Sylas: LoL’s new champion overview

Just a week into 2019, Riot has unveiled the first new champion for the year, Sylas. Sylas is very interesting, with a new mechanic being added allowing his ultimate to “steal” an enemies’ ultimate. This mechanic will make the late game much more interesting, enabling himto alter between utility or engage.

© Riot Games

Abilities

Passive – After casting an ability, Sylas’s next basic attack will deal damage in a small radius around him. This passive will enable him to push waves quicker and compensate for the lack of AD scaling in his kit. Note, this empowered basic attack will deal additional damage, and scale slightly off his ability power.

Q – Two chains are cast, creating an intersection based on the cursor. The chains will initially deal magic damage to enemies and slow them slightly. After a short half second delay, the intersection of the chains will detonate, dealing additional damage and applying a greater slow. While this ability can still be used for wave clear, it deals a reduced 60% damage to minions.

W – Sylas lunges at an enemy, dealing damage to them and healing himself. If the enemy is below 40% health, W applies bonus damage. If Sylas is below 40% health, W applies bonus healing. Note, both effects can be triggered simultaneously. Given the design of the ability, W will best be used to turn around fights, or as an execute type gap closer.

E – Sylas will dash a short distance and shield himself, similar to a Riven E. However, Sylas is given the option to recast the ability, casting a hook in a set direction. If the hook hits an enemy target, Sylas will immediately pull himself towards them, stunning the enemy for a short duration.

R – Sylas can target any enemy champion within a fair range around him, copying their ultimate ability for his own use. Note, Sylas cannot target the same enemy champion until twice their own ultimate cooldown time has elapsed.