Skarner’s visual and gameplay update is finally coming to League of Legends.
The Primordial Sovereign is getting a full makeover from head to toe after winning the VGU fan poll back in 2022, marking two years of waiting for the League community. His full rework has been one of the most anticipated in the game and has been delayed multiple times for different reasons. But now, he’s ready to take his first steps into the fray when he drops alongside Patch 14.7 on Tuesday, April 2.
In terms of design, Skarner is no longer sporting his old coat of paint, ditching his dingy purple hues for a blue and ivory colorway. He’s also clearly been hitting the gym because he’s now looking a lot more brolic than before, along with three stingers, menacing mandibles, and a frighteningly intense glare as he runs you down with a perfectly timed gank.
His kit has also gone through the workshop and has come out looking like something completely different than his 2011 self. His Q ability is called Shattered Earth-Upheaval and has Skarner rip a rock out of the ground and use it to empower his next three attacks with bonus damage, range, and attack speed.
He can also toss the rock at an enemy to damage and slow them, making it a good form of engage in the early stages of a match. To keep them from fleeing anywhere further, Skarner’s Seismic Bastion is a great way to follow up from melee range because it has him slam the ground to gain a shield while slowing nearby enemies.
His E, Ixtal’s Impact, might be one of his more game-changing abilities since it allows Skarner to charge through any kind of terrain toward an enemy. If he collides with an enemy champion or large monster, he grabs them up and carries them for a short distance. Additionally, he’ll damage and stun the grabbed target if he runs into terrain as he carries them forward.
His ultimate ability, Impale, might be the only part of his kit that has remained the same, but it comes with a wild twist. Instead of being point-and-click, Skarner charges up to grab up to three champions in a short zone in front of him. If he catches any champion in his grasp, he damages and suppresses them while dragging them around for a short time.
Ultimately, Skarner has gone through a massive rework that has reshaped his lore, his playstyle, and his overall appeal as a champion. He looks a lot tougher than before and presents a much more dangerous threat as a destructive engage source that can kickstart a gank or begin a game-winning teamfight.
