League of Legends’ next champion is a brooding painter with 10 spells

20.11.2023 - 19:44 / polygon.com

League of Legends continually updates, adding new champions and features to the multiplayer battle arena game. This weekend, during League’s yearly Worlds tournament, Developer Riot Games shared some of the next big additions coming to the game. This includes new champion Hwei, the Visionary, a young Ionian man who uses his massive brush to paint a dizzying array of spells, as well as a host of changes for the upcoming season including adjustments to Summoner’s Rift and the nasty Baron boss.

Hwei is a unique champion because he doesn’t use the typical QWER + passive ability combo that most other League characters use. Instead, his Q, W, and E open up spellbooks, each of which has three spells apiece. His abilities allow him to be a jack of all trades, capable of going mid lane or serving as a support. There’s a lot to examine in Hwei’s kit, which comes with a total of 10 spells. His passive and ultimate always remain the same, and he has a reset ability that lets him to swap spellbooks.

Passive — Signature of the Visionary

Hwei’s damaging abilities against enemy champions mark them for a few seconds. Hitting marked enemies with another damaging ability creates an explosion underneath them, detonating after a short delay and dealing magic damage to all enemies in range.

QR/WR/ER — Wash Brush

Hwei clears his paintbrush and returns to base abilities without using mana or cooldowns.

(Ultimate) R — Spiraling Despair

Hwei launches a vision of pure despair that sticks to an enemy champion for a few seconds. The vision expands and overwhelms all enemies it touches, dealing magic damage per second. Enemies within the zone are afflicted with stacks of Despair over time. Each stack of Despair applies a stacking percent slow. Upon completion, the vision shatters, dealing magic damage.

His Q spells are based around the theme of Disaster, and allow him to deal some nasty damage.

Q — Subject: Disaster

QQ — Devastating Fire

Hwei paints a blazing fireball that flies out in the target direction.

It explodes on the first enemy hit or at maximum range, dealing magic damage plus percent max health magic damage to all enemies in an area.

QW — Severing Bolt

Hwei paints a long-range, devastating bolt at the target location. After a delay, the bolt strikes, dealing magic damage.

Immobilized or isolated enemies take increased damage based on missing health.

QE — Molten Fissure

Hwei paints a field of exploding volcanic eruptions, creating lingering lava in its path.

Every eruption deals magic damage to enemies hit. Enemies in the lava area are dealt magic damage per second and are slowed.

Hwei’s Serenity spells, linked to his W, are the most supportive. Using Serenity abilities allows him to buff and shield his