Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

I feel like Sylas is half baked

Ðeath XIII·1/10/2019, 12:29:01 AM·6 votes·4,742 views

His character is built on his past, and not by his present or future. It doesn’t feel like Riot thought about who he is or will become in the future. Somebody who wants to spearhead a civil war needs to have plans, he needs to make friends and know his enemies are. Sylas does not do this. He doesn’t try to come off sympathetic, heroic, or intelligent.

The big part that makes me feel this way is how he treats Galio. The number one person hurt by a civil war is Galio, increased by the fact it’s over magic. Galio loves his fellow countrymen, but Sylas treats Galio like a thing instead of a key player. For somebody who read the damn book about Petracite authored by the guy who made Galio, you’d think he’d treat Galio as more than a monument to be desecrated. It’s like Riot wrote everything about Sylas’ personality and character like he just escaped execution when he talks.

To me this makes Sylas feel incredibly flat. If he tried swinging Galio to his side, but you weren’t sure if he respected Galio or planned to kill him after the revolution would be interesting. As is Sylas likes to smash and kill things he disagrees with instead of you know, being smart. When he manipulates Lux I thought that meant he’d be smart.

Trundle is a better written Sylas atm.

17 Comments

Moody P1/10/2019, 1:55:47 AM3 votes

correct, Sylas is bad

Cetri1/10/2019, 1:54:37 AM2 votes

Does he even know Galio has emotions other than MUST SMASH MAGES? As far as Sylas knows, Galio is as bad as the nation he represents.

I'd also disagree about the "not even trying to come across as sympathetic heroic or intelligent" bit. Seems like he has at least some semblance of what an ideal Demacia would look like, going off the big rallying speech in his trailer.

Cetri1/10/2019, 6:32:46 AM2 votes

He can. But as far as we know, Sylas doesn't know anything about him other than that he smashes mages like him. That's my point. Sylas has no reason to believe that he is anything other than the ultimate symbol of mage persecution, because he has never spoken with Galio, but he knows what he does.

And actions? Speak louder than words.

Warlord Dienekes1/10/2019, 7:03:06 AM2 votes

Eh, you'd be surprised how many foolhardy, but charismatic men can start a violent mob.

I mean, yeah, if he actually gained political power I would expect him to run Demacia into the ground within a month. But that itself could be the path the character develops into. What happens when he gets his wish and realizes he is utterly incapable as a ruler? Or what happens if he doesn't realize it.

Bladerunner77771/10/2019, 12:55:46 AM1 votes

Must.. resist...

Just like modern day commies! haHAA!

Modl Ryden l1/10/2019, 8:56:36 AM1 votes

Good observation, OP.

He goes about the trailer saying stuff about what he's going to do. But really just pops off demonstrating his beliefs alone. No recruitment, no mob. He goes and does everything on his own. There aren't any highlighted characters either that are with him to help out in his cause. Lux as far as we can tell is solely a bystander.

Perhaps he will be more developed as the game goes on (if people still have the interest in it) people don't seem fond of Sylas so far. Whereas champions like Yasuo were more well received upon release who later last year got a bio update along with Riven. Even then, Yasuo had some kind of lead to what his future might look like, which brought us to where we are in their lore.