Ramblings on Yorick's narrative and design.

LoL Ergo Urgot·7/20/2016, 8:43:48 PM·29 votes·3,055 views

This is a champion with a terribly boring kit. His model is also hit and miss. He's way too short but he has grotesque qualities that bring about pity and pensive melancholy whenever he is witnessed.

Yorick from a narrative perspective is fantastic. His character is believable. A Quasimodo like character in appearance and whose moribund work left him alone, childless, and one wont to introspective brooding. His shovel also makes sense as the catalyst that allows him to live as a tortuous wight centuries old.

Yorick arrived to the Shadow Isles a dead man lead somehow consciously or unconsciously to the daemonic island. This, narratively speaking, sets Yorick apart from the other denizens of the Shadow Isles whom brought themselves there willingly or started the the Island's decadence save that of Maokai.

Being a sarcastic, and a nearly stark nihilist, he comes off as more indifferent than vicious or evil to the normal inhabitant of Runeterra; however, the League Judgement shews a side of unsuspecting humanity from the walking corpse,

"The shovel clattered into the hole.

Yorick hadn't lost grip of his shovel... ever. Panicked, he chased after it, but he slipped again. The soil he'd mounded next to the grave started to slide in on its own, an unprovoked avalanche. Yorick tried frantically to hold it back, but it flowed past him unhindered. He glanced down and it finally came to him.

The shovel rested neatly atop the body, clasped beneath its folded arms. The face - that face he should have known - was his own. It was the face of innocence, hope, sadness. It was a face so early on its journey, already convinced it had seen the end.

And Yorick didn't even recognize it."

Yorick is a tragic caricature typified by loneliness. Perhaps he wants to be remembered. Perhaps he can do this through healing the Shadow Isles through his work as ferry man and allowing the spirits of the land to climb deaths many tiers? Would he be at odds with Thresh, the chain warden, who captures souls and allows them to stagnate while Yorick wishes to see them transcend? Would he willingly side with Maokai or the others who despise the Shadow Isles or would he rather stay along like he always has and seek is own solution. Would he even care for such trifles?

This to me is Yorick.

http://lolwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Alas-Poor-Yorick-by-Combat-Banana.jpg

A grotesque and sardonic figure who is gentle of soul and who earns the respect of lesser spirits. A singular individual who has a strong Gothic and brooding persona whose kinship and control over the wretched spirits makes him a force to be reckon with, a champion.

Other things that add to Yorick visually is his hobble and the way he carries his lantern. That all feels highly original. His eccentric mask for his Undertaker skin and his commanding, deep, twisted voice.

One thing I do not care for is his shortness. The guy is tiny!

21 Comments

nintentwins7/21/2016, 4:01:24 AM5 votes

THANK YOU!!!

I am a huge fan of Yorick myself, and while I disgree with him being boring to play (I actually think he's amazingly fun to play, but thats just me) I agree with the rest of the post.

When I first read Yorick's lore a while back and saw he didn't even recognize his own body, that, blew my fucking mind!

I sware when the Yorick rework comes they better not change his lore too much. Yorick may need a rework, BADLY, but dammit his lore is so damn good if it gets drastically changed or gets an entirely new direction I might be a little pissed tbh.

Thank you for making this post! Your description of how you see Yorick fits him perfectly, and this made my day!

As a huge Yorick fan myself, it always pleases me to see him talked about on the boards (outside of pure bashing anyway)

Thanks, you made me smile. [slayer-jinx-catface]

Upvote, no doubt about it.

Rito Staff7/20/2016, 8:59:42 PM5 votes

Wow, the long overdue respect Yorick diserved. + 1

And adding some to it - he could side with Lucian. It would be cool to see him crush threshes lantern ;D

MadManApocalypse7/21/2016, 5:08:19 AM2 votes

It's nice seeing some other people that love Yorick. I just recently was able to get him through hex tech :D. His current 4800 ip cost made me hesitant to get him simply because for that price I have many better options. I think if he was lowered in price he'd get some more light on him and hopefully it would push Rito to haul ass on his update.

Rude Name7/21/2016, 9:11:03 AM2 votes

This is awesome. You, sir, have a marvelous method of writing, and it sure pays off. Also, you really hit home what we've all been thinking. I've been attracted to Yorick because of what you've described - a saviour of the damned. He's on the evil side, but he sure as hell ain't evil himself.

Thank You, for giving us this beauty to read.

Inharmonix7/21/2016, 3:00:56 PM1 votes

Wait whos Yorick? is he that new champ coming out?[slayer-pantheon-popcorn]

cyberchade7/21/2016, 7:10:02 PM1 votes

does anyone else think that yorick should have abilities that work Post-mortom not like his ult right now that is just a week Zilean and Morde ult combo

GreenLore7/20/2016, 9:17:25 PM1 votes

Well he will get his rework this year...

LordGeovanni7/21/2016, 1:54:39 AM1 votes

its patch 6.14 4 more patches till yorick and they havent realaeased him onto pbe yet

Gusicles7/21/2016, 4:53:35 AM1 votes

Hopefully when they rework him everyone will remember Yorick Mori.

This is a nice post, I agree with what you said. Even his name alone invokes the images of Shakespearean tragedies. He was the third champion I ever bought and I have his Undertaker skin.

(I REALLY WANNA SEE A BADASS MASK IN THAT SKIN FOR THE VU!)