User blog:OwenNewo/Do you understand the bond? My experience with the Armordillo

Back when LoL was still at it's crawling stage (just after beta) I played a few games with the champion known as Rammus. Admittedly, I had a few frustrating games with him as he lacked any kind of ranged skill the longest being his taunt with I thought was utterly dismal. In the many other RPGs I play I usually went for a 'mage' character as I have a certain penchant for "inflicting pain from afar". Morgana fits into this role nicely, and for that I share a different kind of bond with her which is explained later.

However as time went on, my frustration got the better of me and with defeat after defeat I gave up on the fields of justice and took a long hiatus from the game.

A year and several months later, I decided out of the blue to try again. After a month waiting for Riot support staff to reset my password I went straight into a game with Rammus. This time things felt... different. I was still losing more games than I won but I was beginning to understand his play-style, despite having not read any kind of guide.

Then the following week came.

Unaware of weekly champion rotations I logged on to play a game with my newfound respect for the Armordillo. To my dismay I found that he was not present. I cursed and swore like never before. My fury, I believe was heard from several buildings in the area. How could they take down a champion I was just beginning to understand? I had a stormcloud over my head for several days.

When I finally came to realise that the champion was not permanently unavailable I breathed a huge sigh of relief. But I was too impatient to wait for his next free rotation to come around. I was determined to play as Rammus and no other champion would do. Lacking sufficient RP I regrettably played as other champions to gain the sufficient IP to purchase Rammus. It was during this time that I discovered Morgana. She shared two identical skills with Rammus, mainly a shield skill and an area of effect skill. That said, their two play-styles couldn't be more different. I developed a different kind of bond with her. One that I will always value. After all, playing Rammus in mid is not ideal.

I realise I may have missed the point entirely and not shared the kind of bond I have with the once simple Armadillo. It may be that I have no words to describe it. After all, Rammus is a being of few words, which I love. You see other champions laugh in your face and taunt you with insults/jokes, only they saw it fit to give the silent Armordillo a "taunt" skill. Irony in it's purest form, I believe? His release date to the League was the same day as my birthday. If I needed any other factor it would only serve to strengthen my unique bond with him. It's as if he and I and one and the same.

When I did eventually read up on the lore of Rammus, I started to feel touched by his own past experiences as they are incredibly similar to mine. I can only wish that they did a League Judgement *sigh*

They say the best defense is a good offence. I think the very opposite is true for Rammus. Any champion that can chase and escape, sit there and soak damage to return a significant amount back, force other champions to attack you and has an ulti that affects pretty much everything is amazing in my books.

I don't feel like I'm controlling him as a Summoner, more aiding him as a friend would. We share the joys of victories and pains of defeat. We study together, work together and play together. Above all else, we have fun together. I could go on and on about the things we do but the more time I spend talking about it here, the less time I'm out there with him and every minute apart is heartbreaking. Don't get me wrong, we're not "lovey-dovey" or anything like that, we just share a bond that many Summoners here can appreciate; a bond that cannot be explained or quantified. A bond that lasts when all else fails...

^_^