Swain is one of the best champions in League of Legends, whether you play him in mid or support lane. He can even dominate top lane as well with some more skilled players. With the amazing looks and interesting theme, combined with one of the best lores in the game, you get the champion that has a full package.
Introduction
Swain’s kit revolves around his demon theme, and after he has been completely overhauled a couple of years ago, it feels and looks like a completely different champion that was in the old League of Legends. I guess many of you don’t even remember him, but us veterans will never forget the old Swain.
Now don’t get me wrong, new Swain is miles ahead of the old one, it’s just that the old one was specially in a way too. He never fit the game, and was kind of like an outcast. I am glad that he is removed but something in me want’s to play him a couple more times. Even if he was completely unplayable.
The current Swain’s kit revolves around his demonic theme and The Noxian General stigma.
His Q is like some kind of mix between Graves’s old Q and some twisted Akali like lifesteal and omnivamp, as the kids today call it. It is his prime damage source so the cooldown isn’t that high and the damage output is pretty huge. Unfortunately that is compensated by the short range.His W works kind of Ashe’s arrow. It has a enormous range and you can select a small piece of the map where you can reveal if there are any hidden enemies in there and deal some damage to that small area. That is the difference between it and Ashe’s arrow. But Ashe reveals a lot more area.His E is kind of a hook that stop’s midway and disrupts his enemies. It first acts as a root and than a short pull. A great weapon in his arsenal.
His ultimate is one of the best ultimate’s in the game. Swain turns into some kind of a demon and drains the life from his enemies. The ult can than be recast and a lot of drained power can be released to execute Swains’s foes.
Swain’s abilites
PASSIVE: Ravenous Flock
INNATE – RAVENOUS: Swain can periodically target a nearby immobilized enemy champion to rip out a Soul Fragment from them, dealing 20 − 105 (based on level) (+ 30% AP) magic damage and pulling them 290-units towards him over a 0.25-second cast time. If the target would be brought past Swain, they are instead knocked back the excess distance.
Swain cannot use Ravenous while unable to cast abilities.
Enemy champions also leave behind a Soul Fragment for 16 seconds upon their death, which can be harvested after 1 second if Swain is near them.
INNATE – FLOCK: Swain’s ravens bring nearby Soul Fragments to him, healing him for 4 / 5.5 / 7% (based on level) of his maximum health. Each Soul Fragment collected increases his maximum health by 5.
Q – Death’s Hand
ACTIVE: Swain unleashes five bolts of eldritch power in a cone in the target direction, dealing magic damage to all enemies within. Enemies can be hit by multiple bolts, taking bonus magic damage.
W – Vision of Empire
ACTIVE: Swain summons a demonic eye at the target location, granting sight of the area for 2 seconds and exploding after 1.5 seconds, dealing magic damage to all enemies within, halved against minions, and slowing them for 2.5 seconds.
Enemy champions struck are also revealed for a duration and have a Soul Fragment ripped from them.
E – Nevermove
ACTIVE: Swain launches a demonic wave in the target direction, dealing magic damage to enemies it passes through.
Upon reaching its maximum distance, the wave returns to Swain, detonating at the first enemy hit, dealing magic damage to all nearby enemies and rooting them for 1.5 seconds.
R – Demonic Ascension
ACTIVE: Swain frees the demon within for 12 seconds, becoming ghosted, gaining bonus health and doubling the health gained from Soul Fragments.
While Demonic Ascension is active, Swain drains the lifeforce of all nearby enemies, dealing them magic damage each second and healing himself each second per target affected. The heal is reduced by 90% against minions and monsters.
After a 0.5-second delay, Swain can end Demonic Ascension’s effects early to cast Demonflare, and automatically does so at the end of its duration.
The targets do not have to be visible to be affected by this ability.
R(Recast) – Demonflare
ACTIVE: Swain releases a nova of energy, dealing a base amount of magic damage to all nearby enemies plus 37.5% of the health drained during Demonic Ascension, with the total damage capped.
PBE changes
At the start of this week Swain has been a topic that is widely disscused since he has appeared on The PBE with a brand new stats and massive changes to his kit.
Riot is taking away Swain’s ability to pull back enemies who have been affected by crowd control. His pull also won’t do any damage, but he will be able to pull all enemies affected by his Nevermove root ability instead. Nevermove’s cooldown will be reduced while in his ultimate ability form, Demonic Ascension.
Some players might be upset that Swain won’t be able to follow up on crowd control, but the changes to his ultimate ability should make up for that. Swain’s Demonic Ascension is being revamped so that players can actually remain in his ultimate form for as long as they need in a teamfight or skirmish, according to the change list.
Upon casting the first part of his ultimate ability, Swain gains 50 demon power. The ult will last as long as the player has demon power, which drains from Swain at a rate of 10 per second. When Swain drains an enemy champion, however, he regains 20 demon power per second. If a player is surrounded by opponents, they can remain in ultimate form until Swain dies or the enemies die. After three seconds, players can then activate the second part of Swain’s ultimate, Demonflare.
Swain’s ultimate, Demonflare is also getting some changes. For example, the ability no longer requires players to charge it up through health drained. Instead, once Swain casts Demonic Ascension, they can cast Demonflare once. This won’t end Demonic Ascension like in past iterations, which will allow Swain to continue being a life-draining menace in a fight. It also helps that Swain’s Demonflare slows enemies by 60 percent, giving him more time to absorb the life from any unfortunate souls.
Here are the official numbers from The Riot Games:
- (c) Numbers are not final
- Ravenous Flock (P)
- [REMOVED] Swain can no longer pull crowd-controlled enemies. • [REMOVED) Swain’s pull no longer deals damage. • Healing : 4/5.5/7% (levels 1/6/11) maximum health >>> 4/5.5/7%/9% (levels 1/6/11/16) maximum health
- Health Per Soul Fragment :: 5 >>> 12 Death’s Hand (0)
- Mana Cost :: 65/70/75/80/85 >>> 45/50/55/60/65 • Cooldown :: 9/7.5/6/4.5/35 >>> 7/6/5/4/3s • Damage : 55/75/95/115/135 (+40% AP) >>> 60/80/100/120/140 (+40% AP) • Additional Bolt Damage:: 15/20/25/30/35% >>> 12/22/32/42/52 (+10% AP)
- • Maximum Damage: 88/135/190/253/324 (+64/72/80/88/96% AP) > >> 108/168/228/288/348 (+80% AP) Vision Of Empire (W)
- • Mana Cost :: 70/80/90/100/110 >>> 60/65/70/75/80 • [NEW] Pings now display enemies in range similar to Twisted Fate (R) and Nocturne (R)
- Nevermove (E)
- . [NEW] Can now be reactivated to pull all champions rooted by Nevermove. • [NEW] Cooldown is reduced by 20% during Demonic Ascension (R)
- Demonic Ascension (R)
- Cooldown : 120s >>> 100/80/60s • Drain Damage per Second : 35/50/65 (+14% AP) > >> 20/45/70 (+10% AP) • Drain Heal per Second : 20/35/40 (+16% AP) >>> 20/40/60 (+16% AP) >>> 15/40/65 (+25%) . [REMOVED] No longer grants 125/200/275 health.
- [CHANGED] Upon casting Demonic Ascension Swain gains 50 Demon Power. Demonic Ascension lasts as long as swain has Demon Power, which drains at a rate of 10 per second. While draining an enemy champion, Swain gains 20 Demon Power per second. After 3 seconds. Swain can cast Demonflare (R2)
- Demonflare (R2)
- Demonflare Damage :: 100/150/200 (+50% AP) >>> 150/225/300 (+60% AP) • [NEW] Demonflare now slows enemies by 60%, decaying over 1.5 seconds. • ICHANGED] On casting Demonic Ascension. Swain can cast Demonflare 1 time. This does not end Demonic Ascension . [REMOVED] Demonflare no longer charges up based on health drained, up to double damage.
Conclusion
We will have to see what The Riot games have in plan for us when it comes to our favourite Lucius Malfoy twin brother. This changes you might like or you hate them. There is no in between. I am one of those that is not a fan of this since I loved Swains pull when enemy is under crowd control, but If I am being honest, things could be worse since his ultimate has received a huge buff, or at least should receive. The only thing we can do is wait and see!