Sorry for the absence of posts yesterday. I was fairly busy in the morning and then we ended up losing power in the afternoon due to some monstrous storms and I didn’t get my net back until this morning. There is good news, though! Urgot has made his official forum debut, which could mean he’ll be ready for release next Tuesday.

Here’s his text:

Some stories bring new meaning to the phrase: “cautionary tale,” and I’m pretty sure that this one qualifies. Meet Urgot, the Headman’s Pride. As you might be able to tell, this bloke’s seen a few scrapes in his life and, by this point, is a bit the worse for wear. While he may not be winning any beauty contests, you’re really got to admit it, the guy’s got style. Unless, of course, you’re an arachnophobe. Then the two of you might have issues. Be on the lookout for Urgot as he scuttles his way onto the Field of Justice in the coming patch.

The concept art offered just reinforces the fact that he is super freaking creepy. You can find his skill list at my original Urgot post.

I decided today that I’m willing to trade the minimal amount of time I spend on the Test Realm to instead leak the “confidential” information contained therein to the users here. I do think it’s important to get information on skills into the hands of players sooner rather than later so hopefully we can offer the kind of feedback that helps bring champions in line with where they should be.

So without further ado, here’s the Galio ability list!
Runic Skin (Passive)– Galio converts 60% of his total Magic Resistance into Ability Power.

Bulwark (Q) – Galio shields a friendly champion, reducing all damage suffered by that unit and converting a portion of the damage into health for himself.

Idol Of Durand (W) – Galio assumes the form of a statue, taunting nearby enemies and storing concussive energy as they attack him. Galio then bursts from his statue shell, releasing the stored energy to damage surrounding foes.

Resolute Smite (E) – Galio fires a concussive blast from his eyes, slowing and dealing damage to enemies caught near the impact point.

Righteous Gust (R) – Galio claps his wings, unleashing a gust of concussive wind that damages enemies and leaves a directional draft in its wake that increases ally movement speed.

Rammus players will either rejoice or revolt at this list. You’ll notice he gets a taunt, a nice damage reduction skill, a slow, and what could be a really fun ultimate. He’s basically Rammus 2.0 without a powerball. His passive functions similar to Rammus, though it gives him a much more usable AP stack rather than the AD Rammus gets. An AOE taunt could put this guy on par with Shen for tanking. It really just depends how well his shield works and how easy it is to land a slow -> taunt/shield combo.

As you can see from his model, he is prime fodder for the recolor skins that plague new champions. Hopefully Riot will give him some cool model effects to make skins worth the cost.

Alright, his name isn’t “the love gargoyle,” but he sounds a little bit like he might try to hug you to death. Riot gave a cursory preview to this upcoming champion today with the usual limited information and disclaimers that he won’t puke on or bite anyone. He’ll be a monster. We know that, anyway.

Here’s the official post:

With this next champion we had a couple of goals in mind. For starters, we wanted to show our continued commitment to the monster enthusiasts by bringing those monstrous champions into the lineup. On the other hand, we wanted to appeal to those sensitive types who don’t identify with anything that’s capable of vomiting toxic bile, devouring its victims whole, or shaking the very ground on which it treads. We know that it’s a pretty tall order, but we’re pretty sure that Galio, the Sentinel’s Sorrow, should just be able to bridge that gap. If you’re a fan of monsters, just imagine a swooping, deadly predator perched on the edge of a building, waiting patiently to strike. And if you’re one of those artsy types who doesn’t appreciate the grotesque, well then, think of him as a piece of elegant statuary.

And here I thought monsters vomited by definition. Come on, Riot, learn your monsters. In truth, Galio sounds all right. I’m curious to see what his spell lineup will be like.