LoL has been releasing pretty cool new champions this year, but some players think one specific champion type is being neglected in LoL, and they aren't happy about it.
While many players are hyped about Briar's trailer that was released on August 30, 2023, and can't wait to test out this new Jungler for themselves, some players are less happy about her release.
Not that Briar doesn't look like an extremely cool and unique champ, but her release means we're getting yet another brawler/fighter champion. You know what type of champion we haven't seen be released in quite some time? Control or Artillery Mages.
LoL: Why Players Think Mages Are Being Neglected
Briar's release trailer sparked a new discussion over on Reddit about Mages not getting the love from Riot that some players hope for. To be more specific, people aren't happy that Riot has "stopped making Control/Artillery Mages".
For those of you that don't know, Control Mages are Mages that are able to put pressure on specific entry points with great zone control.
They can do this if they have CC or AoE abilities to discourage enemies from engaging, ergo "control" the game, like for example Orianna and Viktor.
Artillery Mages on the other hand are Mages that excel with their great range spells, like Xerath or Lux. When enemies are in close range, these mages just aren't as powerful.
It's been quite a while since a Mage was released into LoL at all, with Vex being the most recent mage. I mean, Vex entered the game in September 2021!
So not only has League neglected to create new Control or Artillery Mages, but there's been a general two-year Mage dry spell in League of Legends, I can understand why some players don't see this as a good sign.
Riot has stopped making control/artillery mages by u/SelkieKezia in leagueoflegends
The problem that the LoL community sees has been summed up quite nicely:
The mage archetype from a decade ago has not been expanded upon and has been mostly abandoned by the champion design team, and I think they should challenge themselves to make another mage that doesn't traditionally fit into what is considered meta or viable today.
Supposedly, Vex was originally going to be an Artillery Mage, but that was obviously scratched. Apparently her Ult was supposed to be some kind of range extension mechanic, but that would have led to balancing issues and plenty of bugs. Not that Riot isn't familiar with those, right?
But, if you're a Mage main, and you're disappointed that there's been no new Mage release in so long, there's good news for you! Riot is planning on releasing a new Mage into LoL, and apparently it is next in line to be released into LoL! We know that it's being called the Ink Mage right now, and there are some ideas swirling around the internet regarding its powers.
If you're interested in knowing what those ideas are, check out our video about the Ink Mage: