League of Legends champions that got canceled before release

The video game League of Legends has been around for a long time. Riot Games’ MOBA has evolved steadily since 2009 to what we see today. We have seen an increase of champions up to 162 characters. K’Sante was the latest to arrive, but Milio and Naafiri will be joining soon.

League of Legends went through a design phase before reaching this point, during which its developers discussed various concepts for the game’s first cast of characters. Unfortunately, some champions never saw the light of day. Although they would later serve as inspiration for other characters, they were never used in their original form.

Here are the five League champions that got canceled before the game’s launch in 2009.

Champions canceled before the launch

Priscilla, The Spider Queen

Initially known as Nidalee, it was conceived in 2009 but never went beyond the development stage. From Priscilla’s concept, Urgot and Elise were born. The champion, however, would appear in Dominion mode alongside the “Priscilla’s Blessing” item.

Because the design of this Priscilla looked more than promising, several users asked Riot Games to add her to League of Legends. So finally, the developer transformed her into the Elise we know today.

Abilities

• Passive – Camouflage: Priscilla gains 20/80% additional mana regeneration.
• Q] – Ensnare: Priscilla weaves a cloth and throws it in a small area. Enemies caught in the web are immobilized while she drags them towards her for 1 second, dealing 1.25 damage based on distance traveled.
• W] – Inject Spiderlings: Priscilla’s basic attacks inject poison into the target, slowing by 10% + 4% per stack for 4 seconds. If the target dies while poisoned, she summons a spiderling for each poison buildup with a duration of 60 seconds.
• E] – Thirst: Priscilla hunger for blood and gains life steal.
• R] – Corpsemaker: Priscilla immobilizes her target for 2.75 seconds with two back claws and cuts it quickly with two front paws, dealing damage every 0.25s.

Well Soterios, the Hydrosoul

A considerable part of the community wants a character that uses water. Specifically, on the Turkish forums, they asked for a champion with a skill set based entirely on water. The public questioned Riot Games as to whether they had the technology to create these effects. Updates to players ceased, and Well remained an abandoned project.

Riot Games eventually acknowledged its development had been shelved, despite its image and skill files being discovered in beta.

Abilities

• Passive – Soothing Aura: Nearby allies gain 0.4/0.8 mana per second.
• [Q] – Summon: Water Elemental
• [W] – Crushing Wave: Launches a column of water over enemies and inflicts damage. In case of touching the Water Elemental, the water column doubles in the direction where the Water Elemental was facing.
• E] – Vortex: Well creates a water vortex in a specific location that deals damage per second. Enemies coming out of the vortex are slowed by 90%, while those moving perpendicular to the vortex are slowed by 30%.
• R] – Torrent: Creates a heavy downpour that covers the entire map. Increases the health and mana regeneration of all allies, who also gain increased spell damage.

Gavid, the Plant King

A tiny sprout found in Demacian soil gave rise to this character. Thanks to the rich soil and favorable temperature, it grew and flourished at a fantastic rate. As Gavid developed, the area covered with thorns and vines moved closer to populated areas. Finally, tired humans came to Gavid’s forest, using their axes to chop down everything that had grown there over the years.

Most of Gavid’s friends and relatives were destroyed, and some were even taken hostage by the humans and turned into firewood. Observing this, Gavid decided to reclaim his kingdom, entering the conflict to exterminate the humans like they had destroyed those close to him.

Abilities

• Passive – Vine Generation / Thorns: Gavid generates a vine with a small random area of effect every 2 seconds; Gavid and his vines damage melee attackers when hit.
• Q] – Animate Thornspitter: Consumes a vine and transforms it into a Thornspitter, which launches thorns that damage nearby enemies.
• W] – Animate Entangler: Consumes a vine that explodes and turns into a series of roots that paralyze enemies for a few seconds, dealing 50 damage per second.
• E] – Animate Vitalis: Consumes a vine that creates a healing plant that heals nearby allies for 3 seconds. It lasts for 20 seconds before disappearing.
• R] – Entrench: Gavid roots himself to the ground to recover a part of maximum health for a few seconds. During this process, Gavid generates seven vines and their reuse time. Also, all the skills he uses during his ultimate increase the area of effect.

Averdrian, the Astral Guardian

Known as “The Smurf Abortion,” this character is among the most controversial due to its history. It is worth noting that this character’s icon was used in Malzahar’s character. Even the Lead Effects Artist used this Averdrian as a profile picture in the previous League of Legends forums, as this character was closely related to several rioters.

Abilities

• Passive – Astral barrier: Four astral spirits.
• Q] – Astral Beam: Throws a powerful beam of light at the enemy, dealing damage. This damage cannot be prevented in any way.
• [W] – Detonate: Releases an energy pulse that deals damage around Averdrian and slows enemies within 100 units for 5 seconds.
• E] – Consume Spirit: Absorbs one of his astral spirits, granting him more AP, and uses a damaging aura that deals damage per second to all nearby enemies for 1 minute.
• R] – Lockdown: Traps an enemy with lethal energy and strangles it. Channels for 5 seconds, dealing damage per second to the enemy and preventing all moves and actions of the target.

Tabu, the Voodoo Shaman

The beta folder is where the Tabu files were found. However, Tabu was never exposed to the sun. Some claim that the DOTA 2 character Zharvakko, the Witch Doctor, inspired this figure. It has also been inferred from his play style and outward appearance that he would later become the Swain we all once knew.

Abilities

• Passive – Enfeeble: Enemies around Tabu deal 15% less damage.
• Q] – Tattoo: Tabu binds to an enemy or ally. If he is next to an enemy, a part of the damage received is shared with his partner. It shares the same healing power it receives if it is with an ally.
• W] – Circle of Ancestors: Tabu curses a selected area, damaging enemies and healing allies.
• E] – Pacify: Tabu pacifies the enemy for a few seconds.
• R] – Soul Drain: Tabu binds to the target and tries to steal its soul, dealing damage while regenerating health in the same amount per second.

Header: Riot Games