Seraphine, the Starry-Eyed Songstress Reveal

Table of Contents

Seraphine Biography

"In Piltover, where anyone’s dream can become everyone’s progress, a star is born. 

As a child, Seraphine always loved music, especially her father’s lullabies. The songs were beautiful, but sad. He’d brought them up to Piltover as he and Seraphine’s mother—two lifelong Zaunites—sought a better life in the City of Progress. 

Leaning out the window of their hexcoustics workshop, where broken sound tech was made to play again, Seraphine sang along with the streets. The shanties of the Sun Gates, the whistling of apprentices, even the melody of conversation—in a bustling city like Piltover, she was never alone. 

Over time, Seraphine realized she could sense songs too private, too personal, for any ordinary person to hear. And as she grew, so did the intensity of her gifts. She heard every person’s soul, loving or cruel—turning the streets she’d once loved into an overwhelming cacophony of conflicting desires. How could she make sense of the voices if none of them harmonized? Some days, she hid shivering in a corner, hands over her ears, unable to hear herself above the chaos. 

Seraphine’s parents had left everything behind so she could be born in Piltover; they couldn’t bear seeing her struggle. Scraping together their savings to purchase a shard of a rare hextech crystal, they crafted a device that dampened her magical hearing. For the first time in years, there was silence. 

Within that quiet, though, Seraphine heard something—someone. The crystal had a consciousness, born of brackern blood. The voice was kind. In a hymn of distant deserts and ancient conflicts of ancestors, a thousand years of history sang in unison. 

Seraphine, awed, asked for guidance. Overwhelmed by the yearnings around her, she worried she may have no song of her own. What if she was merely the voices of others? 

“We are all forged through others’ voices,” the presence sang back. 

And slowly, she learned to manage the noise. The voice helped Seraphine understand how to resonate with a crowd, to sing with them, using her dampener less each day. The first time she performed in front of an audience, testing her skills, she was nervous beyond words. But she kept singing, and the crowds swelled. Soon, the biggest venues in Piltover had Seraphine’s fans spilling into the streets. Still, something was missing—in the crowds, and in herself. She resolved to seek perspective in the city her parents had worked so hard to leave: Zaun. 

The first time she rode the clanging lift down, Seraphine felt somehow at home but still a stranger. In Zaun, she heard refrains of resilience and ambition much like above, yet with a thrum of freedom that was all their own. But as she spent more time below, she also sensed pain. Fear of the chem-barons who controlled every opportunity. Hatred of the spoiled, arrogant Pilties above. There was so much discord. She began to perform, and listened to these new crowds, their hearts singing their struggles. The two cities were divided by more than simple misunderstanding. She wanted to mend, to unite. But she kept hearing the same refrain: “It’s not that simple in Zaun.” 

Eventually, Piltover started to feel less like home. 

The voice of her hextech crystal had spoken of what hatred left unchecked could accomplish. Seraphine couldn’t let that happen to the cities she loved. Persuading her parents to help, she dismantled her dampener, and together, they repurposed the crystal to power its opposite—a platform that would amplify her gifts, not repress them, allowing her to hear others in all their complexity. She rode this platform down as a stage of sorts, stepping out onto the Entresol between Piltover and Zaun. As the crowds gathered and the lights dazzled, she heard citizens from both worlds, mingled together to hear her. 

This was a new song. Not just understanding—unity. 

It wasn’t perfect. It might never be. But her voice mattered. And so, Seraphine realized, maybe she could help others find their voice, too. 

Seraphine has become the premier star in both Piltover and Zaun. Empowered by her gifts and her hextech, she amplifies the voices of all with a fresh force of optimism, because to her, everyone matters—especially those who are struggling. They inspire her, and she will do her best to inspire them in return."

Seraphine Abilities Rundown

Seraphine's abilities have also been revealed:

    

"Passive - Stage Presence 

Every third basic ability Seraphine casts will echo, automatically casting a second time. Additionally, whenever she casts an ability nearby an ally, she will create a Note. Each Note gives her basic attacks more attack range and deal additional magic damage, consuming the Note.

Q - High Note 

Seraphine projects a pure note, dealing magic damage that's increased by the target's missing health percentage.

W - Surround Sound 

Seraphine surrounds her nearby allies in a song, granting herself and her allies movement speed and a shield. If Seraphine is already shielded, she can heal her nearby allies, restoring health based on how many allies are near her.

E - Beat Drop 

Seraphine unleashes a heavy soundwave, dealing magic damage to enemies in a line and slowing them. Enemies that are already slowed are rooted, and already rooted enemies are stunned. 

R - Encore 

Seraphine takes the stage, projecting a captivating force that charms enemies and deals magic damage. Any champions struck (allies included) become part of the performance, extending the range of the ability and granting allies maximum Notes.

Champion Insights
Champion Bio

"EVEN IN MY DREAMS, I HEAR THEM SING."

Sing along with Seraphine in patch 10.22!"

K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine - Ultimate Skin Explainer 

Here's an updated from shio shoujo about the next ultimate skin, K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine:

"In 2019, we answered the question "Are we ever going to make another Ultimate Skin" in an Ask Riot which dived deep into the philosophy and definition of Ultimate Skins as well as the nuances of delivering what we call a "true interactive experience." In the 2020 State of Skins and Events article, we went even deeper into not only what technically makes an Ultimate Skin, but what players perceive as the elements that make an Ultimate Skin an Ultimate Skin with a correction on what our principles around the skin tier will be moving forward. 

With all that being said, we're happy to announce that Seraphine's upcoming launch skin, K/DA All Out Seraphine, will be our next Ultimate Skin. It is no doubt that Seraphine's journey to the Rift has been a special one. For months you've discovered, stanned, and followed her story from a budding bedroom producer to the newest collaborator of one of the hottest girl groups in the world! So as we looked to decide on our next Ultimate Skin recipient, Seraphine immediately came to mind as a way to hit on the "deep and compelling fantasy" we outlined in our past articles for a champion and their Ultimate Skin. 

Once Seraphine was decided, we had to figure out how we'd represent, both narratively and visually, her story and what fans went through when you play as her in League of Legends. As a result, K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine will feature a Missions system that will unlock two additional Forms permanently in a narrative quest line.

K/DA ALL OUT SERAPHINE WILL HAVE THREE INDIVIDUAL SPLASH ARTS FOR EACH OF HER FORMS

After purchasing K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine, you'll start with Seraphine as we saw her when she first started her journey on social media—an artist creating music just from her bedroom with only a few followers tagging along her story.

K/DA ALL OUT SERAPHINE INDIE

When you complete three Missions in her quest line, you'll unlock the Seraphine that was discovered by Evelynn, a more confident musician who has fans of her own right and a wealth of talent that is recognized by all.

K/DA ALL OUT SERAPHINE RISING STAR

And last, but not least, when you complete the next two Missions in her quest line, you'll unlock the Seraphine that is the fully realized collaborator of K/DA and pop star, with fans all over the world.

K/DA ALL OUT SERAPHINE SUPERSTAR

Once you unlock all the different Forms, you'll be able to select between them during Champion Select. 

For 3250 RP, K/DA ALL OUT Seraphine will not only include the Ultimate Skin, but two icons, an emote, and a border that can be earned as a part of the narrative quest line you unlock when the skin is purchased. 

The full Missions list will be available in the Worlds 2020 Player Support article on October 29, 2020. 

Just like you, we've really enjoyed seeing Seraphine's story unfold over the past few months and are really happy with her Ultimate Skin. We hope that you feel we've done something truly special and hit that bar of an immersive, deep fantasy that's unique and best-in-class for Seraphine."

Champion Insights: Seraphine 

Check out Seraphine's champion insights post from Riot Cashmiir- "Runeterra's premier idol."

"Seraphine’s a one-of-a-kind champ. She’s got social media accounts, takes selfies with her cat, and is collaborating with global pop group K/DA. Except... that’s not the Seraphine we’re here to talk about. 

The Seraphine we all watched go from bedroom artist to international pop sensation isn’t exactly the same one you’ll see on the Rift. She’s not “the K/DA” champion—that’s her real-world persona. Seraphine’s a Piltovan pop star who wants to connect with everyone around her. She’s sensitive, tenacious, and supportive. And she wants you to be her biggest fan. 

But that doesn’t explain how we got to this Seraphine. How did she become a Runeterran singing sensation? Who is she really? And how in the world do we have a pop star in League? 

A Piltovan Pop Star 

The term “pop star” probably brings up images of huge cultural icons with backup dancers, lights, and packed stadiums. So how does that fit in Runeterra, a world where people use swords, shields, and the occasional semi-internal-magazine handgun? 

“There’s a pretty wide variety of technology available in Runeterra, so we had a few options to explore for Seraphine,” says narrative writer Rayla “Jellbug” Heide. “But the first pitch in my head was that she was a singer from Piltover and Zaun. Zaun in particular is a somber place with dark characters, and we hadn’t really had a chance to explore the creative and positive elements of that region, which I thought could be really exciting.” 

Piltover and Zaun are the hub of technological advancement in Runeterra. We’ve met the inventors, scientists, and... mad scientists of these twin cities. But what about the artists? The musicians? We know who fuels Piltover and Zaun’s inquisitive minds, but who nourishes their spirits? 

“It was logical that Seraphine come from Piltover and Zaun because the level of technology makes them feel semi-related to the real world,” says concept artist Anna “Newmilky” Nikonova. “Pop stars feel more like a modern phenomenon to me. I kept thinking of her taking a selfie and it was really hard to imagine how she’d fit into Runeterra organically. I needed to make sure it felt like Seraphine—and her music—was born in Piltover and Zaun; that it evolved there, and she became their pop star. So I needed to understand the type of technology she’d be able to use to make sure it didn’t feel too real-world.” 

Hextech has been a staple in Piltover and Zaun for a while. It powers the heart of the region’s inventions (and ol’ scissor legs’ Camille’s heart), and it enables some level of modernity. It’s how Seraphine uses her mic, how she performs for the masses. It’s also how the team ensured she had a unique silhouette. 

“At first Seraphine just flew around with her mic and some visual effects. But we encountered a problem we run into a lot, which is making sure new champs look as physically different as possible from other champs,” Newmilky explains. “Then we came up with the idea of the platform, which was really cool. The animators could make her dance and do fun cast animations because she doesn’t have to keep her feet on the ground.” 

Venue: Check. Stage prep: Check. Technology: Check. Now it was time to add some lyrics to her story. 

Sing Your Soul’s Song 

“I really wanted Seraphine to be deeply empathetic,” shares Jellbug. “From the beginning, we were trying to figure out a way for her to be unique in the League roster and also as a performer. Pop stars tend to be larger-than-life and unapproachable. But we didn’t want that for Seraphine. So we decided to amplify her empathy and make it so she could feel other people’s emotions in the form of music.” 

Not only can Seraphine hear the emotions of the people around her, she can hear them from another source as well. 

“Most Piltovans are unaware, but hextech relies on crystals that have brackern souls (read: Skarner’s family) within them,” says narrative writer Daniel “Istogaiden” Couts. “There are some heavy implications to this, but Seraphine's the first person who can hear the brackern in these crystals. Song is important to the brackern, and that song continues from their crystals. She connects with one in particular, losing herself in its song and, in the process, learning to handle her power.” 

Seraphine spent her life surrounded by a constant barrage of songs from both the citizens of Piltover and Zaun, and from the souls trapped around her. She may not be able to save them, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t care for them—or for her fellow citizens. 

She wants to connect with others and elevate them so deeply, so she learns to do it the only way she knows how: music. She takes the deluge of song—both tormented and joyous—and turns it into something meaningful, something beautiful, something that makes sense to her, and gives it back to everyone around her.

“There’s a magical moment when you’re in a crowd at a concert and you lock eyes with the singer... It feels so rapturous, like they’re singing just to you. It’s something I thought about a lot because Serapine literally does that,” says Istogaiden. “She can hear your soul’s song and sing it back to you in a way that other artists can’t. It’s something really beautiful.” 

Music in Action 

All of this talk about emotions and music is good in theory, but let’s not forget that League’s a game. She may be bringing people together in Runeterra, but how can the power of music unite your Challenjour teammates on the Rift? 

“I was working on Seraphine at a time where I thought everyone hated each other when they played League,” recalls senior games designer Jeevun “Jag” Sidhu. “It seemed like people resented that League was a team game. I’d see posts on social media from players who hated having to play with their teammates. I really wanted Seraphine’s design to almost try to tackle that problem. I really wanted players who played Seraphine, or played with Seraphine, to remember that team games are fun and that everyone likes playing with friends.” 

Seraphine’s kit encourages players to group up around Seraphine and play together. Her passive modifies her basic spells, providing increased damage, unique buffs, and the occasional heal. And it only gets better as more people join her entourage. 

“I wanted Seraphine’s abilities to feel like a way she could share the stage, and her W, Surround Sound, does that perfectly. It’s an AoE movement speed buff and shield, but when paired with her passive it changes entirely,” Jag explains. “If Seraphine already has a shield on her, then she heals herself and her allies... and they’ll heal themselves and each other. So that means the more people you have in the spell, the more benefit everyone gets.” 

But that’s not the only way Seraphine encourages her teammates. Her ultimate, Encore, gives her the chance to hype up her allies and grants her a moment to be performative.

“Mages are fun to design because their ults get to be really flashy—think Karthus or Orianna ult—and since Seraphine is a pop star, hers needed to be even more of a big moment,” says Jag. “She takes this big breath, sings out a really loud high note, and shoots out an AoE charm. Enemies take damage and walk towards her, but the cool thing about this spell is that it extends any time it hits a champion—even allies.” 

There’s a moment in every engage champ’s life when they Zenith Blade in too deep or go for that perfect “my mind’s telling me no, but my body’s telling me yeah” Lee Sin dash, only to realize their team can’t catch up. But that won’t be the case with Seraphine on your team. She lives for the moment when she takes center stage, hits her high note, and sends her ult through that “too deep” teammate to land the perfect five-person charm. It’s the ultimate moment of cooperation and teamwork. It’s Seraphine’s perfect show. 

With her supportive gameplay locked, all that was left was to give this pop star some tunes.

“I previously worked on the True Damage Ekko skin, so I was pretty familiar with musical champions, but that didn’t mean Seraphine was any less challenging,” shares sound designer Jayvon “Riot Jirsan” Rymer. “Because she’s a singer, I wanted the music element to come from her voice. The Riot Voices team, which handles VO recording, got me some vocal riffs and melodies from Seraphine’s voice actor to use in her sound effects.”

Riot Jirsan went full producer on Seraphine's raw vocal clips, using a variety of plugins to edit the recordings into the base building blocks of her sound effects. Then, to give players even more incentive to group around Seraphine, Riot Jirsan created a music system so players know when they’re in range to get maximum benefits.

An Encore Performance 

Seraphine sings to the soul, and she only wants one thing (and it’s adorable): 

“Seraphine just wants everyone to know that she loves them,” Newmilky smiles. 

“Weird,” Istogaiden adds. “I was thinking that, too.” 

“Same!” Jellbug laughs. 

“So was I,” says Jag. “I guess that means we’re her first fans.”"

Look for more on Seraphine, her skin, and the other K/DA ALL OUT skins when they head to the PBE in the 10.22 PBE cycle!

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