well into a children's story too. Sion's lore is a notable exception, the bits about Swain and Vlad in there were very pleasantly complicated and obscure. Are we moving towards a more simplistic or youth-appealing story?

P.S. I think his game-play looks fun, trollish or not. Some really cool ideas there. Just really PO'd about him replacing the Institute.

Compare Braum and Bard as "Legendary" Figures.

They are both heroes of legend and lore, and it's hard to tell what they really are , and where myth ends and history begins.

That aside, I wouldnt classify either one as invincible, or infallible.

Tesla Effect2/28/2015, 1:26:05 PM1 votes

He works in tangent with the forces of the universe. Never really directly acting on any event, but influencing the force to shift to one side in order to balance itself. Bard is the true Chosen One.