Syndra/Development

Syndra, the Dark Sovereign, Revealed
By NeeksNaman:



''In addition to Rengar, we'll have another upcoming champion available for play at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany. After the Pridestalker joins the League, Syndra, the Dark Sovereign, will descend upon the Fields of Justice in the following patch. A magical prodigy, Syndra conjures powerful dark spheres, and even wields enemy minions and monsters as weapons. Here's the full rundown of her abilities:''
 * Transcendent (Passive): Each of Syndra's normal abilities gain an extra effect at max rank.
 * Dark Sphere: Spheres deal bonus damage to champions.
 * Force of Will: Projectiles briefly knock enemies into the air.
 * Scatter the Weak: Cone width increases.
 * Dark Sphere: Syndra conjures a dark sphere at a target location, dealing magic damage in an area. The sphere remains for several seconds and can be manipulated by Syndra's other abilities.
 * Force of Will:
 * First Cast: Grabs a target dark sphere, enemy minion or neutral monster.
 * Second Cast: Throw a grasped dark sphere or enemy at a target area. Enemies struck by the projectile take magic damage and are slowed.
 * Scatter the Weak: Deals magic damage in a cone and knocks enemies away based on how close they are to Syndra. Dark spheres within the area of effect are also knocked back, dealing magic damage and stunning enemies in their path.
 * Unleashed Power (Ultimate): Draws upon Syndra's full cataclysmic power, harnessing all active dark spheres to deal additional magic damage to an enemy champion.

''Syndra's kit revolves around the manipulation of short-duration globes left behind by Dark Sphere. While the function of Dark Sphere is very simple on the surface, proper sphere management can be the difference between success and failure with Syndra. Each of her abilities can be used on its own in a pinch, but good sphere placement ensures that Syndra always has the ammunition she needs to throw projectiles with Force of Will, and creates new firing angles for globes launched with Scatter the Weak.''

''While it might be tempting to snatch up a defenseless minion and use it as a projectile, Syndra's Force of Will ability really shins when it's used in conjunction with dark spheres. Syndra can use Force of Will to reposition these globes for a successful shot with Scatter the Weak while Dark Sphere is on cooldown, or to extend the duration of a sphere that's about to expire in order to build up ammunition on the battlefield. Ultimately, keeping your sphere count high in this manner will allow you to dictate the course of a battle by threatening a large area.''

''The importance of managing your dark spheres is most keenly illustrated by Syndra's ultimate ability, Unleashed Power. The increased damage granted by each active sphere can transform this ability from high-damage nuke into a cataclysmic attack. Good planning and strategic dark sphere placement can make Syndra an intimidating opponent to face in mid lane.''

''* Syndra's ability to clear minion waves from long range and put out a ton of burst damage got to be a bit much when combined with her substantial complement of crowd control abilities. Ultimately, we decided that the slow from Force of Will combined with the stun and knockback of Scatter the Weak gave her a problematic amount of disruption potential for the amount of damage she was doing. To solve this, we lowered the base slow on Force of Will and tweaked the added effect from her passive. Instead of knocking opponents into the air, you’ll now get an increase in your slow’s duration when Force of Will reaches Rank 5.''

Syndra Now Available
By NeeksNaman

''Today, Syndra, the Dark Sovereign, brings her powerful force magic to bear against her enemies on the Fields of Justice. ''

''Looking for an even more regal take on your Dark Sovereign? Justicar Syndra comes fully equipped with golden armor and radiant Dark Sphere.''



The Music of League of Legends
By ByronicHero

''There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the login music for. With so much interest in this particular piece of music, we decided it was time to have a word with our resident Composer, Christian “Praeco” Linke to find out what inspired Diana’s theme, along with what he has in store for and future compositions.''

Load up your playlist with orchestral music inspired by your favorite champions of the League.

The interview can be found here.

Media
Music=
 * Main Theme


 * Related Themes