I like Swain's new look.

A lot of people like Swain's new look, that still doesn't mean it's Swain.

It is indisputably a blander, more marketable, and more visually appealing design. It is designed to be liked by a broader majority of people.

The problem comes in when people who liked the old design precisely because it was not the design of a more generic dictator that we get the problem.

It happens repeatedly with this game. The largest example I can think of is Urgot. I prefer old Urgot’s design because it was completely about body horror and was designed to look nauseating. Something unique among champions. The new design takes the base elements but it is supposed to look powerful, still scary but a cool kind of scary that is far more appealing to the majority of players (this game is mostly about power fantasies after all) even though it is far less unique when compared to the original designs philosophy.

So yeah, I get it. New Swain looks like an imposing aristocrat. So if you want to play an imposing aristocrat it is better.

If you liked the creepy genius cripple, well then you’re shit out of luck.