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New Skins on PBE are WoW themed?

Paletongue·11/11/2015, 12:24:04 AM·9 votes·36,152 views

EDIT: "Exploring dungeons and fighting dragons are all part of the everyday lives of these merry band of men! Join the group on their quest across Runeterra and pick up some sweet loot! " -Nurse Flan Looks like its just a coincidence, they are 750RP themed group, and Elderwood Hecarim is not part of it.

A lot of new skins have surfaced on the PBE, with several having their names with a surname similar to the format of characters from World of Warcraft, specifically on the Alliance side.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ka3vymBR1u0/VkKHqdir5AI/AAAAAAAA0Po/WWxmUsHhCjQ/s640/varr.jpg New Varus Skin looks pretty similar to a Night Elf to me. Its called 'Varus Swiftbolt'

You've got Dwarven Gragas Caskbreaker http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--qnHEi45D3w/VkKE68UZ1TI/AAAAAAAA0Ow/Ed5JILVcMDE/s640/gragas.jpg Human Braum Lionheart http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6xCVKPlC43Q/VkKE8IIvl9I/AAAAAAAA0O4/FRHHE1V3DzU/s640/braum.jpg Cenarius follower Hecarim (note: only one without a last name, titled 'Elderwood Hecarim') http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vy1KtSbkk6k/VkKFPPQ912I/AAAAAAAA0PA/TfYYhKmOayY/s640/hecarim.jpg Ryze Whitebeard's staff and staff on back are both modelled quite similar to weapons in WoW as well. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZs-5aJjJdk/VkKJBcWqNEI/AAAAAAAA0P8/OKpdbq-KH4I/s640/eyze.jpg

I'm very intrigued to see if this in an intentional relationship. Partnership with Blizzard? Just a hat-tip towards them? Coincidence?

What do you think?

63 Comments

Bergk11/11/2015, 12:35:03 AM9 votes

Yeah... even with the extra "toonish" look makes them feel like they belong in Azeroth. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GaiTzOwKdsk/VkKFrzR2EvI/AAAAAAAA0PI/yeb6GWEtZZQ/s1600/Azir_Splash_2.jpg https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yu1EE7GheD0/maxresdefault.jpg Gravelord Azir reminds me of the Lich King... especially with his ability to summon an army........

GreenLore11/11/2015, 12:31:47 AM9 votes

The skins are most likely a reference to typical fantasy/medieval-characters. Ryze is your clasical mage Gragas is....well a caskbreaker Braum is a knight with a shield Varus is an archer.

I doubt that elderwood hecarim is part of that skin line considering that there is already a different elderwood skin with elderwood bard.

I wonder if another skin is coming to this medieval-themed skin line as we are still missing a mid/top/jungler(as ryze and gragas could cover 2 of those roles) and they'll add the 5th one later(similar to how malphite was added to the slaughter-crew later on),or maybe an existing skin will fit into this skin-line,like the little-knight amumu(similar to what they did with the card-themed skins) or if they'll simply leave it at 4 champs(like the academy skins)

ModAcademy Kayn11/11/2015, 12:52:36 AM5 votes

Dnd Skins for Varus, Braum, Gragas, Hecarim, and Ryze!!

CatSith11/11/2015, 3:36:18 AM3 votes

Wouldn't say it was wow theme'd since there are alot of things that use the fantasy medieval theme. I personally thought it was closer to Lord of the rings than anything else.

BattleBalladeer11/11/2015, 3:34:42 PM3 votes

{quoted}

EDIT: "Exploring dungeons and fighting dragons are all part of the everyday lives of these merry band of men! Join the group on their quest across Runeterra and pick up some sweet loot! " -Nurse Flan ... What do you think?

I think if that blurb line is the most obvious Dungeons and Dragons reference of all time- not WoW at all. If they tried to say it any harder WotC could sue for use of Drizzt and Elminster Varus and Ryze respectively.

These skins are super awesome and I am hyped. These completely otherwordly stabs at them being Dumbledore (youtube comments) or WoW chars hurt my head pretty bad.

Token Gay Guy11/11/2015, 3:13:04 PM2 votes

I don't get how you see WoW. I see Fable. All sorts of Fable.

VeryGreen11/11/2015, 4:55:18 PM2 votes

You know or it could just be a med-evil themed skin line. Was a period in time when people sorta dressed like this....

Ralanr11/11/2015, 12:44:29 AM2 votes

Yes yes, Varus has a night elf skin.

What's wrong with references?

Caytheles11/11/2015, 3:42:32 AM2 votes

i thought so too my friend

WhiskerWow11/11/2015, 5:50:54 AM2 votes

I think the answer is yes and no.

No, they are based on a fantasy world based on magic, medieval times, and different races.

However, the game that really popularized this kind of fantasy is WOW, so in a way, yes (sorry if there are earlier games that did this).

Edit: A good analogy for this is that if something was based on a post-apocalyptic waste land with bright yet grim characters, it was based off of Fallout.

Lumen Sage11/11/2015, 6:25:06 AM2 votes

More like D&D if you ask me and Gragas looks more to be Dark Souls inspired (his chest insignia is very, very close to that of Solaire from Dark Souls). Varus could also easily be a Dark Elf, or Drow, with his skin color.

Above all they easily fall into a stereotypical 4 man party set up which is what most D&D is typically balanced around as opposed to World of Warcrafts 5 man groups.