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!

----------

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!

----------

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!

----------

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.

DH5: 062 -Teemo, The Swift Scout

Hup two, three, four! It's the sixty second highfive!

Better stay clear of those bushes, it's that mushroom dropping doom-bringer Teemo! shown here atop one of his nasty creations!

Teemo is a total punk. I've shown my distaste for him in Caveman Udyr Many times and I stand by my decision to dislike everything about him. How can this thing take a hit at all? A minion should be able to massacre this pipsqueak!  he's got a dumb little hat and a blow gun! I mean seriously! In all seriousness I see the draw the small guy has being cute and all but I'm just a fan of the meaner and goofier champs myself. I have never been a fan of these Yordle characters, I'm hoping that the lore takes a dark turn and they become a delicious main food group to all three kingdoms and that will be the end of them.

In game Teemo can be a real mess. I've played against one that I swear had over a hundred mushrooms down on the map and could 1v1 anyone without an exhaust. Damage or hybrid seems to be able to stay deadly and as long as he stays out of any clutches of enemy champions he can deal out some pretty serious damage. Luckily when you finally do grab him he vaporizes like Kleenex. I remember when you'd get gold for killing his mushrooms so at around midgame, your ranged carry would go "Mushroom farming" and buy an oracles and clear the map of enemy shrooms while making tons of money. Anyone a fan of this fierce little fighter? Then blowgun in your comment below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 061 -Veigar, The Tiny Master of Evil

Our 61st highfive! hooray!

It's that pipsqueak powerhouse Veigar! Armed to the teeth with ability power and ready to rip down casters and anyone foolish enough to be stacking AP!

Veigar is an obvious homage to ViVi or maybe the Black Mages of Final Fantasy in general. He has the strange staff top that a lot of the classic League of Legends characters have and a very cool giant hand that constantly twitches with power. He walks really hilariously and his spells look great. All in all a pretty fun design with some neat things that bring some originality to a mage character. When dark matter comes hurtling down to the arena floor, everybody pays attention to this tiny terror.

In game if theres a Veigar who knows whats up and can pick on someone with a large amount of AP then the other team has their work cut out for them. Veigar can build up that baleful strike and just destroy characters. His event horizon can lock down multiple foes and I've seen a few use flash as an initiator and really tear things up. A super squishy but mean little guy on the battlefield, he may take a bit to get used to but holy cow can he deal out the magical beats. Anyone a fan of this miniature magic user? charge up that chaotic energy and blast in a comment below!

-jouste the drawarian

Weekender vol. 013

Swinging into action on extension cords, it's the thirteenth weekender!

----------

Another busy busy week. Between work and side projects I've barely had any time to actually sit down and enjoy drawing. There was a great post from Monster Brains that showed a bunch of old VHS monster movie covers. It really made me feel nostalgic, I always saw these Horror VHS covers growing up and began making up how the movies would be inside my head. I found out quickly that a very cool cover can become a very disappointing movie.

But I still find so much potential in the damn things, I remember going through tons of video rental places in the used bin and finding solid gold in the form of monstrous covers. I would always make up what would happen in the movie in my head to save myself the disappointment of watching another bomb, it was really inspiring stuff and probably a good exercise.

So everyone have an awesome week! and lets get some more highfives done up!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 060 -Maokai, The Twisted Treant

Timber! It's Crabthief Fridays alongside our 60th DH5! Big thanks to Cycrum co. creator of Tales from the Tarpit for the idea!

 A twisted treant tank Maokai gets his sapling stolen by that cunning crustacean! I'm not sure you really want that little guy crab, plans like this might end up blowing up in your claws!

Maokai has some great asymmetry happening in his character design. A giant, shield like wedge of an arm along with a hulking head and lumbering movement. His saplings are hilarious and are animated extremely well and he's over all a fun and intimidating champion to look at. I only wish that he kept some of his accessories that were around in his initial concept art but his skins look amazing and make up for that shortcoming. His palette also seems to have very little variance or contrasting colors so a lot of the details end up muddling together.

In game Maokai's are a pretty sweet deal, at least as far as he ones I've had on my team. I'm not sure where he falls into now but having that great AoE area to fight in and a solid stun and LoS sapling  for harass makes him a pretty cool package for tanking and support. I'm not too sure how strong his passive is but I'm sure it helps him during the laning phase with that little bump of healing. Is anyone a fan of this wooden warrior? Rig your saplings to explode with comments and toss them below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 059 -Heimerdinger, The Revered Inventor

Holy cow! It's the 59th highfive!

Better put on your thinking cap because it's that irritating inventor Heimerdinger! Here he is taking a few important measurements while he hides behind his trusty turret!

As much as I can't stand ANY yordle character, I do like the Looney Toons styling of Heimer. His rickety turrets that flop down on the field are hilarious and his arcing bombs look great when exploding all over the enemy. His massive amount of hair has led to some interesting skin directions and his character is pretty fun to just look at overall. The tech of the earlier champs like Heimer tends to look a little cheap but it eventually grew on me.

I remember when nobody built the turrets on Heimer and it was all about AP stacking and those damn rockets. man was that ever a raw deal. Those things would track like three enemies at once and just decimate them with that brutal AP ratio. Luckily now he plays more to his initial design but that still makes him one annoying character to deal with. he can hold a lane forever and eventually just push it apart. So is there any fan for the frazzled fan-dangler? be sure to take out your commenting wrench and torque out a few words below! We always enjoy hearing  from you!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 058 -Taric, The Gem Knight

Our 58th DH5 is here! Hooray!

It's everyone's favorite gem-encrusted champion Taric! looks like he lost a couple lustrous stones on that last battle!

Taric's desgin always made me laugh a bit. I like the idea that gems are magical, and the more un-cut gems I cram onto my person; the more magical I become. There's not a lot of rhyme or reason to the placement of the blue jewels that don his armor, but rest assured he's gone all out. The weapon and shield combo isn't used too much in League of Legends which is kind of a shame because it's so classic. Tarics abilities and cheesy voice work make him a really solid design and a fun character to draw. I've already tackled him before but need to complete the whole roster!

Taric was probably one of the first champions that I played and kind of "Got". It was back in beta so support and healing in general was pretty powerful and his shatter was one of the coolest abilities ever. Now he doesn't really fit my playstyle too much but I remember having loads of fun as this guy with his awesome stun and strong heal. You could go a little crazy and build him attack speed and damage with some funny results and now it's still pretty great to run with a Taric if your a Sion and looking for a lane partner. Anyone a big fan of this fabulous foe-smasher? take your finest gem-comment and socket it below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 057 -Ryze, The Rogue Mage

Sweetness! Our 57th highfive! How shocking!

BRRRZZZAT! Sounds like it's that lightning-based lunatic Ryze! Ready to deliver bolt after bolt of electrical eradication!

Ryze may have belts all over his legs but i'm a fan of his design anyways. I love the idea of spell books and giant scrolls and the more you have of them the more powerful the character would be. I like Ryze's atmosphere, he seems calm and collected but behind hat demeanor you get the feeling that theres an unbelievable wave of destruction just crackling to escape out of his enchanted fingers. The tribal runes all over his body are like magical scarification and add another layer of runic savagery to this already imposing character design. 

In game I don't normally take on the role as a caster but I've seen enough to be able to tell when a Ryze is unbridled and decked out in gear.  He's been re-worked a bit which is always interesting in League of Legends on the rare occurrence that it happens, but he always seems to remain a strong ability power based champion. I've faced and have played with some very strong Ryzes, ones that would take flash as an initiator and use it to maximize the destructive spell flux and rune prison and then explode the rest of the enemy apart with an overload. While he unleashes all this power he's usually activating desperate power, gaining a ton of spell vamp and making all those spells cause AoE. Anyone a fan of this shocking soothsayer? Read some runes and channel out some comments below! It's always great hearing from everybody!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 056 -Brand, The Burning Vengeance

Hooray! Onto week 13 and another daily highfive!

Today it's that thigh-belted fireball Brand! ready to give enemy champions the hotfoot! 

Brand is a dude, on fire, with 6 thigh-belts. The skin set up is pretty neat with the underlying magma and what-not but I don't find him all that compelling as a character design. I always liked the idea of fire based characters but this guy needs some accessories or something. A weapon? An apparatus for greater fire-focusing? Maybe some more intricate caster armor or something asymmetrical? I guess the things that draws me to castes as far as aesthetics go is that they can be donned in anything and still be powerful,  Brand is supposedly this Ancient force of burning hatred but comes off looking like a magical hobo who's thighs keep falling down.

In game I haven't faced to many Brands. I know that he can really tear it up and has limited escape tricks and that whenever I'm fighting him my character is mostly aflame. I'm never that good at the ranged casters but maybe Brand's searing form of  slaying is up my alley? What makes him a fun and effective caster to use? Anyone out there a fan of this fearsome and fiery foe? please leave a comment with why or why not I should give this guy a try! thanks in advance!

-jouste the drawbarian

Weekender vol. 012

Looks like its time for some yard work on an epic scale!

----------

The twelfth issue of the weekender has arrived! last week was awesome as most weeks go, I made it to the 1 year anniversary of the Fullindie Meetup which is always an awesome time. I entered Stexe's way cool champion contest and made it into the final 4! All in all a pretty productive week. So I'm going to be trying to get my act together and finish up my side stuff but man alive have I been biting off more than I can chew. I'm not really sure why it keeps on happening but I believe that I was close to a breaking point last week.

All is good tough! and this next week marks another pile of stuff that I can get completed! so thanks for all the comments and support everyone! It really helps me keep going!

have an awesome week!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 055 -Tryndamere, The Barbarian King

Crabthief Fridays along with the 55th DH5! how fancy!

It would seem that crabthief has struck again! this time digging deep into the pockets of a champion and stealing their items! Looks like Tryndamere has had his brawlers glove taken from him! And he's not very happy about it!

Tryndamere is a barbarian king which pretty much makes me like his design by default. I love the oldschool armor and the giant sword with the barbed blade. The blue orbs kind of confused me as they look a little mystical and I tend to like my barbarians like Conan, who's very superstitious of magic and would much rather use a sturdy axe over an enchanted blade. Tryndamere has gone through a few aesthetic overhauls as far as splash screens have gone, and he now looks totally battle ready and prepared to take on anything. I'd need to be corrected but I believe that Marc Merril's Tryndamere was an Everquest character of his? either way I think that that's awesome that they've carried over their avatars from previous games, almost like they've gotten digitally resurrected!

Oh Tryndamere, when you see him in a game it's like a giant clock is hovering over your head. You are thinking "Ok, if this guy gets his hands on some late game gear there is NOTHING that we are going to be able to do.". Tryndamere has some really awesome spells and some cool synergy with moves, the idea that he gets to be completely immune to damage for 5 seconds is a horrifying thought and I've seen some Trynds whirl right into a group of 4 folks and just start killing everything. Is anyone a barbarian main? or just a big fan! sharpen up your giant sword and carve in a few comments! Thanks everyone!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 054 -Ezreal, The Prodigal Explorer

Alright! It's the 54th DH5!

This time it looks like that mobile missile launcher Ezreal! ready to blink through walls and mystic shot you into pieces!

I'm not too sure where they were going with Ezreal's design. I think I came to the conclusion that he's kind of like a young Indiana Jones with some character from an anime that I've never seen before mixed in or something. Ezreal's proportions always seemed a little off to me for being so even, usually characters are much more varied but Ezreal has some thickness to his boyish frame that looks a little weird to me. Ez always gets a bad wrap for looking a little more feminine than the next champ but I really gotta say that it's the communities fault for being so strangely infatuated with the idea of gender swapping champions from League of Legends.

Ezreal used to be kind of the circuit when the game was shifting to the Poke mechanic. He'd keep you at range, constantly dealing out the damage and then be able to zip out of there no problem with his abilities.I believe there was a point where he was touted as the most powerful character in the game by some high-ranking players. Now though the Meta has shifted and Ezreal just doesn't seem to cut it as much anymore. After seeing some nerfs hit him pretty hard it looks like he'll never tear the map up like he used to. Is anyone an avid explorer like Ez? Then dust off some relics and leave some hieroglyphics below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 053 -Irelia, The Will of the Blades

Hooray! It's our 53rd highfive!

I have no idea what you are going to do. It's that crusher of carries Irelia! lets hope you have some hard CC to counting this monster maiden!

I'm not too sure what's up with Irelia's character design. It does look like some changes were made to make her appear more contemporary or human than her initial character concept. So it's my understanding that she's a super martial artist that wields these floating blades around her and can totally take down a ton of people. All of the "Ionian" characters are starting to have obvious similarities in theme, it's interesting that it appears to be the light red and silver/white in chunky armor like in Ionian Master Yi where you can clearly see some similarities even in the weaponry.

In game Irelia has fluctuated a bit but remains a very powerful character. If your team cant stun her or knock her up right away she'll be all over your squishier champs and there will be nothing you can do as you watch her rip them all new ones. She can jungle and lane and get a ton of health back with a well placed Ultimate. Her character can also deliver a ton of self healing and remain quite tanky with zero tank items, making her a viable off tank with minimal effort. All in all a super effective character. Is anyone a fan of this she-slasher? then sharpen your blades and slice in some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 052 -Shaco, The Demon Jester

Alright! the amount of cards in a deck AND our next highfive!

Ward those bushes and try and keep a straight face! It's that killer comedian Shaco! Ready to jam a twisted joke right into your stomach!

Shaco's design is pretty balanced with the majority of everything aside from color being mirrored across the character directly. I am a fan of his over sized weapons and pushed proportions. I suppose you could argue that he is a little generic looking but the whole killer clown is a fun angle to play with with a roster this crazy. His abilities aren't too flashy but they get the job done and he gives off this haunting aura that makes other players happy to not be dealing with him.

In Game good Shaco's can end them pretty fast. Sunfre Shaco used to be a popular build because when you'd split in half the effects would carry over to the clone and you could really dole out the damages just in an AoE. A good Shaco jungler can set up brutal ganks from a bush or nest together some jack in  the boxes and lead enemies into a brutal surprise. I could never get the hang of this guy down but have seen some really strong players on streams and stuff that know everything there is to know about using this creepy clown, and it's brutal. His deceive has made me want to put my fist through my computer on more than one occasion and some teams can just build around setting up Shaco ganks and win by the 20 minute mark. A powerful champion indeed.  Is anyone a fan of this fearsome fiend? put on your best harlequin suit and drop us off some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 051 -Nocturne, The Eternal Nightmare

Zounds! our 51st highfive! How gnarly is that!?

Looks like it's that nihilistic nightmare Nocturne! Better keep that night light on and hope that you didn't eat anything weird before going to bed or this guy is totally going to get you!

Nocturne's Design is pretty neat for something incorporeal. I'm a big fan of his lobstery battle-blades and I like how he swoops around the field doing all sorts of scary crap. His abilities really mess with the game itself by making it super dark across the whole map and leaving creepy trails as well as scary tendrils that grasp onto the enemy. All in all a very flashy assassin.

In game Nocturne is a newer champion, so he's got those kind of swiss-army abilities that do like 4 things at once and he is just overall a lot more flashy than the older champions. I know that updating the older champs would be an arduous task but sometimes taking some classic guys and fighting the newer guys with all those super combined abilities feels like your attacking a laser gun with a wooden spear. Nocturne's Ult alone is pretty much a global debuff that can lead into an easy kill if he's positioned right. Is anyone a fan of this spooky slaughterer? drop us a line with your jungle strats or experiences! or even if you just have a comment on his crazy design!

-jouste the drawbarian

Weekender vol. 011

Time for some Vespa violence in this weeks Weekender!

----------

One little hiccup last week but we are rolling again!

Yikes, what a pile of busy last week. work was loads of fun but a little extreme in some cases, I spent most of my spare time working on some smaller games and I think it may be catching up with me. Last week was a full 5 highfives of females! I've never been the greatest at drawing the dames but I'm glad that I got the practice. I'm actually over half done the League of Legends roster although I'm sure that there will be a few more releases in the weeks to come.

So everyone should head over to polycount and vote for thier amazing BRAWL competition! holy cats was that ever a cool contest! it was taking any fighting character/environment in any game and re-imagining them/it! was it ever a toss up for me. I was torn three ways between rv_el's fisherman Haggar, Massbot's Ken the Eagle in Aztec attire, and JFletcher's surreal Super Mario. And the Environment guys are absolutely astounding!

A pretty amazing thing about this contest is the only thing you win is rights to brag and say your awesome, no I-pads, ball-caps, or t-shirts here. Just competition for the sake of competition. so I salute all entrants for showing up to BRAWL!

have a good week everybody!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 050 -Caitlyn, The Sheriff of Piltover

Crabthief fridays and the 50th DH5 is here!

Looks like that crafty crustacean is at it again! this time thieving from that sassy sniper Caitlyn! Oh no! it's one of her totally practical thigh-belts! whatever will she do without one!?I suppose she sports four for occasions just like this!

Caitlyn is another character design that I'm not the hugest fan of, she's basically the exact build of every 20-something League of Legend girl with a goofy steam-punk hat. She's sporting the Victorian-esque sort of corset thing that comes off as confusing because she's supposed to be some sort of authority figure but it looks like she's on her way to Comi Con as opposed to enforcing the law. Her weapon is pretty interesting but, as I find with a lot of details in League of Legends, gets lost very fast when viewed from so far away. I suppose that the draw to her design is the eclectic approach, but again it just isn't my cup of tea.

In game I'm pretty sure Caitlyn was underpowered upon release and had to get shifted around for her to be viable. I read that people weren't to happy with her not really behaving like a sniper. Her abilities are actually pretty cool, the cupcake trap, the net cannon, and the peacemaker are pretty neat and I like the martyr mechanic of the ult but am pretty sure all Caitlyn players hate it. Any players out there rock the steampunk-sheriff? leave a comment below as our Women Week comes to completion!

-jouste the drawbarian.

DH5: 049 -LeBlanc, The Deciever

 

Let's try this 49th Highfive again!

Blast it all! the Blogger Gods deleted my previous post on LeBlanc! now I msut attempt to re-type what was said before! Here goes!

I've never been a fan of Leblanc's design. The whole "Sexy caster" thing seems to be trying to score high with the lowest common denominator. I like some of the geometry used on her acessories but she's pretty much the typical League of Legend girl with pink skin and a staff. Casters have always fascinated me because they can wear anything and still be powerful. They don't need layers of armor of a giant weapon in order to do their job. LeBlanc is a fine example of a mage in my opinion, just not a very interesting one.

In early game noone can ruin someone's day like LeBlanc. She can dash in and out super fast abd basically deal damage as if she was right beside you only to disappear before any retaliation shows up. I'll always remember playing against her when she runs a flash as well, so she can basically triple blink away from ANY attempt at a gank! Luckily once you get some MR and the game picks up you can catch up to her power curve. Is anyone a fan of this femme fatale? I know I lost a comment previously due to the Blogger headache but please post again! I loved it!   

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 048 -Soraka, The Starchild

Looks like it's our 48th highfive!

Better be aware that the enemies have a healer on their side! It's that super supporter Soraka! ready to wish away those ailments and drop the very stars onto her foes!

Soraka's design is kind of a satyr like Draeni. I'm a fan of her obscure weapon and her hair is an interesting element that breaks up her back visually. the horn seems kind of superfluous and I decided to opt out of the swirly tattoos just for the sake of simplicity. So again there's some interesting ideas going on here but they may have been simply too many suggestions going into the design of Soraka.

In game Soraka has had to deal with the changes to healing. Healing was once very strong and almost every team had a Soraka or a Taric on it and it would change the tides of battle very often. I remember playing with a mid lane Soraka that would just wreck the other team and use wish straight away to aid in a tower dive or a baiting that was happening halfway across the map. The ability to globally heal your team is pretty powerful, especially when you are organized on vent supremely well. Is anyone a fan of this Starchild? heal up our fingers and post some comments below!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 047 - Janna, The Storm's Fury!

The 47th highfive is here!

It's that howling wind storm Janna! always on the move and ready to deal out some devastating tornadoes and support her team through the art of the hurricane!

Yikes where to start, Janna's design seems to be missing a lot in my opinion. Her recent visual updates have helped but I've never really been a fan of the bathing suit magician types. The geometry on her staff is a little confusing and I may be wrong but I believe her original voice acting was changed? Either way, visually Janna is a little on the dull side. Luckily her abilities make a big impression on the map and her floating presence is always a good one to have around. Here she is pushing a kite with her super cool air-powers!

In game Janna is pretty powerful, she's so mobile and she makes everyone else move super fast as well. Her tornado can be cooked and unleashed for big knock up and damage, and her ultimate can move people around the immediate area. Janna tends to fall into the realm of support but I've seen a few that just ruin the other team with very aggressive playstyles. Those kind of champs are always my favorite, the ones that can fill a few different roles depending on  the player. Anyone a fan of this master of the airs? Blast a comment or two below with the first spell you have off of cooldown!

-jouste the drawbarian

DH5: 046 -Katarina, The Sinister Blade

Our 46th highfive is here!

Let's stab out the first ladies of LoL week with that killer Katarina!

Katarina is a pretty neat looking character. She's totally decked out in darts and blades and her hair becomes very cape like in game. She's gota swashbuckler vibe that totally works and her spiky braclets add another layer of dangerousness to her already mean physique. Her abilities are pretty much ninja stuff which is okay but I'm still looking for another Poppy kind of character that can crush foes with brutal strikes, like a she hulk kinda character or something. Kat's still cool though and a pretty big player favorite. 

In game Kat has been shifted around power wise for a bit, she becomes super strong when working with a team that can maximize the power of her death lotus ultimate and as long as she can't be hard stunned or interrupted she'll usually be scoring tons of kills. Plus when her damn Ult kills somebody the cooldown like goes away and she can do it again! what's with that!? with bouncing blades, healing de-buffs, and extra gold and CDR on kills Katarina can snowball out of control pretty quickly if she isn't kept in check. Any fans of this cunning killer? throw down some daggers in the comments below and let her know you care!

-jouste the drawbarian.