I’ve been very eager for the League of Legends Naafiri reveal ever since the early teases of a “pack of assassins” coming to the MOBA, and Riot Games has delivered in style. The next League of Legends champion is the first true monster champ we’ve had in a long time, and she’s looking nightmarishly vicious.
A Darkin seemingly trapped in a cursed dagger at the outset of the cinematic reveal, Naafiri is unleashed when the bandit carrying her is set on by a pack of wolves. As the concerningly fleshy, eye-laden blade twirls through the air, the hounds snap at it – unleashing Naafiri’s power. Fusing with one of the wolves, her new form is awakened.
It’s a reveal that’s so delightfully dark and demonic, I can’t help but wonder if the animators were more than a little excited about Diablo 4’s arrival when they came up with the concept for this one. Limbs reaching from within the blade to take charge of the hound, we see Naafiri’s true form – a black and red wolf with dagger-like spikes erupting from her shoulders, and a pack of crimson, hyena-like beasts behind her, awaiting her command.
As for how Naafiri will play in-game, Riot’s keeping that agonizingly under wraps for the time being aside from suggesting that she’ll have a relatively simple loadout to pick up, so she should be a good LoL champ for beginners. It seems a pretty safe bet, however, that we’re expecting an assassin champ who will be able to use her pack in battle. I’ve always been a sucker for non-humanoid designs, with the likes of Cho’Gath and Kha’zix among my personal favorites.
For those of you LoL players who’ve branched out into Valve’s Dota 2, I’m also a big Lycan enjoyer – his pair of animal companions and the ability to transform into a wolf with a burst of speed makes him one of the most terrifying characters to face, capable of pushing a lane in next to no time if you dare to leave it unguarded.
We’ll likely know more about exactly what to expect from Naafiri when the next PBE update rolls out, as that’ll give players a chance to dig into her ability set, and we can expect more of her background story courtesy of Riot soon. For now, though, the idea of being set upon from the long grass by Naafiri and her pack already has me quaking in my boots.
Remember that PC Game Pass subscribers also get access to every League of Legends champion on day one as part of their subscription, along with a 20% XP boost, so you’ll be able to check out Naafiri as soon as she launches if you’re a member.
Wherever Naafiri falls on the League of Legends tier list, I’m very eager to leap into action with her. Her design is set up for some epic skins as well, although it’s probably a good idea to check how much you’ve spent on League of Legends before you take the plunge.