Expect to see Volibear throwing down lightning bolts from the sky and running on all fours, making him a bit more of an elemental deity than just a grumpy ursine who wants to protect his Frejlordian people. According to gameplay designer Nathan “Riot Lutzburg” Lutz, Volibear is made to sit somewhere between a Juggernaut and a Vanguard—meaning he’s tanky but can still deal a fair amount of damage. Volibear still has a “targeted bitem only this time it’s both his opener AND his finisher,” Lutz said in the blog post.
Volibear’s E will involve a runic circle etched into the ground and a storm of lightning descending down, which will most likely be a form of crowd control. War drums, elephants and angry growls were incorporated into his voice, giving him some sort of angry demeanor. There’s also a look at the Northern Storm skin that has become a classic part of the character. Complete with goggles and a penchant for arctic combat, this skin looks vastly different than its original incarnation.
When the Volibear VGU was first announced, the developers promised that anyone who already owns the bear will be gifted an eldritch horror style skin. The skin’s official name now is Thousand Pierced Volibear and we only have this small teaser image to go off of.
Overall, Volibear is looking to be another massive rework to an older champion. Volibear mains have always been aggressive players, focusing on ganking lanes early in the jungle and flaming their teammates in chat. This rework seems to be keeping that angry spirit alive, making the bear have more bark than bite. It’s still unclear when the champion’s full kit will be revealed or when he will hit the PBE, but we will be there jowls watering.
If Volibear doesn’t have his lore feud with Zilean then the rework is a total waste.
Are you excited for the Volibear VGU or are you worried it might be another disappointment? Tell us in the comments.
