League of Legends is set to receive a new champion for the mid-lane, Akshan. Described as a dominating marksman capable of reviving his allies, Akshan's introduction will definitely have an impact on the in-game meta.
You can check out Akshan's entire arsenal of abilities here.
Akshan's Design
When talking about the entire thought process behind Akshan's design, the developers have revealed that the goal was to create a roguish assassin. The main concept behind the upcoming mid-lane champion was to create a champion that would fit the "let’s-make-this-Lux-playing-fool’s-life-miserable" playstyle.
Additionally, LoL's Game Design Lead, Jeevun "Jag" Sidhu explained how the champion's design will allow Akshan to fit perfectly into the mid-lane. Jag said,
"We’ve been watching marksmen go mid in pro and regular play for a while, but none of them feel like they belong there...They don’t provide the things that champs designed for mid should, like crowd control or target access. So we wanted to craft an experience that would feel like a distinct assassin style, but also clearly feel like a marksman... and put those two worlds together in mid lane.”
Having said that, players who are eagerly waiting to try the new champion should note that like most assassins and marksmen in LoL, Akshan too will require an enhanced position to fulfill his role optimally.
Talking further about how the champion's design included various concepts of the Indian Movie Industry, Bollywood, Jag added,
"I wanted to represent some part of South Asian culture in Akshan, as that’s something I grew up with—my mom would watch a ton of Bollywood movies when we were young. And one signature element of Bollywood movies is that they’re dramatic, with over-the-top action style that’s all about spectacle and fun"
Akshan's Character
According to the developers, the main goal when portraying Akshan's lore and character in League of Legends was to display the champion as a "F*** the establishment" kind of guy. Talking about the same, Justin "Riot Earp" Albers said,
"We’d always intended for Akshan to become a member of the Sentinels, but it was important that we capture his rule-breaking personality even when it came to the Sentinels. He has his own style of clothing—he’s not defined by anything other than who he is. Even his weapon, which is an ancient and extremely powerful Sentinel weapon, is something he has modified to fit the combat style he wants. It doesn’t matter that it’s revered and feared by other Sentinels—Akshan has MacGyvered it by slapping a grappling hook on.”
Having said that, Akshan's in-game lore reads that the champion grew up in the Shuriman village as a street urchin. However, that never stopped Akshan from standing up against frightening warlords in protest of injustice. This attitude of Akshan's ended up with him getting beaten and left to die on the street.
Fortunately for our upcoming champion, he was saved by a kind woman known as Shadya. The woman used a terrifying and powerful weapon to break Akshan free from the sweet embrace of death and eventually ended up training the resurrected champion.
Considering all of these factors, it'll be interesting to see how Akshan performs in League of Legends after his release on 22nd July along with update 11.15.
Read More: Akshan's Release Date, Abilities, Skins, And More In League Of Legends
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