Building a Better Soraka || re-making a League of Legends champion

The problem with mom-raka: Riot only like women if they are shaped like a doll you can buy at an adult store. I can't imagine them making a bigger female model. Even if she's meant to be older

I like the second one

I really liked the Ashe and Janna reworks, but not so much this one. Making her thick doesn't really help tell her story all that well, and I'd almost argue making mother coded characters consistently "bigger" is a little offensive.

I think it's very strange how her story was changed & so her design had to be changed, & then changed her story again & now her design has to be changed... why can't her story be designed to fit her character model?

The problem of soraka reverting to younger form and it paining her could be communicated by animation! She could stumble and act like she's in pain after managing it. I would love that.

I really adore ur Soraka picture !

But isnt the wrong leg in shadows ?

I love mommy raka and their artist

I prefer slayyy soraka over mother soraka

All of the "building a better" series ultimately has to discuss why the changes proposed aren't realistic for the game, partially because of skins, to which my conclusion has become: why not have a skin line that does radical changes like imagining characters through the lens of age, mortality, flawed bodies, etc and their character/response to that can be explored? It probably wouldn't yield the same exact designs Skyen shows in mamy cases, but it could be an opportunity to explore what the designers think the characters could have been as the lore changed without disrupting the canon and current fans

I really like the way you're explaining all of this, really like how you prove each of your point, put your point as just an idea.
And I still stuck on something... It's not a criticism or a complain ... it's just that riot change the model when they make a Visual update right ? So if they change any character base design, did they have to change as well all skins ? Only some of them ? keeping them because they "correct bad traits" you list ?
I really want to know how to make good character fitting to their lore and because skin is adding other plans of lore, should Skin must have differents model base ? or changing just their form to fit them into the universe of the skin ?

I really like your way to do thing, trying to show how you think it could be better this way, or this one, and maybe this one. And I want to see your advice even further.
Thanks you for all your work on runetera and its universe and thanks you for reading.

While I think that old lady soraka would be the best for her archetype, I think that with her current skin lines she would fit better as a mommy soraka

I really really hope they will never make her look maternal.. ew

funny that you bring up leesin. because now hes getting one finally XD

A few things about the designs I dont think really suit soraka as a soraka main: Soraka is not a shapeshifter (or at least having her be a shape shifter would distract from her main focus), so having her change form for where she goes wouldnt make a lot of sense, she has this one body that is hurting and she cant change it like most mortals, which i think is something she would also appriciate.
Plus i feel like soraka would be extra loving to those who do not discriminate against her vastayan appearance.

I dont think soraka would wear a fur, she would heal a wolf, so i doubt she would wear a fur(kill an animal to make a coat) (there probably isnt fake furs in runeterra).

I actually do not agree with any of these forms, I agree with your concept of how she should be but the design of these forms are not hitting for me, good art but ugly as well in my opinion, I believe she should look more like her divine soraka skin, add the cracks a bit, make her purple and make her face motherly, touch up the body a little bit but u don't have to be slightly big boned to be motherly, her body is fine but I do believe a more long dress or ancient mystic gown with a cape would work well for her, have her move with grace and care as her clothes flow, keep the hair as it is and the horn...thts what I think just a design similar to her divine soraka skin

I think that in game Soraka could age according with how much life she have, and rejuvenete when she heal herself, with that, the 15 years old hormonals kids will be happy with their "sexy" younger soraka and the rest of the players could enjoy a much better desing character.

Honestly I think the mom one with stretch marks down her side has to be my favorite, it gives the vibe of a woman who’s been around for a while and will nurture you will the love and car you deserve. It’s the most welcoming to look at and all around an amazing interpretation. Plus the crystals and herbs really do give it a celestial vibe aswell.

Soraka the Grey is really good but the others.. not so much

I'm a big fan of your work (and values) in general, but this one just doesn't hit home.
I don't know, I feel like care has been linked to a form of chubbiness for so long that we have trouble distancing our perspective from it. For me it's not the way to go, it's not """"enough"""" to bring her more caring side to life.
Her two themes, sacrifice and serenity are two quite original ones, that you don't see often.

I think I'd revisit her garb, like a form of mongol aesthetic that brings to life the "shepherd" aspect of her design. I'd couple that with a few more scars that could light up when she uses her spells, and something more of a good friend than a mom? Idk

Skyen can call himself a asexual all he wants, but yet again he reveals that he is down bad for chubby milfs.

I love the concept of soraka having control over her looks, and I can immediately imagine a legendary skin that changes her appearance based on the characters in game ethnicities, is the game full of shurima, drink from egypt designs, is it full of noxians, give her a rugged cool grandma appearance, full of Ionians, give a more spirit like radiant appearance.

Your illustration skills are still pretty amazing dude!

❤❤

I do love the idea of visually expressing how her physical body can’t really contain all of her celestial power, and how it hurts her to use it. ESPECIALLY giving her stretch marks that glow. That is such a cool detail. Like holy hell that’s awesome.

not me bawling and falling in love with soraka not only as a person but like... a league character i could cosplay

A mix between Mommy-raka and Soraka the Grey would make me actually play league for real, haha

I love these “Building a better…” videos and I can’t wait for the next one! Although I’d love a better Kai’sa or Shyvanna, perhaps it would be better for a different type of character other than “conventionally attractive woman with more potential than it would seem”
Maybe someone like Tryndmere to match the Ashe design or one of the yordles like Veigar or Amumu

“Who’s putting on a physical body like a fursuit” come again?

OHHH I didn't know you commissioned Tart for that Soraka piece. I really love that one, Tart's always been good at drawing mom bods.

They will never rework soraka like that because the "star guardian skin" is only for anime-girls, not for mothers. :(

The husky mom idea seems counter intuitive.

If anything I would say she should be emaciated, withering away as she quite literally drains herself of her vitality. Amp up the goat and paganism a bit to add to the celestial aspect.

As far as the kindness/generosity aspect just reduce sharpness where you can and accent it around the more "powerful" aspects like her horn and hooves. I like the addition of pouches and bandolliers of various salves or herbs and bandages both for her and others.

The outfit already evokes styles of Buddhist humble orange/yellow robes. Call backs to a detached benevolence, calm confidence, etc. so it works for me.

Speaks the Grey reminds me of Ghent Kai from Yu Yu Hakusho. Riot needs to steal this idea yesterday.

I think the de-aging of the “Soraka the Grey” might step too far into the design space of shapeshifters like Neeko. I really like the de-aged design though. Outside of that I think the most marketable (and my personal fav) of the three is Mommy Soraka. I love the stretch mark representation, and how everything in her design screams “wandering helper.”

I love Soraka the grey/white 🥺🤍

Soraka the Grey gives me some Nanny Ogg vibes

(:D

As a character design student I LOVE this style of video, not just because it goes into details about how more generic beautiful skins can be altered to tell a better story, but because by isolating these “keywords” into its own design I can better learn how each trait can send the design in a different direction

I'd love to see you do a video redesigning the Ruined versions of characters. I personally love Viego and his story and skins or characters tied to him. I feel like you would give them better designs than they had. Not to mention I would like to know who you'd replace Ruined Pantheon with since it doesn't make sense Viego could overpower the will of a man who out willed a god

While, soraka definitely need a visual update to represent her lore better, and your idea of Mom-Mommy-Grey/White is good

Personally I would keep the “sexy fan service” to skins, like you can definitely make Mommy-Raka sexy or do a “Young Soraka” skin and make her sexy, like full “yes ma’am” sexy with some good curves, big boobs and a slightly skimpy outfit which would be easier to travel in as a young woman.

I like “Mommy-Soraka” not because she’s sexy (that too. I also have a mommy kink and that will never go away, Chung-Li ruined any chance of that) but because as you stated, she embodies what it’s like to be human, especially female human, I don’t see a reason why Soraka, being a healer and a nurturer, wouldn’t take care of orphans, and with the idea of her being an actual “mother” or a caretaker, the visual short hand for that would be giving her a mother body, she cares for humans as her “children”

okay, amumu just wanted friends, that's clearly why he snuck into the leauge box.

Idea 3 i ABSOLUTELY love it is so good

I really love your voice i can listen to it 1 year

momraka made me tear up shes so sweet and cute and i love her so much

I honestly like the older desgin a bit better, I always adore monstrous characters. It looks goofy as shit too don't get me wrong but the I would be curious to see her first model updated onet ad of just full rework

The thickening of female champs continues.

Cassiopeia 🐍🙏🏻

i'm sorry sky i love your content but this really made me think of that meme
western artist: here i fixed it for you

my main is soraka. Your design is a 1000000 times better. I love the traveler and the gandalf one !

Skyen you are amazing! i love your redesigns, i really love your body positivity creativity and overall takes.
Is the first design inspired by elden ring maybe uncounsiosly? it reminds me of Marika
Also do you have some tips in redesigning characters?