Swains Update and a Sad Smile

I'm posting this same reason some others are, I'm hurting.

I'm not a Swain main, nor was I ever really good at him. But when I played him I took him support and I would have fun with him AND her.

I was hype like everyone else because Riot does a good job these days of making the teasers good. Like laughing mask I was filled with hype to the point I was nearly blind to the warning signs. I still asked (where's Beatrice) and (why no cane) but I much like many wanted to hold off on judgement, after all it's only a teaser image or video.

But now were here, new Swain laid bare and he's good like SMOOTH GOOD. almost ALMOST "I can't believe it's not Swain" good. But just like most alternatives while it manages to hit alot of the same spots in similar ways it still leaves holes, it still leaves gaps, it still hurts.

I look at his recall, at his abilities, I've already listened to his VO and Special interactions. The Voice actor nailed his part so hard it was genuinely moving. The kit looks fun, balanced and original. THE ANIMATIONS ARE A DELICACY TO THE EYES, he has a nice avian gait to him now.

I'm looking at this, listening to this, consuming this media as ravenously as any other fan or person that's now perhaps interested in Swain with a smile.

But I'm sad, I didn't notice it at first, then I tried to ignore it. But the fact of the matter is I felt something in my chest, a pang in my heart I couldn't deny. This patch would be the last one to play Swain until "Swain" shows up.

There isn't Beatrice except a quote that almost hurts more than it comforts and maybe-maybe not crows the cane is relegated to the dance the once old weak seeming man at the head of a country that valued strength is no longer a testament to it's many forms. Is humble head of hair replaced with long locks and his once mysterious and decrepit features replaced with something more "appetizing" to most.

This isn't the Swain I know/knew. This is close but only a substitute. And I don't want to feel that way even if I can't deny that's how I feel. I can see the hard work put in, I can see the effort and care taken to try and preserv as much as possible. I can imagine how many MONTHS they sat down in meetings with Swain on an opperating table trying to save as much as they could, identifying the diseased and rotten flesh and replacing it with healthier things. I can FEEL how hard they tried, yet I hurt because at the end of the day THIS swain is more then the sum of his parts, and Riot took as many of those parts they could to put together the new swain.

I haven't felt this bittersweet about a rework like ever. I've argued previously with a trundle player about how "unreasonable" it is to accuse riot of replacing Trundle with a new character with the same name. But that's what he is. That's what Swain is, that's what all these reworks/updates are. Some just do a better job of mimicking their originals then others.

I say this sooner rather then later because there unhealthy emotions building up, resentment and paranoia that these guys are being traded in for new more attractive champs to attract newer players. I feel like a replacement of these champs is nearly an attempt to replace me to some extent. I already have misgiving about how my main Shaco is apparently a broken puppet now.

But at the end of this long and nonconstructive letter comes the emotions I want to express.

RIOT, thank you for making these champs and by extension this game better in basically every possible way, even if it doesn't keep me from hurting or my sadness at bay. I only wish I could will my emotions to give way to reason.