League of Legends’ saddest scorpion finally gets his long awaited rework
19.03.2024 - 15:59
/ polygon.com
League of Legends’ champion roster has grown so big and varied over the last fifteen years that occasionally, a concept just doesn’t land, or a character ages poorly. Skarner is one of these champions. A crystal scorpion from the desert region of Shurima, Skarner was the last of his kind and the source of the magical technology known as hextech. Riot Games has bestowed the sad purple scorpion with his own VGU, or visual and gameplay update. Now, Skarner emerges with three tails, for thrice the stinging, a sleek new look, new powerful abilites, and some intriguing lore.
Skarner is now the Primordial Soverign, and one of the founders of the ruling class of Ixtal. Ixtal is an isolationist nation that hides the rest of the world through powerful elemental magic, and only the elites known as the Yun Tal know the truth. Fiercely protective of his people, Skarner will go to any lengths to fight back the emerging enemies of Ixtal.
Here are Skarner’s new abilities, which focus on the idea of combining his brute strength with the nuanced weaving of elemental magic.
Skarner’s attacks, Shattered Earth, Upheaval, and Impale apply Quaking to enemies. Enemies with three stacks of Quaking take % Max HP damage over time.
Skarner rips a rock out of the ground and uses it to empower his next three attacks with bonus damage, range, and attack speed. His third attack slams the rock into his target, slowing and dealing significant bonus damage, ending the effect.
Skarner may re-cast Upheaval to throw the rock as a projectile that explodes on the first enemy hit, dealing the same damage and slow, ending the effect.
Skarner gains a shield and slams into the ground, releasing a shockwave that damages and slows nearby enemies.
Skarner charges forward, ignoring terrain, and grabs the first enemy champion or large monster he collides with. He may then carry them a short way, damaging and stunning them if they collide with terrain.
Skarner impales up to three enemy champions, damaging and suppressing them. Skarner gains bonus movement speed for a short time and carries them with him until the end of the effect.
The new Skarner wants to be continually attacking, using his passive to stack damage on foes, while waiting for the perfect opportunity to grab an enemy — or three, with the right use of Impale — and drag them back to his friends.
While the old Skarner was a tragic figure, this version of the character has a certain dignity to him. One of the most famous lines from old Skarner was “I miss my kind,” but that’s no longer the case — new Skarner has a people he loves and protects, and he’s a hugely inspirational figure to the nation. Proud papa Skarner is a great twist on the original concept, and I’m intrigued to see whether