Can someone enlighten me on Kai'sa?

Seat For Evelynn·10/24/2019, 7:54:39 AM·4 votes·6,306 views

So, you see, in order for me to really play a champion, I have to be really invested in them as a character - or at least understand their personality and motives. This is why I have a blast playing Jhin, he oozes personality and is obviously passionate about what he does. However, I don't really get that from Kai'sa. I've read her comic and short story, but I'm still a bit confused. Is she supposed to be a tragic character who lost her childhood and joy? An unlikely hero that saves people from the Void?

Her voicelines haven't really given me much from besides the fact that hunting and survival is her first instinct. But other than that, I can't really put my finger on what her personality is? She doesn't really even seem to show remorse for what her life could have been if she hadn't fallen into the void. I would love to have some discussion about all of this, thank you!

19 Comments

KestrelGirl10/24/2019, 9:36:39 AM13 votes

Fuck dude, NO ONE can put a finger on what her personality is. I've tried to connect the dots, and understand how some of her VO may be based on methods of keeping her sanity, but I simply can't. She's just... a bimbo in a void suit.

But, there was a really interesting short story for her that got leaked briefly earlier this week. If it eventually gets published in anything near its current state, it'll be like what The Dreaming Pool did to Syndra - a pretty massive shift to her everything, almost unheard of for such a new champion. Like, "she would need a more sinister voiceover update" big. She's not fully in control of her suit. The suit isn't invincible and can be torn away to reveal her actual skin, which might be pretty... dead. She's extra-chaotic good in the story, demolishing only empty buildings to try to get a village to believe her warning that they need to GTFO before the Void shows up. I would have wanted to hear her being essentially feral and lamenting everyone distrusting her. Not what we have now.

GreenLore10/24/2019, 9:52:01 AM5 votes

She was trapped in a cave with void monsters as a child and survived thanks to her suit. Riot said that she was primarily designed to be a "survivor", someone who encountered the void and was managed to overcome it thanks to a combination of luck, skill and determination.

Her comic and short story show her as someone who is feared by the common folk, because her suit scares them off, but who still tries to save people from the void, despite being shunned by them.

Though to be honest I don't fault you for having trouble understanding her character, because Kai'sas design kinda fails to convey most of these themes, but criticizing her design is beating a dead horse at this point....

Camille Ferrøs10/24/2019, 11:53:40 AM4 votes

They kinda went all over the place with the themes they wanted to her to carry and we got confusion as a result.

mrmeddyman10/24/2019, 7:27:09 PM2 votes

Survivor who came out stronger. Her VO is full of not bitter acceptance of trauma that happened. I think this is her only solid theme. People think that this makes her a flat character, but I actually like that she's over it. To many victim-mentality oriented people in the world nowadays and I find her perspective inspiring.

Monster we must destroy. This is the worst communicated of her themes.

"she must decide whether to forgive those mortals who would call her a monster, and defeat the coming darkness together… or simply to forget, as the Void consumes the world that left her behind."

Yeah this is never supported in her story or in her VO. She doesn't make a choice to let the Void take. She's firmly opposed to it and is a "good guy". This whole blurb thus far hasn't been delivered on and the character has no conflict while I do like her personality. At least so far and not in any leaked materials that may or may have not been leaked.