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League of Legends’ latest champion, Neeko is now live in the game. She was announced a few weeks ago and gained popularity as the game's first LGBT champion.
Now having been released as part of patch 8.24, she is ready to jump into the Summoner's Rift and harass her opponents with her antics.
Heading from a long lost tribe of Vastaya, she is a master shapeshifter and can change her appearance to match any other champion on her team. This offers a great way to confuse the opponents in team fights, although using any other abilities will revert her back to the original form.
Her announcement generated mixed response from the LoL community and now, time will tell how the playerbase actually responds. While many players were hyped to try her out, others saw her as the second coming of Zoe, another champion known for her harassing abilities such as putting opponent champions to sleep for a short time-period.
What are her strengths?
Though seen as a mid-lane mage, Neeko's abilities make her an extremely good support option too. Her third ability (E) is Tangle-Barbs and can root an opponent champion. Her ultimate - Pop Blossom - allows her to leap into the air, slowing nearby enemies. In addition, this ability stuns the enemies when she lands.
This leaves the opponent team helpless on the face of teamfights. As a result, she can prove to be an amazing support in those battles once she levels up, a bit like Pyke.
She can be good as a roaming jungler too, as her Q, Blooming Burst, deals magic damage to enemy champions and monsters. If it succeeds in killing the champion or a large monster, it deals damage again. Her W, Shapesplitter, allows her to become invisible and project a clone, gaining movement speed. This allows her to both escape any aggressive opponent jungler or setup a potential gank.
Now only time will tell how players choose to utilise her, whether that is as a mage or get creative and use her for other roles. [Neeko currently costs 7800 Essence or 975 RP.]
