3BitSaurus
Smash Master
The Nine-Tailed Fox
Ahri is a Champion of League of Legends meaning she’s one of its dozens of playable characters. Released in 2011, 2 years after League’s original release, Ahri has become one of LoL’s most popular characters and arguably one of Riot’s icons as well.
She is a fox Vastaya – an umbrella term for a race composed by descendants of mortals who took the powers of Runeterra’s spirit realm into themselves and are easily identifiable by their combination of human and animal traits.
Thanks to that heritage, Ahri can draw magic from the world around her – and from people as well. In fact, she could take enough from people to kill them, absorbing even their memories and giving her a state of temporary euphoria. However, the fox Vastaya felt a lot of guilt in doing that, and thus learned to control her impulses over time – though she still drains some life essence from time to time.
As a Champion of the League of Legends, Ahri lends her abilities to Summoners in the Fields of Justice, including her lifestealing orb and the power to charm her foes.
In-game, Ahri is a mage, meaning good mobility and range, dealing a lot of burst damage by chaining her abilities into one another and, for cons, struggling against targets who can withstand her attacks for longer periods of time. Her weapon of choice is an orb that can absorb the spiritual energy of her foes – as previously stated.
League fights, at least in what is known as the “laning phase” of every match, can be a game of poking your target strategically and retreating. Ahri is one of the champions that would best translate that feel to Smash with her powers.
Like any Champion, Ahri has one passive and four Abilities. Her passive is Vastayan Grace, which grants her a speed boost whenever she hits an enemy twice with abilities within 1 and a half seconds. This falls both into her nature as a mage (chaining hits) and can also help her poking game. In Smash, it would make her a zoner that can quickly get in, deal hits, then make a getaway if need be.
Her four abilities are: Orb of Deception, Fox-Fire, Charm and her Ultimate, Spirit Rush.
Orb of Deception is a projectile with a “boomerang” effect: Ahri throws her orb in a straight line, dealing damage to any enemies it passes through. It then homes back to Ahri, dealing damage once more if it hits anyone in the way.
Fox-Fire creates three flames that orbit Ahri for a few seconds, then home in on enemies. Think Mega Man’s down special combined with Palutena’s neutral special. What’s interesting is that it prioritizes champions hit by…
Charm. It’s an attack unlike anything in Smash right now. Ahri blows a kiss in a straight line, dealing damage, interrupting dashes and, most importantly, slowing enemies and forcing them to walk in her direction. This buys Ahri time to use some of her other spells or, in a teamfight, for her teammates to focus on an enemy.
Finally, Ahri’s Ultimate: Spirit Rush. She dashes in a target direction, letting loose a few bolts of energy that deal damage to close enemy units. Ahri can recast this dash up to three times. What’s interesting is that Ahri can go through some walls with this – the effect could be translated to Smash by having a good amount of invincibility frames.
Why Ahri?
Since her release, Ahri has become one of League’s most popular champions. One indicator of this is her amount of skins – or alternate costumes - 10 (as of May 2019), which is really high for League standards. Only 8 Champions out of over a hundred have more skins than her and even then, it can be argued that some of these 8 aren’t featured as prominently anymore (such as Twisted Fate). Some of her skins include:
One of her most prominent, Star Guardian Ahri
A classic - Arcade Ahri (Fox vs Fox, anyone?)
And the skin that was in that 290M views and counting video - K/DA Ahri
A classic - Arcade Ahri (
And the skin that was in that 290M views and counting video - K/DA Ahri
Needless to say, any of these would make a good alternate costume.
Ahri has also seen some use in high level competitive play, which is also a factor, though that changes depending on what season of competitive League you’re talking about.
As far as Smash is concerned, she’s relatively easy to translate compared to some of her fellow Champions while simultaneously having the potential to bring things that haven’t been seen in Smash. Her kit is also simple enough to allow incorporation of some of the more “basic” League mechanics, such as Summoner Spells, without making Ahri too broken or too complex to play at a casual level.
How could Ahri (and League) be in Smash?
This was referred to once in the RTC thread. Here are the basics, some of it copied from there:
- League, as 2019, is 10 years old and, as of 2017, had about 100 million users worldwide. Its influence in the genre is massive, being rivaled only by Dota 2 and even then, it's widely considered "the more accessible one" between the two. League helped shape Esports into what it is today and is crazy popular in regions Nintendo is currently trying to penetrate, like China.
- Riot acknowledges the importance of Smash or, at least, some of its devs are fans. Back in 2015, information surfaced about a Brawl mod made and played internally by Rioters with League champions replacing the characters - supposedly, with all-new moves in some cases. The fact that people would do this on their free time at the company for a game that would only ever be played internally speaks volumes for how some people in there care about Smash. So it's no stretch to say that Riot, despite being kinda distant from the console market, understands the importance of Smash.
- Maybe not what most people want to hear, but Tencent is helping Nintendo with Switch negotiations in China and, as one particular user pointed out in the Newcomer Thread, it's possible that China can even become a major region for Nintendo depending on how well this goes. Also according to him, marketing the Fighters Pass along with the base game makes sense there, especially because of Terry... so who's to say another character that's popular there isn't a possibility? Sure, there's no guarantee, but the opportunity is there. And if it's there, well... why not a game that Tencent has their hand in?
- In recent times, Riot is looking to expand their brand with LoL spinoffs (including a fighting game made by FGC veterans) and new IPs, like an FPS in the style of Overwatch. Truth is, Rioters can be fans of several different genres, and it's definitely showing now. Smash, to Riot, could be a godsend to expand their influence outside of the PC crowd - most see that as a con, but I actually see it as a pro. Plus, I'm willing to bet that out of their 4-5 new projects, at least one or two might hit consoles and/or the Switch. Which brings me to my next point...
- This year, during league's 10th anniversary event, a mobile and console version of League of Legends, called Wild Rift, is set to release for consoles in 2020 and... whoa, what's that? Job listings that reference the Switch on Riot's website? My, whatever could that mean? Jokes aside, this means Wild Rift for the Switch is practically confirmed, meaning League might officially be in Nintendo consoles as soon as next year. So there's the Nintendo connection for those that are hung up on that.
This means the only obstacles left to go is... would Sakurai and Nintendo want a League character in Smash? And if they did, would they want Ahri? So I'd say the chances are pretty decent.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Her character mechanics are easier to adapt compared to other League characters
- Kit has a good balance in complexity (easy to learn, hard to master)
- Very popular
- Can incorporate other basic mechanics of LoL without disrupting her basic kit
- A LOT of alt costume potential
- Unique among Smash’s zoners
- Her company would probably be on board
- She’s making her Switch debut soon
- Going to debut in a fighting game by Riot soon
- Her company is western and thus depends on Nintendo/Sakurai reaching out to them
- Faces competition from other League candidates (such as Lux, Ryze and Jinx)
- It could be argued that MOBAs aren't that likely to be repped as a genre
Moveset Ideas
Unique Mechanic: Vastayan Grace: Whenever she hits twice with her Specials, Ahri will temporarily gain a 1.2x increase in movement speed.
Jab: Ahri will swipe with her claws twice before throwing a fireball into their face.
F-tilt: Ahri whips her nine tails forwards to smack the opponent.
U-tilt: Ahri creates a pillar of fire at her feet that shoots upwards in a plume.
D-tilt: Ahri swipes her tails out in front of her that hits 9 times in the process.
Dash attack: Ahri will pounce forwards like a cat before rolling along the ground, much like a more mystical version of Snake’s Dash attack.
Side Smash: Ahri will reel back like a fox, then pounce towards her opponent while swiping her claws. This hits twice and deals aura damage on hit.
Up Smash: Ahri will hold one of her clawed hands downwards before waving them above her, making a crescent of fire in the process.
Down Smash: Ahri will reel backward for a moment before blasting a wave of fire on the ground in front of her. This is a reference to one of her moves in the upcoming League of Legends fighting game.
N-air: Ahri summons fireballs that will revolve around her. These will hit multiple times if opponents are near them.
F-air: Ahri will create a ball of raw essence in her hands that will hit multiple times for the entire time it’s out.
D-air: Ahri will plummet downwards while coated in fox-fire that will meteor smash anyone she manages to hit.
B-air: Ahri will smash her tails together behind her, dealing some good damage and having some great knockback.
U-air: Ahri will perform a crescent kick above herself, the kick coated in fox-fire.
Grab: Ahri grabs the opponent by their scruff. She will then claw her opponent with her free hand for her pummel.
F-throw: Ahri infuses a fist with her fire and punches the opponent with it.
D-throw: Ahri pins her opponent onto the ground and sinks her teeth into their torso. This is a loose reference to her inspiration the Kumiho, who usually devour the heart or liver of their victims.
B-throw: Ahri twirls past the opponent, performing a pirouette kick that knocks the opponent away.
U-throw: Ahri performs a rising crescent claw attack that smashes into the opponent’s jaw.
Neutral B: Orb of Deception: Ahri will toss a single orb of essence out in front of her that will reach out for ½ FD. The initial toss does very little damage that doesn’t even flinch the opponent, but the orb can come back for extra damage. If Ahri has hit opponents 9 times with any of her specials, the next Orb of Deception she uses will heal her for that amount of damage.
Side B: Fox Fire: Ahri will summon three fireballs, lock on to opponents in front of her and fire them in a salvo. If an opponent is hit more than once by a single cast, Fox-Fire will deal increased damage per extra fireball that lands.
Up B: Spirit Rush: Ahri will dash up in the direction of the joystick, shooting a fireball at a nearby opponent at the end of each dash. While dashing, Ahri is completely invincible, and she can use this up to three times before getting KO’d.
Down B: Charm: Ahri will fire a single heart that floats forwards. If the heart manages to hit anybody, the opponent will be forced to harmlessly walk towards her over 3 seconds. While this happens, they will take 1.25x damage from all attacks. Additionally, Ahri’s Fox-Fire will prioritize all opponents affected by this move.
Final Smash: Nexus Destruction: Ahri will charge a Spirit Rush, then shoot forwards. If she smashes into any opponents, they will end up on the Red (Or Blue) side of the Summoner’s Rift. Ahri will show up with Jinx, Yasuo, Teemo, and Ashe, who will completely annihilate the buildings there with their Ultimates, including the opponent(s) atop the Nexus as it explodes. If any opponents are above 100%, they will be instantly KO’d.
In short, Ahri is a hit-and-run character who takes advantage of the unorthodox effects of her Specials. Her combo potential is through the roof, and though her projectiles don’t have much kill power, their effects can benefit her in the long run. However, being a Mage in League of Legends, her defense and kill potential are terrible at early percentages, and her lack of decent survivability makes it difficult for her to live until late percentages.
Jab: Ahri will swipe with her claws twice before throwing a fireball into their face.
F-tilt: Ahri whips her nine tails forwards to smack the opponent.
U-tilt: Ahri creates a pillar of fire at her feet that shoots upwards in a plume.
D-tilt: Ahri swipes her tails out in front of her that hits 9 times in the process.
Dash attack: Ahri will pounce forwards like a cat before rolling along the ground, much like a more mystical version of Snake’s Dash attack.
Side Smash: Ahri will reel back like a fox, then pounce towards her opponent while swiping her claws. This hits twice and deals aura damage on hit.
Up Smash: Ahri will hold one of her clawed hands downwards before waving them above her, making a crescent of fire in the process.
Down Smash: Ahri will reel backward for a moment before blasting a wave of fire on the ground in front of her. This is a reference to one of her moves in the upcoming League of Legends fighting game.
N-air: Ahri summons fireballs that will revolve around her. These will hit multiple times if opponents are near them.
F-air: Ahri will create a ball of raw essence in her hands that will hit multiple times for the entire time it’s out.
D-air: Ahri will plummet downwards while coated in fox-fire that will meteor smash anyone she manages to hit.
B-air: Ahri will smash her tails together behind her, dealing some good damage and having some great knockback.
U-air: Ahri will perform a crescent kick above herself, the kick coated in fox-fire.
Grab: Ahri grabs the opponent by their scruff. She will then claw her opponent with her free hand for her pummel.
F-throw: Ahri infuses a fist with her fire and punches the opponent with it.
D-throw: Ahri pins her opponent onto the ground and sinks her teeth into their torso. This is a loose reference to her inspiration the Kumiho, who usually devour the heart or liver of their victims.
B-throw: Ahri twirls past the opponent, performing a pirouette kick that knocks the opponent away.
U-throw: Ahri performs a rising crescent claw attack that smashes into the opponent’s jaw.
Neutral B: Orb of Deception: Ahri will toss a single orb of essence out in front of her that will reach out for ½ FD. The initial toss does very little damage that doesn’t even flinch the opponent, but the orb can come back for extra damage. If Ahri has hit opponents 9 times with any of her specials, the next Orb of Deception she uses will heal her for that amount of damage.
Side B: Fox Fire: Ahri will summon three fireballs, lock on to opponents in front of her and fire them in a salvo. If an opponent is hit more than once by a single cast, Fox-Fire will deal increased damage per extra fireball that lands.
Up B: Spirit Rush: Ahri will dash up in the direction of the joystick, shooting a fireball at a nearby opponent at the end of each dash. While dashing, Ahri is completely invincible, and she can use this up to three times before getting KO’d.
Down B: Charm: Ahri will fire a single heart that floats forwards. If the heart manages to hit anybody, the opponent will be forced to harmlessly walk towards her over 3 seconds. While this happens, they will take 1.25x damage from all attacks. Additionally, Ahri’s Fox-Fire will prioritize all opponents affected by this move.
Final Smash: Nexus Destruction: Ahri will charge a Spirit Rush, then shoot forwards. If she smashes into any opponents, they will end up on the Red (Or Blue) side of the Summoner’s Rift. Ahri will show up with Jinx, Yasuo, Teemo, and Ashe, who will completely annihilate the buildings there with their Ultimates, including the opponent(s) atop the Nexus as it explodes. If any opponents are above 100%, they will be instantly KO’d.
In short, Ahri is a hit-and-run character who takes advantage of the unorthodox effects of her Specials. Her combo potential is through the roof, and though her projectiles don’t have much kill power, their effects can benefit her in the long run. However, being a Mage in League of Legends, her defense and kill potential are terrible at early percentages, and her lack of decent survivability makes it difficult for her to live until late percentages.
Music, Stage and Spirit Board Ideas
COMING SOON
Summoners (Support List)
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3BitSaurus
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SKX31
(thanks for helping me with the chinese data) -
KatKit
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P.Kat
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Morning Raven
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GolisoPower
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Wunderwaft
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MajestyIndigo
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GothicSlenderman
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scarlet solsitce
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Coconattsu
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Awkwah
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Ryuvain
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Rie Sonomura
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Commander_Alph
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PK-remling Fire
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zferolie
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FemMain26
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toonito
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Inferno7
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Janx_uwu
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