Hey MOBAFire and welcome to another blog post of mine. Well, as an aspiring game designer I decided to analyze designs in other games and League of Legends is one of them. I won't just cover champion designs but also other aspects such as Roles, Wards, Items and perhaps even the Maps. Also, don't expect just League of Legends designs. I will also discuss other games such as Skyrim, Civilization, Legend of Zelda, etc. Anyway, my first blog will cover Quinn, Demacia's Wings. Why isn't she popular and what's with her design? I picked her because she's one of the newest champions who remains incredibly unpopular and perhaps a little weak despite given heavy buffs. My goal here is to understand her design better and make people like you understand it as well. Perhaps you even become a Quinn player yourself after this. Or, if you already play her, a better Quinn player. Now let's dive in shall we?

I can say that I was fairly disappointed once Quinn's abilities were revealed. I dunno they just struck me as odd. Also, the fact that she'd be an AD carry, that felt strange as well but whatever, those were just my expectations. Though, after those journal entries were shown as some kind of sneak peak, which btw was just brilliant, I got the impression that she either was some kind of ranger or a secret service character. She turned out to be the former but, wait, look at Quinn's design. First, she holds a crossbow that's very similar to Vayne's, now I'm not saying that everyone should use a different weapon but that already felt kinda cheap. Second, while similar, it's much more sophisticated and that doesn't seem to be the kind of weapon a ranger would use. What if that breaks down? Or what if you run out of special crossbow bolts? There's no repair shop in the middle of the woods and crafting crossbow bolts yourself is quite the art.

Now then look at her clothing. It's not strange of course, I mean, it seems fairly lightweight and pretty protective overall. Also, she doesn't look like a total **** so I guess that's alright. However, I dunno, while she is in service of Demacia, the clothing still doesn't fit a ranger-type character. Remember this fellow on the right? Aragorn from LOTR, introduced first as strider, a ranger. Now he looks like one. No flags, no colours, just a cloak and a hood. I mean, if you travel everywhere, it's best to not show what side you're on. Quinn clearly carries the colours of Demacia and has some kind of suit that makes it clear that she's not just a civilian. What if she runs into a Noxian patrol group? Even with all the fake identity cards in the world no one would believe she'd be part of Noxus and she'd be sent straight to Draven.

Point is, characters need to make sense. Not just in how they act or how they talk but also in how they look like. Fair enough, Quinn has a cloak.. but what kind of stuff is that? Is she going to a halloween party? What the hell is that? Sure she might really like her bird Valor but to dress like him? Come on! That thing doesn't look like it'd help against any type of weather nor would it help her to conceal her weaponry. The only thing it does is grab attention, especially with those colours. I mean, if it had some kind of camouflage to it, I guess the strange edges might help making it look like leafs or something but this is just ridiculous. Alright, enough about her looks and accesories, even though I could probably fill up another page. I'll continue with her abilities.

Innate Q W E Tag Team R R

First of all, I feel that her abilities have very little synergy with eachother. While her W and E actually do something with her Innate, her Q and R completely disregard that. In fact, R shuts down her Innate completely. That's just where it all starts because in fact, I don't like her innate whatsoever. It is not strategically sound because, due to the randomness that comes with it, it is very inconsistent. Riot tried to make it more consistent with her E but that's kinda cancelled out by the fact that the ability itself deals no damage whatsoever. Her Q is an overall strong ability but fails to have any synergy with anything really. It has a massive range, provides good waveclear and poke and even has a blind. Point is, it can be blocked by enemy minions and the blind often remains unused because of the ability's massive range. The blind should've been on her E, or perhaps even trigger when her passive is triggered. This way, the blind is easily wasted and often not even used for blinding but for waveclearing and/or poking. Then we arrive at her W. Well Riot needed to give Valor more of an influence in the design right? Well I guess a bird scouts, and it was even mentioned in the journal entries so I guess that was a good call. Problem, the range is low, you cannot redirect it and it has a massive cool down. The passive on it alright but based on Harrier even though that's hard to actually utilize since it's semi-random and Quinn's attack range is simply too low. Now, before we actually go to her ultimate, her greatest flaw and perhaps the most silly thing in game design I've seen in a long time, let's come up with some fixes. Her Q should've been an offensive area-control spell, one that fits the whole ranger and bird design. Make Valor attack a target area, and let him stay there for a while then. Just attack individual targets every 0.5/1 seconds. Attack would deal damage trigger some kind of CC effect such as a blind, silence or slow or a combination of them. The effect doesn't need to last long but just to make the bird thing in the design have actual impact.

Innate Q W E Tag Team R R

Next up, her W. Screw the passive part, it doesn't fit with the name nor the utility of it. Also, why would it reveal an area around her? Like, isn't the point of having a pet bird, who also apparently understands the English language, that you can scout like everywhere? So pretty much send him somewhere, reveal stuff and then he'd fly back. Sure it'd would work a bit like Ashe's Hawkshot but there's a million things you could bind to this. Maybe let him visit multiple target areas? Or let him reveal traps and wards perhaps? I dunno, let the bird be a major part of the design. Right now she just tosses the bird at enemies and it makes sounds when you activate W. Valor is almost completely non-existent and he doesn't feel like such a great help at all. In fact, he feels like a *****ing betty telling you what target to attack.

Then there's the E. It's a cool ability and it should feel like one. Right now it's just a bland point-and-click ability. I'd say, make it a skill shot instead and just a leap. Then, if she'd hit an enemy or terrain, she'd bounce off in a designated direction. Maybe even allow multiple bounces...? It doesn't need to deal damage but imagine the plays you can make with an ability that puts the player into full control! She'd also become more interesting to play and feel more mobile. Right now, Vault holds very little as an escape ability and doesn't do much as an offensive ability. It's just a fix for Harrier and gives her some kind of 1v1 getaway.

Now let's take a look at Harrier before we move on to her ult. Harrier is a strangely-behaving auto-attack buff.

It strengthens her attacks but it doesn't really proc often and it actually grants her less damage than many other AA buffs (e.g. Spinning Axe, Three Talon Strike, Omen of War). The semi-randomness is annoying and the fact it behaves too slow is also frustrating. Ever attacked a target while it was getting marked? You need a second attack to actually trigger it! This in contrast to Draven as his AA actually gets empowered if you activate Spinning Axe when his attack is still in mid-air. Now as with the rest of the changes. Focus Harrier to be all about Valor and make it more consistent such as: If Valor is with Quinn. Valor will attack the nearest enemy champion or the champion Quinn is currently attacking, making them vulnerable. Quinn's attacks deal increased damage against vulnerable targets. This would actually be consistent and very helpful. Note that in this case, using Q or W will disable Harrier but that should make up for it being more consistent.

It also makes you think properly about when to use your abilities and when to keep Valor with you. Valor becomes a major part of the design this way especially regarding the strategic aspect.

Finally! We have arrived at the greatest flaw of the design: Tag Team! Well, why do I call it the greatest flaw? Because it makes no damn sense! The ability in itself is a huge oxymoron. It's called Tag Team right? Perhaps a reference to Advance Wars Dual Strike? I dunno. Point is, they don't actually work together, in fact, you get Valor and Quinn disappears and what? I really don't know what or how to explain this part. Harrier is disabled, obviously since Valor is now under our control but where did Quinn go? I guess not everything in League of Legends is realistic but come on! Disappearing characters?! If one replaces the other, why call it Tag Team? The only small team part in the design (hint: Harrier) actually gets crushed by it.

Then we realise that there is no real reason to actually use this ability. The AS steroid from W becomes permanent and we get a bunch of movement speed. I guess that sounds appealing right? Oh no... we lose 400 attack range and our abilities become even weaker. The Q now applies in a very small area around us and E still is a point-and-click thing even though it's a dash! We aren't Xin Zhao! So basically we trade practically all our range and AD steroid for a more consistent AS steroid and a bunch of movement speed. The ability is a trade-off, or actually a ripoff. Overall it just makes you weaker. One can argue that in a 1v1 situations, which btw never occurs, it's pretty strong but what if the enemy happens to be a Vayne and just knocks you away and runs or just duels you anyway?

Tag Team doesn't do anything, goes completely against all points of the design and even contradicts with her role. If she was a jungler it could've been okay... I guess? The second part, Skystrike is no better. Quinn magically appears out of nowhere the sky, somehow doesn't break any bones, and unleashes a hail of arrows. Alright, this doesn't seem to fit anywhere in the design nor does it work with any of her abilities. It works like Riven's Wind Slash but Quinn doesn't actually have any burst, neither does Valor, so the concept of this ability doesn't synergise with anything in her kit so most players just use it for fun. I guess it just looks cool?

A fix? I dunno, can't you guys come up with it? I mean, even an 8-year old could've done that better. Even if you want to, at all costs, stick to the name Tag Team, a lot of people could've come up with a better ability.

One that actually fits its name. Maybe let Valor just attack all enemies in a large area around Quinn, preferring the nearest. Or bring Valor to the field as a melee pet and change her abilities accordingly to control the pet. Give the pet additional tankiness and some movement and attack speed. I don't know, it sounds bland and perhaps it is bland but at least it does work with the design. It does players make appreciate and love Valor as a companion. Like this, she even still functions as an AD carry in similar way as Varus and Ashe. Like an AD carry with actual abilities and complexity.

That's the feeling we want Riot!

Also, I don't even think a ranger-like character should've been an AD carry to begin with but I suppose it was the goal to create an AD carry for Demacia. Rangers, in my opinion, fit the style of a jungler, assassin or roamer. High mobility, light armour and a way to attack from a distance. A character who uses his or her survival skills and knowledge of the surroundings to their advantage and overcome their enemy that way. The eagle, Valor, fits this type of design but it was executed in a sloppy way. Her design just feels pressured and rushed as if it was... pressured and rushed. All of her skills are straighforward and bland, her looks do not fit her backstory or personality and Valor is just an annoying sidekick like Navi from the Legend of Zelda instead of being a helping hand. On top of that, her role doesn't fit her design and her ultimate doesn't fit neither her role nor her design. I just think that Quinn won't ever be good unless she gets overbuffed and Harrier + Vault will simply two-shot people or Tag Team will give you a huge defensive bonus.

The current design is so flawed and the developers really made some basic mistakes when it comes to character design. Her design with the bird, the journal entries and her killed twin brother really have so much potential. Additionally, she really seemed to have people skills if you remember her character analysis of Garen, Talon and Jarvan IV. However, then it got ruined by an inconsistent and bland set of abilities that do not synergise. Then again, it shouldn't matter much, with this little use of her backstory and not interesting abilities, no one really cares for her and her annoying bird anyway.

Thanks for reading and please leave your thoughts in the comments below.