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League of Legends' first new champion for 2022, Zeri, the Spark of Zaun, made her way onto the rift on 20th January with the release of Patch 12.2. The new champion Zeri comes with an electricity-themed kit including a shield that buffs her move speed. She can also zap her enemies with electric pulses, and dash and vault over the many terrains of the rift.
Right from the time Zeri was revealed, it became evident that she would have a high-impact playstyle within the game. Fueled by electricity, Zeri’s kit allows her to deal damage to her foes from afar.
The Zaunite attack-damage carry (ADC), who was available for play on the public beta environment (PBE) until now, can now be accessed on the live servers by unlocking her for 7800 Blue Essence (BE) or 975 RP.
Who is Zeri in League of Legends
Riot Games introduces Zeri to the community as a “headstrong, spirited young woman” who hails from the polluted undercity of Zaun.
Editorial Writer Erika “Cashmiir” Haas wrote in the champion insights, “What if we told you Zaun isn’t just a city overwhelmed by caustic pollution, rampant inequality, and volatile technologies? That there’s more beneath the layer of toxic haze. That it’s a place where magic doesn’t just exist, it thrives; a place that values community above all else; a place that embraces the flaws of the people who call it home.”
This pretty much sums up Zeri’s place in League of Legends. She is a compassionate Zaunite who always stands up for her community and channels her electric magic to take on her enemies.
Zeri is a champion that oozes magic from within herself like a human battery and is very strong. But Riot makes it clear that she has not yet mastered her powers to the fullest due to her young age. The champion reveal trailer also shows how Zeri jumps straight into battle and for a brief time gap, she struggles to use her powers against the chembarons.
“Zeri’s still coming into her powers. She’s pretty different from a lot of the champions in Piltover and Zaun who are older and more reassured in their strength, like Vi, Viktor, or Jayce,” told Narrative Writer Michael “SkiptoMyLuo” Luo to Cashmiir.
The presence of the Zaun community is quite strong with Zeri. As she fights for them, they fight alongside her, helping her understand her true potential.
And she was no longer alone. With the help of their neighbors, Zeri’s mother had fashioned her a rifle made of materials given by those Zeri fought for: The people of the Entresol. The gun’s ammo was Zeri’s emotions, its conductive barrel amplifying her powers directly from her hands. Paired with her jacket, she could better control her voltage, charging up to shoot precise—or, at least, somewhat precise—electric bursts. Zeri gazed warmly at her family and her neighbors. She thought she’d lose them all in her efforts to fight back, but because she stood up for them, they stood up with her.”Riot Games
Zeri’s persona and her unique gun
According to the champion insights post, Concept art lead Gem “Lonewingy” Lim recalls the inception of Zeri, “We had so many ideas! Origami paper magic, graffiti, fog and soot, light magic, liquid metal and mercury, human printer, baseball girl, VR gamer girl... And then someone suggested a bioluminescent, electric eel girl, which we all thought was really cool.”
Also, through this Zaunite, for the first time in League of Legends, the game devs have come up with a concept of an assault rifle. To bring a tactical shooter kind of authenticity to the rift, Zeri’s kit is built around her auto attacks, which are skill shots.
Zeri also brings the “Bayanihan Spirit” to Zaun. With voice actor Vanille Velasquez giving life to her, she embodies the Filipino culture and gives players something to strongly relate to. Zeri’s lore shows her asking a shopkeeper to buy the infamous “banana cues” of the Philippines.
Lonewingy told Cashmiir, “There’s this word in Tagalog called ‘kababayan’ and it’s used to describe a fellow Filipino—someone from your village, your neighbor, or just anyone. We’re a very family- and village-oriented culture, and we believe in helping everyone out. I wanted Zeri to have that core part of Filipino culture ingrained in her because I view Zaun as a place that would have that neighborhood culture.”
Players can now play Zeri in the bot-lane, zap enemies, and give them a hard time by running around the map. Also, her first skin Withered Rose Zeri has been released in Patch 12.2.
