DH5: 080 Yorick, The Gravedigger

Horay! it's our 80th DH5! that means I got all the released LoL champions done! Whoohoo!

It's Yorick! and Crabthief Fridays! Looks like that crab is at it again! Stealing Yorick's Urn from him and scuttling away!

I love shovels as a weapon and the idea of a gravedigger champion sounds really cool but Yorick comes off a little plain. Shambling around like a tent with a dangling lantern. Luckily the shovel saves the silhouette by being a pretty cool design. The ghouls themselves seem a little too simple and ethereal. I thought they should be actual corpses crumbling up from the ground but they seem to be more spirits that only variance is a color swap. I understand limitations and whatnot but the summoned mobs seem a little weird.

so i didn't get duped into buying him even though I was totally excited for this champion but it turns out he's pretty underpowered. No one is reporting good things about him and it sounds like he's going to need some serious bufs if Riot wan ts to make some cash off of this guy. The big thing that's instantly noticablee in the spotlight is that he only really does well when it's a giant team fight. Does anyone have anything to say about this grim groundskeeper? if so break out the shovel and scoop up some comments below!

and thanks SO MUCH for following me down this crazy path! we got them all!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 079 Orianna, The Lady of Clockwork

Holy Cats! It's our 79th highfive! we are nearing to the end!

Today it's that clockwork caster Orianna! It looks like she might have been a little over-wound here as she's losing some springs!

Orianna looks pretty cool. Her other skins give her a real Tim Burton or "9" vibe. I like the choices of skirt and chest design with the gear and arrows, and her color palette is predictable but works quite well. Her ball is a neat design as well and has some pretty neat looking effects as well whenever Orianna's spells are being cast.

In game I'm not sure how to read Orianna, I've never played her but I've heard that she is a lot of fun to play. I also noticed that all of her moves require precision and timing to the degree that it seems easier to just play someone else and achieve the same effect. Does anyone main this gear-filled girl? if so take off your hour-hand and scratch in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 078 -Leona, The Radiant Dawn

It's the 78th DH5! A Champ that isn't even out yet! Leona!

Leona is going to be the first female pure tank in the game and she appears to be a blood elf paladin or a warhammer knight of the blazing sun. The design is solid enough but I feel that it doesn't really push the envelope that far. I always love the sword and board set up on characters and am a big fan of the shield slam. Hopefully her flashy effects will be wicked as she takes to the field!

Only a few more champions to do everyone! thanks for coming along for the ride!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 077 -Jarvan IV, The Exemplar of Demacia

Holy cats! It's the 77th DH5!

Today it's that spear-stabbing slayer Jarvan the IV! here he is nestled in his crater that he made through sheer awesomeness!

I actually put off drawing Jarvan for a while because his armor is a bit of a pain in the butt to draw. I really like the pauldrons and the hio guards but the rest seems a little superfluous and his spear just has too much going on. Jarvan tends to get lost in his own details and cold use some bigger shapes to make him stand out. his abilities look awesome though and while he stomps around the map he looks very badass.

In game Jarvan is a really cool tank pick if he can snag multiple enemy champions in his crater it gets really awesome. During the season 1 tourney he was a very strong pick and a lo of fun to watch in the capacity of a roaming jungle tank. All in all a solid champ to play with some really strong abilities to boot. Is anyone a big fan of this beastly Demacian? if so then take your telescoping spear and jab in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 076 -Karma, The Enlightened One

Oh man, We are nearing the end of the LoL roster with our 76th DH5! And I hope you like it breezy because it's Karma that fan flapping support champion!

Man I gotta say I find this champion dull. Even from her initial concept I could tell that there wasn't much of anything to go off of when she was first designed. Her back brace has some interesting geometry on it and the fans and figure make for kind of an interesting silhouette but all in all she's just a really basic design with not a lot of originality to offer. I suppose the majority of the Ionian champs tend to rub me that way. Give me more Zaun! Although i gotta say that a Fan Dance Uhura skin would be super awesome.

In game Karma has some interesting abilities and no ultimate that makes her have some pretty cool synergies with a lot of champions. Her tethers, shields, and fan shotgun are all pretty effective on the field. I've seen a lot of support Karma's keep their team fighting for a long time making her another pretty interesting support to watch. any one a fan of these fans? If so, waft some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

Weekender vol. 016

Time to get some friendly sparring on with these patented "Spar-Bars"! hold tight for episode 16 of the weekender!

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Ugh what a week. 

A pile of idiots decided it would be awesome to riot in Vancouver and they thoroughly trashed a very nice looking area in downtown. An embarrassing and disgusting display of spoiled morons which got out of hand way to fast.

The whole thing leaves a really lousy taste in my mouth, and it's a really shame that it was over something as pathetic as a hockey game. Lets hope this upcoming week fares better for us all!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 075 -Miss Fortune, The Bounty Hunter

Oh boy! Crabthief Fridays and our 75th DH5!

Here's that busty bounty hunter Miss Fortune! Looks like Crabthief might have clawed off a little more he can chew here by stealing Miss Fortune's very Booty! I gotta be honest and tell you that I'm not a fan of her design, she's pretty much like Caitlyn, slender, chesty girl with a giant silly hat and firearms. Her hair is a lot of fun but the pistols are just awkward looking. I do love pirates though unconditionally so she does have that going for her.

In game Miss fortune can be a real problem if topped up with some gear and a strong player. I remember thinking that Double-Up was one of the most OP moves in the game and that her lane was borderline unstoppable. Her Ult can really mess up an entire group and make it rain can slow enemies just enough that they can get snagged by other players. Does anyone brandish this buxom buccaneer? If so then grab your cutlass and slash in some comments below! today I'll be writing back to everyone at some point!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 074 -Sivir, The Battle Mistress

It's That time again! Time for our daily highfive! And this time it's number 74!

It's that deadly dodger Sivir! Sivir's design is a pretty cool one, she comes off as a Xena or other amazonian type with a very cool and large throwing weapon. Her proportions are classically pushed in the old LoL style and her abilities are constantly bouncing around the screen. I drew her here slicing up a turnip and throwing one of her smaller blades.

In game Sivirs can be a real menace. If they can telegraph enemy moves they can use their spell shield at just the right moment and get back some MP as well as take no damage. There aren't very many champions that can push like her, and if she has a teleport or other means of getting to lanes quickly, she can pretty much double push lanes all day. Her ult is a nice steroid that can help friendlies speed up and catch an escape attempt or tactically retreat on their own.. She's squishy sure, but super helpful if played right. Anyone main this boomerang blade babe? if so just slice in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 073 -Rumble, The Mechanized Menace

Alright! the 73rd highfive!

Here We have that robot riding runt Rumble! His war machine is stomping its way towards the fray while Rumble makes some minor adjustments with his wrench. Rumble Is a Yordle, so again I'm not the biggest fan of the things but this one rides in a big robot so that's always pretty awesome and I can forgive him for being such a small jerk. O'm Not sure if Yordles are supposed to look so different but Rumble's facial patterns and fur seem to set im apart from the others. Although  I suppose there's a lot of different varieties of other races so these little vermin should be no different. The Robot looks like it's dealing with a little more complicated tech than the usual affair but it's such a neat design that it's totally forgiven.

Rumble in game is another example of the scary direction that all the newer champions seem to be going towards. Tanky? check, shield? check, speed boost? check, self heal? check. giant ranged ult with slowing and big DoTs? check. the little jerk as like everything. Including basically a Demacian spin that's almost continually on. I do like the heat mechanic but it's frustrating when you are playing an older character against the newer ones like these. It feels like taking on a machine gun with a bow and arrow. Anyone roll with this robot wielding tinkerer? then take out your finest wrench and torque in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 072 -Lux, The Lady of Luminosity

Alright! it's Lux that laser launching lady of luminosity! Here She is getting a little tired of yelling out Demacia! while another beam tears across the lane!

Lux aesthetically has a neat story because her original costume was changed after a then fan of the game gave it a makeover and the community has a fit on the forums. Now she works at Riot full time and is re-doing a lot of the original splash screens. Either way I believe that she was originally going with a magic girl/Sailor Moon type character design with some pep-squad baton twirling elements as well. Her laser looks great and the warp effect that her spells have look pretty cool in game.

In game I've seen Lux play a mean support but also just ruin the other team with insane damage. She ends up being a little squishy but a well place binding can lock down two potential gankers. Man does that ever get frustrating. Her shield can get pretty strong with enough AP and you can put that on your beefy champs and tear through towers in no time. Her singularity can check bushes which comes in handy and of course her Laser can snag kills from long range and surprise your enemy when they think they are safe by their tower. Anybody main this Light slinger? If you do then laser beam in your comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 071 -Lee Sin, The Blind Monk

Hooray! A new week of highfives! Here's our 71st!

Looks like its that blind basher Lee Sin! Here he is practicing his sweet moves, totally unaware of the banana peel at the ground ready to ruin everything!

Lee Sin looks pretty good in game. The animations are awesome and he's like 3 feet taller than a lot of the other human characters as well for some reason. His moves make him feel like a super martial artist and his costume apart from being very symmetrical, looks great in game. His other more classic skin is my favorite with the emo bangs, the Tapout shorts, and the tiger tattoos on his arms. This is one character who the fans have been clamoring for for a while and it was great to finally see him hit the field. 

In game Lee Sin is a pretty powerful character, his super kick Ult is awesome for knocking around foes with some well placed separation or some isolation. His mini shield is quite strong and his 2 part strike where he snags right onto the struck enemy is a wicked tool for closing the distance. I haven't played as him too much but I'd like to give him a try for sure. Anyone main this mysterious monk? if you do or have some good stories about him, put on that blindfold and punch some comments out below!

-jouste the drawbarian

Weekender vol. 015

It's some much needed pest control in this weekender! Looks like the fly problem has gotten out of hand and it needs some Major Shark and Frugal Spaceman attention!

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Last week was a beast of a week. Alot of work and a lot of loose ends to be tied up. I've been a little exhausted as of late and should probably start taking care of myself a little more.

Got into experience "Super 8" in an AVX theater. Super 8 was a really great movie. I know I only seem to mention movies I like but it was really well put together. The period felt really great and the acting was superb, the monster was mysterious as well and the action was awesome. AVX theater seats are awesome and the audio was like a rock concert (except much more clear). All that and reserved seating? sounds like it's worth the 3 extra bucks to me.

Have a great week everyone!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 070 -Karthus, The Deathsinger

It's that time again! Time for that crafty crustacean to leave with some loot!

This Friday on our 70th DH5 we are visiting that skeletal spell-slinger Karthus! It seems that our friend the Crabthief has stolen Karthus' favorite book! A first edition of "The Deathening" and it looks like he's about to get a horrible taste of Requiem For his troubles!

Karthus' look is that of a lich. Flowing robes, a bright scepter, and bony appendages gained from selling out his body to the dark arts. I found his design pretty fun but it got really interesting when i started seeing the Chinese version of this guy with the cowl and gloves because showing bones over there is a bad idea. I always liked the idea of a lich, it's like the ultimate commitment to power and Karthus pulls it off pretty nicely.

In game there are some pretty good Karthuses and I am of the school of thought that he's a little more trickier to play than "press R and profit". His wall is awesome and very strong, his lay waste can deal out tons of damage, and his Requiem can really ruin an enemy's day.  I've seen him get hard canceled by Soraka and I've also seen him rush a soulstealer and hit 20 stacks before hitting 15. Champions with global Ults are a lot of fun and Karthus really brings the mean. Does anyone main this monstrous mage? if so summon some dark powers and carve in your comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 069 -Nidalee, The Bestial Huntress

Our 69th Highfive is here!

It happens to be that babe turned beast, Nidalee! Here she is realizing that one solid breeze can really leave her feeling a little exposed to the elements!

Nidalee is a pretty cool champ aesthetically because she can turn into a jungle cat as well as be a primitive amazonian warrior. I like how her spear is totally crooked and looks as if it was one of the earlier designs by the riot team with some fun wide jungle boots and wacky bone accessories. I believe that when she first was coming out, people believed that she was a pet class which would have been interesting visually to say the least.

In game Nidalee can pretty much do it all. A strong Nidalee player can end up ahead of the curve in kills and gear and really start to mess up your entire team. health low? BAM a fat heal coming from her wicked AP build. Need some extra eyeballs in those bushes? BAM a bear trap hits the most commonly used areas. Need to chase? turn into a chain pouncing cat, need to harass? throw a giant spear that can destroy champions from very far away. In case you couldn't tell, I've been destroyed by a few Nidalees and didn't have a very good time of it. Anyone main this mistress of the jungle? Then pull out your war paint and write down some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 068 -Sona, Maven of the Strings

Alright! It's our 67th highfive!

It would appear that we have Sona the strumming support champion!  

So I  guess that Sona is kind of an homage to that vocaloid character Miku Hatsune or it could very well be a coincidence that her appearance mirrors hers. She floats around the battle field and twangs on her weird harp thing looking complacent. The harp, or "Etwahl" is an interesting design that looks like it could totally work as an instrument if one had the proper apparatus to hold it in place. It sure would be a pain to bring it to a party and show off though.

In game, pretty much every thing Sona does dumps out a buff and shoots tracking crap at her enemies or heals her friends. She was pretty much the ultimate face roll character and it was highly infuriating to play against her. Her Ult is pretty hilarious and have ruined a whole lot of tower dives for a whole lot of people, as their champions foolishly dance within tower range while the rest of her team pulls you apart. I've liked having her in my Mundo lane and she seems that she has an easier time supporting everyone than other support champions because everything seems to home in on their own targets. Is anyone a fan of this musical madam? Tune up your key-tar and blast out some sweet, melodic comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 067 -Xin Zhao, The Seneschal of Demacia

Demaciaaaa! It's our 67th Daily High Five!

Today we have that Spear-wielding slayer Xin Zhao! Here he is getting some sweet martial arts down while his flag flutters furiously in  the wind!

Xin Zhao looks like an homage to Zhao Yun from the Dynasty warriors series to a degree. His fast looking attacks and charges look pretty impressive on the battlefield but he has that generic Demacian feel that the Heroes from the D always seem to have. I like the plates of armor and the split spear and stuff but something about his design just doesn't really do it for me. His animations are great though and he always looks like he's ready for a fight.

I always laugh and remember when Xin First came ou and he was like the Chuck Norris of the LoL community because of how strong he was. Nothing could stop him and it came down to who had the better Xin of the teams that would decide the outcome. Now he's still pretty strong, maybe a little too strong but a lot better than the original or the super nerfed version that would just vaporize on impact. He's one of the strongest duelists in the game and can really deal out the beats. Anyone a fan of this fearsome warrior? then pullout your trusty spear and stab in a comment below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 066 -Kog'Maw, The Mouth of the Abyss

It's our sixty sixth daily highfive!

Today it's that slime-shooting fiend Kog'Maw slipping in his own goo! What a fool!

Kogs is a pretty neat looking character with a lot of cool looking skins and skills. The only problem I find with his design is there really isn't much to break up the monotony of his void-creature texture. I know he's supposed to just be a creature but some contrasting carapace elements would really help break him up. The skins available to him prove this point by being a lot more interesting to look at.

I remember when Kog first came out and there was that bug when his attack speed would increase exponentially instead of on a flat number scale. That was hilarious and frustrating because of how much damage this little brat could output. His range is ridiculous and just when you thought that you finally had the little bastard cornered, FLASH! Damn it! Now he's toned down quite a bit but I'll always remember when he was a super powered menace that would be constantly ruining my games. Is anyone still a faun of this caustic combatant? Any good stories involving his hilarious ult? Then load p your mouth with an acidic burst and spray in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

Weekender vol. 014

Theater time with our un-dynamic duo! Looks like Frugal Spaceman's lack of spending has left him in lousy shape when it comes to movie etiquette! Way to talk through the second act chump!

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Alright! man another week gone by! I feel a sever lack of advancement in my artwork due to side projects and some pretty mindless work. Hopefully I can pick up some personal projects and get my chops sharpened up soon!

Okay so I saw X-Men: First Class and man alive was that ever a home run of a movie. The period, the action, the effects, the casting, everything was awesome. I'm hearing the ticket sales aren't doing so hot which is crap because that always happens on good movies but I'd like to blame the last X-Atrocities for this lack of box-office. The movie was really good and probably one of my favorites of the year, so go see it if you want to see some marvel redemption and the most bad-ass Magneto ever.

I'll be seeing you guys next week! And thanks so much for dropping by the daily highfive!

-jouste the drawbarian  

DH5: 065 -Kayle, The Judicator

It's Crabthief Fridays! Along with our exciting 65th DH5!

Today it's that Holier-than-thou bringer of retribution, Kayle! Here she is after that crafty crab who managed to scuttle away with her helmet!

Aesthetically Kayle comes off a little strange because of her very thin frame that is wearing massive plates of armor. I always liked the idea of martial angel type characters and aside from a small physical presence, Kayle hits the mark pretty well. Her abilities are all very fitting with reckoning this, and righteous fury that. Her skins tend not to stray too much creatively, but it was very cool when she lost the helmet.

In game Kayle has gone froma pretty crazy support, to an unstoppable champion, then back down to a  reasonable level. Or maybe even lower? because I don't see her too often anymore. But with her old Ultimate that rendered someone invincible for 4 seconds was it? Got really out of hand really fast. When she got over buffed she was just the worst, she could heal through everything and deal bigtime damage, and slow you, AND turn invincible. Luckily now she isn't as fearsome. Does anyone still run with this vengeful vixen? take aim with your beam of righteousness and scrawl in your comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 064 -Tristana, The Megling Gunner

Alright! the 64th highfive!

It looks like it's that tiny turret Tristana! Ready to carry her team into victory with some super rapid revenge!

Tristana is another one of those overly cute pipsqueaks that manage to get their way into League. I can put up with her because a friend of mine absolutely destroys with her but as fas as aesthetics go, I find that she's almost too small to get a lot of her elements across.  The gun is cool and the goggles and backpack of shot is neat but the palette isn't too striking and aside from her skin it's kind of a just a flat gray. Her skins make up for this by being pretty great and mixing it up as well.

In game she can get really nasty, i remember a Tristana who midded against us and only ended up buying spell pen boots and like 4 Doran's rings and there was NOTHING we could do about her, she could dive, gank, and counter everything we threw at her. She's one of those characters who's skills are so strong that you can kind of build whatever you want. Of curse end game Trist becomes a menace as well, but it was both interesting and frustrating to see that she could pull off a ridiculous early game as well. Any one a fan of this girly gunner? then load up your hand cannon and fire in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 063 -Vayne, The Night Hunter

Another daily highfive! Our sixty-third in fact!

This time it's everyone's favorite Van Helsinger Vayne! Shown here fixing her wrist mounted crossbow and hunting down a fierce Lord of the night! Vayne is another character who's design I'm not too crazy about. It's Like an amalgamation of Trinity from the Matrix, Bayonetta, and a female Blade or Van Helsing. One of those characters that's just "Too cool" and serious. Her attacks look pretty neat and her constant tumbling around and pinning enemies into walls makes her visually interesting on the field.

In game Vayne Is a menace, usually at the earlier stages of the game if she stays aggressive enough she can pretty much take apart anybody. The only thing that I've learned about dealing with her is to remain calm and wait till mid and end game where you can gear up and deal with her properly. I've had a few games now were she'll snag a ton of early kills but we eventually turn it around once our tanks tank up and everyone else gets some armor or other way of dealing with her. Sion and any on demand stunner can usually hard counter her in a way thats very satisfying. Nothing quite compares to seeing a well timed cryptic gaze stop her constant tumbling and prime her for a death's caress burst. Is anyone a fan of this fang stealing female? If so, then load up your wrist mounted crossbow and dial in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian.