Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

What the lore-power curve feels like right now.

ModCaptainMårvelous··173 votes·18,243 views

Early 2015

Welcome to the League champion spotlight, featuring Bard. Bard is a celestial caretaker who only intervenes when necessary with cosmic power and unstoppable magical force.

Mid 2015

This is Kindred. The aspect of death itself, Kindred is a literal force of nature and bows to no mortal. Oh. There's also Tahm Kench, who's a demon that can do whatever he needs through demon magic and eating.

Late 2015

Welcome to the Illaoi Spotlight. Illaoi drags a god along to the rift to smite people. She beats people to death by tearing out their souls.

Early 2016

Behold Aurelion Sol. He's a universe-sized dragon who conjures stars and suns and stuff then destroys them. He's essentially Galactus if Galactus was scaly and voiced by Cucumber Bandersnatch

Mid 2016

Welcome to the League of Legends champion spotlight. Featuring God, the God. God is God and can't be stopped.

Late 2016

Champion Reveal: Rioter, the guy who programmed God into the game and can actually unprogram god out of existence.

Early 2017

We're proud to announce Rioter's Boss, the guy who will fire Rioter and has way more power than him.

I know you guys are flexing your muscles but does anyone else feel lore power creep is getting kinda....huge?

133 Comments

RiotBioluminescence135 votes

Mid 2017

The teaser video starts... there's a low beat, powerful, intimidating.

Exterior - we are high hiiiigh above the planet Runeterra (freeze-frame for cloud-wreathed map of the world; Boards go mental, Bio sighs in relief). A crackling of incredible power accompanies the introduction of discordant strings. A portal shimmers once, twice, and then EXPLODES open in the vacuum above the planet. String crescendo!

Zoom into the hazy portal. Interior - a bedroom (much like the one in the Warriors 2014 music video) illuminated by the 'Victory' screen. A shadowy silhouette is backlit by the glowing monitor - we cannot tell details, but it is human. Zoom to the screen. The cursor, accompanied by the increasingly intense drum beat, moves with uncanny speed to the X button in the top right of the window.

And clicks.

The music abruptly changes - the ominous strings have returned, quieter now and magical. The lighting in the room is different - the screen is black (artistic license). Birds tweet outside and we think dawn might be breaking.

The figure turns to us, slowly, confidently. Too dark in the shadows to see, their eyes nonetheless glint as we fade to black.

Introducing: The Player. Without which, there is no game. The ultimate power.

Game Over.

Sahn Uzal14 votes

I'm not seeing a ''Standard Bioluminescence disclaimer'' so I'm expecting this to be true. If this is not happening ... Pitchforks. summoner 31

Makuta Teridax51 votes

Late 2017: We created a monster allowing the player to be released. Toxicity has increased above any expected level, threatening to destroy the game and the world.

Hopefully our new champion is powerful enough to deal with this. Today we're pleased to introduce... Morgan Freeman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch5MEJk5ZCQ

Narasimha28 votes

Morgan Freeman

Passive: Narration of the Gods "Why yes, this is me talking. And this is you, reading this in my voice. You can't do anything else, can you? That's how amazing and sexy my voice is. In fact, all sounds effects for this game will now be replaced with random lines from me. Enjoy."

kaltenashes4 votes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8mTwCRZLWA

rtbf22561824114 votes

Late 2017:

The Player came out of the basement to get something to eat. Suddenly the door next to the basement door opens and The Player is exposed to sunlight. He turns to sand.

The End.

Disclaimer:This is not Shurima lore.

Serika Zero5 votes

Later:

Introducing: The Scripter, this is the reworked version of the player. Due to how complicated the kits of the champions became, every player is now scripting, so, we found it appropriate to introduce a lore update and rework for The Player.

Even later: Since The Scripter release date, our game popularity sky rocketed. And even more, the game's hot hours started to be found even during night time. Sadly, many players also complain that The Player is gone, as such we are introducing a new champion for everyone's melancholy.

Behold, THE MOM. Its The Player's Mom as well as The Scripter's Mom. She is so strong, that she doesn't even allow the to play the game during night time. This is a force beyond force, its life itself and the strongest being in our universe.

Captain Aishi7 votes

And suddenly, Summoners are back to runeterra and league of legends has lore once more D:

But seriously though, this description of 'the player, the ultimate power in runeterra' is just 100% what summoners were, no?

Stars Shaper12 votes

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wingsoffire/images/9/9a/Happy-oh-stop-it-you.png/revision/latest?cb=20150203092711

IGotScuttleCrabs31 votes

Mid 2017

Champion reveal Tencent. Tencent the owner of games. Tencent the corp that manhandles Riot Boss by the balls.

Rito Staff4 votes

Late 2017

ONU finds game a bad influence. Shut down Tencent and the whole thing with it.

Early 2018

Alien race far superior to human kind that has Death Star as a weapon.

Lost Hp7 votes

[{quoted}](name=Don Noat Amu,realm=EUW,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=hAAENp3A,comment-id=00080000,timestamp=2016-03-04T15:02:13.536+0000)

Late 2017

ONU finds game a bad influence. Shut down Tencent and the whole thing with it.

Early 2018

Alien race far superior to human kind that has Death Star as a weapon.

Early 2019 a Jedi shows up and destroys the death star

IGotScuttleCrabs4 votes

A fighter pilot shows up and destroys it with a single shot down an airshaft

FTFY

Very Epic Guy25 votes

"Cucumber Bandersnatch"

Wish I could upvote more than once...

ModKnightsKemplar17 votes

This actually annoys me to no end. I liked Champions like Garen. And Swain. It might actually cause me to stop playing this game to have champs like Aurelion Sol, Bard, and Kindred in it.

Since the retcon, the narrative has been doing an AMAZING job with many aspects of LoL. But these new crazy powerful champs are exactly what I was afraid of when they wrote the Institute of War out of the lore. I was already annoyed by champs like Brand, Fiddlesticks, and Jax, whose power was "held in check" by the summoners, basically. Now it's just stupid. Normal champs don't belong in the game anymore, and it's ruining the charming appeal this game used to have.

Gentzer16 votes

You forgetting Jhin already? Although you do point out a pattern, at least Jhin has the decency to be mortal.

rtbf2256182414 votes

"Art cannot be killed."

Eh..

ModCaptainMårvelous5 votes

Jhin's the odd man out. Illaoi would be with him in the "Normal guy extraordinary skill" if it wasn't for the whole "God" thing.

Blackstone0114 votes

I like it within limits. Not "Creates and destroys stars in his hand, is an intergalactic dragon, and then dies cause a fish hit him with a splash of water."

UomoAfide12 votes

Basically, this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfTfXLLJlzM

A Superb Villain14 votes

Veigar in a nutshell, right down to the melodramatic proclamation.

DeathBurst12 votes

I don't have anything against gods or cosmic entities, but my suspension of disbelief is a little strained when there is such a huge gap in power between different champions lore-wise, but they are all more-or-less balanced gameplay-wise.

Trylobyte11 votes

{quoted}

I don't have anything against gods or cosmic entities, but my suspension of disbelief is a little strained when there is such a huge gap in power between different champions lore-wise, but they are all more-or-less balanced gameplay-wise.

Anyone else remember the days when 'most powerful character' discussions tended to agree on Jax Kayle Nasus Veigar and sometimes Zilean ? And how these folks don't even rank in the top ten anymore in most discussions? Welcome to Runeterra, land of power creep.

Placentas10 votes

I'm fine with the lore power creep creeping higher and higher. Great post though.

Brascus15 votes

Garen beating up gods is a little silly though.

P.S. Garen is my lifeblood.

Stephenizgod4 votes

To be fair Garen can summon a giant energy sword that is the essence of Justice to smite villains for their misdoings... he can also spin rapidly with no momentum required and can stop on a dime. He can also flex his muscles and take less damage...

Valaran Nara10 votes

Well, while Illaoi carries her god with her, most of her strength is her resolve which she channels using Nagakaborous as an item to channel her strength.

Then you have Shen who fights demons, teleports, and actually go back and forth in the demon world. Maybe it is Lore creep, but, strength wise, I feel Illaoi and Shen would be on similar power levels if Shen's not stronger.

I say this because Illaoi is still mortal and uses spiritualism to fight off undead spirits. Her strength is powerful enough to fight her designated enemy, but in a head to head fight with Leona (hell Bard would just turn her in another direction), I don't think she'll be able to win.

OurLestrade8 votes

Do admit, having everyone be Jesus does ruin the whole uniqueness and impact. It's like legendaries in Pokemon: There's just too many.

The Soulforged2 votes

Even legendaries aren't all powerful though. These guys xeleestomp many of the champs.

10Tickler2 votes

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/6/66/484Palkia.png/250px-484Palkia.png - Space http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/8/8a/483Dialga.png/250px-483Dialga.png - Time http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/f/fc/493Arceus.png/250px-493Arceus.png - Creation http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/8/85/385Jirachi.png/250px-385Jirachi.png - Imagination/Wishes http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/0/05/492Shaymin-Land.png/250px-492Shaymin-Land.png - Nature http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/6/6d/491Darkrai.png/250px-491Darkrai.png - Dreamscape/Nightmares http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/c/c5/487Giratina-Altered.png/250px-487Giratina-Altered.png - Death.

You were saying?

macromite5 votes

giritina is not death. giritina is anti-matter.

http://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/thumb/5/54/717Yveltal.png/250px-717Yveltal.png this one is death.

Embertine2 votes

I love Yveltal!

He's my favorite legendary of all the games, and I've been playing since the original release of red and blue versions!

Biff Manly8 votes

This is Graves. He's basically a trucker but with a shotgun instead of a truck. He is currently more powerful than several godlike entities.

2EF8ooP8gx8 votes

YES! By all means include powerful beings that give the feeling of being cool, but Is there even a point to giving a lore or background to the new champion anymore since there is almost no relevance at all to the game except for how they end up becoming a champion???

Headbiter6 votes

To the recurring point of "But whut about Jhin?":

What about Jhin? We're talking about a game with a central theme of direct, violent conflict. Sure, there has always been a difference in power between individual champions, but even lore-wise, there was always a chance for even the comparably weaker champions to secure a victory against comparably stronger ones. Worst case scenario, several characters needed to team up against one.

Now we have the spirit of vengeance, death and Dragon-Galactus. So yeah, fuck Jhin and his pea shooter, I can fart planets. Just in case anyone ever wondered why the creative limitation imposed by the IoW was a good thing.

hi im alphonse5 votes

Yeah I dont have a good feeling about it either, I'd hate to see my favorite champs Darius Gangplank Jhin become insignificant to the lore of the game because of all the godly entities. It would be like DBZ where any normal human past a certain point was pretty much worthless. I dont want to be SOL on liking the story just because I dont like cosmic horror storys where normal humans are just toys to the "real" characters of godly power

Fasmodey4 votes

Then you would cry if you saw Dota heroes' characters. At least a lot of champions in Lore are actually the weak ones.

The most powerful ones are:

Azir Bard Nasus Renekton Kindred Xerath

They're the most unstoppable (doesn't mean they're not unstoppable but it's harder than the most champions) champions in story. Ofc there are other strong beings too but if we're searching something Aurelion Sol level, we're going to see nothing and those things in above are the closest entities to him.

If you ask me, I'm actually surprised with that much powerful entity in LoL. As I know they said they don't like to make nearly god beings. But anyway, I'm happy. There must be much more godlike beings in the LoL universe.

ItsBrittneyBtchs4 votes

What about everybody's favorite deathsinger, he can end runeterra if he finishes his requiem. And he is an older champ, proving some old champs can be all powerful in lore.

Dataless4 votes

In my mind the separation is a necessary evil, no matter how frustrating it may be to fans. Kindred is death and cannot die, if that translated into gameplay at all they would be impossible to balance and win every game. (just one example out of many, many examples). Having Summoners to "contain and control" these beings of immense power was a cool bit of narrative, sure, but it was also extremely limiting and boring.

I'm not happy with lore as it is now, I find it laughable and don't believe Riot will be able to fix the mess they've made anytime soon. It is what it is shrugs

Xulsigae5 votes

It was only limiting when the writers didn't bother to expand on it though.

Headbiter10 votes

https://goo.gl/WDefCX

"It is limiting" is one of the laziest excuses for "We don't want to bother anymore." And it is equally frustrating and saddening, that so many people gobble that excuse up.

Yes, it creates limits for your ideas but that is part of the profession: To adhere to your setting and find ways to make your ideas, your desired outcomes work in that setting. The Institute may have been "hindering" to Riot's writing staff to do whatever the fuck they want, but that limitation forced them to create characters with certain stories and connections in the world.

And we see the consequences of the appraised, rampant "creative freedom" in the champs and rewrites of old champs. Sure, there's the occasional champion with actual character but more than ever we find one-note champs with nothing to them. Gnar is just an ancient yordle. Rek'sai is just some beast. Ekko is just some boy, with a machine that's way more interesting than himself and about which he knows little to nothing about. Jinx is just some insane bitch who is in no way as old as Riot claims her to be. Kalista is some spirit with really weird working ethics. Tristana became just some yordle with a gun, etc., etc.

"Creative Freedom" sounds good on paper until it is used as a plain cover for "barely trying anymore".

Blue Moon Wolf4 votes

I know what you mean, champs like MonkeyKing XinZhao Talon Gragas Graves all seem so weak compared to champs like Bard Azir and http://statici.behindthevoiceactors.com/behindthevoiceactors/_img/chars/char_163435.jpg Worst part is some of those weak champs lore wise kick the crap out of the champs who are extremely powerful in the lore in actual gameplay. I don't think we would ever see graves take on Aurelion Sol and win considering he could just create a sun and smash graves with it.

Warlord Dienekes9 votes

[{quoted}](name=Blue Moon Wolf,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=hAAENp3A,comment-id=001c,timestamp=2016-03-04T22:47:25.126+0000)

I know what you mean, champs like MonkeyKing XinZhao Talon Gragas Graves all seem so weak compared to champs like Bard Azir and http://statici.behindthevoiceactors.com/behindthevoiceactors/_img/chars/char_163435.jpg Worst part is some of those weak champs lore wise kick the crap out of the champs who are extremely powerful in the lore in actual gameplay. I don't think we would ever see graves take on Aurelion Sol and win considering he could just create a sun and smash graves with it.

Eh, while, creating and destroying a star really does blow the power of everyone else out of proportion. But myths, legends, and stories have been about seemingly weaker guys finding a way to beat those that should be way stronger than them from time immemorial. From Herakles defeating the giants to save Olympus, David taking down Goliath, a random knight named George who takes down a dragon.

That there are creatures that seem to have great power is not in itself a problem, so long as they can theoretically be beaten by a guy with a shotgun you're fine.

Of course, saying that a shotgun can take down a guy who is infused with power like say, Nasus, is fine. His power is fairly vague. But when we actually see someone destroy a star, yeah, killing that with a shotgun seems less and less believable.

Marbelara2 votes

I love just how much out of proportion Aurelion's portrait is in this post. Literally out of proportion.

Blue Moon Wolf1 votes

yea, I believe it's fitting considering Lore wise he's the biggest champ to date (and likely the biggest thing in general). I still don't see how they are going to explain why he suddenly shrinks down to be smaller than a turret in game. I kind of hope he somehow gets defeated or something and is then shrunk down to a fightable size.

Knalxz2 votes

The in game Sol is a manifestation of his power into a mortals body. The real Sol is in Orbit like the fucking Moon in Majora's Mask, waiting and watching.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qh1f_5zuVQ4/maxresdefault.jpg ...soon.

YuGiHo2 votes

We need more children in league, normal children. maybe with a slingshot or a stick

Fasmodey10 votes

{quoted}

We need more children in league, normal children. maybe with a slingshot or a stick

Ekko says hi.

Dataless1 votes

Good thing lore has nothing to do with gameplay. Not saying that's a good thing, but complaining about "power creep" and inconsistency of lore vs gameplay is a failed argument in and of itself.

ModCaptainMårvelous7 votes

...But that's like one of the main things fans of the old lore argue about?

I mean yeah jokes aside Lore =/= Gameplay but a lot of people are upset that Lore is completely divorced from gameplay.

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