Mechanics Preview for Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox

With the WCG Grand Finals knocking on the door, what better time to release the long awaited Nine-Tailed Fox champion? With her ultimate sounds like a devilish mix between Akali's R and LeBlanc's W, is she going to play the role of AP Assassin ( similar to Kassadin or LeBlanc ) or the role of a typical caster ( Brand or Annie )?

Greeting Summoners!

Back in the end of september, we announced The Nine Tails Fox much to the excitment of our community. Well the time has finally come and after much anticipation, we wanted to reveal the gameplay style for Ahri, the Nine-Tailed Fox.

Ahri’s gameplay style revolves around mobility and managing position to aim her spells. When played properly, Ahri darts around teamfights, picking off wounded stragglers and harrying soft enemies. 

This is largely accomplished through her ultimate, which allows her to dash multiple times before going on cooldown. Ahri can either use all three quickly to chase, burst, or escape, or she can spread out their uses to keep enemies guessing and juke around the battlefield. Combining this with her high magic damage and her Seduction ability to lock enemies down, she can strike from unexpected angles or bait enemies into overcommitting to disadvantageous situations. 

Ahri’s major gameplay decisions are based on her assessment of risk/reward. Her burst is high, but must be in short range to maximize it. This creates a dynamic that requires her to endanger herself to reach full potential. Play it safe and have more light damage, or commit and go for the kill? Use your dash for damage, or save it for escape? The choices are constant with these opposed strengths and weaknesses.

Her kit is really designed to appeal towards opportunistic players who prefer characters with a lot of action, and especially players that like to lull enemies into overconfidence, only to capitalize and punish them. Ahri’s dangerous, seductive nature is something we’re happy to deliver for players who like to toy with their enemies before destroying them.

Read our original announcement for the Nine-Tailed Fox here.

- Morello, Lead Champion Designer, via the official forums.