In a surprising revelation, Riot Games’ design manager, Riot Raptorr, has unveiled the impressive dimensions of League of Legends newest Darkin champion, Naafiri.
Naafiri is canonically 7 feet tall (2.134 meters) to her shoulders when standing on all fours. That’s 8.25 corgis stacked on top of each other. 🧁 pic.twitter.com/2BSTZOYgWt
— Stephen Auker (@RiotRaptorr) June 24, 2023
Standing at an astonishing 7 feet tall (2.134 meters) to her shoulders when on all fours, Naafiri towers over most human beings.
This places her among the ranks of colossal champions like Malphite and Cho’Gath, whose sizes got scaled down in the game for better balance.
The Hype Builds: Naafiri, the Hound of Hundred Bites, Approaches
As the release of Naafiri draws nearer, the excitement among League of Legends enthusiasts continues to mount. Players will be introduced to a formidable Darkin champion. Naafiri is also poised to take on the role of a true Mid Lane Assassin. With her unparalleled chasing ability, she is expected to dominate the jungle. The anticipation surrounding her arrival is undeniably justified.
Unveiling Naafiri’s Origins: The Story of the Darkins
To flee is futile.
Naafiri lives for the chase 🏃🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕 🐕
And you, mere mortal, will not ☠️Learn more about the ancient Darkin newly awoken on Summoner’s Rift ⚰️ https://t.co/MUaaS5dpZF pic.twitter.com/G7IXEAAXxp
— League of Legends (@LeagueOfLegends) June 23, 2023
Before delving deeper into Naafiri’s tale, it is crucial to understand the concept of the Darkins. These ancient, godlike beings were once part of the Ascended, who fought alongside the people of Runeterra in a war against the Void.
However, after the war’s conclusion, the Darkins, traumatized and leaderless, turned to evil blood magic, enslaving those they had once protected. Their reign of terror was ultimately quashed by the mighty celestial beings known as the Aspects, who bound the Darkins to their weapons and scattered them across Runeterra.
Naafiri’s Unexpected Awakening and New Vessel
Naafiri, a female Darkin, found herself trapped within a dagger and entombed in the vast deserts of Shurima.
After countless centuries, she was unexpectedly released from her grave when a grave robber, aware of the Darkin’s power, entered her tomb.
With caution, the robber refrained from touching the dagger directly. However, tragedy struck as he fell victim to a pack of ravenous dune hounds while traversing the unforgiving Shuriman desert.
These hounds, driven by their insatiable thirst for blood, tore the grave robber apart, inadvertently becoming the new vessel for Naafiri.
Naafiri’s Unique Relationship with Other Darkins
What piques the curiosity of League of Legends enthusiasts even further is Naafiri’s connection to the other Darkins.
Existing Darkin champions, such as Varus, Aatrox, and Rhaast, possess human vessels or maintain close relations with humans. After learning of Naafiri and her pack of hounds, Varus expresses a sense of superiority in their vessel choices. Nevertheless, he recognizes Naafiri’s power and seeks to rally her alongside the Darkin in their battles.
Naafiri’s Abilities and Role in League of Legends
As Naafiri’s release approaches, Riot Games unveils her comprehensive abilities. As a jungler, Naafiri possesses the unique ability to control a pack of hounds, which is integral to her kit. Her abilities include
Passive: We Are More
Naafiri creates a Packmate after a certain amount of time, which will attack enemies she targets, dealing physical damage. The damage inflicted by Packmates increases after Naafiri uses an ability. Hitting champions with abilities or killing enemies reduces the cooldown of this ability.
Hot Key Abilities
Q: Darkin Dagger
Naafiri hurls blades tainted by Darkin energy, causing physical damage to her enemies and inflicting a bleeding effect that lasts for a few seconds. This ability can be recast. If enemies already affected by the bleed effect are hit, Naafiri deals the remaining bleed damage along with bonus physical damage and additional physical damage based on the target’s missing health.
If the target is a champion, Naafiri restores some of her health. Packmates will leap at the first target hit, prioritizing champions, and attack them for a few seconds.
W: Hound’s Pursuit
After a brief delay, Naafiri dashes towards an enemy, dealing physical damage and briefly slowing the target or the first champion she collides with. The range of this ability increases with each rank in her ultimate. Packmates become untargetable and dash alongside Naafiri, dealing additional damage per Packmate.
E: Eviscerate
Naafiri surges forward, dashing through enemies and dealing physical damage to them. Upon reaching the end of the dash, she explodes outward, dealing additional physical damage in an area of effect. Packmates are recalled to Naafiri and are healed to full health.
R: The Call of the Pack
Naafiri prepares to hunt, empowering her Packmates and summoning additional Packmates for a short duration. During this time, Naafiri gains a burst of out-of-combat movement speed, enhanced vision, and a shield upon her first enemy champion hit. If Naafiri achieves a takedown on an enemy champion, all the effects of her ultimate are refreshed.
These abilities allow Naafiri to unleash her pack of hounds, deal significant physical damage, apply crowd control effects, and sustain herself in combat. Her kit revolves around utilizing her Packmates effectively and strategically to dominate her opponents on the battlefield.
Naafiri’s Release Date and Anticipated Impact
League of Legends fans eagerly await the arrival of Naafiri, with her official release slated for patch 13.14, expected to launch on July 11, according to the game’s patch release schedule. Naafiri’s arrival is set to invigorate the gameplay experience and introduce a unique playstyle to the community.
In the ever-expanding universe of League of Legends, Naafiri’s presence promises to captivate players with her immense size, intriguing lore, and fearsome abilities. As the Darkin dog champion makes her way onto the Rift, players and fans alike will eagerly embrace the challenges and excitement she brings to the ever-evolving world of Runeterra.
