Behold! He's here!
Also Taric's Demacian now. Good to know.
EDIT: Here's an imgur courtesy of Moobeat of the cover art in glorious 1920x1080 resolution: http://imgur.com/rR05CO2
EDIT 2 3: Taric's title appears to be "Shield of Valoran"; here's a better version of that splash!
Poop Jelly27 votesYES!! HE'S STILL FABULOUS!!
I hope he has a likable personality.
Ralanr43 votesOffered his cloak to a guy who insulted him and looked to be freezing to death. And refuses to run away from the climb, knowing that it still won't redeem him.
I think he's gonna be likable.
summonermhrysos6 votesYou see,that is the problem... Taric offered only his cloak... Everyone knows that the only necessary part of the aztec gods's of fabulousness clothing is their underwear!
Solidair36 votesI just don't see why he didn't offer his naked body for direct skin to skin contact to combat the hypithermia.
Ridiculous.
Rew7115 votesI basically mained him as a support because of two reasons: He was blue which is my favorite color He was only 1350 IP I stopped playing as him about 6 months ago since it got boring winning (during the time of tanks). I'm excited but sad; I know that I won't get that many opportunities to play him for a while after the update. Even the PBE will be hard.
Velzard of Koz2 votesI read it as offered his cock at first... I need some sleep... alone...
Ralanr2 votesI double checked to make sure I did cloak.
Blood Magicks23 votes
Stars Shaper16 votes
Ascending to your heart!
Stars Shaper12 votesThat's the real splash art? oO
I have... confused feelings about it... It's surely glorious but... I'm actually scared of Fifth Age Taric one now.
Also the weapon is indeed a "3D" version of the Chile exposition.
Edit: got to share this
http://twitter.com/hitstreak/status/717052746940096512/photo/1 (From Jesse Lawrence: Man, Helmet Bro has seen some s*it).
charcharmunro12 votesI really do dig how they didn't actually... Change Taric's character too much. He's still this... Melancholy, kind-hearted, slightly effeminate guy.
Stars Shaper9 votes
Surge064 votesnosebleeds profusely
DarkRitual9 votesGEMACIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Stars Shaper9 votes: Oh hai old friend...
: https://38.media.tumblr.com/9b14a1bfa7be0dfd8cd4af7b7c624349/tumblr_nzwhpyusLA1tlm653o1_500.gif
Ness6827 votesThis is truly truly truly outrageous (in a good way)! Glad to see that his hair and figure isn't all buffed out, changed, and tough looking like Gangplank! :)
I just wonder what ever happened to his glowing eyes in the comic.
I also hope his lore isn't 2-3 sentences like all of the other new champions that have come out recently, heck at this rate, I'd rather have someone's old lore back like Poppy just because it had more to say about her.
But these comics really should have a way of being seen in the lore section, this in its own is really entertaining to view!
Sharjo14 votesHis lore will be big and beautiful, but it'll be on the website, not in the client. Go there for lore. In fact, go now, since you mentioned Poppy:
http://gameinfo.euw.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/champions/poppy/#champion-lore
RiotRiotJaredan9 votesWe haven't done just a few sentences for a new Champ in quite a while (though there has been some delays on some pieces of the written intros here and there). I'd love to know why you have that impression so we can do better for you in making the content more readily available. Is it due to issues with being able to view centrally housed content on the webpage? Or is it primarily from not having it contained within the client? Genuinely just trying to get feedback to help us as we think about doing a better job of making the introductory stories of our Champions more available.
Also, I can assure you, the ChampUp and Promo teams have put together a good bit to reintroduce Taric.
therealdragon2 votesWe haven't done just a few sentences for a new Champ in quite a while (though there has been some delays on some pieces of the written intros here and there). I'd love to know why you have that impression so we can do better for you in making the content more readily available. Is it due to issues with being able to view centrally housed content on the webpage? Or is it primarily from not having it contained within the client? Genuinely just trying to get feedback to help us as we think about doing a better job of making the introductory stories of our Champions more available.
Also, I can assure you, the ChampUp and Promo teams have put together a good bit to reintroduce Taric.
cough Sol cough
Though I kinda assume once this rework is out, Sol'll have better lore? Does it contain spoilers and whatnot?
RiotRiotJaredan6 votes
Zerfallen1 votesHow does one simply miss a cosmic dragon?!
RiotRiotJaredan4 votesI sense a meme coming on ...
EROTIC RAID BOSS9 votesWe haven't done just a few sentences for a new Champ in quite a while (though there has been some delays on some pieces of the written intros here and there). I'd love to know why you have that impression so we can do better for you in making the content more readily available. Is it due to issues with being able to view centrally housed content on the webpage? Or is it primarily from not having it contained within the client? Genuinely just trying to get feedback to help us as we think about doing a better job of making the introductory stories of our Champions more available.
Also, I can assure you, the ChampUp and Promo teams have put together a good bit to reintroduce Taric.
If you take the typical player that never visits the website or forums I'm sure there's a ton of people who have no idea the lore exists. It would be hugely helpful and awesome to have it in client.
Personally my dream would be to have in client versions of location pages like the Mt targon one you guys just did. But at least on the champ pages, make it happen with the client update!
Nefas14 votesAll lore should be accessible via the client. Full stop.
Headbiter3 votesIf you want feedback on the Targon lore, I have an entire thread for you with quite a number of very passionate people who go into quite some elaborate detail about their stances: http://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/story-art/IEw4TrBF-my-problems-with-targon
As for the impressions, the issue of course is the way you split stuff apart. The lore is PART of your game, so it is kinda mind-boggling why I wouldn't get the information about the characters when I have the game open. (That is, by the way, an issue not limited to the lore, there is a number of game-related information that is simply unavailable in the game client that really should be there, i.e. stat-scaling of abilities).
Plus, I'm sorry to say, the site-design is...kinda horrible. Not quite mtv.com-level but we're getting there. Like, if for instance I came to the opening website as a lore-fan who returned after a hiatus and I heard about "this Bilgewater-thingy" or wanted to read up on the lore in general...hell, let's say it like it is, I'm screwed. There's no search function, you have no archive and if there is a PM-function I have yet to figure out where it is or how it works...but at least the Tribunal still has a non-functioning link at the bottom of the page, I guess.
And again, this is not limited to lore. If I want to point out to other forum users that your company promised a non-draft-version of NCS, I have to do almost journalistic work to find the accomodating article.
And if google does a better job at making your content accesible than your own site...well, there's really no nice way of putting that, is there?
Ralanr6 votesSo it was his ring, interesting.
And it seems his homeland is Demacia (and that some parts of the world see Demacia as cowardly, interesting).
Whatever Taric has done in the past, I'm liking that his character trait here is that he isn't going to stop trying to redeem himself. This right here feels very paladin, knowing that the goal is impossible but not letting that knowledge stop you from trying. Whoever he made that promise to, he intends to keep.
Edit: Also, my roommate's (A Taric main) reaction: WHERE'S THE GEMS!?
Sharjo3 votesRIGHT HERE BABY
Although you probably already saw them but I only saw your comment now so HERE IT IS
Blue Moon Wolf1 votesI am loving the giant floating gems over his shoulders. This is the first champ I will have owned before their rework and so far I'm loving every minute of it. Though I am a bit sad to see he lost his shield and likely has a staff instead of a hammer now.
Ralanr2 votesIt's a mace apparently.
Blue Moon Wolf1 votesWelp, looks his synergy with ADC 
just shot up by 20%.
Team maces ftw.
Fondling Gems1 votesLIES, TARIC WILL ONLY EVER HAVE SYNERGY WITH 
Blue Moon Wolf2 votesNothing will ever compare to and 's synergy. Theirs is at 250% :p
Fondling Gems2 votes250%? more like Gem% 7513%
GreenLore5 votesInteresting that he really is/was a demacian,I mean his official page listed him as one,but I thought that was just riot not being sure what to do with him.
Also I wonder what kind of oath he broke.
It looks like his new splash art was leaked as well.
http://www.surrenderat20.net/2016/04/the-ascent-taric-comic.html
I have to say I am a bit disappointed about it,since it looks like they heavily toned down the knight-part of his character,he now looks more like a mage than a knight. But at least he is even more fabulous.
Ralanr3 votesI'm getting a paladin vibe from him honestly. Not a heavily armored one, but it's there.
4th3t0s1 votesProbably saved a Noxian, putting money on that
Ralanr1 votesI'll take that a step further (for fun). Married a Noxian.
charcharmunro4 votesWell... Hm. Maybe something to do with Riven, in a way. He's seeking redemption as a Demacian. She's seeking redemption as a Noxian, in a way. Iunno.
Stars Shaper4 votesYou won this time :3
brb reading
So... theories about the purple sign on the wirst? :D
Nahara13 votesMagic glyphs for his conjured crystal shield.
Long while back, IronStylus had some threads asking people their opinions on which way Taric should go visually, and it was brought up that maybe his shield shouldn't be an actual shield, but one made of crystal that he forms into existence. The glyphs on his arms MIGHT be that in their final iteration.
Marbelara4 votesHe literally threw away his shield and hammer in the first page of the comic :D And then ascended.
Love the symbolism.
Xulsigae3 votesI'm glad he's kind. I'm worried about giving him a redemption arc. Redemption stories can be good with someone working to atone in effective and meaningful ways. They can be bad with someone feeling guilt over something they had no control over, becoming an angsty annoyance who never actually does anything worth atonement. Additionally, with Narrative's history of 'RETCON BEFORE ENDING STORIES!' a redemption arc might never end, thus violating their stated goal of having stories that change.
Auroraen3 votesRerolls three skin shards
Gets Emerald Taric
Facedesks
Riot updates Taric
"..."
[zombie-brand-mindblown]
DeadlyStalker2 votesTaric no longer a homosexual?
Sharjo59 votes...Well first off he's never actually been described as homosexual, heterosexual, bisexual, pansexual or whatever in any lore. So him "no longer" being homosexual isn't actually a thing.
Secondly nothing here states anything pertaining to his sexual orientation and preference, so there's no indication as to how he swings, if at all. He could be Asexual for all we know.
Rew7112 votesJust so you should also know, he was always in Demacia (in the old lore, after he came from a different world he went to live in Demacia). On his champ page, its been saying he lives in Demacia.
Sharjo6 votesNo official lore ever said he was Demacian; his champion page just listed him as such. It was very little to go on considering this version of Taric's likely existed for not nearly as long as they've listed him as a Demacian champion.
Velzard of Koz4 votesHe could identify as helicopter for all we know. As it's in in certain circles nowadays*[slayer-jinx-wink]*
