The highly anticipated second season of the animated Netflix series Arcane is set to premiere next month, and Riot Games is preparing to honor the occasion within League of Legends. As part of Patch 14.22, they will introduce Ambessa Medarda, a character from the show, as a new champion.
Ambessa is the head of the Noxian Medarda family and first emerged midway through the inaugural season of Arcane to provide guidance to her daughter Mel. Following Jinx’s devastating attack on Mel and the Piltover council at the season’s climax, it appears that Ambessa will seek vengeance in the upcoming season. Riot Games sees her as a captivating character worthy of inclusion in the game that inspired Arcane. Game designer Max Perlman mentioned in comments to Digital Trends that the show served as a foundational inspiration that helped developers define the essence of her abilities.
Ambessa is designed to shine in the top lane, focusing on 1v1 engagements against her opponents. Her abilities support this playstyle: her passive ability, Drakehound’s Step, allows her to dash after using an ability, enhancing her next spell with buffs to range, damage, and attack speed, all while restoring some energy. Her Q ability, initially named Cunning Sweep, delivers damage to enemies in front of her. If she successfully hits an opponent, it transforms into Sundering Slam, dealing additional damage to the first enemy struck and affecting others in a line.
Her W ability, Repudiation, grants her a shield while causing damage to nearby foes upon impact with the ground. The E ability, Lacerate, inflicts Area-of-Effect damage and pairs well with Drakehound’s Step for a potent double strike. Ambessa’s Ultimate Ability, Public Execution, allows her to teleport to the furthest enemy champion along a line chosen by the player, suppressing, damaging, and stunning that character.
It seems Ambessa will appeal to players who favor an aggressive style, especially newcomers diving into the game after watching Arcane. Her introduction isn’t the sole connection to the series, as League of Legends is also updating its All Random, All Mid game mode with a new map inspired by the Bridge of Progress, slated for release alongside Patch 14.22 and continuing until January 8, 2025.
The second season of Arcane will debut in three acts on November 9, November 16, and November 23.
