League of Legends Community - Announcements

Remember to rock the LCS all-star vote

Magus — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 22:22:04 GMT

This is your friendly reminder that voting�s still open for the LCS All-Star Week. Be sure to pick which players you want representing your region on the international stage. The top picks from North America, Europe, China, Korea and Southeast Asia will all be in attendance, so the competition is sure to be fierce.

You can check out the current standings and cast your votes here. And remember, the election closes on April 15, so it�s still anybody race. Support your favorites!

You can vote for your favorite player in each position once a day, so keep hitting the polls. Democracy�s at stake!

Skin RP price changes

Hippalus — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:17:12 GMT

Hey folks - Hippalus here with a couple big updates to skin prices designed to give players more value for their skin purchases and better align skin pricing with the amount of work that went into them.

As you've probably noticed, the quality of champion skins has increased dramatically since we started creating them way back in the day. This upward trend in quality is something that we're always looking to advance while continuing to provide good value and affordable prices to players. With that in mind, we felt it was time to revisit RP skin pricing and come up with improvements for 2013 and beyond.

975 RP has become an extremely broad tier, encompassing skins of wildly differing production quality. We wanted to better define the value of your purchase, and will soon implement a couple of big pricing changes as we move skins into more clearly defined RP tiers and establish two new tiers at 750 and 1350 RP. By positioning skins into tiers based on their features, you'll have a better idea of what you're getting for your RP and be able to make more informed purchase decisions.

Here's a breakdown of the new skin prices with what features you can expect for each skin:

390/520 RP skins

These are outdated tiers used for skins that only featured texture changes, a new splash image, and at times slight model changes.
36 skins in the store at the 975 RP tier will have their prices lowered to 520 RP
No new skins will be created for these tiers, but existing skins in the store are eligible to be put on sale.
Example: Loch Ness Cho'Gath, Aviator Irelia

750 RP – New tier

Skins in the new 750 RP tier feature new texture and model work as well as a new splash image; and some skins in this tier will feature new animations.
40 skins from the current 975 RP tier will have their prices lowered to 750 RP
We expect that 10-20% of skins in 2013 will be released at 750 RP, and they will be eligible to be put on sale.
Examples: Little Knight Amumu, Explorer Ezreal

975 RP

975 RP skins feature a new model, textures and splash image; some skins in this tier will feature new animations, visual effects and sounds where appropriate for the theme of the skin.
We expect that 50-75% of skins released in 2013 will be 975 RP, and they are eligible to be put on sale.
Examples: Haunted Maokai, Jade Dragon Wukong

1350 RP

Skins in the 1350 RP tier will feature a new model, textures, splash image, animations, visual effects and sounds. In some cases, these skins will also have processed voice overs.
This tier is intended for skins that go above and beyond the quality of 975 RP skins but don't quite reach legendary status.
3 skins from the current 1820 Legendary tier will have their prices lowered to 1350 RP
18 17 skins from the current 975 RP tier will be moved to the 1350 RP tier
We expect that 7-15% of skins released in 2013 will be 1350 RP, and they are eligible to be put on sale
Examples: Blackthorn Morgana, Arcade Sona

1820 RP – Legendary skins

A legendary skin completely changes the look and feel of a champion.
These skins feature a new model, textures and splash image as well as completely new animations, visuals, voice over and sounds.
We expect that 6-10% of skins released in 2013 will be Legendaries, and they will not be put on sale.
Examples: Battlecast Prime Cho'Gath, Brolaf

3250 RP – Ultimate skins

An ultimate skin is a complete reimagining of a champion that includes an evolving model and additional features and bonuses, such as summoner icons.
3250 RP skins feature a new model that evolves into different forms, textures, splash image, animations, visuals, voice over and sounds, as well as additional content.
We expect that 2-4% of skins released in 2013 will be Ultimates. They may have initial promotions or discounts, but will not be put on sale.
Examples: Pulsefire Ezreal

The price changes will all go into effect at 9am PST on April 25, so there is plenty of time to plan any purchases of skins that are impacted. Partial refunds will be automatically granted for all past purchases of the three legendary skins (Astronaut Teemo, Lion Dance Kog'Maw, and Piltover Customs Blitzcrank) that are decreasing in price, as that is a price-protected skin tier. No other refunds will be granted in relation to these changes.

That's it for now! All of the skins that will be changing in price are listed below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments - we'll do our best to address your questions.

Champion and skin sale: Ionian nights

Rammus — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:46:31 GMT

Once again, the moon rises over a shaded grove; the shrouded facade of an ancient temple looms above the treeline, promising secrets and lost power. A small, round form chews pensively on a stalk of bamboo, watching as the inevitable conflict comes to a head.

As always, bound by code and sacred vow, they toil in the shadows. A battle of wits and wicked weapons, veiled by an ancient art, breaks out.

The first to show her deadly blades steps out from the darkness, her kama glittering with a luminescent sheen.

Silverfang Akali. Ok. 487 RP

Her challenger emerges, his sword held at the ready and his feet spread in a battle stance.

Ionia Master Yi. Yeh. 487 RP

No stranger to either of the duelists already awaiting the cry of combat, the third stalks around the grove, unwilling to show her presence.

Nightblade Irelia. Alright. 260 RP

The fight breaks out, but almost instantly a glow surrounds one of the two warriors. From nowhere, another combatant joins the fray.

Shen. Yeah. 395 RP

Electrical surges charge the air as the three whirl and spin, flashes of silver and the whisper of slashing blades echoing in the night. Rippling strikes of lightning circle the fighters, lighting up the sky with the azure glow of crackling bolts.

Kennen. Hmm. 440 RP

A whistling sound in the night heralds the arrival of a last warrior. Cradling a roaring ancient golem in a sphere of eternal darkness, a mage interferes with the conflict in a resounding crash.

Syndra. Right. 487 RP

Their battle interrupted, the shadow-clad champions disperse, vanishing into the night.

The secrets of the temple secure, the rotund form groans. He is sure they'll all return. The ancient power within will remain in danger from April 12 to April 15. After that, no one can say.

Pro Player Pick: Archie picks Ezreal

RiotRara — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:25:28 GMT

Welcome to this week�s Pro Player Pick, where we feature one of the best League of Legends players discussing his favorite champion.

In this edition, Archie from the Saigon Jokers suits up as Ezreal. With an assortment of powerful abilities and a built-in escape, Ezreal has the tools to dominate his lane. Archie prefers champions with skills that combine well together, require quick wits and provide tons of damage in fights. In this video, he describes lane partner suggestions and tactics for playing the Prodigal Explorer.

It�s time for a true display of skill. Check out the video to discover why Ezreal is Archie�s explorer of choice!

Patch 3.5 balance update

Morello — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:33:15 GMT

Akali

[color="darkred"]As an assassin, Akali should be a champion with high risk and high reward. These changes increase her early game risk while retaining her later game potential.[/color]

Mark of the Assassin
- Initial damage reduced to 35/55/75/95/115 from 45/70/95/120/145
- Mark detonation damage Ability Power ratio increased to 0.5 from 0.4
Shadow Dance
- Essence of Shadow charge rate increased to 35/25/15 seconds from 25/20/15

Corki

Missile Barrage
- Now fires a Big One every 3rd missile instead of every 4th
- Missile charge rate reduced to 12/10/8 seconds from 12

Karma

[color="darkred"]These changes to Karma include several quality of life improvements and enhance her ability to generate multiple Mantras in well-executed fights.[/color]

Gathering Fire
- Mantra cooldown reduction increased to 2 seconds at all levels from 1/1.5/2
Inner Flame
- The detonation area now occurs at the actual point of missile impact instead of at the center of the initial target that is hit
Focused Resolve
- Mana cost reduced to 70/75/80/85/90 from 70/80/90/100/110
- Now applies Gathering Fire's effect on each instance of damage dealt instead of only once on initial application, but now deals damage 3 times over the duration instead of 6
Inspire
- Movement Speed duration increased to 1.5 seconds from 1.25
- Fixed a bug where the tooltip stated the shield was 80/115/150/185/220 instead of its actual value of 80/120/160/200/240
- Mantra Bonus - Defiance
  - Movement Speed bonus is now always 60% instead of 20/30/40/50/60% (based on Inspire's current rank)
  - Ally shield / haste range increased to 700 from 600

Kayle

[color="darkred"]Previous to these changes, Kayle's support spells could often be cast completely off-screen from her opponents. With these reduced ranges, it should be easier for opponents to anticipate her presence in fights.[/color]

Divine Blessing
- Cast range reduced to 900 from 1000
Intervention
- Cast range reduced to 900 from 1200

Lux

[color="darkred"]On top of her long range and wide array of defensive utility, Lux was also among the fastest ranged champions in the game. These changes force Lux to be more mindful of her timing and positioning as opponents now have more opportunities to capitalize on her mistakes.[/color]

Base Movement Speed reduced to 330 from 340
Final Spark
- Cooldown increased to 80/65/50 seconds from 80/60/40

Morgana

Dark Binding
- Mana cost reduced to 50/60/70/80/90 from 60/75/90/105/120
Soul Shackles
- Mana cost reduced to 100 at all ranks from 100/150/200

Nami

Tidal Wave
- Range increased to 2750 from 2500
- Cooldown reduced to 120/110/100 seconds from 140/120/100
- Mana cost reduced to 100 at all ranks from 100/150/200

Nautilus

Base Armor increased to 19 from 15
Titan's Wrath
- Cooldown reduced to 22/21/20/19/18 seconds from 26/24/22/20/18

Nunu

Absolute Zero
- Cooldown reduced to 110/100/90 seconds from 150/120/90
- Mana cost reduced to 100 from 150

Quinn

Harrier
- Valor now marks targets slightly more frequently
- Targets are now marked more immediately when Valor lands on the target
Vault
- Quinn now lands closer to her target when using Vault from far away

Urgot

Acid Hunter / Noxian Corrosive Charge
- Now displays Acid Hunter's lock-on range while there is a visible, nearby enemy champion marked by Noxian Corrosive Charge

Volibear

[color="darkred"]Volibear was both an extremely powerful duelist as well as an almost guaranteed initiator for early skirmishes. In order to preserve his presence as a threatening fighter, these changes instead reduce Volibear's ability to force engagements early on.[/color]

Rolling Thunder
- Movement Speed bonus toward champions adjusted to 30/35/40/45/50% from 45% at all ranks

Items

Spirit of the Ancient Golem
- New Recipe: Spirit Stone + Kindlegem + 450 gold = 2000 gold (total cost reduced from 2300 gold)
- No longer grants +30 Armor
- Now grants +10% Cooldown Reduction
Spirit of the Elder Lizard
- New Recipe: Spirit Stone + Long Sword + Long Sword + 500 gold = 2000 gold (total cost reduced from 2300 gold)
- Attack Damage reduced to 45 from 50
Seraph's Embrace
- Active Mana cost reduced to 20% current Mana from 25%
- Active Shield adjusted to 20% of current Mana + 150 from 25% current Mana
Muramana
- Toggle damage changed to physical from magic

New free champion rotation (Season three: week 10)

RiotWenceslaus — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:59:35 GMT

Greetings Summoners!

Here are this week's free champions:

Week 10 (this week):

Wondering how we picked this week's free champions? Read up on it HERE.

See you on the Fields of Justice!

Voyboy is now streaming live

StillRampant — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:33:11 GMT

Voyboy brings his fast and furious brand of solo queue play along with his vast repertoire of champions and willingness to buck tradition with meta-breaking choices to our featured stream. Check out his controlled chaos that never stops entertaining.

No need to wait any longer � tune into Voyboy�s stream now.

Champion & Skin Sale: Runnin' and gunnin'

Graves — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:58:27 GMT

Well hello there, summoner. Hired Gun Graves here, on the clock and ready to take some new marks down. I've got business to take care of, champions to find and messages to deliver, so stay clear of ol' Destiny's blasts. Follow along if you'd like, but try not to make a sound� 260 RP
I've got some� history with High Noon Twisted Fate. Getting paid to get rid of that shufflin' fool? That just sweetened the pot. He loiters at the same saloon as always, so I'll just wait out back for him to stumble out. 487 RP
Imperial Lux's got a hit out on her from an angry suitor. She's a bit hard to find behind those fortress walls, but I've sweet talked my way into institutes more impenetrable. It's gotta be my smile, combined with an imposing demeanor and a shotgun. 487 RP

Wouldn't you know it � Lux stepped out for a quick bite. That cell phone of hers won't stop chiming� too easy to track. I ain't got time for lasers. 395 RP
I ain't afraid of bears, turtles, tigers or phoenixes, so Udyr don't scare me much. Never met an animal I couldn't stop with a round of buckshot. Holes make 'em tough to stuff and mount, though. 292 RP
As Graves jots down the last known locations of his targets, he slips into the shadows. Smoke hangs in the still air, cut by an errant sun. A loud blast cuts through the relative quiet. 487 RP

Time to hang up Destiny for the day. Thanks for sticking around, summoner � having a buddy around makes the day go that much quicker. My handiwork should net you some deals from April 9 to April 12, so get movin' fast.

Summoner Showcase #102: Pixel perfect

nikasaur — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 01:23:18 GMT

What�s that sound? Could it be� yes! That�s the sound of more amazing fan-made creations exploding our inboxes. Better not wait any longer � here�s the latest community-created art ready to drop jaws and inspire the rest of you creative types!

Fluffy the Squirrel

Pizoobie pits Fluffy the Squirrel against a familiar foe. No matter who wins this plushy titan battle, it�ll be an adorable fight, no doubt.

Thrill of the Hunt

Kha�Zix and Rengar�s rivalry is one of the community�s favorites to depict, as Fuja-waraNoMokou�s piece clearly illustrates. My only complaint is that we don�t get to witness the epic confrontation play out.

Rengar Bento Box

Speaking of everyone�s favorite feline (sorry, other half of Nidalee�), Reyachan serves up Rengar for a feast worthy of Cho�Gath. I already have problems staring my food in the face � having to anticipate a gank from my plate doesn�t alleviate any stress.

Keep Pushing Typography

Ever think hanging LoL�s vernacular on your wall could look so chic? Rowik31�s typography art stresses the sagest of advice when your lane is clear: keep pushing! Looks like Ashe has her work cut out for her.

Cho�Gath Pixel Sprite

Niphraim�s pixel Cho�Gath is just as dangerous in 16-bit as he is with six Feast stacks. All this Cho�Gath needs now is some magnets slapped on the back and you�ve got one fearsome fridge guardian.

(As for our own Showcase puppet theatre, we have Skeld and the Pixel League Tumblr to thank!)

Teemo Scouts Ahead

It wouldn�t be a fan art celebration without a little Teemo. A really tiny Teemo, in fact. What he lacks in stature he makes up in sheer terror, plotting and scheming horrible plans with images of champion evisceration dancing through his mind. Or he�s aloof and adorable. With SkooterBee, it could be either.

That�s all for this episode, but keep those submissions coming! Head here to send us your fan art, sculpture, or other crafts for our consideration. We�ll see you on the Fields of Justice!

Champion & skin sale: Pentapress conference

Karthus — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:22:53 GMT

*tap* Is this thing on? Hey, wait� who are these people? Uh� ladies and gentlemen of the press, I'm here to read a statement:

Over the course of the last few months we've received a record number of complaints from parents, politicians and most world leaders. Apparently mainstream media outlets are claiming Pentakill is "single-handedly responsible for the moral decline of Runeterra" and "contributing to the delinquency of today's youth."

I'm here to assure you we're going to stop using words like: #$&*, %&$^, @#$, *%&^, #%&$#%$^&, mother#$%^@&, #$%clown, #$%@^!&, %$^#face, $%#^lips, %$^#head, !%@^$&#, @&#&*$*@, %^$&^$%&, $%#^head, @#$%wad, ^*%&, #%^!slapper, $^%&-in-a-box, horse$%#^ or !@#$%^&*^#&@%^!%^@$#%$^#@%!^$^.

They also asked us to apologize to a few people in particular:

Ahri, we're sorry you got thrown out of the after party with that crowd of groupies. I mean, if we had known you were actually a soul-sucking fox-demon, we'd never have done something like that. Call me. 487 RP
Rumble, we regret that our rabid fans ripped your war machine apart after it shorted out on that exposed wiring backstage. Even though it was pretty %&*^ of you not to take responsibility. The resulting electrical fire did some serious damage to our set, and probably killed a few roadies. 440 RP
I apologize for throwing you off the stage into the crowd, Kassadin. I mean, I figured you'd be fine. They always catch me when I stage dive, and there's no way I could have known your Rift Walk was on cooldown. 395 RP

We're also sorry that we kicked you out when you showed up backstage as Pre-Void Kassadin. We have standards, and you just aren't metal enough without the mask. 487 RP
We know we shouldn't have fired you from our security force, Karate Kennen, but the martial arts thing you've got going on doesn't seem to intimidate people in light of your� abridged stature. Besides, you were always building up static electricity and interfering with the electronics. 260 RP
We're sorry we decided to build our new recording studio in the Ionian mountains, Traditional Lee Sin. In retrospect, recording a death metal album right outside of a monastery was probably inconsiderate. We were just looking for some more organic reverb. 260 RP

#^%ing $#^@! What the @#$% did I just read? Who the !@%& wrote this %&$*ing speech? I mean, apologizing? We don't $^%&ing apologize. For @#^$'s sake, do they !@%#ing think we're Death Cab for Corki or something? This is metal � how the hell am I even supposed to write lyrics if I can't say �@%#^?� That doesn't make any #%$#ing sense!

Lissandra, the Ice Witch, revealed

RiotWenceslaus — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:41:07 GMT

Lissandra is a flexible, mana-efficient mage with abilities that emphasize crowd control, kiting and mobility over raw damage.

Abilities:

Iceborn (Passive): After a brief cooldown, Lissandra's next ability costs no mana. Hitting an enemy with movement impairing abilities reduces Iceborn's cooldown.
Ice Shard: Lissandra throws a spear of ice that shatters on contact with the first enemy struck, dealing damage and slowing their movement speed for a short duration. Enemies behind the struck target also take damage.
Ring of Frost: Lissandra freezes the area around her, dealing damage to nearby enemies and rooting them for a short duration.
Glacial Path: Lissandra casts a slow-moving, long-range ice claw in a line, dealing damage to all enemies in its path. Re-activating Glacial Path teleports Lissandra to the claw's current location.
Frozen Tomb (Ultimate):
- On enemy cast: Lissandra freezes an enemy champion, damaging and stunning them briefly. Dark Ice emanates from the target, dealing damage and slowing nearby enemies.
- On self-cast: Lissandra encases herself in ice, rooting herself in place briefly and becoming untargetable and invulnerable. Dark Ice emanates from Lissandra, dealing damage and slowing nearby enemies.

Gameplay:

Mid lane:

Lissandra's mobility and crowd control skills make her an ideal choice for aggressive, roaming mid play. By shoving the lane with her AoE abilities, the Ice Witch can create the space she needs to make a move on top or bottom lane. The long range blink from Glacial Path lets her get the drop on enemies from unexpected angles by jumping terrain or by circumventing typical ward locations. Once the ambush has been sprung, Lissandra's potent combination of slows, roots and stuns allows her to stick to an opponent and close out the kill.

Top lane:

Lissandra's passive allows her to be much less dependent on blue buff compared to many of her AP counterparts, making her an excellent, self-sufficient choice for top lane. Despite her low base durability, the long range blink on Glacial Path helps Lissandra stay safe by pulling off daring escapes. If she's caught in a gank, Lissandra can freeze her would-be killers in place with Ring of Frost before disappearing over terrain with a well-placed Glacial Path.

The area of effect damage on Ice Shard also allows Lissandra to guard turrets even when pressured, or press the lane in an attempt to lure enemy junglers into a counter-gank. When an opponent takes the bait, Lissandra can cast Frozen Tomb on herself, ensuring her own survival as she uses her other abilities to set up kills.

Team fights:

Lissandra isn't the type of mage who immediately blows up high-value targets, but instead has the potential to lay down impressive amounts of damage and crowd control on grouped up opponents. The AoE aspect to Ice Shard keeps enemies pinned down through repeated area damage and slow effects while she waits for the opportune moment to unleash her full combo. Once she sees an opening, Lissandra can use Glacial Path to close in and lock down a high-value target with Frozen Tomb. If the opposing team starts to focus her, Lissandra can instead use Frozen Tomb on herself, juking the initial burst before escaping with Ring of Frost.

If you're looking for a mage who favors crowd control, mobility and kiting over raw burst damage, Lissandra is sure to make a welcome addition to your lineup.

Story:

Lissandra�s magic twists the pure power of ice into something dark and terrible. With the force of her black ice, she does more than freeze � she impales and crushes those who oppose her. To the terrified denizens of the north, she is known only as �The Ice Witch.� The truth is much more sinister: Lissandra is a corruptor of nature who plots to unleash an ice age on the world.

Centuries ago, Lissandra betrayed her tribe to evil creatures, known as the Frozen Watchers, in return for power. That was the last day that warm blood ran through her veins. With her corrupted tribesmen and the strength of the Watchers, she swept across the land like a terrible blizzard. As her empire spread, the world grew colder and ice choked the land. When the Watchers were defeated by ancient heroes, Lissandra did not lose faith and swore to prepare the world for their return.

Lissandra worked to purge all knowledge of the Watchers from the world. Using magic to take human form, she masqueraded as numerous seers and elders. Over the course of generations, she rewrote the stories of the Freljord, and so the history of its people changed. Today the fragmented retellings of the Watchers are seen as children�s tales. But this deception wasn�t enough � Lissandra also needed an army.

She set her sights on the noble Frostguard tribe. Lissandra knew corrupting the Frostguard would take centuries, and so she launched her greatest deception. She murdered and stole the identity of the Frostguard leader. Then she slowly began to warp the tribe�s proud traditions. When her human form grew old, she faked her own death and then murdered her successor to steal her identity. With each generation, the Frostguard grew more insular, cruel and twisted. Today, the world still sees them as a noble and peaceful tribe that guards against evil creatures like the Ice Witch. In truth, they now serve the witch and long for the glorious return of the Watchers.

Lissandra knows that on that day nations will fall and the world will be reborn in ice.

�Close your eyes and let the cold take you.� - Lissandra

Vote to send your favorite players to All-Star Week!

Magus — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 01:04:36 GMT

The League of Legends Championship Series is about to hit mid-season, which means it's time to start gearing up for All-Star Week. Five-player teams from North America, Europe, China, Southeast Asia and Korea will come together to defend their regions on the international stage. We talked to some of the top contenders to find out what being an All-Star means to them.

Cast your ballot at LoL esports and voice your picks for the first-ever League of Legends All-Star teams.

You can cast a new vote for your favorite players every day, so be sure to turn out and show your support. And remember � Malphite says: "Rock the vote!" It's your duty to take part in the democratic process.

Champion rework: Trundle, the Troll King

Morello — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:24:58 GMT

As tensions rise in the Freljord, the frost trolls fight to preserve their homeland. Trundle, now troll king, leads his people with cunning, brutal strength and just enough biting wit to make would-be conquerors think twice about entering his frozen kingdom. When skulls need smashing, Trundle�s the troll for the job.

Trundle has a lot of changes coming. In addition to a complete visual rework, Trundle�s story has been revamped to reflect his new direction and new charge � using guile uncharacteristic of his people to lead them through tumultuous times. His gameplay is remaining the same with some tweaks.

Visuals

What began as a kickass ice troll skin for Trundle quickly transformed into a full-fledged campaign to reinvent his look. A frost motif, instead of disease and garbage, felt like a better fit for his slowing and displacement abilities, both of which are typically associated with ice.

Trundle�s model was reimagined into a badass ice troll alpha with a commanding battlefield presence. Trading his skulking hobble for a fearsome, imposing stride, Trundle�s now one champion you don�t want to troll.

Just like the Karma relaunch, those of you who already unlocked Trundle get a free skin based on Trundle�s traditional look, complete with classic VO.

Gameplay

Trundle�s abilities are receiving a few minor changes and tweaks to add some additional functionality to Subjugate and Frozen Kingdom (formerly Decompose and Contaminate, respectively). Trundle�s ultimate now steals a percentage of your target�s magic resist, armor and health in addition to dealing damage based their max health. Also, when you stand in Frozen Kingdom you gain increased healing from all sources.

Trundle was already pretty solid heading into the remake, so we didn�t want to change his core gameplay too much. These changes are intended to round out his skillset. Here�s a complete look at his new kit:

Abilities

Passive: King's Tribute - When an enemy dies near Trundle, he heals for a percentage of their max health
Q: Chomp - Trundle�s next attack deals bonus damage and briefly slows the target, additionally increasing Trundle�s attack damage while reducing that of his target for a short time
W: Frozen Kingdom - Trundle creates a zone on the ground that increases his movement, attack speed, and healing from all sources
E: Pillar of Ice - Trundle creates an immovable pillar of ice that bumps back and slows nearby enemies
R: Subjugate - Trundle drains an enemy of armor and magic resist for a short time and damages for a percentage of the opponent�s max health

In the jungle: Trundle excels as a safe and speedy jungler thanks to the healing effects from his passive and Frozen Kingdom. If your team needs lane pressure, you can block enemy escape routes and slow stragglers with Pillar of Ice while chasing down and damaging enemies with Frozen Kingdom and Chomp.

Mid game: As the match enters mid game, Trundle�s all about counter-ganking and securing objectives. He can utilize the increased attack speed from Frozen Kingdom and the attack reset on Chomp to quickly clear lanes and pressure towers. A clutch Pillar of Ice can be used to block enemies from stealing a crucial objective like the dragon or Baron, or pressure enemies into a hasty retreat.

Late game and team fights: Once the team fights start, Trundle makes a great counter-initiator and disruptor. With a well-placed Pillar of Ice, Trundle can stop champions while they�re charging through your front line or peel off carries from the main fight. Trundle can also troll beefy tanks and bruisers with Subjugate, tearing away their defenses and health to secure quick kills.

Story

In light of his new visuals, we also took the opportunity to revisit Trundle�s story. We really wanted to broaden the audience that perceived him as a compelling champion. Trundle�s now a major player on the world stage, acting as catalyst for the emerging conflict in the Freljord. Mercurial as ever, Trundle seeks to preserve his people by allying with an imposing, powerful force and to prove that a reunited troll army bows to no aggressor.

Trundle, the Troll King

Trundle is a hulking and devious troll with a mischievous streak. There is nothing he can't beat into submission and bend to his will, not even the ice itself. With his massive, frozen club, he chills his enemies to the core and runs them through with jagged shards of ice. Fiercely territorial, Trundle chases down anyone foolish enough to enter his domain and laughs as they bleed onto the tundra.

Trundle's warband once followed a foolish and cowardly chieftain. Under such a weak leader, Trundle feared he and his kin would fall prey to the other troll hordes scattered across the tundra. Though the chieftain was bigger and stronger, Trundle dared to directly challenge him, but the confrontation ended in humiliation. Where most trolls would accept defeat, Trundle did something that wasn't very troll-like: instead of his fists, he turned to his wits. Thinking on his hairy feet, he spun a tall tale about the troll leaders of old, claiming they wielded weapons of great power as symbols of their right to rule. Though he'd made up the story on the spot, Trundle wagered that if he could find or steal such a weapon, he would become the rightful leader of the warband. The trolls believed him, but none thought him capable of undertaking such a challenge. Knowing the boastful troll would die trying, the foolish chieftain agreed and Trundle departed to the familiar sound of laughter.

Alone but undaunted, Trundle ventured into the foreboding realm of the dreaded Ice Witch. There, hidden among the many ancient and dangerous secrets, he planned to find a weapon to prove his elaborate tale. He out-muscled the Ice Witch's guards and outsmarted her dark magic traps, but nothing he scavenged matched the power he'd described to his kin. Finally, he found an unexpected prize: a huge and magical club of never-melting True Ice. Grasping the weapon, he marveled at the cold power that ran through him. But then the wrathful Ice Witch herself appeared. As she summoned her dark magic, Trundle believed he had met his end and failed his people, but another clever idea struck him. With a knowing grin, he offered the Ice Witch a devious proposition: a troll army would be of much more use to her than one troll corpse. Together, he told her, they could conquer the Freljord. The Ice Witch agreed, and Trundle departed with a powerful ally - one he was certain he could defeat when the time was right.

When Trundle returned to the warband, his fellow trolls bowed to his conquest. Calling his weapon �Boneshiver,� he took a moment to enjoy the look of numb shock on his chieftain's face before he caved it in. Seizing command, Trundle announced that there would no longer be chieftains - only a Troll King before whom all of his kind would kneel. The trolls rallied behind their brash, new leader and prepared for the coming war. With Trundle leading the charge, the time of the trolls had finally come.

�Outsmart anyone you can't beat, and beat anyone you can't outsmart.� -- Trundle

Champion rework: Sejuani, the Winter's Wrath

Morello — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 20:24:22 GMT

Sejuani girds herself for battle, eagerly anticipating the inevitable conflict brewing in the Freljord. There are a number of changes coming for Sejuani, including a visual upgrade, new gameplay mechanics and a deeper exploration of her lore.

Visuals

Sejuani's lightly-armored, skin-flaunting, fleshy apparel didn't mesh with the idea of a dominating, ice warrior. Now heavily armored atop Bristle, this visual rework clearly conveys the core of our concept for the champion. She's powerful, capable of conquering the Freljord and leading the Winter's Claw to victory.

If we were going to make Sejuani look imposing, we needed make sure her fierce steed, Bristle, could keep up. Here we added bulk and power to his model, and updated the animation on Arctic Assault to show him tossing scattered foes into the air.

As with the Trundle and Karma relaunches, those of you who already unlocked Sejuani will get a free skin based on Sejuani's traditional look.

Gameplay

In order to deliver on the promise of a powerful barbarian, we've added enhanced utility to her skills, allowing her to go head-on as a massive, tanky initiator. With a powerful armor-generating passive, a potent knock-up, AoE damage and slow to go along with a tweaked version of Glacial Prison, the Winter's Wrath is now even more angry.

Abilities

Passive: Frost Armor - Damaging an enemy with an ability or basic attack grants armor and reduces movement-slowing effects on Sejuani. If Sejuani already has Frost Armor, its duration increases.
Q: Arctic Assault - Bristle charges forward, knocking enemies into the air and dealing magic damage. The charge ends after knocking an enemy champion into the air.
W: Flail of the Northern Winds - Sejuani's next basic attack deals bonus magic damage to the target and enemies near it. She then begins to swing her flail, dealing magic damage to nearby enemies over time. If this ability is reactivated, she immediately starts swinging her flail.
E: Permafrost
- Passive: Abilities and basic attacks apply Frost to enemies.
- Active: All nearby enemies with Frost take magic damage and are slowed.
R: Glacial Prison - Sejuani throws a frost-forged bola in a line. If the bola hits an enemy champion, it shatters, stunning the target and nearby enemies. If the bola reaches its maximum range, it shatters and slows enemies. All enemies in the shatter area take magic damage.

In the jungle: Sejuani's still a riding CC machine out of the jungle. In the early game, Frost Armor keeps her health high while she tears through jungle camps with Flail of the Northern Winds. The combination of Permafrost and well-timed Arctic Assault from the brush can quickly lock down an enemy for a kill. Once she has a point in Glacial Prison, the additional stun makes Sejuani's ganks even deadlier.

Mid game: Heading into midgame, Sejuani makes an excellent split-push champion, pressuring lanes with Flail of the Northern Winds, then using a combination of her other abilities to escape enemy ganks. Her full arsenal of crowd-control makes chasing or being chased a frightening prospect for the opposing team; her passive armor allows her to wade into the front line of skirmishes, secure in the knowledge that her teammates can pick targets off at leisure.

Late game and teamfights: One of the most imposing initiators in League of Legends, Sejuani can use Glacial Prison to force a fight near an objective, or hunt down retreating foes with Arctic Assault. As a strong source of magic damage, Sejuani makes a great tank to complement an AD heavy lineup. Her charge can break up a channeled ultimate or wreak havoc on the enemy team's positioning. All the while she'll absorb huge damage and protect the squishier members of her team by forcing opponents to engage on her with her impressive crowd-control.

Story

Sejuani was weaned on hardship and reared on barbarity. Where others succumbed to the harshness of the Freljord, she was tempered by it until pain became power, hunger an encouragement, and frost an ally in culling the weak. Through her ordeals, she learned that to thrive in the endless winter, one must become just as cold and unforgiving. In Sejuani's eyes, her followers either have the mettle to endure or the right to die. Once she has conquered the Freljord, she knows that those who survive will form a nation to be feared.

As a child, the leader of the Winter's Claw watched her tribe's numbers slowly dwindle. Cold and starvation took all but the most resilient. She was the only one of her siblings to survive to her tenth year, leaving Sejuani sure that she too would die in misery. In desperation, she sought spiritual counsel from her tribe's mystic. But the seer did not foretell Sejuani's death. Instead, she prophesized that Sejuani would one day conquer and unite the divided tribes of the Freljord.

Armored with absolute faith in her destiny, Sejuani pushed herself to extremes that would have killed anyone without her will to endure. She walked into blizzards without food or furs and trained while frigid winds raked her flesh. She clashed with the strongest warriors of her tribe, one after another, until her legs gave out beneath her. When she assumed leadership of her tribe, Sejuani commanded her warriors to follow her example. Under her rule, the tribe grew stronger than they had ever been.

In the end, it was an offer of peace - rather than an act of war - that began Sejuani's campaign of conquest. On the first day of winter, envoys from Ashe's tribe approached Sejuani's camp bearing a gift of Avarosan grain. Ashe's intent was clear: if Sejuani united with her tribe, the Winter's Claw would never go hungry again. To Sejuani, the gift was an insult. In Ashe's tribe, she saw men and women, slight and soft, who preferred to farm instead of fight. Her contempt for them was absolute.

Sejuani gathered her people and set the grain alight. She proclaimed that Ashe's offer of charity would bring only weakness. Stripping the envoys of their supplies, Sejuani sent them back with a message: the Winter's Claw would prove to the Avarosan that only the strong deserve to survive in the Freljord. As the grain burned behind them, Sejuani rode out with her warband to inflict the first of many painful lessons to come.

�I was cut from the ice, shaped in the storms, hardened in the cold.� -- Sejuani

Champion Price Reduction

Hippalus — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:28:25 GMT

As previously announced, we�ve been reducing champion prices on a fixed schedule, primarily based on champion release dates. With every third champion we release, an additional champion currently priced at 4800 IP or lower will be reduced to the next lowest tier, based on age and ease of play. Initial price reductions have already been made on champions who were released prior to the ones listed below.

Here are the details on our next set of scheduled price reductions. Please note that because these price reductions are preannounced, refunds will not be granted to players who purchase these champions prior to their price reductions.

For our 4th champion launched in 2013 (after Zac): Skarner will be reduced to 4800 IP / 880 RP and Warwick will be reduced to 450 IP / 260 RP

For our 5th champion launched in 2013: Talon will be reduced to 4800 IP / 880 RP
For our 6th champion launched in 2013: Riven will be reduced to 4800 IP / 880 RP

Additionally, all newly launched champions in 2013 will be reduced from their initial price of 7800 IP to 6300 IP after one week. Click here for more background on the pricing changes and how these champions were selected for reductions.