Another batch of red posts from the @Ezreal thread

Posted on at 4:12 AM by Moobeat
For the uninitiated, Colt "Ezreal" Hallam is one of Riot's eldest game designers. For years now ( it's funny to think it that long ), he's maintained an "@Ezreal" thread on the forums where he answers an onslaught of questions from summoners. He just responded with three pages of answers today and a few of those contained some pretty nifty information.
Continue reading for a few small quips from Ezreal, including a few hints at future champions, and more!

The below answers are just a sample from the last three big response selections. I tried to snag the most informative and group them appropriately, but it's still a little messy.

On Future Champions
Answering a summoners asking if we will have a another yordle ( think Teemo and Tristana ) jungler in the next year, Ezreal responded:
" Barring unforeseen circumstances, yes."
 Ezreal also mentioned there is at least one more support in the works and it is a HE, saying:
"Well, we work on champions as far as 8 months ahead of time. So yes, there is at least one more support in the works. And HE...is one of the coolest characters I have seen in League of Legends."
When questioned if we will be getting either a new FEMALE ad carry or another mage champion who utilized ice, Ezreal simply responded with a "2013 will be a good year for you...".

Lastly, he vaguely teased the idea of more Zaun champions and Lissandra the Ice Dervish, a much requested lore character, by simply responding "Yes"

On Other Projects

Responding to a summoner asking what happened to the lore, assuming he's referring to stuff like the cancelled Journal of Justice Project, Ezreal said:
"We refocused where the lore department should focus. Rather than giving small bits of trivial information we instead focused on drilling down on our IP internally. Now we feel that we can do more interesting and better things. 2013 will be a good year for lore!"
He also briefly mentioned alternate Announcer voices, a feature common in other MOBAs, saying:
"I hope we offer players alternate announcer packs, though honestly it hasn't come up that often. I recently brought this up to one of our design departments, and we are going to look into it again."
Switching gears to champion reworks, Ezreal responded to a summoner asking if Riot plans to update boring ( his personal example was Wukong ) champions instead of just broke or outdated champions.
"Well, our primary focuses in doing champion updates are as follows: make the character more fun, fix the core problems, and don't remove what make the character fun in the first place. So yes we redesign characters to make them more fun.

That being said, I don't believe we would update a character like Wukong. We specifically made his kit simple with easy combos and a single ability that can be used for amazing effects. Take for example a lot of our early champions. Yes they are easier to use than our newer champions, but that is by design. We want champions that new players can join the game and fully understand on their first play through. Having a wide range of characters in both skill level and play style only improves our play experience."
 In the past Ezreal has fielded questions about Heimerdinger's ability update and, unfortunately, he had nothing new to say about it; just an explanation on what's taking so long.
"Still planned, we just need the art resources to do it. Basically we had it mostly done and then Xyph was put on the S3 item overhaul. You can guess which project was more important."

142 comments

  1. yay another yordle and its jungle :) and a male support

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  2. Looking forward to next year. Hope they keep up the good work. Can't wait for the few they mentioned.

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  3. Hopefully this will be good. Want to see new support.

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  4. Yay! Lissandra, it will be awesome if lissandra joins lol

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  5. Lissandra!!!!! I'm waiting T^T !

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  6. The skin is called "Foxfire Ahri". Nice try though.

    And relating the post... what about Kassadin's daughter?! Lol

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  7. I want Lissandra now D:

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  8. What about the voodoo lands... Annie is all alone =(

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  9. They should add champion mechanics like in Dota 2, it's awesome, like copying enemy champion spells various other effects, I dislike Dota 2 for non beginner friendly gameplay but heroes in Dota 2 are perfect compared to most of LoL

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  10. where's drugnut when you need him.

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  11. I agree LoL is just too easy.
    Dota 2 is harder but when you accomplish something it is very rewarding.

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  12. It'd be funny this time...

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  13. Shhh! Forget it! They may move her somewhere! :)

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  14. Dear male supp.

    PLZ DONT BE TANKY.

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  15. Yeah Taric is a male but he isn't a cool support. XD

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  16. This one time i'll do it for him. Outrageous.

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  17. She's been raped, nuf said

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  18. but but but! Yea your right the voodoo lands is a dead cause XD (One day annie was trolling around and found herself in Zaun) Job done and everyone is happy.

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  19. Yes, but i'm not a Skin, i'm a person... LOL

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  20. NOBODY IS RAGING ABOUT HEIMERDINGER BUT ME?

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  21. are you kidding? Don't you see the bad-ass fur boots he uses to stride proudly across the map on his Armor of the Fifth Age skin?

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  22. taric isn't a male champ lol

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  23. No, he's fat and old, no one wants to support with a fat and old guy. XD we need proper support for Ezreal and that's not Taric.

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  24. I'd rather have the weird-ass spell copying which has a lot of balancing problems to stay at DotA2. The same for invoker-style 'lets change the UI for one champion' and such.
    LoL is nice BECAUSE it doesn't have overly strange mechanics. It makes you able to casually play the game and still do pretty well. Besides, if you can hook teammates with blitzcrank like with pudge for example, you'll have even worse situations than noob-Jarvans.

    DotA2 is nice in an entirely different way, each champion has the potential to become an unstoppable beast, even without his team. All the globals and aghanim's scepter-upgraded super ulti's make every champion by LoL standards OP and extremely snowbally,

    basically: LoL balances with weights, DotA balances with elephants and monstertrucks. The latter is more awesome, but you'll need extra involvement whereas LoL is easier to do 'just because you feel like it.

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  25. The fur boots make up for it.
    Besides, Ezreal is a little gay as well, they make a great couple... Dx

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  26. I think Ezreal would make a better couple with the new male support that's gonna come out sometime in 2013, Taric is ugly anyway. :l

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  27. I want Gentleman Cho'gath announcer nao!

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  28. Fortune doesn't favor fools.

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  29. More ice champions ftw. I'm surprised we don't have electric and fire based birds to go alongside Anivia :P

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  30. WUKONG??!! Wukong Is most certainly not boring!!! who summoner was that?!?

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  31. I think reporting every post of the roleplaying accounts is finally starting to get rid of them.

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  32. You kno u can flash out of jarvin utl >.>

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  33. LoL is all about details... someone can get more fed, but still cannot rush 1v5. But in 5v5 teamfights, he is precious and he will win it. LoL is more team-oriented, where everyone can get fed, but still must be careful, and losing team can catch-up. In DotA, when someone is fed, you know there is no point playing anymore.

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  34. Fortune doesn't favor fools.

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  35. As long as they don't stick her in Demacia or Noxus.

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  36. Sion, Taric, Karthus, Sivir. Even Heimer could look less terrible.

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  37. It did say "Sacrificial ritual" soo... If it went through...

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  38. Haven't you seen Varus' pubes? Don't think they go well together :P

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  39. I feel like those would just be skins honestly. I can only imagine how unique a pyrophoenix will look alongside a cryophoenix, after all.

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  40. +Yorick, Annie, PEARL and

    Kassadin's Daughter.

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  41. And your abilities cannot scale. SO LAME.

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  42. Maybe she is just infected by some insect? Halfly alive, halfy death.
    Little koggy in her brain.
    Dark support.
    Insect taking control of her sometimes.
    The rivers will run red.

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  43. prob becuz raging is not going to make it appear faster...>.>

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  44. wouldn't that just be a phoenix? xD

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  45. I dunno, but I don't agree with the statement that he's "Simple" either. It may be easy to play him at a basic level, but there are so many cool things you can do with him that aren't "simple" And yes, he is Fun. ><

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  46. I'm sure we could use one of Xerath's joke/taunts and replace the word lightning-bolt with the word phoenix XD

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  47. Lets hope he is bad ass, and not to cute, I mean I hope he is badass with a flavor of cuteness, and not the other way around!

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  48. dont change wukong >.<

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  49. My idea of a manly male support:

    Q: Roids - increases target champions attack damage and attack speed by 10,15,20,25,30% for 3 seconds.

    W: Protein Shake - recovers 10% of targets max HP and gives them an AoE effect dealing 10% of AD per second for 10 seconds.

    E: Weight Toss - Deals X damage (600 range) and slows enemy movement speed by 20% for 5 seconds

    R: Pump slam - Leaps at target enemy and deals X damage to all enemies around that champion. In addition all allied champions in the area of effect gain +10% Max HP as a shield for 5 seconds.

    Just a quick mock up that i made up right now on the spot.

    And his name shall be....

    Chad.

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  50. Is that how a warped brain like yours gets its kicks? By planning the death of innocent people?

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  51. BATMAN is WHACK! Can't even fly! HA! How weak!

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  52. In LoL's lore, The Phoenixes are a rare species gaining power based on where they originated, making them elemental, but they were misconceived for only having fire-based abilities (until Anivia showed up.) Anivia gained Ice-based powers due to being born in a glacial area. by this logic, a phoenix born in a volcanic area would make it a pyrophoenix.

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  53. Interesting... hope will be a cool guy

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  54. MALE Support, at last.

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  55. :< ... At least they are supossed to have Karma ready by Jan<3

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  56. Locodoco and his best friend /watch?v=efJLQU70enk

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  57. locodoco and his best friend watch?v=efJLQU70enk

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  58. One does not simply continue to spam ice, electric and fire champions ignoring earth, thy're not pokemans!

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  59. Kassadin's daughter and Irelia's brother..

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  60. He shall be manly and he shall be named Angus.

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  61. Angus being made what!?

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  62. WTB legendary bird skins for Anivia.

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  63. Haha guess my source for new support male champ was right. Hybrid white hair (cool)

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  64. Wait, does that mean a Female adc AND ice mage? Or just the adc will definitely be female? Enlighten me please

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  65. Maybe he is that male support xD
    That makes no sense, but hope is the greatest ally.

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  66. the last male supporty was taric and he is gay

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  67. You don't know who he is?

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  68. a new ADC who happens to be a female and a new character that is an Ice mage

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  69. The Champions of Zaun will rise.

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  70. There was some leak called Seth which was supposed to be a sand oriented champ

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  71. Do you even lift? Check out my avatar picture to see my biceps son

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  72. why? i want a leona-type support instead, too many ''i sit in the bush and spam heal like in a mmorpg'' supports atm

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  73. You can't get rid of Outrageous taric.

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  74. Dude... Bodys are soooo 80s...

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  75. Its a Female support hes name is Lissandra the ice dervish....

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  76. Help! I can't stop drooling.

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  77. Guys.. wake up, Taric isnt male! he is special male!

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  78. more champions to come in 2013 , another body for the gutter

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  79. Wukong, boring? Dafuq... his W = the ultimate troll skill.

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  80. I do not approve of these re-works.

    What ever happened to AD-Carry Lux?

    Riot Make That Viable Again!

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  81. hopefully he will be at least a little more attractive after they update him... not that i expect THAT any time soon x.x

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  82. i'm way too enthusiastic for news on this site :(
    moobeat please post new news every 2 minutes, that's how often i check.... [shame face]

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  83. hope he could be a soft champ

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  84. Got a problem with my tactics :<?

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  85. Idk what you meant with that, but Ezreal already gave away that Lissandra is gonna be a mage. Who else is gonna be the ice mage hes talking about?
    Anyway, i am dissappointed with her being a mage, my dream for her was her being an AD assassin with a ice scythe:D

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  86. I don't think he'll ever be attractive. ._.

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  87. Stereotypes. lol has around 110 champs. Now they should fill the design gaps. Zyra, Elise, Nami and Vi are great examples that they (Riot) is aware of that. Variety.
    Male backline support would be something new (Teemo is played as supp no more, Zilean is played no more... At all, but he'll always be my favourite double-mid buddy). :)

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  88. Infernal Lux plz.
    With flaming hair and booming skills.

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  89. On topic, I hope we get something to fix the alistar problem. He has been a staple ban for this season so far as well as blitzcrank. Both champions are a tad too good for their britches.

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  90. Give us the third freljord princess! Lissandra!

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  91. At least I don't turn into a weeping baby when I get near a rock.

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  92. Wukong got so much skills, no need for update!

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  93. Naw man we have ice adc, ice tank and now ice mage.

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  94. Angus the Popsickle berzerker. Another partner to jungle.

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  95. OMG YAY NEW HEIMER'S COMING *hum*

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  96. Just a bit of sustain or cc and they would be awesome TT team <3

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  97. A boring champion is Zilean. No depth at all in him..

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  98. Korean AAAACCCCEEEEEUUUU Announcer pack please...

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  99. Ezreal...how could you betray me like this...

    I made the downpayment on your house and put you through college. And this is how you repay me???

    I and my turrets are weeping.

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  100. Imposter! The Rammus I knew would never had used a word more than two-letters long, ok?

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  101. I always read in the lore that Lissandra carries a sword. Don't know what type. But I think she's gonna be a mage bruiser. And a picture with her carrying a sword with a very long sash at the hilt

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  102. We already have an ice mage, you know, the bird noone plays.

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  103. Well incoming ice mage is possibly Lissandra (people were expecting her) and she is leader of one tribe trying to rule Freljord (that makes Ashe, Sejuani and her Freljord Trio or Volibear's angels idk) so they will make her the remaining role : AP
    + ice dervish fits mage much more than assassin.

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  104. C'mon Riot, give me a face!


    I cant wait to join the League.

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  105. YORDLE SUP anohter person like teemo that everyone is going to focus! hope he is a tank ;[

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  106. woot woot a yordle jungler! another person everyone is going to focus no matter what.

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  107. Im a lore freak so i knew most of the above things. But im not a native english speaker, and i have no idea what dervish means, so i just thought it sounded like an assassin-ish title:P

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  108. I thought you were going to say Gentleman warwick.. wait I can't read...

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  109. Dude, kog"maw is obviously Kassadins daughter, she just went through a gender change...

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