Characters / Legends of Runeterra: Ionia

Legends of Runeterra | Main Index
Demacia | Noxus | Ionia| Freljord | Piltover & Zaun | Shadow Isles | Bilgewater | Targon | Shurima | Bandle City

Swift and Sure

"Balance: the cornerstone of the First Lands we know as Ionia. Once, it existed aplenty, with the spiritual and physical worlds coexisting together in harmony...but such serenity is fleeting. Noxus, bent on imperial expansion, brought their insatiable hunger to Ionia's shores. Though the empire was driven out, there is an air of uncertainty hovering over the land. Are you willing to pay the price for peace?"

Legends of Runeterra cards based in the region of Ionia.

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Champions

Launch Champions

Yasuo

Voiced By: Liam O'Brien
4-Mana | 4/4 | Quick Attack

"Follow the wind, but watch your back."

^{Click to see his Leveled Up card} 
"...always by my side."

"Death is like the wind..."

A lone ronin wandering Runeterra, Yasuo is burdened by the guilt of several tragic and uncontrollable events that ended with the death of both his mentor, and later his brother, Yone. With nothing but his wind-commanding blade, he fights his way past demons, both inner and outer, all in the hope that he can one day forgive himself for his past.

Yasuo deals 2 damage to any enemy unit that is Stunned or Recalled to its controller's hand. When you have Stunned or Recalled 5 or more units (including your own) Yasuo levels up, gaining +1/+1 and striking enemy units when they are Stunned or Recalled instead. His signature spell is Yasuo's Steel Tempest.

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See League of Legends: Yasuo for his tropes

Karma

5-Mana | 4/3 | Enlightened

"Where there is life, there is hope."

^{Click to see her Leveled Up card} 
"We'll bring peace to Ionia, whatever the cost."

"Through reflection, we can focus the mind, and find a path around any obstacle."

The spiritual avatar of Ionia, Karma has done her best to lead her people on a path of peace and harmony, all according to the will of the land. In the wake of the bloody Noxian invasion, she finds herself caught in a greater struggle to achieve peace, as more and more the spirit pushes her to achieve it at greater costs.

Karma generates a random spell from her your regions in your hand at the end of each round. When you become Enlightened (reach the maximum 10 mana crystals) she levels up, gaining +1/+1 and losing her original passive in exchange for causing any spell you cast while she's in play to cast an additional time on the same targets. Her signature spell is Karma's Insight of Ages.

Shen

Voiced By: Keith Silverstein
4-Mana | 3/5 | Support

"Two worlds. One balance."

^{Click to see his Leveled Up card} 
"...Their actions exist in harmony, and under my watch, neither shall overtake the other."

"Like hands clasped, the mortal and spirit realms intertwine..."

Shen's Support ability gives his targeted ally Barrier when they attack. When he sees 4 or more allies gain Barrier he levels up, gaining +1/+1 and granting +3/+0 to any ally that gains Barrier for that round. His signature spell is Shen's Stand United.

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See League of Legends: Sa-Sh for his tropes

Zed

3-Mana | 3/2 | Quick Attack

"Do not fear the shrouded path."

^{Click to see his leveled up art} 
"Few men think to look back at their shadow. It is their last mistake."

"Balance is a fool's master. The shadows have shown me true power."

Zed summons an attacking Living Shadow (an Ephemeral unit with the same stats as Zed) when he attacks. When either he or his Living Shadows have struck the enemy Nexus twice he levels up, gaining +1/+1 and causing his Living Shadows to copy his keywords and stats. His signature spell is Zed's Shadowshift.

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See League of Legends: X-Z for his tropes

Living Shadow

"A blade of shadow is as sharp as one of steel."

Zed's shadow clones he creates by using his abilities. Living Shadows are summoned either when Zed attacks or through a spell card.

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• Living Shadow: Taken word for word. They're manifestations of Zed's shadow powers that can attack alongside him.
• Ninja Log: They can function as this, allowing Zed to swap his allies with Living Shadows to take enemy attacks in their place.
• Red and Black and Evil All Over: Subverted. They certainly look the part, being intimidating shadows with glowing red eyes. But they seemingly have no thoughts or alignments of their own, only being extensions of Zed who, to say the least, is a morally complicated individual.

The Rising Tides

Lee Sin

Voiced By: Feodor Chin
5-mana | 3/5

"Only I can endure the dragon's fury."

^{Click to see his leveled up art} 
"...But for the tyrant, the Dragon breathes fire."

"The Dragon aids the worthy. To the weary, it gives vigor. To the sick, comfort. To the lost, light. To the shaken, balance..."

Lee Sin gains Challenger the first time you cast a spell in a round and Barrier the second time. When you have cast 8 or more spells in a game he levels up, gaining +1/+1 and automatically casting a free Dragon's Rage on any enemy unit he attacks with Challenger (kicks that unit into their Nexus to strike both simultaneously, then recalls the unit if it survives). His signature spell is Lee Sin's Sonic Wave.

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See League of Legends: L-M for tropes on him.

Call of the Mountain

Lulu (Dual-Bandle City Champ)

See Legends of Runeterra: Bandle City for her and other yordles

Empires of the Ascended

Irelia

Voiced By: Cherami Leigh
3-Mana | 3/2 | Quick Attack

"I must become the leader they need"

^{Click to see her leveled up art} 
"...Though our hearts are heavy, we are full of purpose, and return to dance once more."

"Once we studied art and beauty, and our hearts soared. But when they broke our walls and spilled our blood, we fell back down to earth..."

Having grown up content as a mere dancer, a young Irelia was thrust into a new destiny when she adapted her skills to defend her home from the Noxian Invasion. With thousands of fellow Ionians besides her, and a series of ancestral blades following her every move, the Blade Dancer has no choice but to continue fighting for Ionia's freedom.

Irelia creates a Flawless Duet (2-mana Fleeting Slow spell that Blade Dances 2, summoning two 1/1 Blades to perform a free attack) in your hand at round start or when summoned if you have the attack token. When 14 or more allies have attacked she levels up, gaining +1/+1 and creating a Bladesurge (a 0-mana Fleeting Burst spell that swaps Irelia with any ally) in hand whenever you declare an attack. Her signature spell is Irelia's Vanguard's Edge.

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See League of Legends: I-J for tropes on her.

Beyond the Bandlewood

Ahri

Voiced By: Laura Post
2-Mana | 2/3 | Quick Attack

"Wild hearts should run free."

^{Click to see her leveled up art} 
"I can remember a thousand memories I've never had. From now on, I'll make my own."

She searched for herself in other peoples' secrets. Saw herself through the eyes of so many. As she approached the forest, she wondered if it would be just another lens—or if, just this once, she'd found a mirror.

A beautiful and elusive vastaya, Ahri is the last of her kind, an ancient and powerful species of fox-beings who absorbed souls and emotions to fuel themeselves. In search of greater purpose and love, she ventures into the world of mortals, careful not to let her hunger for magic be let out on the beings she's come to empathize with.

Ahri has an attack effect where when striking an enemy, she'll swap places with an ally to her right and recall them. Upon recalling 6+ allies, she levels up, gaining Elusive, and reducing the cost of all recalled allies by one. Her signature spell is Ahri's Charm.

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See League of Legends: Ahri for tropes on her.

Kennen (Dual-Bandle City Champ)

See Legends of Runeterra: Bandle City for him and other yordles

Followers

Launch

Common

Emerald Awakener

Greenglade Caretaker

1-Mana | 1/2

"I am one with the land!"

A vastayan girl that protects the Greenglade. The Caretaker gains +2 power every time an ally is granted a barrier.

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• Amazing Technicolor Population: Her skin is a light purple.
• Barrier Warrior: Though initially weak on her own, she gains a permanent +2 Power every time she or an ally receives a Barrier.
• Fauns and Satyrs: She resembles a purple-skinned satyr with large antelope-like horns that reach down to her torso.
• Magikarp Power: She gets progressively stronger for every barrier her player casts, to the point that she becomes an offensive powerhouse if not locked down soon enough.

Greenglade Elder

Greenglade Lookout

2-Mana | 2/2 | Yordle

"Patrol one!"
"Patrol two!"
"Patrol three!"

"Patrol, we've one... no... TWO massive furry creatures coming our way! Call for ba—Oh. Hold on. Scope's wrong way 'round again..."

A trio of yordles that survey the Greenglade. When the Lookout strikes, it reduces the cost of the most expensive ally in hand by 1.

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• The Ditz: One of the lookouts mistakes the other two for incoming intruders, only to realize they were looking at them with the telescope flipped.

Herald of Spring

Inspiring Mentor

1-Mana | 2/1

"You'll thank me later."

"Took years to cultivate this deadly physique! Tireless days of spotting birds, describing clouds, and lifting tray after tray of sweet buns! Who else has such dedication?"

A proud yet seemingly lazy martial arts teacher. When the mentor is summoned, he grants +1 power to an allied unit in hand.

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• Brilliant, but Lazy: His art shows him happily drinking tea while his student is doing an intensive exercise. All of his battle quotes too reinforce his laid back demeanor. That said, he does seem to have genuine martial art and teaching prowess as implied by his stats and mechanics.
• Ironic Name: The regiment he describes of sitting around and having tea instead of fighting makes him sound less than "inspiring".
• Let's Get Dangerous!: When up to attack, he will show some earnest, if somewhat mocking, dedication.
  "I'll show you how it's done."
  "Tea... for two."

Keeper of Masks

Kinkou Lifeblade

Navori Bladescout

Navori Conspirator

Navori Highwayman (And Navori Brigand)

Scaled Snapper

3-Mana | 2/2

One of the oldest inhabitants of the Greenglade, it has withstood the test of time through constant adaptation.

A reptilian creature that resides in the Greenglade. Snappers upon being summoned can be granted +3 in either power or health.

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• Gentle Giant: Its art has it gently interacting with a bird atop its claw.
• Jack of All Trades: Snappers have the choice of boosting either offensive or defensive stats, allowing them to be played in a variety of strategies.
• Mix-and-Match Critters: It has a shell not unlike a turtle, but with a long serpentine tail, antennae, and whiskers, making it look more like a species of dragon.

Shadow Assassin

Shadow Fiend

1-Mana | 4/3 | Ephemeral

"What would you sacrifice for power? Your path begins with an oath, and ends only when it has taken all you have to give."

-Zed

A Living Shadow summoned through dark magic.

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• Living Shadow: It resembles a multi-armed humanoid silhouette.
• Nothing Is Scarier: The front of it is completely obscured in its art. The only hints we get are the terrified reactions of the people trying hopelessly to fend it off.

Sparring Student

1-Mana | 1/1

"Ready, willing, and learning."

"What's the point of fighting if there's no one to see your moves?"

A martial arts student eager to show his moves off to others. The student gain +1 power and health for every ally summoned per round.

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• Hero Worship: He's in awe to be in Shen's presence.
  "Master! I'm... honored."
• I Just Want to Be Special: He draws his strength from being able to show his progress to others, which is reflected by his passive being tied to summoning subsequent units.
• Magikarp Power: His weak base stats can be boosted the more subsequent units you summon per round. It's only a temporary boost, but it's enough to make him deceptively hard to take out.

Rare

Cloud Drinker

Fae Bladetwirler

Greenglade Duo (Kay and Zern)

Voiced By: Tara Platt (Kay), Brian Kimmet (Zern)
2-Mana | 2/1 | Elusive

Kay: "Everything's better with company."
Zern: "Says you."

"Hey, watch those branches! Left, LEFT!"
"When I'm on YOUR shoulders, Fuzzball, we can go wherever you want. 'Til then, I got this!"

A human (Kay) and yordle (Zern) that reside in the Greenglade. The duo gain +1 power for every ally that's summoned while they're in play.

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• Aw, Look! They Really Do Love Each Other: The two of them, particularly Zern, will squabble a lot. But when they're killed, they each try in vain to keep the other going.
  Kay: "Hang on, Zern."
  Zern: "Keep running, Kay..."
• Fragile Speedster: Their elusiveness and stacking power can lend to some hard hitting attacks. But if the enemy pins them down, it only takes 1 point of damage to kill them.
• Vitriolic Best Buds: Zern in particular is quite snippy towards Kay's enthusiasm, but several quotes, especially their death quotes, indicate that the two still care deeply for each other.

Jeweled Protector

Kinkou Wayfinder

Rivershaper

Solitary Monk

Yone, Windchaser

7-Mana | 6/6 | Rare

"I'll do what must be done."

"When I was a child, I asked my brother: 'Does the wind flee, or does it follow?' He followed me then for guidance. I follow him now for justice."

Yone as he was in life before his resurrection. When played, Yone will cast Staggering Strikes, which stuns two enemy units of choice.

Click here for tropes on Yone as a champion

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• Early-Bird Cameo: This is Yone's first in-game appearance before becoming a playable champion in League of Legends proper.
• Say My Name: As he dies, he calls his brother's name one last time.
  "Yasuo..."
• You Don't Look Like You: This version of Yone is a bit of a far cry from how he looks as a playable champion. Besides obviously not being undead, his hair style, fashion sense, and presence of facial hair are all quite different.

Yusari

5-Mana | 4/3 | Challenger, Elusive

My training is nearly complete!"

"Your order has thrust us from our lands. You've proved your power, Master Zed. Now let me prove that I too am worthy of your teachings."

An assassin of the Shadow Order all too eager to prove himself to Zed.

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• Giggling Villain: He lets off some creepy giggling whenever he challenges an opponent
• Little Bit Beastly: He appears to be a Vastaya, having a long ears, digitigrade feet, and a tail like some sort of canine.
• To Be a Master: He wants to master shadow magic, and gleefully follows Zed's every teaching.
  Yusari: "My training is nearly complete!"
  Zed: "An apt pupil."

Zephyr Sage

Epic

The Empyrean

7-Mana | 6/5 | Elusive | Dragon

"The sky itself heaved as coils of clouds and powerful winds flattened our brigade. We tried to follow it, but who can chase the wind?"

-Legion General

A large air dragon that protects Ionia.

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• Blow You Away: Its flavor text describes it dismantling a Noxian brigade through sheer force of the wind.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: Due to being put into the game well before Dragons became a subtype in the game and established Fury as their signature keyword, the Empyrean had the type retroactively added, and is thus the only Dragon in the game without Fury.

Ren Shadowblade

Silent Shadowseer (Mistress Shi)

2-Mana | 3/1 | Elusive, Ephemeral

"The shadows take form."

"Flesh is untrustworthy. Fragile. Delicate as the borders between light and shadow."

A high-ranking member of the Shadow Order. When Shi strikes the enemy nexus, a copy of her will be created in your hand.

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• Me's a Crowd: Provided she can consistently hit the enemy nexus, her passive creates an endless series of herself.
• The Mentor: She's mentoring the Shadow Apprentice to harness his powers. She can even be seen in the background of his art.
• White Mask of Doom: Her mask is stark white save for some red accents, and really stands out against her black attire and shadows.

Windfarer Hatchling

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The Rising Tides

Claws of the Dragon

2-Mana | 3/2 | Common

"The dragon remembers."

"A student must listen with focus, for the Dragon roared the first sounds, and blessed our young spirits with the gift of magic."

- Teachings of the Dragon

Eyes of the Dragon

2-Mana | 1/3 | Attune | Epic

"The spirit gives to those who listen."

"A student must think with clarity, for the Dragon draws the sun across our skies, and reveals the world around us."

- Teachings of the Dragon

Horns of the Dragon

6-Mana | 4/6 | Quick Attack | Epic

"Wisdom is strength."

"A student must strive with all their might, for the Dragon pulled the earth from beneath the waves, and gave us a land to call home."

- Teachings of the Dragon

Scales of the Dragon

3-Mana | 4/2 | Common

"I won't stand by."

"A student must act with compassion, for the Dragon nurtured the First Lands, and graced them with warmth and life."

- Teachings of the Dragon

Tail of the Dragon

3-Mana | 3/2 | Rare

"My body and will are one."

"A student must move with grace, for the Dragon's breath created the wind and waves which brought motion to our world."

- Teachings of the Dragon

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Call of the Mountain

Common

Young Witch (Bri and Rib)

2-Mana | 1/2 | Elusive, Support

Bri: "Off we go!"
Rib: "Slow down!"

"Sir Ribery Montague left home hoping to complete some great quest or curry favor with a notable house. But fate led him to a hidden bandlewood, where young Bri quickly transformed Sir Ribery into a frog, and yanked him off on HER adventures. Poor Rib!"

Bri, a witch in training, and her reluctant companion Sir Ribery "Rib", who she transformed into a frog. Bri grants her supported ally Quick Attack and +1 power for the round.

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• Forced Transformation: Rib is less than thrilled about being turned into a frog, now having to be dragged along on Bri's zany adventures.
• Green Thumb: Bri rides around on a giant flying parsnip.
  Lulu: "Ooh, I love flying vegetables!"
  Young Witch: "They're fast and great for tummy rumbles."
• Odd Couple: A young, eccentric witchling and her companion/victim who's a prince trapped in a frog's body.
  Young Witch: "We made it Rib."
  Rib: "I wanna go home."

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Empires of the Ascended

Common

Shadow Apprentice

1-Mana | 1/1 | Elusive

"You are smoke—a whisper on the wind. Your fists must join with the dark like shade to shadow. Now... again!"

-Mistress Shi

A disciple of the Shadow Order. The Apprentice gains +1 power and health whenever an ally has the ephemeral keyword.

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• Casting a Shadow: He imbues shadow magic into his martial arts strikes. The presence of ephemeral units like Living Shadows will also enhance his own powers.
• The Faceless: His face is completely obscured by the mask he wears.
• Tyke Bomb: He's in the early stages of learning shadow magic, likely to become a deadly assassin like Zed one day.