Previous Lore
SkarnerSkarner is an immense crystalline scorpion from a hidden valley in Shurima. Part of the ancient Brackern race, Skarner and his kin are known for their great wisdom and deep connection to the land, as their souls are fused with powerful life 
crystals which hold the living thoughts and memories of their ancestors. In an age long past, the Brackern entered hibernation to avoid untold magical destruction, but recent, threatening events have roused Skarner. As the only Brackern awake, he strives to protect his kind from those who seek to harm them.
Crystal Vanguard
Long before men traversed the scorched deserts of Shurima, the very sand itself shone with primal, unchained magic. In a remote valley surrounded by steep cliffs and jagged rock formations, the age-old race of Brackern unearthed raw crystals from deep within the sand. Each of these noble creatures fused with a single stone, which retained their consciousness long after their death.
The demise of a Brackern was a rare occurrence, as their worldly lives stretched across millennia, but even death did not signify an ending. When a creature's mortal form perished, its life stone was buried in the valley for safekeeping until a new Brackern could uncover it. This practice protected the vulnerable crystals while preserving the wisdom of the ones who came before.
With a finite number of stones, the young Brackern searched for the crystal meant for them, just as the consciousness within the stone beckoned to the Brackern it had chosen to inherit its magic and memories. In a sacred rite, the rock fused with crystalline 
flesh, imbuing the creature's mind with memories and knowledge and flooding them with primal magic. A Brackern without a crystal would not long survive, for they lacked the strength, longevity, and power instilled by the stones.
The young creature named Skarner spent many years searching for the crystal meant for him. Afraid he would die before finding it, he grew more persistent in his search with each passing moon. Day and night, he delved deep into the ground, digging in a methodical pattern that covered the entire valley and neighboring hills with intricate spirals.
Skarner had all but given up when he finally felt an ancient consciousness tugging at his mind. He burrowed down, venturing ever deeper until the world's heart warmed his shell. Days passed, but the consciousness grew ever more insistent as it urged him onward. Skarner's pincers closed on a well-worn stone, and he heard a rasping whisper at the back of his mind. Though the voice was faint, he already felt intimately connected to its awareness, and he knew he had found his stone.
The crystal was larger than any he had seen, and so timeworn that its glow had faded to a soft glimmer. Its surface was cracked in several places and dulled from eons buried under the ground. Skarner examined the rock with the tenderest touch, afraid of further damaging something so ancient. The dim glow within pulsed as though breathing in response to Skarner's presence.
Skarner began the bonding ritual, burying himself deep underground with the crystal for weeks without sustenance. Though he ached with fatigue and his limbs atrophied in starvation, he was not afraid, for the voice within the stone comforted him. When the crystal finally fused with his body, he was overwhelmed with emotion as ancient memories and wisdom permeated his thoughts. He witnessed moments of incredible joy and crushing sorrow from generations long deceased. He felt magic all around him, suffusing his body with a deep connection to the world through a low constant hum, and sensed his kind communicating in a wordless meeting of minds.
When the cataclysmic forces of the Rune Wars began to devastate the world, the Brackern feared the turmoil would soon mark the end of their species. They resolved to hide in hibernation until humans wiped themselves out, as it seemed certain they would. Only then would it be safe to emerge from the sands once more.
The crystalline scorpions buried themselves deep in the Shuriman desert with the youngest and most ferocious positioned closest to the surface, ready to awaken first and defend the others in case of danger. The strength Skarner gained from his ancient life stone made him more powerful than almost all of his kin, so he was one of the last of his kind to enter the long slumber.
They slept in peaceful isolation as centuries passed before Skarner awoke from his shallow burrow in a panic. Deafening explosions shattered the ground, targeting the Brackern where they lay sleeping and stunning those closest to the surface. A band of robbers had discovered the dormant creatures and were prying crystals from crystalline flesh. Skarner, protected from the brunt of the attack by his crystal, erupted from the sand in a terrible frenzy of sharp 
pincers and poisonous 
stabs. Though their numbers all but overwhelmed him, he killed many of the thieves, and the rest fled in terror. Skarner was horrified to learn he was the only one awake, and that many of his people's crystals had already been stolen.
Skarner tried to revive his dormant companions, but the men had broken so many life stones in their thoughtless theft that several Brackern with damaged crystals died moments after Skarner woke them, while others would not wake at all. For weeks Skarner paced the sand above his sleeping brethren in sorrowful mourning. He was certain the crystals would quickly perish in the hands of men, and mourned their loss too.
Yet as the sun broke over the horizon many weeks later, Skarner heard distant echoes calling in his mind. The cries were faint, but rang clear over the land. These voices of the lost stones reached out to him in terror, imploring Skarner to reconnect them with their kind. Skarner hesitated, torn as to whether he should rescue the lost crystals or continue guarding the still-living Brackern. After weeks spent erasing all traces of the excavation, he could not stand to hear the minds of his kin suffering at the hands of the violent humans, and resolved to set out to save the missing crystals.
Skarner began the arduous task of tracking the stones, hoping no others would discover his kin beneath the sand. Though his search is lonely, he occasionally hears a lost crystal calling to him, a feeling that brings joy and anguish in equal measure. He focuses his sorrow into unshakable determination, and refuses to rest until he has recovered every last life stone.
SkarnerCenturies ago, there lived a race of creatures as ferocious as they were wise. The Brackern were unusual beings blessed with the earth's primal magic, embodied in the form of crystals. Their kind knew of an arcane ritual to bind their life's essence to a crystal, communing with the magic embedded in it. With this power, the Brackern thrived in the Odyn Valley, protecting both creatures and crystals alike. Despite attacks from those looking to claim the primal magic, it seemed that nothing could get past the Brackern's defenses.
Nothing, that is, until the devastation of a Rune War. A vicious battle was fought near the Odyn Valley and the unleashed chaotic magic poisoned the crystals. The Brackern began to grow sick and die, and no amount of defensive magic could reverse the effects. To avoid extinction, their only course was to hibernate underground until the wars stopped. The strongest, most intelligent Brackern hibernated closer to the surface to awaken first and assess the world's condition for the return of their race. The recent mining operations and violent escalation in Kalamanda were enough to awaken the first of these vanguards.
When Skarner burst to the surface, he lashed out in anger and confusion. Reason eventually won out over his anger when he realized that the agents of the League who found him were simply functionaries. Skarner was invited to the Institute of War to share the Brackern's story. In return, the summoners told him about the history that his kind had slept through. Much had been done to curb the unchecked use of magic since the Rune Wars, but it was obvious that the world was not yet safe for his kind to reawaken. For now, however, there is a place where Skarner can use his power to change the world into one which his kind could eventually return to: the League of Legends.
Previous Abilities
Previous Splash Art
Patch History
Battlecast Alpha Skarner
- Bug Fix: Buffs aura now properly follow the model during certain animations.
- Fracture
- Stun duration reduced to 1.25 seconds from 1.5.
- Fracture
- Bug Fix: Now correctly stun targets afflicted by Fracture's Crystal Venom if they received the debuff in between when he began and initiated the attack.
- Stats
- Base health regeneration increased to 9 from 8.928.
- Impale
- New Effect: Now draws nearby minion aggro when targeting an enemy champion.
- Stats
- Base mana increased to 320 from 272.2.
- Fracture
- Bonus physical damage increased to 30 / 50 / 70 / 90 / 110 from 25 / 35 / 45 / 55 / 65.
- Stun duration increased to 1.5 seconds from 1.
- Stats
- Base attack damage increased to 65 from 57.156.
- Base armor increased to 38 from 29.384.
- Battlecast Alpha Skarner
- Bug Fix: No longer incorrectly plays classic VO lines in addition to the correct ones.
- General
- Bug Fix: Guardian of the Sands Skarner no longer causes an insanely loud noise to play if certain actions were taken.
- Crystal Spires
- Bug Fix: Bonus movement speed and bonus attack speed scaling too quickly during early game.
- Fracture
- Slow reduced to 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50% from 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65%.
- Crystal Spires
- Bonus movement speed changed to Template:Pp18 from 100 at all levels.
- Bonus attack speed changed to Template:Pp18% from Template:Pp18.
- Per-second mana regen reduced to 2% maximum mana from 3%.
- Bug Fix: Skarner gaining the bonuses despite target removing his disables.
- Twisted Treeline
- Spire positions changed to remove area of effect overlapping.
- Stats
- Movement speed reduced to 335 from 345.
- Attack damage reduced to 57.156 from 61.156.
- Crystalline Exoskeleton
- Shield reduced to 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14% maximum health from 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16%.
- Fracture
- Cooldown increased to 14 / 13.5 / 13 / 12.5 / 12 seconds from 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11.
- Projectile damage reduced to 40 / 65 / 90 / 115 / 140 from 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180.
- Crystal Venom mark damage reduced to 25 / 35 / 45 / 55 / 65 from 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125.
- V5.16 Gameplay Update
- General
- Recommended items updated.
- Stats
- Crystal Spires (New Innate)
- Skarner's presence causes a number of Crystals to spawn. Crystals can be captured indefinitely by standing on top of them (neutral zones are unable to be captured until 1:30) granting 15 or 30 split among contributors, giving sight over the area for 1.5 seconds, and preventing recapture by the opposing team for 15 seconds. Defending champions can stand on the Crystal to prevent capture.
- While near captured Crystals or a Crystallized enemy, Skarner gains Crystal Charge, granting him 100 bonus movement speed and Template:Pp18% bonus attack speed as well as regenerating 3% maximum mana per second.
- Skarner's presence causes a number of Crystals to spawn. Crystals can be captured indefinitely by standing on top of them (neutral zones are unable to be captured until 1:30) granting
- Crystal Slash
- Physical damage changed to 33 / 36 / 39 / 42 / 45% AD from 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+ 40% Bonus AD).
- Magic damage changed to 33 / 36 / 39 / 42 / 45% AD (+ 20% AP) from 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 (+ 20% AP).
- Cooldown reduced to 3.5 / 3.25 / 3 / 2.75 / 2.5 seconds from 3.5 at all ranks.
- Charge duration reduced to 4 seconds from 5.
- On-hit cooldown reduction against non-champions reduced to 0.25 seconds from 0.5.
- Mana cost reduced to 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 from 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20.
- Removed: Stacking bonus movement speed and attack speed bonuses.
- Crystalline Exoskeleton
- Base shield changed to 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16% maximum health from 80 / 135 / 190 / 245 / 300.
- Fracture
- New Passive - Crystalize: Enemies hit are afflicted with Crystal Venom for 5 seconds, causing Skarner's next basic attack against them to deal 25 / 50 / 75 / 100 / 125 bonus physical damage and stun them for 1 second.
- Enemies afflicted with Crystal Venom's stun or Impale's suppression grant Skarner Crystal Charge as well as reduce Fracture's cooldown by each disable's respective duration.
- New Effect: Projectile can hit up to 6 enemies but speed is reduced per hit landed
- Mana cost changed to 55 at all ranks from 50 / 55 / 60 / 65 / 70.
- Cooldown increased to 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11 seconds from 12 / 11.5 / 11 / 10.5 / 10.
- New Passive - Crystalize: Enemies hit are afflicted with
- Impale
- Removed: Bonus magic damage to targets afflicted with Crystal Venom
- Cooldown changed to 120 / 100 / 80 seconds from 110 / 100 / 90.
- Mana cost reduced to 100 at all ranks from 100 / 125 / 150.
- Base damage reduced to 20 / 60 / 100 from 100 / 150 / 200.
- New Effect: Has a (+ 100% AD) ratio.
- Removed: Bonus magic damage to targets afflicted with
- Crystallizing Sting
- Bug Fix: Skarner stunning structures.
- Crystal Slash
- Base damage increased to 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 from 18 / 28 / 38 / 48 / 58.
- Bonus damage increased to 20 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 from 18 / 28 / 38 / 48 / 58.
- Fracture
- Base damage increased to 40 / 75 / 110 / 145 / 180 from 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120.
- Crystal Slash
- Mana cost reduced to 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 from 16 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 24.
- Fracture
- Cooldown reduced to 12 / 11.5 / 11 / 10.5 / 10 seconds from 12 at all ranks.
- General
- New lore.
- Crystal Slash
- Physical damage reduced to 18 / 28 / 38 / 48 / 58 from 20 / 32 / 44 / 56 / 68.
- Magic damage reduced to 18 / 28 / 38 / 48 / 58 from 20 / 32 / 44 / 56 / 68.
- Per-hit bonus movement speed reduced to 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6% from 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7%.
- Impale
- Bug Fix: Skarner occasionally throwing out basic attacks while active.
- General
- New ability icons
- Texture upgrade to Classic, Sandscourge, and Earthrune
- Crystallizing Sting - New I
- Skarner's abilities apply stacks of Crystal Venom to enemy champions and large monsters, stacking up to 3 times. Attacking an enemy with 3 stacks consumes them to deal Template:Pp18 bonus magic damage and stun the target for 0.5 / 0.75 / 1 seconds. After the stun, targets cannot receive Crystal Venom stacks for 6 seconds.
- Crystal Slash
- New Effect: Basic attacks reduce the cooldown by 0.5 seconds (doubled to 1 against champions)
- New Effect: Each hit grants 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7% bonus movement speed, stacking up to 3 time
- Physical damage reduced to 20 / 32 / 44 / 56 / 68 (+ 40% Bonus AD) from 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 (+ 80% Bonus AD)
- Magic damage reduced to 20 / 32 / 44 / 56 / 68 (+ 20% AP) from 24 / 36 / 48 / 60 / 72 (+ 40% AP)
- Crystalline Exoskeleton
- Cooldown reduced to 13 / 12.5 / 12 / 11.5 / 11 seconds from 16 at all ranks
- Fracture
- Base damage reduced to 40 / 60 / 80 / 100 / 120 (+ 40% AP) from 80 / 120 / 160 / 200 / 240 (+ 70% AP)
- Cooldown reduced to 12 seconds from 14
- Impale
- New Effect: Deals 50 / 75 / 100 bonus magic damage per Crystal Venom stack consumed at time of casting
- Cooldown reduced to 100 / 90 / 80 seconds from 130 / 120 / 100
- Stats
- Base armor increased to 23 from 19.
- Fracture
- Projectile width increased to 70 from 60.
- Projectile speed increased to 1500 from 1400.
- Crystal Slash
- Mana cost reduced to 16 / 18 / 20 / 22 / 24 from 20 / 22 / 24 / 26 / 28.
- Fracture
- Slow increased to 45 / 50 / 55 / 60 / 65% from 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50%.
- Stats
- Base attack speed reduced to 0.619 from 0.625.
- Crystal Slash
- Removed: Slow on empowered attack.
- New Effect: Skarner gains 8 / 10 / 12 / 14 / 16% attack speed when hitting enemy units, stacking up to 3 times.
- Crystalline Exoskeleton
- Cooldown reduced to 16 seconds from 18.
- New Effect: Bonus movement speed increases over 3 seconds to 16 / 20 / 24 / 28 / 32% from a flat 15 / 17 / 19 / 21 / 23%.
- Removed: Bonus attack speed.
- Base shield increased to 80 / 135 / 190 / 245 / 300 from 70 / 115 / 160 / 205 / 250.
- Shield AP ratio increased to 80% AP from 60% AP.
- Fracture
- Cooldown increased to 14 seconds from 10.
- New Effect: Targets hit are slowed by 30 / 35 / 40 / 45 / 50% for 2.5 seconds.
- Removed: On-kill heal.
- Range increased to 1000 from 800.
- Projectile width reduced slightly.
- Projectile speed reduced slightly.
- Impale
- New Effect: Target is rooted during wind-up animation (if they get out of range during it they will not be suppressed).
- Bug Fix: Sound effects will now only trigger on successful impales.
- Stats
- Movement speed increased to 345 from 320.
- Crystalline Exoskeleton
- Cooldown increased to 18 seconds from 14.
- Impale
- Removed: Completing casting if targets gets out of range during such.
- Crystal Slash
- Mana cost increased to 20 / 22 / 24 / 26 / 28 from 15 at all ranks.
- Slow reduced to 20 / 25 / 30 / 35 / 40% from 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45%.
- Impale
- Cooldown increased to 130 / 120 / 110 seconds from 110 / 100 / 90.
- Stats
- Attack speed per level increased to 2.1% from 1.44.
- Energize
- Removed: Triggering on structures.
- Crystal Slash
- Mana cost reduced to 15 at all ranks from 22 / 24 / 26 / 28 / 30.
- Fracture
- New Effect: If it kills the target Skarner is healed.
- Impale
- Duration increased to 1.75 seconds from 1.5.
- Crystal Slash
- Physical damage increased to 25 / 40 / 55 / 70 / 85 from 20 / 35 / 50 / 65 / 80.
- Magic damage increased to 24 / 36 / 48 / 60 / 72 from 20 / 32 / 44 / 56 / 68.
- Fracture
- Projectile speed increased to 1800 from 1600.
- Added