Why so many champions use magic or technology, but not both at the same time?

Johnny El Rojo·8/30/2018, 8:29:29 PM·4 votes·4,367 views
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Before you say: yes, we have hextech. But nowadays that's mostly technology that uses magical gems as an energy source. There isn't truly a champion that plays with a dual thematic like that. That for example, uses advanced gadjets as weapons of long distance, but protects itself with magical shields. Or that can create magical cages like Morgana and Ryze , but finishes his enemies with energy rays like Viktor .

That made me think that a character that would serve as model of what I mean is Victor von Doom. He rules an almost medieval country in the sense of it's arquitecture, and that is populated almost only by peasants, but it's also the most technologically advanced nation on the planet. And seeing all that balkanized empty space between Noxus and Demacia, supossedly full of small kingdoms, and just north of Piltover, made me think. Why couldn't there be a monarch like that in one of those kingdoms? Where their living conditions are similar to Noxus and Demacia, but is full to the tilt with piltie and zaunite technologies because it sees the great usefulness in them? Maybe that a lot inventors from these cities find patronage in there when they are not accepted in the great clans. A place where arcane medieval magic and steampunk technology truly mix, instead of just working as an energy source to the other?

Basically, I wrote this here so people would hear my rambling. But, don't you think that would be a cool concept to explore?

16 Comments

Ebonmaw Dragon8/30/2018, 9:03:44 PM5 votes

Hextech IS technology using magic.

Leyruh8/30/2018, 8:39:20 PM4 votes

Jhin's gun, Whisper, has bullet infused with magic. This is how he creates his "artworks" : the magic inside the bullets allows him to turn the flesh of his victims into what he wants : lotus blossoms, butterflies...

He doesn't use magic and technology at the same time like you described, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

OurLestrade8/30/2018, 8:45:51 PM3 votes

So what you're saying is a Technomancer? Hehheh...

Psyrix9/29/2018, 12:36:07 AM2 votes

I think it'd largely fall down under accessibility. From what we've seen, several of the technologically advanced countries actually have true mages, but instead use the technology/hextech they've created or have had access to. Mages, as we have been told, aren't all that common in regions other than Ionia and the blessed isles. Piltover and Zaun are, so far, the most advanced cities that are still intact. Orianna can't really be considered a mage, as she actually operates entirely based on technology and hextech. Heimerdinger doesn't really use magic, but rather invents and maintains technological weapons/creations... Jayce's isn't magical in nature either. Ezreal is the only mage... and even he is largely unaware of this potential (the gauntlet awoke that potential but he doesn't expand on it beyond the use of the gauntlet)... From that we can assume that, much like a muscle if not exercised, the mages steadily lost aptitude as technology increased due to people not needing to use it anymore, thereby largely forgetting its presence, as well as not thinking they'd have the potential to use it. Therefore the "mage gene" (lol) might've been more prolifically stamped out/suppressed in such countries.

Zaun has Janna, yes... but she's not human, nor is she really even born of Zaun, she's a spirit that seems to have originated around Bilgewater before migrating to Zaun.

In other cultures (ignoring Ionia for now... as well as the Blessed Isles), it's likely that if one is born with magic, to a level that is actually noticeable, they'd be thrust into learning and practicing their magic, rather than learning how to operate machinery. This would likely hold more true for Noxus and the secret faction of Demacia (as these two would seem to be the most likely to have any form of technology i.e. trailing far far behind Piltover and Zaun, but still ahead of the other countries).

The more magically inclined regions (lol, still gonna ignore Ionia and the Blessed Isles) i.e. the Freljord, Bilgewater, and Shurima have a common theme of a harsher, more demanding environment, while also having extremely limited access to technology, seem to generate more mages/magical phenomenon likely due to the "mage gene" not being stamped out, with those who develop an affinity towards magic actively being encouraged to practice it.

Now let's go to Ionia... Ionia is unarguably the most magically prolific continent.. the norm is to possess magic at some level. However, at the same time, they are the most in-tune with their environment and nature... This is due to the culture, which likely ties in how they view magic... as such magic suffuses everything, the people are able to work alongside the lands, thereby seemingly not necessitating much advanced tech of any sort.

The Blessed Isles is largely ruined... therefore we can't draw too many conclusions, but in the past they were also quite in tune with magic, while also being (seemingly) technologically advanced for their time. Therefore, arguably if they hadn't encountered the ruination, they might've been your best bet.

It's not unlikely that there are people who do use a combination of magic and technology in their day to day life, in fact it's highly likely (especially if it's weak magic), however Champions will be a harder example due to them being iconic by themselves. It's likely we will eventually get a champion who combines both tbh.

My thought is that if a person has magic that they can use offensively with actual control, likely won't have much time invested in learning to operate devastating/dramatic technologies (and vice versa)... so likely if/when we come across such a Champ... it will be a relatively simplistic form of technology or relatively weak magic.

As a sidenote... erm.... Targon does exist (the celestial country, not the denizens of the mountain on the mortal plane)...however I'm hesitant to mention them due to their technology being so far advanced and above everyone else, and so highly combined with magic... that it essentially IS extremely high level, powerful magic.

I probably should add that there seemingly ARE more regions than we currently see on the map (as in more continents, if what has been teased in past Riot comments is to be believed), so there is a chance of a magically inclined country with advanced technology.

Toppien8/30/2018, 8:56:29 PM2 votes

well, i think the only one who fits that description is zilean Zilean

i mean he uses clock gadgets and stuff and also uses time magic

ZT Xperimentor8/30/2018, 9:02:39 PM1 votes

Huh, hadn't really occurred to me; though a few details seem like they're hinting at such a possible combination. The 'hextech' & 'battlecast' skin lines for example, though non-cannon. But a few questionable cases come to mind that seem to be riding the line.

Blitzcrank is a mechanized ai yet mentions hearing magical influences. Lucian's guns shoot holy light for slaying undead belying their mundane appearance. Orianna isn't merely an animated construct but a sentient clockwork. Urgot's always been biomechanical yet his backstory references resurrection like sion. Warwick is probably a stretch if you don't consider being a werewolf supernatural. Zilean's backpack looks similar to victor's sciences but he also acts as if it's mystical.

Camille Ferrøs8/30/2018, 9:50:10 PM1 votes

Camille

CasterGilgamesh8/30/2018, 10:22:28 PM1 votes

well i mean magic and technology are very similar but i would asume the case is you need to specialize in one or the other to get the most out of it

RyzeTheSmurfMage8/31/2018, 5:00:48 AM1 votes

Because hextech is an alternative for people not having acces to magic. Magic itself is more powerfull than hextech so a mage would rather expand his knowledge and experience with magic. Also there's a n arcane energy beam spell both Ryze and Xerath use it, as well as that Flerjord mage in Gallio's story.

DWT123458/31/2018, 5:06:08 AM1 votes

Technically Ziggs Heimerdinger Tristana Corki all fit this description since yordles are inherently magic. And hextech, which accounts for most of the technology in the game anyways, is directly powered by magical Brackern crystals.

BLACK REALM GOD8/31/2018, 5:07:22 AM1 votes

magic is just science that we dont understand yet.

DeadUnborn8/30/2018, 8:52:00 PM1 votes

Ezrael