1/13 PBE Update: Four New Skins, Tristana Champion Update, Several Texture rebalances, DFG removed from SR, and more

To kick off the 5.2 PBE cycle we have a HUGE UPDATE! In addition to new champion skins for Jinx, Katarina, Nidalee, and Vel'Koz, we also have Tristana's champion update and updated skins, texture rebalances for Vayne, Nunu, and Yorick, the removal of DFG, and more!
Continue reading for more information!

Table of Contents

• New Skins

• Firecracker Jinx

• Warring Kingdoms Katarina

• Warring Kingdoms Nidalee

• Arbiter Vel'Koz

• Tristana Champion Update

• Tristana, the Yordle Gunner
• Kit & Abilities 

• Skins

• Lore
• Champion Select Quote 

• Texture Rebalances

• Vayne

• Yorick

• Nunu 

• Dr. Mundo (bugged)

• Balance Changes

New Skins

We're starting off the 5.2 PBE cycle four new skins - three skins for the upcoming Lunar Revel event and a de-light-ful new Arbiter Vel'Koz skin!

"Let the bloodshed begin! 

The revered grand master of the dancing blade has come to school the PBE! Feared and famous; she seeks an opponent who is worth to die by her elegant execution! This skin includes:

• New model and texture!
• New particles with yellow flower flourishes.
• New recall animation! 

This skin will be 975rp. 

Your feedback and bug reports are extremely helpful to us, so please check out Warring Kingdoms Katarina and let us know what you think! Feel free to drop any bugs you find in this thread as well! 

See you on the Rift!"

Here's Nurse Flan with a bugs and feedback thread for Warring Kingdoms Nidalee:

"A white cougar stalks the streets, decorated in intricate patterns and ornaments. Then, in a flurry of crimson petals, Warring Kingdoms Nidalee appears to keep the peace on the streets during the fireworks celebration! 

She's got the moves and the looks to kill!

• Completely new human and cougar models! (fancy fancy)
• New ability particles! (lots of red petals!)
• New recalls! (Wushu flurry in human form, and "WOW FOLLOW THE RED SPARK" in cougar!)

As players who get the first look at this in-progress skin, it would be wonderful to hear your thoughts and feelings on this new Lunar Revel skin! The feedback (good and bad) and bugs you leave here will help us get a better idea of things we may still have to take a look at. :] 

See you on the Rift! 

NOTE: Some minor sfx may be missing, hang tight!"

Here's Riot Baconhawk with a bugs and feedback thread for Arbiter Vel'Koz!

"Pondering the state of the lifeform disintegrated mere moments before, Arbiter Vel'Koz comes to a conclusion. 

Guilty. 

Satisfied, he floats away from the wisps of smoke, searching, always searching, for his next target of absolute (somewhat violent) justice. 

Arbiter Vel'Koz will be 1350 RP, and includes: 

• All new model and texture — golden tentacles of justice
• All new particles — pure, questionably holy energy
• All new sound effects — listen for the ringing of justice after every spell
• All new voice filter —the better to judge you with
• All new recall & respawn animation!

Arbiter Vel'Koz is now available to play on PBE! We always find bug reports and feedback super helpful, so feel free to comment in the thread below. Likewise, if you've got any questions, feel free to post them, and we will do our best to answer."

Tristana Champion Update

Following her champion update announcement earlier today, Tristana has a brand new look and several kit tweaks (including a brand new E) on the PBE!
Before we start, here's Ququroon with more information on the update and what is to come:

"Note: She's currently disabled. This sucks, but it should be fixed up for tomorrow. For now, I wanted to get this post up so feedback can have a home. 

Blasting onto the PBE is none other than the Tristana update! 

This nimble cannoneer is one of the first forty champions that released for this game, so needless to say she needed a little love. Our goals for Tristana were to really develop Yordle (rip meglings) proportions to a greater scale, both as a race and for the dimorphic genders. On a character specific scale, we wanted to bring out her personality and polish her visuals and gameplay. 

In her update, you'll find brand new models and textures for her base and across all her skins. This also goes for sounds, visual effects, icons, animations, and VO! Everything! RiotVesh has also done some gameplay changes on Tristana to bring a little more gameplay into her kit with a brand new 'sticky bomb' spell replacing her previous Explosive Shot. 

As you try out Tristana on the PBE (or see her elsewhere and have feedback), please try to keep these questions in mind, as I'd be curious to hear your responses. 

• Does this still read as Tristana to you?
• Is there a particular skin that stands out to you?
• Do all of her effects still convey the same effects, or better?
• How does the new Explosive Charge feel? Did you find it fun to use?
• How do you feel about these proportions? With respect to their appropriate characters, how do you feel Lulu and Poppy would be with them?
• Do you feel we missed anything important in this update? 

We'd really appreciate it if you'd take a look at Tristana, and shoot any bugs and feedback that come your way back at us. Your feedback helps to guide changes we can make, as well as helps us grow as a team. 

FAQ: 

Does Tristana have new VO?
Yup. We wanted to add some depth to her character (as well as more than 9 lines). 

Tristana doesn't match the current (semi-new) splash. Is she receiving a new one?
She is! It's still being worked on though, so hold tight for now. 

Is that a rocket in your pocket?
Why, yes. Yes it is. 

Rumble or Teemo?
Hmmm.~ 

Check this out if you want more context into what we've done on Tristana, as well as more about our goals while working on her."

Now for a better look:

Tristana, the Yordle Gunner

Kit & Abilities

Tristana's champion update also comes with a set of kit changes, primarily to her Rocket Jump (W) and her Explosive Shot (E), and number changes!

• [Tristana is currently disabled so it makes it very difficult to conform and double check a lot of these numbers! Once she is re-enabled, I'll give it a thorough sweep!]

Skins:

Here's a video featuring side by side comparisons of each of the updated skins!

We'll have individual skin videos up once her new voiceover is added in a future PBE patch!

Lore

"Greatness comes in all shapes and sizes, as proven by this diminutive, cannon-wielding yordle. In a world fraught with turmoil, Tristana refuses to back down from any challenge. She represents the pinnacle of martial proficiency, unwavering courage, and boundless optimism. For Trist and her gun, Boomer, every mission is a chance to prove that heroes do exist."

Champion Select Quote

While she will eventually have a fully updated voiceover, today's patch only includes her new champion select quote:

[Note: For the comparisons, the OLD pictures on the left and the UPDATED version on the right.]

Vayne

Vindicator Vayne

Aristocrat Vayne

Dragonslayer Vayne

Dr. Mundo

Balance Changes

* Remember *: The PBE is a testing grounds for new, tentative, and sometimes radical changes. The changes you see below may be lacking context or other accompanying changes that didn't make it in - don't freak out! These are not official notes.

Tristana

• Along with her visual updates, Tristana has received significant kit changes! See Above!

Deathfire Grasp

• No longer purchasable on Summoner's Rift

• [Context : More information available in the 5.2 patch forecast and from Scarizard: 

• [1] "Confirmed. As of 5.2, Deathfire Grasp will be removed. We're working on a context post that should be out soon to explain!" and 

•  [2]" Important note: DFG's removal won't be the only change - a number of champions will receive changes/updates to compensate.

•  [3]" I've posted this tons in replies, so let me be clear - of the champions being compensated for DFG's removal, Ahri and Veigar are at the top."] 

Dervish Blade

• Can now be purchased on Summoner's Rift.

• [Note: This is just a bug.]