With Swain now out fully available and playable after the League of Legends champ was reworked, several Riot Games employees who worked on the update held an AMA to answer some of the biggest questions about Swain.
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These AMAs usually consist of problems that were encountered during the rework as well as potential abilities that didn’t make it into the final version, and this Q&A session was no different. Many of the questions also dealt with not just Swain’s gameplay but his lore as well, one that’s intertwined with other champions and the formidable Noxus region that threatens to overthrow Demacia and other lands.
Check out some of the biggest questions and answers from the AMA as well as some that didn’t get answered.
Abilities that Didn’t Make the Cut
As is the case with any champion’s rework, not every ability idea makes it into the final form. While having a transformation was one of the main goals when it came to preserving parts of old Swain’s kit, the transformation wasn’t always on Swain’s ultimate.
“For a while, Swain’s ultimate (his transform) was a passive on his E (which was a different spell at the time),” said Riot King Cobra, a playtester who worked on Swain’s rework. “If Swain had at least 3 souls, he could double tap E to activate his transform. The catch was that Swain’s souls were only gained on champion death – including his own teammates.”
This led to suicide tactics becoming common where it would be easier for Swain’s teammates to sacrifice themselves so that he could 1v3 instead of having to deal with a full-on teamfight
“Oh yeah, there was also another time where I was on the same team as an Ivern,” Riot King Cobra continued. “I told the Ivern he needed to go get himself killed so I could transform so he ran into the enemy team. The enemy team realized what he was doing and wouldn’t kill him and we wound up in this really awkward ‘don’t kill the Karthus with 0 mana’ situation with our Ivern standing the middle of the enemy team trying to die.”
Is Beatrice a Demon?
Whether you prefer the new Swain or the old version, one thing that’s notably absent from the rework is Beatrice, Swain’s faithful raven companion.
Beatrice was as big a part of Swain as any of his abilities, and with the multi-eyed bird now gone, some players are looking to preserve Beatrice’s memory in some way, even as a demon name. When asked whether Beatrice could be the name of the demon that Swain now channels, a Rioter gave a cryptic answer that left the question open to interpretation.
“Would a demon of secrets let its name be known? Let alone its existence?” asked Riot Interlocutioner, the narrative designer for Swain. “Names can be power (this is examined in a really cool way in ‘The Name of the Wind’ by Patrick Rothfuss). And words as power is kind of an unexplored aspect of League of Legends, through the runes. If demons have a name, a true name, it’s part of their own power. That doesn’t mean people can’t have their own names that they give them. So perhaps Swain calls it Beatrice. Does that mean Beatrice is its name? Is Tahm Kench a true name?”
So it looks like players can call the demon Beatrice if they wish, though that doesn’t mean the name is official.
Swain’s Biggest Challenges During the Rework
As for the challenges that were encountered when working on Swain, one of the biggest problems that cropped up was the varying themes that old Swain had, according to product owner Riot SpaceNorth.
“The biggest challenge of working on Swain, in my opinion, is that the he was a character with a ton of themes that pulled him in too many directions,” said Riot SpaceNorth. “Depending on who you ask, he’s the bird guy, old guy, cane guy, the warlock, the one with the limp, the emperor of Noxus, the transforming guy, Mr. DoTs, etc. I think any good update for Swain would mean delivering someone who carries a stronger impression/takeaway for who the character is. But realistically, reducing the presence of ANY theme is going to make somebody out there sad.”
The Rioter also spoke briefly about Beatrice as well, a part of Swain’s kit that became less essential compared to his other strengths.
“There are many reasons spread (and re-tread) over months of development, but the most relevant one in regards to having Beatrice standing there is that we believe that Swain has more potential and excitement with a Noxian ruler fantasy than a companion fantasy. Things like his long, sweeping coat, his pose, and the crest on his back come from the direction of wanting him to feel like the intimidating, calculating Grand General. I think having the bird still perched on him could be a strong choice for the companion-theme, but start to feel out of place toward the commander direction.”
How to Beat Swain
But for those players who aren’t quite as interested in playing as Swain nor are they concerned with learning more about his pet bird, the Rioters also had some tips on the best strategies for defeating the new Swain. When asked about Swain’s weaknesses, Riot King Cobra pointed to the champ’s limited mobility as something to exploit.
“Punish his immobility and short range on his Q,” said Riot King Cobra. “Having playtested him a lot, junglers don’t pray on his weak pre-6 and his tendency to naturally push the wave if he wants to harrass the enemy. Post 6 is a different story because Swain’s ultimate lends itself well to 1v2s, but he’s very vulnerable when he doesn’t have it. His immobility/range is also generally his downfall in teamfights as well. Save CC for when he ults and tries to get into your team. If you burn your CDs on other stuff, don’t be surprised when Swain runs through your team.”
The full AMA can be found here on Reddit with more questions and answers regarding Swain’s rework.
