Hwei in League of Legends: Release date, abilities, and more

League of Legends enthusiasts can rejoice, as Hwei is the upcoming champion to grace the game interface. Riot Games has already disclosed that this mid-lane mage is not for the faint-hearted. His arsenal of abilities is enigmatic, to say the least, and players will have to invest countless hours to attain mastery over this champion.

The notable fact is that Hwei has a staggering nine spells and a single ultimate at his disposal. The playing style and abilities of Hwei will be explored in this piece, along with his release date in League of Legends.

When can you play Hwei in League of Legends?

Expand Tweet

Hwei, a mid-lane mage, is set to bring some thrills to Summoner's Rift as Riot Games wraps up 2023. The League of Legends community can gear up to test their mettle against Hwei, who will join the LoL PBE server on Monday, November 20, 2023.

Patch cycle completion will permit enthusiasts of the game to get acclimated to Hwei's strengths and weaknesses, his skill patterns, and his gameplay mechanics with other champions.

One possibility for Hwei's release date in the live server is during League of Legends Patch 13.24, but an official date hasn't been announced yet. As of now, the game is in Patch 13.22, and Hwei could potentially be added to League of Legends live gameplay towards the conclusion of December 2023.

Hwei's abilities and playstyle explained

Hwei's abilities in League of Legends (Image via Riot Games)

Passive - Signature of the Visionary

Hwei marks enemy champions with his damaging abilities, leaving a temporary imprint. By connecting with another of his attacks, marked enemies will have a burst of energy ripple beneath them, which will explode after a brief moment and decrease the health of all nearby foes through magic damage.

QR/WR/ER - Wash Brush

Without any need for mana or cooldowns, Hwei proceeds to clean his paintbrush and returns to his base abilities.

Out of a total of 10 spells, Hwei's Q, W, and E each possess three unique abilities. His ultimate move, also being a spell, is contained within the R ability. The combinations for damage are mainly found in the Q, while the ones for utility are in the W. Additionally, control mechanics are the main aspects of the E ability.

Q - Subject: Disaster

1) QQ: Devastating Fire

QQ: Devastating Fire (Image via Riot Games)

Blazing fireball art by Hwei soars in the direction of its target and explodes upon the initial clash with an opponent or when it achieves maximum range. It deals magic damage and damage based on the maximum health of enemies in a specified area.

2) QW: Severing Bolt

QW: Severing Bolt (Image via Riot Games)

A bolt emanates from Hwei and travels a great distance before reaching the intended location. The bolt inflicts incredible damage proportional to the target's missing health after a brief pause. Isolated or immobilized foes will suffer more.

3) QE: Molten Fissure

QE: Molten Fissure (Image via Riot Games)

Hwei's QE unleashes a canvas of volcanic devastation, leaving behind a trail of molten magma. Each eruption delivers a potent dose of magical harm to any foe within range. Those unfortunate enough to find themselves in the bubbling lava suffer constant magical damage and are weighed down by a sluggish pace.

W - Subject: Serenity

1) WQ: Fleeting Current

WQ: Fleeting Current (Image via Riot Games)

For a brief moment, Hwei draws a line representing the flow of rapid currents and brings about an increase in speed for himself along with nearby allies in League of Legends.

2) WW: Pool of Reflection

WW: Pool of Reflection (Image via Riot Games)

Hwei creates a safeguarding pool at the target location that remains for a brief period. If they're within the confines of this area, allied champions are granted an instant shield that progressively strengthens over a few seconds.

3) WE: Stirring Lights

WE: Stirring Lights (Image via Riot Games)

Three dizzying lights circle around Hwei. Subsequently, when he strikes with his next three attacks or spells, they deal extra magic damage that will restore a bit of his mana with every hit.

E - Subject: Torment

1) EQ: Grim Visage

For a short time, Hwei causes the first enemy hit with a frightening visage to run away and take magical damage.

2) EW: Gaze of the Abyss

EW: Gaze of the Abyss (Image via Riot Games)

Hwei paints a glaring eye at the target location that allows him to fixate on the nearby visible champion. Following a brief pause, the eye aims and immobilizes the first foe it intersects with, along with inflicting magical damage.

3) EE: Crushing Maw

Enemies are hit by Hwei's painted jaws that crush and deal magic damage, as they are drawn inward and slowed by a specific amount that eventually fades away.

R - Spiraling Despair

An enemy champion is stuck with a vision of Despair for a few seconds. The vision, expanding and overpowering all the enemies it touches, causes magic damage per second.

The vision will break and inflict magic damage after Despair stacks up, and the percentage slows gradually over time on enemies within the zone.

Story behind Hwei, League of Legends' upcoming champion

Hwei: The Visionary in League of Legends (Image via Riot Games)

The land of Ionia, where Hwei hails from, fell into chaos when Noxus invaded. Once harmonious, the tribes and races now find themselves divided into two opposing factions. One group advocates for a return to traditional ways, while the other seeks to empower Ionia for a counterattack.

Hwei, amid debates between monks and warriors about politics, found a unique way to lend a hand. He used his artistic talent to create stunning pieces that not only combated the Nexus but also brought comfort to their casualties.

Hwei's tumultuous past often haunts him, with vivid visions of his island temple's destruction plaguing his imagination. To find solace, he shares these visions with those around him and embarks on a journey through Runeterra, equipped only with a paintbrush and palette.

Perhaps Hwei seeks closure, or maybe he's simply embracing the despair. Either way, League of Legends' upcoming champion's quest is heavily influenced by Jhin, the artist who both devastated and unlocked his creative mind.