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Things We Know About Swain VGU So Far

HonestJohnTheCon·1/6/2018, 10:46:40 PM·51 votes·3,662 views

For this list, I'm not putting obvious things like "still male" or irrelevant things like "not two guys and a Darkin" because there's no way any lore change would do that. ######Wait Things that are staying the same about Swain (confirmed):

  • He's still old. This varies from middle age to actually elderly, but he's still definitely older than Garen or Darius.
  • He's still Noxian, and still a leader (or at least has the ambition to become one).
  • Birds are still a major part of his theme.
  • He still uses magic.
  • He is still of above-average intelligence (inferred from his quotes).
  • His first name is still Jericho.
  • He still has some connection to LeBlanc.

Major things that are different about Swain (confirmed):

  • He gets at least some of his power from demons, or maybe one demon in particular (Beatrice?).
  • Riot has decided to focus more on "Dictator Warlock" over "Master Strategist".
  • His passive is now a soul-collecting mechanic, which works differently than anything else in the game (as in, it's not like Thresh's or Kindred's soul-collecting mechanic). He can use his ultimate when he collects enough souls (confirmed by Reav3).
  • He's going to be at least a little more attractive and charismatic than his current incarnation. Think more "dapper old man" over "fanservice".
  • He joins his troops while commanding them in battle, rather than sitting in a chair with tactics laid out for them (an improvement IMO).
  • He has a sinister number of polygons in his left hand.

Other quirks:

  • He has around 300 voice lines, with special interactions with Katarina, Riven, Garen, Camille, Jinx, Kalista, and Aurelion Sol (IDK why either). He will probably have more special interactions. This will make him have the most voice lines (previous record holder is Jhin, with around 241). Makes sense for such a plot-heavy character.
  • Him betraying Urgot is definitely still canon. Him misusing vastayan blood (others or his own) may or may not be.
  • He has graying hair.

Unconfirmed but mentioned stuff (some theories):

  • His arm was cut off by Irelia in the Noxian Invasion of Ionia.
  • Some say that he'll have a demonic prosthetic that the demon granted to him as part of the pact.

Foolish assumptions based on the above information:

  • He's still going to be a drain tank / mage.
  • He was still involved in the re-resurrection of Sion.
  • Darius still works for, under, or with him.

If there's anything I missed about Swain that's confirmed, please let me know, so I can add it. I may have missed more than I thought.

Right now, new Swain looks cool while being faithful to the original (from what we've heard of him so far).

Only one more important question: Swain Feeney Art when?

Sources: https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/7XIRsMWR-swain-is-a-silver-fox-now-according-to-reav3 https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/Nar9GyJE-any-superficial-swain-trivia-you-guys-at-riot-are-willing-to-drop https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/KygxEXhd-some-lines-of-new-swain-have-been-revealedleaked

EDIT: Connection to LeBlanc was moved from "foolish assumptions" to "staying the same", based on evidence from a source

55 Comments

Chase Me Daddy1/6/2018, 11:01:20 PM9 votes

Putting all of the confirmed stuff and the other unconfirmed stuff from the partially confirmed chinese podcast together, I can say this looks like a great VGU. Of course I am gonna wait, see and play him myself before I make final judgements, but all of this information just sounds so right. You can tell that the team that worked on him (including a Swain main himself and someone who said they're gonna become one when his VGU is out) did a great job. Only thing that still worries me is how that kit is gonna come together. From the confirmed stuff that Swain can only use his Ultimate if he has enough souls, to the other unconfirmed stuff like that long range vision ability or the "pulling" ability. But since the playtesters do say that he is truly fun I won't worry. Hoping to add him to my champion pool. :)

Terozu1/7/2018, 5:06:23 AM8 votes

Ummm not dapper old man. Reav3 called him a Silver fox.

Darius Strada1/6/2018, 11:01:36 PM6 votes

He joins his troops while commanding them in battle, rather than sitting in a chair with tactics laid out for them (an improvement IMO).

As long is a good strategist, I don't mind him being on a chair. Worse are those kings and leaders that won't battle or make the battle plans.

TheMoralSupport1/7/2018, 2:38:58 PM5 votes

things like "not two guys and a Darkin" because there's no way any lore change would do that.

Riot: Hold my beer

GrReaper961/7/2018, 4:43:33 AM3 votes

He's going to be at least a little more attractive and charismatic than his current incarnation. Think more "dapper old man" over "fanservice"

WE WANT SILVER DADDY SWAIN!

Axzarious1/7/2018, 2:55:07 AM3 votes

I'm hoping the "Dictator Warlock" over "Master Strategist" doesn't end up with swain getting Xerath'd/Karthus'd by reducing his character and his lore and to another overly simplified and cartoonishly evil character who's a pale shadow of what they once were. Noxus, like Demacia has it's problems, and Swain was more or less "Cleaning House" with Darius and others under him by removing the festering garbage preventing the whole 'Noxian Ideal' back. From what I've known from their Lore, Swain, Darius, and Riven hold similar views in what Noxus should be, and are kind of disgusted with the state it's in.

Cerbearus1/8/2018, 2:44:53 AM3 votes

Dragon Master Swain when?

PaffWasTaken1/7/2018, 2:40:37 AM2 votes

Wasn't Camille the champion with the most quotes as of today tho?

SpecterVonBaren1/7/2018, 2:09:45 AM2 votes
  • He joins his troops while commanding them in battle, rather than sitting in a chair with tactics laid out for them (an improvement IMO).

Honestly. Given that Runeterra occurs in a world that lacks a lot of long distance communication devices or even magic it seems, the idea that a strategist would even be capable of just sitting in a tent somewhere while others fight is just ridiculous. Before modern technology that allowed people to talk from long range, a leader had to be at least NEAR the front lines in order to command his troops and often times they were right on the front riding a horse and worrying about ranged weapons.

Troll for Trump1/7/2018, 10:52:52 AM1 votes

Think more "dapper old man" over "fanservice Edgelord McCrowMan #62372472".

FTFY

Galactic Mayhem1/7/2018, 12:54:11 PM1 votes

He also lost his arm to irelia

sirwaterfles1/7/2018, 12:57:26 AM1 votes

as long as his bird stil lifts him into the air while he laughs and "another oponent another disappointment " is stil into taunt rotation im good VUwise (and ofcourse still cane and limp but that has been confirmed)

Gwise i thought i read somewhere that they liked his current w so were prob going to keep it (lets hope it because hitting it feels godlike with the sound) . swain getting a completely new ult kinda has me worried: i mean i knew they were prob going to change it but i dont see how they can keep parts of it in his kit like they did with galio,yorick,.. and playing swain in playing with the ult since so much of his power is tied to it. Well we will see what they come up with.

LunSeiSleidee1/7/2018, 6:46:53 PM1 votes

WHERE IS BEATRICE, is my one and only question....

Forhonor3211/8/2018, 5:19:59 PM1 votes

I'm honestly happy that they're going with warlock theme than tactician. I never really got the sense of "I'm a tactician" when I played him since most of the time you're throwing yourself into the enemy with little strategy since you'll have your ult on.

Now if Riot somehow developed someone like Abathur from HotS, then I would feel more like a tactician.

Warlord Dienekes1/7/2018, 4:30:05 AM1 votes

I only hope that once his plan is revealed it's all just him being a genius conqueror. And not another mysterious magic ancient evil.

DonatellaVersace1/8/2018, 3:33:37 AM1 votes

I don't see how its a foolish assumption to think that Swain and LeBlanc will still have a connection. In fact it is confirmed that Swain and LeBlanc will have a deeper connection.

Malicious Metal1/7/2018, 1:14:48 AM1 votes

I thought it was confirmed that he lost a hand to Irelia, or am I mistaken?