Skarner is finally getting a VGU update

The League of Legends development team has released an update on the eagerly anticipated Skarne visual and gameplay update (VGU).

Skarner will soon receive a VGU which will completely overhaul his ability kit, theme, and visuals. The developers do not want to remove the champion’s entire philosophical basis, therefore the change made to him will still be consistent with his lore. 

The VGU for Skarne should be released this year, though a release date has not yet been determined. Looking at the video released by Riot, it appears like the developers are still considering their options.

With the same kit and appearance since his debut in 2011, the Crystal Vanguard has been one of the least-used League of Legends champions. Many players have tried to weave him into the meta throughout the years, but due to his out-of-date ability kit, he receives almost no attention in both solo queue and pro play.

The play rate of the Crystal Vanguard stayed extremely low despite a few small changes over time.  After Udyr’s update at the start of 2022, Riot opened up voting to select the next champion for the subsequent VGU. With Shyvana once again in second position, Skarner won the polls by a large margin.

What we know about the upcoming Skarner VGU update

When it comes to the visuals of Skarner, the team working on the VGU has many options. The developer team demonstrated how they might redesign the Skarner in the next Visual and Gameplay update for the jungler in a few concept pictures released in the April 2022 plan. The purple scorpion’s kit, theme, and aesthetics are all slated to undergo significant changes, although his “Impale” ultimate is anticipated to be kept and perhaps given a few minor adjustments.

Recent leaks claim that Skarner will soon be able to capture multiple champions, as the devs intend on turning his single target ultimate into an AoE ability. Given its high effectiveness, the AoE ability can have a significant impact on the outcome of proper team engagements focused on neutral objectives. Riot hasn’t confirmed anything about it yet, so the claims should be treated with caution.

According to reports, Riot has also created a piece for the lore, in which Skarner was abducted by Piltover, subjected to experiments, and is now a creature they can control to safeguard the city and its interests. However, Skarner finally regains consciousness and control over himself and embarks on a mission to eliminate Piltover and the individuals who have wiped out his race.

Header: Riot Games