E3: League of Legends: Next 3 Champions
Riot and their free-to-play DOTA-style League of Legends were at E3 this year, and they had some information to share about the next three upcoming champions for their already staggering roster of playable characters.
The first, which has already received a Sneak Peek feature on the PvP.net homepage, is Yorick.
Yorick the Gravedigger
Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio!
Yorick is the first champion in the League that hails from the Shadow Isles, a mysterious chain of islands off the main continent of the game world. Yorick’s three abilities will each summon a different ghost minion to aid him in battle in addition to its primary effect. Though the names and numbers haven’t yet been finalized, the basic concept of his abilities has been fleshed out (which is more than can be said for his undead friends).
His first ability increases his movement and attack speeds and summons a quick-moving ghost with high damage that will chase the enemy champion for several seconds. Yorick’s second ability summons an area slow which reduces enemy champions’ movement speed and also summons a ghost that will do the same to any enemy that ventures too close. His third ability summons a ghost that will transfer all damage it deals in the form of health back to Yorick — it has 100% lifesteal. The spell’s primary effect has not yet been worked out.
Yorick’s passive ability gives him different stat boosts depending on the ghost that he has out, effectively creating several stances for him to play around with.
Riot has not yet designed his ultimate ability.
Leona the Radiant Dawn
Next up is yet another female champion (let’s face it, guys, the odds are still in favor of the males). She is intended to be a strong, tank-like initiator — and if a true tank, will mark the game’s first female tank. As such, she will have an initiating ability and a crowd-control ability. However, only her ultimate was described in detail.
When triggered, Leona will call down a ray of light over an area that will slow enemy champions and, after several seconds, a ball of fire will crash down onto the area.
Skarner
Skarner is a gigantic crystalline scorpion. Little is known about Skarner other than he is intended to be a strong melee fighter (re: bruiser) and that one of his abilities may allow him to impale an enemy on his tail and walk around with that enemy until the effect wears off.
That just about covers everything for League of Legends this week.
Remember that the next champion won’t be released for another two and a half weeks, due to all of the commotion surrounding the Season One Championship games in Sweden.
