As some of our more discerning lore-hounds may have anticipated, Sejuani, the Winter's Wrath, is charging in as our next upcoming champion. We wanted to take a moment to talk to you about her gameplay, and what you can expect to see.
Hailing from the Freljord, Sejuani combines raw, physical might with the chilling ice of her homeland. After slowing enemies with her Frost passive on auto-attacks, she can activate her Permafrost ability to drastically increase the slow and inflict damage. This allows her to continuously disrupt enemy movements and create a threatening presence - a necessity of any primary tank.
Sejuani's initiation ability comes from two sources: the powerful skillshot charge from her boar and her Glacial Prison ultimate. The former tramples enemies and applies Frost, while the latter flings a giant ice shard from her flail, stunning anything it hits by encasing it in ice. Enemies near that target get stunned for a shorter duration. This makes accurate skillshots important, as Sejuani needs move into the right position to maximize the stun duration on her intended target. If used correctly, this ability can change the outcome of a teamfight. If used on a sub-optimal target, however, it will be partially wasted on a tank or lower-value target.
This being our first mounted champion, we're happy to release not only an epic barbarian woman on a giant boar, but also a tank who can use continuous soft disruption with bursts of big, ultimate initiation!
Sejuani's basic attacks apply Frost, reducing enemy movement speed by 10% for 3 seconds.
Arctic Assault
Sejuani charges forward to deal magic damage and apply Frost to enemies. Sejuani stops upon colliding with an enemy champion.
Northern Winds
Sejuani summons an arctic storm around her which deals magic damage to nearby enemies every second. Damage is increased against enemies affected by Frost or Permafrost.
Permafrost
Sejuani converts Frost on nearby enemies to Permafrost, dealing magic damage and increasing the movement speed reduction dramatically.
Glacial Prison
Sejuani throws her weapon, stunning the first enemy champion hit. Nearby enemies are stunned for a shorter duration. All targets take magic damage and are affected by Frost.
Sejuani girds herself for battle, eagerly anticipating the inevitable conflict brewing in the Freljord. There are a number of changes coming for Sejuani, including a visual upgrade, new gameplay mechanics, and a deeper exploration of her lore.
Visuals
Sejuani's lightly-armored, skin-flaunting, fleshy apparel didn't mesh with the idea of a dominating, ice warrior. Now heavily armored atop Bristle, this visual rework clearly conveys the core of our concept for the champion. She's powerful, capable of conquering the Freljord, and leading the Winter's Claw to victory.
If we were going to make Sejuani look imposing, we needed make sure her fierce steed, Bristle, could keep up. Here we added bulk and power to his model, and updated the animation on Arctic Assault to show him tossing scattered foes into the air.
As with the Trundle and Karma relaunches, those of you who already unlocked Sejuani will get a free skin based on Sejuani's traditional look.
Gameplay
In order to deliver on the promise of a powerful barbarian, we've added enhanced utility to her skills, allowing her to go head-on as a massive, tanky initiator. With a powerful armor-generating passive, a potent knock-up, AoE damage, and slow to go along with a tweaked version of Glacial Prison, the Winter's Wrath is now even angrier.
Damaging an enemy with an ability or basic attack grants armor and reduces movement-slowing effects on Sejuani. If Sejuani already has Frost Armor, its duration increases.
Arctic Assault
Bristle charges forward, knocking enemies into the air and dealing magic damage. The charge ends after knocking an enemy champion into the air.
Flail of the Northern Winds
Sejuani's next basic attack deals bonus magic damage to the target and enemies near it. She then begins to swing her flail, dealing magic damage to nearby enemies over time. If this ability is reactivated, she immediately starts swinging her flail.
Permafrost
Passive: Abilities and basic attacks apply Frost to enemies.
Active: All nearby enemies with Frost take magic damage and are slowed.
Glacial Prison
Sejuani throws a frost-forged bola in a line. If the bola hits an enemy champion, it shatters, stunning the target and nearby enemies. If the bola reaches its maximum range, it shatters and slows enemies. All enemies in the shatter area take magic damage.
In the jungle
Sejuani's still a riding CC machine out of the jungle. In the early game, Frost Armor keeps her health high while she tears through jungle camps with Flail of the Northern Winds. The combination of Permafrost and well-timed Arctic Assault from the brush can quickly lock down an enemy for a kill. Once she has a point in Glacial Prison, the additional stun makes Sejuani's ganks even deadlier.
Mid game
Heading into midgame, Sejuani makes an excellent split-push champion, pressuring lanes with Flail of the Northern Winds, then using a combination of her other abilities to escape enemy ganks. Her full arsenal of crowd-control makes chasing or being chased a frightening prospect for the opposing team. Her passive armor allows her to wade into the front line of skirmishes, secure in the knowledge that her teammates can pick targets off at leisure.
Late game and teamfights
One of the most imposing initiators in League of Legends, Sejuani can use Glacial Prison to force a fight near an objective, or hunt down retreating foes with Arctic Assault. As a strong source of magic damage, Sejuani makes a great tank to complement an AD heavy lineup. Her charge can break up a channeled ultimate or wreak havoc on the enemy team's positioning. All the while she'll absorb huge damage and protect the squishier members of her team by forcing opponents to engage on her with her impressive crowd-control.
Midseason 2017[]
Sejuani's becoming a true barbarian warleader. Once the Winter's Wrath charges into battle, frosty strikes from her warband leave enemies vulnerable to Permafrost's targeted lockdown.[4]
Frost Armor: After not taking damage for a brief period, Sejuani becomes immune to slows and gains bonus resistances. Frost Armor lingers briefly after taking damage and refreshes faster with Sejuani's movement.
Icebreaker: Enemies stunned by Sejuani are frozen. Sejuani's first attack or ability against frozen targets shatter them, dealing a portion of their maximum health as damage.
Arctic Assault
Sejuani charges forward, damaging and knocking up enemies in her path. The charge stops on the first enemy champion or large monster hit.
Winter's Wrath
Sejuani swings her mace in front of her, then lashes out in a line. Both swings deal damage and apply Frost.
Permafrost
Passive: Sejuani's basic attacks apply Frost on champions and large monsters. Nearby allied melee champions also gain this effect. Frost stacks up to four times.
Active: Sejuani damages, stuns, and freezes a target enemy with max Frost stacks.
Glacial Prison
Sejuani throws her True Ice bola, which damages, stuns, and freezes the first champion hit based on distance traveled. Long-range bolas leave behind an ice storm that slows enemies, erupting after a brief delay to damage and massivelyslow enemies except the original target.