Most remodeling of champions gets negative feedback because game makers try to fix what’s not broken.
But not with League of Legends’ Warwick.
Riot hit a home run with their rework on everybody’s favourite werewolf, making him look more terrorising, and improving the skills that made him the go-to pick for players who want to go Rambo and hunt down unfortunate victims.
In the trailer released by League of Legends, Warwick was shown flaunting his bigger size and horrifying skills in killing two mercenaries dumb enough to try their luck against the part human, part hunter, part wolf, part bat, part fox and part badass beast from Zaun.
And as was confirmed in the LoL website, the wolf’s passive skills make him a more efficient predator, and his active abilities make it hard for his prey to react quickly to decide whether to fight, flee or freeze before the threat of Warwick’s razor-toothed jaws and iron mechanical claws.
MADE FOR THE HUNT
Warwick’s passive is the “Eternal Thirst”, which allows him to deal bonus magic damage on his basic attacks. If the wolf suffers damage and goes below half health, he gets healed by the same amount of the bonus damage, allowing him to dive behind turret lines and go for the kill despite with low HP.
With “Jaws of the Beast”, the first ability, Warwick can jump over short distances to get closer to his victim and bite them. He gets healed for a percentage of the damage dealt by the bite, and can also get behind his enemies if summoners hold down the Q key. If Warwick is close enough to get behind, he can trap his fleeing enemies and keep them in range for his fangs and paws for a few more swipes or even the death blow.
One of the most lauded changes made in the rework is the improvement on Warwick’s W ability, which is now called “Blood Hunt”. This skill is like a second ultimate for the werewolf, because it amplifies Warwick’s role so much. It has a passive effect that allows the wolf to sense enemies with below half health on a global scale, and making those opponents automatically Blood Hunted, which gives Warwick increased attack and movement speed against them. It also has an active effect, which gives Warwick the ability to Blood Hunt the nearest enemy champion, regardless of health.
With his second ability alone, Warwick can help his team pickoff wandering victims, and the increased attack and movement speed will give him the flurry of attacks needed to pull off quick kills, while Eternal Thirst will allow him to stay within half health because of its heal.
“Primal Howl” is Warwick’s E ability, and it will make the werewolf more durable during his hunting trips, since the skill reduces the damage taken by Warwick, and if clicked again, pushes his enemies back, giving him space to flee if needed.
Warwick’s ultimate, “Infinite Duress” is now more fitting for such a hunter who has lost control of his human side. When he uses the ulti, Warwick gives in to his bestial instincts, going on a ferocious hunt and pouncing on the first enemy that he sees, dealing great damage and on-hit effects on the unlucky dude that he stumbles on in his path. Warwick gets healed for all the damage that he deals during the ulti, and he is immune to crowd control abilities during his leap.
With a combo of skills that make him a deadly hunter, especially for the unaware squishy champion walking alone with no allies in sight, and a couple of passives that make him hard to kill in low health, Warwick will certainly be a force to reckon with in the Summoner’s Rift.
Warwick was once a very deadly killer that can deal great damage if he can get his hands on his enemies. Now, well, he is still all that, only this time, he was given the tools to find you faster.
Why? Ask Riot. But just to throw out a guess:
To better see you, to better hear you and to better tear your sorry bottom apart. 🙂
Sources:
http://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/featured/champion-warwick-uncaged-wrath
https://dotesports.com/league-of-legends/warwick-reword-update-league-of-legends-4288
