Riot Games Reveals Hwei—The Latest Addition to League of Legends
Riot Games revealed Hwei—the latest champion coming to League of Legends—at the LoL World Championship Final along with details about his abilities. T1’s victory over Weibo Gaming was not the only highlight of the event, as fans eagerly awaited the reveal of the new champion.
Hwei is a mage designed for the mid-lane, making him the first human male mage for this position. This departure from the typical Yordles, Vastayas, and Ascended characters adds a new dynamic to the game. In this guide, we’ll delve into his abilities, as there is much to unpack in his kit.
What Makes Hwei the Most Complicated Champion in League of Legends?
Hwei is expected to be one of the more complicated champions in the game, boasting 10 different abilities in his arsenal. In this way, he’s similar to Aphelios, with the ability to use his skills at different times to produce different results.
Hwei has three sets of basic abilities, each containing three spells. When one ability from each set is used, the other two in that set will go on cooldown, requiring players to choose the right spell to use from each group. Essentially, each of Hwei’s spells has its own spell school, allowing for a unique combination of abilities depending on the situation.
Hwei’s Abilities in League of Legends
Passive: Signature of the Visionary
Hwei’s damaging abilities against enemies will mark them for a few seconds. Hitting marked enemies with a damaging ability creates an explosion underneath the opponents, dealing magic damage to all targets in its range.
Wash Brush (E+R/Q+R/W+R)
Hwei clears his paintbrush and returns to using his base abilities without cooldowns or using mana.
Subject: Disaster (Q)
Subject: Disaster is a spell group that focuses on dealing damage while using other abilities as a combination.
Devastating Fire (Q+Q)
Hwei creates a blazing fireball that flies out in a direction, exploding on impact and dealing magic damage to all enemies in its area.
Severing Bolt (Q+W)
Hwei paints a bolt at a target location, dealing magic damage, with isolated or immobilized enemies taking increased damage based on their missing health.
Molten Fissure (Q+E)
Molten Fissure creates a field of exploding volcanic eruptions, dealing magic damage to enemies and slowing them.
Subject: Serenity (W)
Subject: Serenity is a spell group focused on providing Hwei utility.
Fleeting Current (W+Q)
Generates a current of swift waters in a line, granting increased movement speed to Hwei and his allies.
Pool of Reflection (W+W)
Creates a protective pool at a target location, providing a shield for a few seconds.
Stirring Lights (W+E)
Three swirling lights circling around Hwei give him an attack buff, dealing bonus damage and providing mana whenever he hits an opponent.
Subject: Torment (E)
This spell group is focused on giving Hwei more control by providing CC abilities.
Grim Visage (E+Q)
Launches a terrifying face that deals magic damage and causes the targeted champion to flee briefly.
Gaze of the Abyss (E+W)
Creates an abyssal eye in a targeted location, locking onto an enemy and firing after a delay, rooting and dealing damage to them.
Crushing Maw (E+E)
Grabs enemies and pulls them toward the center, slowing them for a while.
Spiraling Despair (R)
Hwei’s ultimate ability launches an orb that expands, dealing damage per second within a zone and afflicting targets with stacks of Despair, causing a stacking percent slow. It then shatters, dealing additional magic damage.
The Release Date of Hwei in League of Legends
It’s too early to determine whether Hwei will be a broken champion when he enters Summoner’s Rift. His gameplay can certainly make some people’s heads spin due to the complexity of his abilities. His impact will be determined by quick decision-making and fast reactions. One thing’s for sure, though: Hwei is one of Riot’s most ambitious champions to date.
Hwei will be live on PBE servers starting November 20, 2023. His official live server release date is scheduled for December 8, which coincides with the final update of the year (Patch 13.24).