Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

How come we have very few worldly champions?

The Ecdysiast·5/16/2018, 8:08:38 PM·4 votes·3,943 views

I mean, in the sense that their method of combat isn't strictly related to their place of origin or specific magical abilities unrelated to any city/city-state. What I'm wondering specifically is why no champions use a combination of technologies/styles/magics, rather than just a combination of aesthetic and different birthplace. There isn't a single champion that combines such aspects in their fighting, merely champions who traveled somewhere and now solely use what they acquired/learnt there.

How come none of our supposed seafarers has access to the weapons of Piltover and/or Zaun, especially considering their location as a port city. But aside from the pirates, any number of characters could be designed to use hextech or chemtech along with inherent magical abilities or physical strength derived from an animal-like form. Hell, even Ezreal doesn't use any hextech along with his magic. It seems like the designers are missing an opportunity to expand the connections between the different cities and city-states.

19 Comments

Valor Bot5/16/2018, 8:48:39 PM4 votes

It all boils down to thematic cohesion and clarity of character design. If, for example, Riot were to make a Shuriman champion with a Freljordian fighting style and magic from Ionia, well, that would probably be one big mess of a champion with an unclear visual and thematic direction. Generally speaking, successful character design in League is when you've created a champion that someone can look at and know immediately what they're all about -- from gameplay to theme. Once you combine too many elements into a single design, these things become less clear.

That said, I can see your idea working in the case of a wandering champion or master combatant of sorts, where the character's entire premise revolves around being a learned traveler who combines skills and arts from all over. That style of champion should serve as an exception rather than as an example though, IMO. Besides, what we see in game is not always necessarily what is true in the lore. I'm sure Ezreal employs hextech fairly often even if that's not reflected in game (though I suspect a VGU might give him more of a hextech/Piltovan focus in the future).

Warlord Rhinark5/16/2018, 8:26:59 PM2 votes

Cassiopeia gained her powers from Shurima even though she's from Noxus.

Corki same situation as Heimerdinger.

Elise got her powers from the Shadow Isles even though she's from Noxus.

Ivern got his powers from Ionia even though he's from the Freljord.

Kaisa got her powers from the void even though she's from Shurima.

Karthus same as Elise.

Kassadin same as Kai'sa.

Kayn Ebonmaw Dragon already said this.

Kennen he probably got his ligntning powers from training with the Kinkou Order although I'm not sure.

Lulu got her power from The Glade.

Malzahar same as Kassadin.

Poppy got her "powers" from Demacia and the hammer she wields.

Urgot got his stuff from Zaun despite being a Noxian.

Ziggs same as Heimerdinger.

Overall, I'd say there's a lot of champions that have powers/abilities that doesn't belong in their home regions.

Ebonmaw Dragon5/16/2018, 8:13:18 PM1 votes

I think that Kayn Mixes the fighting abilities of the "Order of the Shadow" with Darkin powers and Noxian combat style. Does it count?

Frankbang5/16/2018, 9:16:54 PM1 votes

Master Yi's Goggles were made for him by Heimerdinger

GreenLore5/16/2018, 11:07:12 PM1 votes

How come none of our supposed seafarers has access to the weapons of Piltover and/or Zaun, especially considering their location as a port city.

Well actually Graves is getting a piltovian shotgun in the lore(and I think it might be the one that he uses ingame,since that weapon looks rather magical,so its likely not gunpoweder based)

FlameHalbrdOkido5/17/2018, 3:29:06 AM1 votes

I GOT U MATE!!

Udyr uses Spirits from BOTH the Freljord and Ionia, he learned to fight in BOTH the Freljord and Ionia (perfected in Ionia), and he learned to control his spirits in Ionia

Its been stated already but if anyone was gonne have multiple influnces on their combat style they would have to be more region ambiguous and Udyr kinda is in that regard

And the thing is Riot likes their champion design to be a bit more clear than that, so does that help explain it for you?