5 Greatest Reworks in League of Legends
In the 13+ years League of Legends has been out, Riot has introduced a bunch of new things to the game. From brand new champions, to a complete map overhaul: removing game modes and introducing others. In its long history, there has been some great and terrible decisions on Riot’s behalf.
In this Mobalytics guide, we will discuss 5 of the best reworks that Riot Games has released. While every rework they’ve created hasn’t been the best, these 5 are some of the better major changes they have introduced to the game.
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Udyr
Udyr is one of the best reworks in League of Legends history. The previous Udyr just ran at enemies, stunned them and then auto-attacked them to death. Now, he requires more skill and cannot run at enemies anymore.
Udyr’s gameplay style has changed dramatically, and he is a much more fun and exciting champion to play. This paired with more item choices, allows Udyr to be an enjoyable champion for anyone to play. It’s also good to add that his simplicity never left when they changed him.
He had some terrible animations, and his overall design branded him with awful nicknames, such as “Pizza Feet” and “Dorito Udyr”, due to his character model. Thankfully, it is much better now, and all the models and skins look much more refreshing.
Old Udyr Abilities
Thanks to his old Passive, he could unlock his Ultimate at level 1. His Q gave him bonus attack speed, his W a shield, his E was a CC tool and his Ultimate dealt AOE damage.
New Udyr Abilities
Udyr’s abilities are the same, but they’re more updated and in line with the current standards of League of Legends. This upgrade was complete, so his character model is a lot better.
Mordekaiser
When this champion first came out, they were horrible. After their recent rework, I have become a dominant lane opponent for most champions in the game. This champion’s popularity has increased a lot over time, but unfortunately, they are not as picked as often as they once were. This champion is Mordekaiser.
Unlike some of the champions on our list, Mordekaiser was completely reworked, with barely anything from his original kit making it through to the new version of him that was released in Season 9. For instance, it was not uncommon to see him being played in the AD Carry role, whereas now he is predominantly a Top Laner.
I enjoy the “new” Mordekaiser and feel like this is one of the best reworks Riot Games has ever created, and I think they should do more huge changes like this.
Old Mordekaiser Abilities
Mordekaiser’s old Passive would give him a shield, while his Q would damage all targets. His previous W would give him a heal but a good thing about this ability is that he wouldn’t share XP so that he would level up and 7 minions (as if he was in a solo lane). For Mordkaiser’s E, he would deal damage in a cone, and his Ultimate would damage the target over time. This could be used on the Dragon. When killing the target, the target would join Mordekaiser, and he could use it.
New Mordekaiser Abilities
His Q is relatively similar, apart from the fact it is a skill shot. His W deals AOE damage while giving him a shield. Mordekaiser’s E is a CC tool, and finally, his Ultimate puts him in a 1-on-1 fight with an enemy. Like Udyr, the changes to Mordekaiser updated his character model. I think everyone agrees these changes are much better.
Urgot
While this rework was highly successful, the old Urgot has a place in my heart. He is a much better champion to play, more useful, and so much more fun to play, which is crucial in a game like this. This is one of the reasons why I am putting him on our list.
Just like Mordekaiser, only a little remains of his original kit, especially his Ultimate, which was utterly changed. The new Ultimate is so much more versatile and valuable, whereas the other one would often result in him getting killed. His laning is much safer, and I feel like you can have a higher impact playing him than the old version.
His graphics and character model align more with the aesthetic and theme they originally intended for. His splashes and skins are magnificent, especially the Butcher skin, which is fantastic…
Old Urgot Abilities
Urgot’s old Passive used to reduce target damage, while his Q was a missile that would damage the first enemy hit. Usually, Urgots would last his with his Q. For Urgots W, he gained a shield while his E was a skill shot. The main difference is his Ultimate, which, when used, would switch him and the targets’ positions around.
New Urgot Abilities
The new Urgot is by far superior to the old one. He got a complete upgrade to his kit and champion design. While his abilities are relatively similar, the main differences are his E, W and Ultimate. The Ultimate change is much better as it can be used to execute enemies and doesn’t put him at as much risk as before. His abilities are pretty similar, just moved around.
Warwick
I’m not fussed about the Warwick rework, but it has made him a much better and more versatile champion. The old Warwick was extremely basic, often resulting in teams quickly countering him. In contrast, the new Warwick is slightly harder to deal with.
As a very old player (I’ve been playing for 10 years), I remember the days when you would pick him, power farm the jungle, buy two jungling items and then take over the game. Nowadays, you have to gank and play around with your Ultimate: making his gameplay more enjoyable. However, I do miss his Ultimate being point-and-click!
If we look at the recent trends of League of Legends, the old character model just does not suit or fit the game aesthetic. The new one is much better, a lot cleaner, and a good representation of how Riot can often make amazing reworks.
Old Warwick Abilities
His old Passive gave him healing and extra damage. His Q was a heal that dealt damage. For Warwicks W, he just got additional attack speed. His E would give him extra movement speed, while his Ultimate was a point-and-click CC tool.
New Warwick Abilities
Like the other champions, Warwick received a complete upgrade to make him more up-to-date with his character model. The main differences to his kit are his W, a CC tool, and his Ultimate, which is no longer a point-and-click ability but a skill shot.
Graves
It pains me to add this champion to the list; however, the “new” Graves is one of the best reworks Riot Games has ever done. His popularity has increased dramatically. He’s played at all levels of play, and he played regardless of the meta. What more could you want from a champion?
The only thing that I do not like about the “new” Graves here’s that his auto-attack sound is different, as the old one was way superior to the new sound effect. Furthermore, I don’t like his reload mechanic, but I don’t play him, so it’s not for me to worry about.
Like some of the other mentions in our list, Graves suits the new style of League of Legends champion, and I would consider this rework to be incredibly good; they made a timeless champion.
Old Graves Abilities
Graves received a complete overhaul, but some of his abilities are similar. His Q would deal damage, and his W was a smoke screen. His E is the same as it is a dash, and his Ultimate deals damage in a line. It is important to note that he was mostly played as an ADC.
New Graves Abilities
The new Graves auto-attack sound is a complete downgrade, and I miss the old sound. His Passive is changed, and he now has to reload between shots. His Q no longer deals damage in a cone, his W and E are extremely similar, and his Ultimate pushes him back. He is now a popular Jungler but is no longer played in the ADC role.
Final Thoughts
What is your opinion on the champions on our list? Do you like them? Or do you think that there previous designs are superior? Let us know below, and we thank you for reading our guide on our opinion on the best reworks in League of Legends.
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