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Our 'Project L' Dream Roster

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Riot Games

A year ago, the FGC got their first look at the League of Legends-inspired fighting game Project L

The brief teaser put on display was enticing - it showed off a traditional 2D fighter that retrofitted a few of LoL’s most recognizable Champions into dueling warriors. Cut to 2021 - a more in-depth trailer came out of nowhere and elicited plenty of excitement after hearing everything the game’s passionate developers had to say about it. Now we know Project L is a team-based fighter that will feature assists and give its roster of Champions character archetypes in order to set them apart. The game’s art style looks stunning, the combat mechanics on display have us chomping at the bit to try them for ourselves, and the mere mention of Rollback Netcode has us extremely pleased.

Since fighting games live and die by their roster, Project L has done a great job so far by featuring some fan-favorite Champions. Here are the ones we’ve spotted from the game’s main two pieces of gameplay footage:

- Ahri

- Darius

- Katarina

- Ekko

- Jinx

That selection of playable characters is a strong start to a fighting game that we just know is going to be jam-packed with even more battle-ready Champions. After surveying the entire LoL roster, we came away with a list of additional Champions that we’re dying to see make it onto the Project L playable roster.

1. Aatrox

aatrox
Riot Games

"The Darkin Blade" himself is a highly formidable warrior that looks badass, which makes him tailor-made for a playable member of a fighting game roster. Aatrox and his massive greatsword are powerful all on their own. But imagine if this game gives him an install super that lets him tap into his extra powerful demonic form? Now that we've mentioned that idea, we're going to need it to come to fruition in Project L.

2. Akali

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Riot Games

Just look at her! How can Akali not be a part of Project L? The woman is an efficient assassin that's highly adept at using a mixture of kunai, smoke bombs, shuriken, and her trusty kama. It makes all the sense in the world for her to pop up in this fighting game and put all of her weaponry and slick skills to even better use.

3. Azir

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Riot Games

LoL's "Emperor of the Sands" is a mystical being who's labeled as an all-powerful Mage. His moveset would make for a very interesting playstyle that sets him up as the type of fighting game character that's on par with Killer Instinct's Gargos. Azir's usage of summoning Sand Soldiers to do his bidding sounds like it could translate well within the confines of a fighting game.

4. Brand

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Riot Games

Brand...well, brandishes the power of flames and uses them to toast anyone and everyone that dares to stand in his way. With such an easy to comprehend suite of abilities attached to him, Brand has all the workings of a fighting game character in the making. He could make for a great melee powerhouse that's also nasty when it comes to keeping his opponents at bay with an onslaught of ranged fire spells.

5. Diana

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Riot Games

Diana's Crescent Moonblade is one of the coolest-looking weapons in LoL. That signature blade of hers shouldn't just be relegated to a MOBA - it should also be put to good use in a fighting game. Diana can be presented as a weapon-wielding threat that's quick on her feet, able to damage her opponents with floating orbs surrounding her, and also capable of slowing down her foes thanks to her signature "Moonfall" ability.

6. Draven

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Riot Games

Draven and his spinning axes could do so major damage in a fighting game, right? Obviously! Putting him in Project L would be pretty hype since he'd be a cool mix between a vicious rushdown character and a ranged beast due to the fact that he can fling his axes across the screen. Draven deserves to receive all the Adoration in the world by making it into this much-anticipated fighter.

7. Ezreal

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Riot Games

Ezreal is the prettiest of pretty boys and quite the fan-favorite among LoL's massive player base. Riot Games clearly knows this, which is his inclusion in Project L is a forgone conclusion. As far as his suite of abilities goes, Ezreal is a graceful archer that picks off his adversaries from afar with the trusty Shuriman gauntlet. Ezreal is the perfect character for the keep-away archetype in this fighting game.

8. Fiora

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Riot Games

If any of you there have played Samurai Shodown, then you already notice the comparisons between Lady Fiora and Sam Sho's Charlotte - they're both rapier wielders and the sort of classy women that strike when the moment is right. Fiora's dueling antics are a perfect fit for Project L - her skillset would look even more incredible via the game's fluid battle animations.

9. Garen

garen league of legends
Riot Games

Garen swings that broadsword of his like no other! Every fighting game has to feature a powerhouse or two, of course. So Garen is more than fitting when it comes to filling that archetype within Project L alongside Darian. Garen's sweeping sword slashes would be extremely lethal and incredibly fun to put into action in this game.

10. Graves

Graves 00 Base Cigar
Riot Games

He's a mercenary, gambler, and thief. And best of all, he's pretty dammed adept at using a double-barrelled shotgun. Graves could definitely control like most fighting game characters that rely on firearms by being forced to reload when he runs out of ammo after repeatedly blasting the opposition. Plus he could switch between different ammo types to really trip up his foes (that "Smoke Screen" move of his would make for a great assist, don't you think?).

11. Gwen

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Riot Games

Has there ever been a fighting game character that brings the pain with an oversized pair of scissors? We don't think so. So we think it'd be worth a shot for Project L to make history by doing just that by giving Gwen a roster spot. This doll-turned-human has a whole lot of range with her magical scissors, plus she can send out needle projectiles and mask herself in a puff of mist.

12. Illaoi

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Riot Games

We need more massive Amazonian-like women in our fighting games, wouldn't you all say? Illaoi fits that description perfectly, which is why she's worthy of hopping into this game. With her golden idol in hand, she has the ability to rip her opponent's soul from their body, smash it into the ground, and plant Tentacles across the battlefield to assist her.

13. Irelia

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Riot Games

LoL's signature "Blade Dancer" would definitely be a menace if she were to be added to Project L. Her main mechanic sees her sending out her vicious blades to do some big damage. Besides that useful tool from her arsenal, Irelia can also move at an extremely fast pace and use her "Flawless Duet" special to stun her opponent by trapping them in between two converging blades.

14. Kayn

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Riot Games

We love Gordeau from Under Night-In Birth because he looks cool as hell and wields a ginormous scythe. So you can already take an educated guess as to why we hope Kayn pops up in Project L. Besides his obvious attributes, Kayn's inner struggle with keeping control over the Rhaast weapon he wields determines if he becomes his Darkin or Shadow Assassin self. That mechanic could play out well in a fighting game by allowing Kayn to use an Install super to become either version of himself.

15. Lee Sin

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Riot Games

Blind Kenshi from Mortal Kombat is cool as hell and so is LoL's blind monk, Lee Sin. Just take one look at this guy - you know deep down in your heart that he's destined to make waves in Project L. Lee is a melee powerhouse as expected, plus his "Sonic Wave/Resonating Strike" ability plays a huge part in getting him as close to his foes as possible in a flash. Lee is the epitome of a rushdown nightmare.

16. Leona

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Riot Games

Leona's suite of abilities primarily revolves around her usage of the fire of the sun. With that power within her grasp, she's capable of cooking her opposers with her "Solar Flare" super in tow. Now when it comes to her melee moveset, Leona would fit right into Project L thanks to her Zenith Blade and Shield of Daybreak. Leona's got everything it takes to transition over to the fighting game realm without much issue.

17. Lucian

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Riot Games

Do you know what really grinds our gears? The fact that Marvel Comics' Blade has never made it into a Capcom-developed Marvel vs. Capcom game. After taking a quick glance at Lucian and his twin relic pistols in action, we feel like he's the closest we'll ever get to that far-off dream ever coming true. Lucian is a menace with those pistols in hand and we'd love to blast everyone in the face with him as a dope keep-away fighting game character.

18. Lux

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Riot Games

Say hello to Luxanna Crownguard, a mighty magic wielder hailing from the realm of Demacia. She defends herself by tapping into the power of light to cast some devastating spells, which sounds like the perfect recipe for a ranged fighting game archetype. Her "Illumination" ability can act as her main special move, while her 'Final Spark" would be the perfect maneuver to utilize as her super move.

19. Miss Fortune

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Riot Games

Do you know what fighting games need a lot more of? PIRATES! Especially lady ones. Miss Fortune fits the bill and seems like one of those LoL characters that already has a spot reserved for her in Project L. With her trusty hand cannons at her disposal, Miss Fortune picks off the competition with cannonball strikes from every direction - that "Bullet Time" ability of hers would look even more lethal on a 2D fighting game plane.

20. Nunu & Willump

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Riot Games

When we look at Nunu and his yeti buddy Willump, we can't help but compare the big fluffy guy to Darkstalkers' Sasquatch. And that's exactly the main reason why we think Willump provides quite the unorthodox character for Project L. While Nunu rides atop him, Willump could act like a rampaging tank that KO's his foes via sweeping strikes, vicious bites, and snowball projectiles.

21. Qiyana

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Riot Games

Take one good look at this woman - if you're a fighting game aficionado, then you probably have a clue as to which character we're about to compare her to. That's right, she gives us heavy Tira from Soulcalibur vibes. Now with all that being said, we'd definitely be open to seeing Qiyana make her way into Project L. Her bladed hula hoop makes her stand apart visually and mechanically when it comes to the sorts of abilities she can overwhelm her opponents with.

22. Riven

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Riot Games

JUST LOOK AT THAT SWORD! How could Riven and that massive blade of hers not make it into Project L? This one's purely a given. By using her abilities, Riven can charge up her sword and dish out even more devastating damage. With that mechanic in mind, it could play well within the fighting game arena. Riven also has the ability to emit a Ki Burst that can stun her foes, which sounds like another maneuver that sounds perfect for her fighting game debut.

23. Samira

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Riot Games

Samira is pretty much the lady version of Dante from Devil May Cry - she heads into battle with her sword & pistols in hand, she's extra swaggy with her taste in fashion, and she even has a combo ranking system! Plus she even uses the Stinger move Dante is so famous for! Samira has to get a roster spot in this game so we can see her pull off her "Inferno Trigger" and "Blade Whirl" on a 2D plane.

24. Sivir

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Riot Games

Sivir and her unique crossblade have always stood out to us as one of the coolest character/weapon combination designs in LoL. The one cool trait about her moveset is the fact that she can gain a short burst of speed every time she lands an attack, which is something that could determine how she plays in Project L. Throwing that crossblade across the battlefield in a fighting game sounds like it'd look awesome, don't you guys & gals think?

25. Sylas

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Riot Games

Sylas has so many great things going for him - he looks cool, wields some badass magical chains, and has a super sick special that can steal someone's ultimate ability so he can use it as his own. His chains also allow him to bring himself right up to his opponent in a flash, dash in/out of danger, and smash them into the ground with reckless abandon. Everything about Sylvas sounds and looks like it would be amazing within Project L.

26. Talon

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Riot Games

There's really only one reason why we're dying to see Talon make it into Project L - THE MAN HAS A STRIDER ALTERNATE SKIN! Nah, we have more reasons as to why this slick ninja needs to pop up in a fighting game. His wrist blade is lethal, his daggers are equally ruthless, and his "Shadow Assault" ultimate is one of our favorites.

27. Thresh

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Riot Games

Thresh is the ultimate seeker of souls that torments the opposition with his bladed hook and soul-sucking lantern. As a fighting game character, Thresh could definitely utilize a unique gimmick where he gets a limited-time boost in strength every time he personally bodies one of his opponents. And when you look at the man's "Death Sentence" ability, it's practically Scorpion's "GET OVER HERE!" move from Mortal Kombat!

28. Vayne

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Riot Games

Vayne and her whole Van Helsing demeanor are infinitely cool! And that's why she deserves a first-class ticket to Project L. Vayne's wrist-mounted crossbow is definitely lethal from a distance, which can be outfitted with lethal "Silver Bolts" to do even more damage. Plus her excellent mobility and heavy crossbow add-on could be extremely valuable in a fighting game setting.

29. Vi

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Riot Games

LOOK AT THOSE BIG ASS GAUNTLETS, BRUH! Vi looks like she'd be Project L's version of Guilty Gear's Potemkin, which means she'd be a powerhouse that does big damage with little to no effort. Her "Vault Breaker" ability lets her charge her gauntlets to become even more potent and her "Cease and Desist" is the perfect rush-in grab that makes sense as a super.

30. Wukong

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Riot Games

And here we have the iconic monkey king himself. If we had it our way, Wukong would pretty much play like a new and improved version of SonSon from Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Wukong's mastery of his trusty staff, ability to go invisible & fight side by side with a clone, and go crazy with his "Cyclone" ability all sound like they'd be super clutch in Project L.

31. Xin Zhao

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Riot Games

Xin Zhao looks like he walked straight out of a Dynasty Warriors game, doesn't he? Riot Games should have no problem replicating his playstyle in Project L if you ask us. His legendary spear can definitely be a problem in this game thanks to helpful abilities such as "Three Talon Strike," "Wind Becomes Lightning," and "Audacious Charge."

32. Yasuo

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Riot Games

Project L is going to need a samurai among its roster, correct? Then look no further than Yasuo, the Unforgiven. With his sword close by his side, he can slash through everyone with an assortment of swift abilities. Putting him in this fighting game means he'd be slashing and dashing all over the screen, plus his defense would be just as strong via his "Wind Wall" ability. We're dying to see what "Last Breath" would look like as Yasuo's super in this game!

33. Yone

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Riot Games

The half-brother of Yasuo wouldn't just be the perfect partner to assist him in battle, but he'd also be the perfect yang to his yin in battle. Yone's swordmaster skills are just as impressive as his sibling's, so of course, we'd love to see him run up in Project L. His "Soul Unbound" ability would make for a super dope maneuver that could send his out soul ahead of him to gain the offensive advantage.

34. Zyra

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Riot Games

Zyra is clearly on her Poison Ivy flow at all times! For our last pick on this Project L dream roster of ours, we need this lethal lady to step into the arena. Her thorny whips are good enough to be her primary attacks, plus she can set up plants around her that further assist her with attacks of their own. Her "Grasping Roots" ability would also make for a great trap move that keeps her enemy in place for even more punishment.

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