Illaoi’s Tentacle Triumph: A Deep Dive with 2XKO’s Champion Designer
At Gaming News, we’re always on the pulse of the fighting game community, dissecting the mechanics and the minds behind our favorite digital combatants. With the closed beta for 2XKO set to launch on PC on September 9th, anticipation is sky-high, and one of the most intriguing characters joining the fray is Illaoi, the Kraken Priestess. Known for her unique, crowd-controlling playstyle in League of Legends, the transition of Illaoi into a high-octane fighting game presented a fascinating design challenge. We had the opportunity to sit down with Caroline “Shyvana” Montano, the very champion designer responsible for bringing Illaoi into the world of 2XKO, to discuss the intricacies of her development, the hurdles overcome, and the philosophy that guided her evolution from Summoner’s Rift to the fighting arena.
From MOBA Icon to Fighting Game Phenom: Translating Illaoi’s Essence
The initial question on everyone’s mind is how a character like Illaoi, whose League of Legends identity is so tied to summoning and strategic positioning, translates into the immediate, high-stakes environment of a fighting game. Shyvana clarified that the approach wasn’t about a direct port of her existing abilities.
“So Illaoi in League of Legends is one of my mains,” Shyvana explained. “I main her on top and I love her. But what we did was we didn’t want to take the gameplay directly from League of Legends. What we wanted to do was take the essence of what the character is all about, and we set up some goals and guardrails for what her kit could be in a fighting game.”
This strategic decision to focus on the character’s core identity rather than replicating existing mechanics is crucial. The design team identified key aspects of Illaoi’s playstyle that could be adapted. “And we went, ‘Okay, some things that are calling out to us are, should she be a puppet character? Should she be a brawler? What should she do?’” Shyvana elaborated. “So we landed on this idea of, Oh, she’s not controlling the God. The God is helping her and rewarding her for playing well. So we made it so that whenever she wants to use a tentacle, she has to earn it. So she has to go in and hit you with an S2, and then she gets a tentacle as a reward. And then she can beef up all of her combos and do all these cool things out of it. So with that kind of as a guiding light, we sort of set that as her thing.”
This “earned reward” system for her tentacles is a brilliant reinterpretation of her League of Legends kit. Instead of passively spawning tentacles, Illaoi players in 2XKO must actively engage and succeed in combat to manifest her divine power, creating a more dynamic and skill-expressive gameplay loop.
The Tentacle Conundrum: Navigating the Tech and Design of Illaoi’s Signature Weapons
Illaoi’s iconic tentacles are not just a visual flair; they are the core of her offensive and defensive capabilities in 2XKO. The complexity of implementing these mobile, interactive elements presented a significant technical and design hurdle, as Shyvana candidly admitted.
“Oh my gosh, the tentacles were probably the most complicated technological thing that I’ve encountered in a fighting game,” Shyvana confessed. “Grace is the engineer who kind of built the tentacles from the ground up, and she and I were going back and forth on. Should we be able to hit them? Should they go away when she gets hit? All these little details that you don’t really think about when you see a puppet character on in a fighting game.”
The team’s commitment to making the tentacles feel integral yet fair is evident in their design. The counterplay associated with the tentacles is a direct result of these discussions. “And so with Illaoi, because the God is separate from her, we wanted to keep that as the guiding light, and they’re hanging out. They can get hit, and then they go away, and that means there’s counterplay.” Shyvana further elaborated on the specific mechanics: “With the tentacle being independent, they will go away if Illaoi gets counter-hit. So, yeah, the tentacles are a real, real, really challenging part of developing Illaoi.”
This focus on counterplay is paramount in any fighting game. By making the tentacles vulnerable to specific player actions, the developers ensure that Illaoi, despite her potent kit, remains a character with clear weaknesses that skilled opponents can exploit, fostering a healthier competitive environment. The very fact that they can be “hit” and “go away” when she receives a counter-hit introduces a layer of risk and reward to their deployment, making the player constantly consider their positioning and the potential for disruption.
More Than Just Tentacles: Capturing Illaoi’s “Tough Love” Persona
Beyond the technical marvel of her tentacles, the design team aimed to imbue Illaoi with the very spirit of her League of Legends persona. Shyvana described Illaoi’s core identity as a “personal trainer that’s also, kind of tough love, she’s encouraging you to be the best version of yourself.” This philosophical underpinning directly influenced her gameplay mechanics.
“So we had this idea of keeping everyone in motion,” Shyvana stated. “She has all those lines [in League like] in motion. So, we were thinking that everything she does should encourage the opponent to move. And so we gave her a command grab on her tentacles so that they’re a distance away from her. And whenever she uses a grab and there’s a tentacle out, then the tentacle will grab them and spit them out, and she can do more combos.”
This emphasis on forced movement and engagement is a brilliant translation of her “tough love” approach. The command grab, originating from her tentacles, actively pulls opponents into her space, dictating the pace of the fight and creating opportunities for further pressure. “The main thing about allowing Illaoi’s unique self, aside from the God, is that she is the one that we’re trying to highlight as the cool, heroic, very strong being,” Shyvana concluded. This focus on her inherent strength and imposing presence ensures that players will feel the raw power of the Kraken Priestess in every interaction.
The Balancing Act: Ensuring Fair and Engaging Gameplay for Illaoi
As with any fighting game character, achieving a balanced yet exciting gameplay experience is a constant tightrope walk. Shyvana detailed the challenges faced in making Illaoi feel powerful without being overbearing, and viable without being an afterthought.
“Yeah. So for sure… How strong should she be? And I think we land in a pretty, exciting place where she’s not op,” Shyvana began, addressing the core of the balancing act. She recalled past iterations and the adjustments made: “Before, what was happening was, for example, her charge forward as to where she summons a tentacle. It used to pop people up in Alpha Lab One. And that enabled too many good combos. And she was pretty top tier during that time.”
The team’s proactive approach to iterating on her kit is a testament to their commitment to a healthy meta. “But now we’ve balanced it out. Her weakness before was neutral, and now we added in a charged crowd test to track the opponent, so that she could still be viable from full screen, because before, she didn’t have anything full screen.” This addition of a full-screen option directly addresses a critical weakness, enhancing her ability to control the pace of the match and interact with opponents from a distance, making her a more complete character.
The overarching philosophy behind character balance in 2XKO is one of accessibility and longevity for players. “So I mean, I guess in general, balance-wise, we want all of our champions to have play—counterplay and something that makes them exciting to play and main for a lifetime. But we also don’t want anyone to stand out as, ‘Oh, this has to be a part of your team.’ Or you’re failing.” This ensures that while each character has a unique identity and strengths, no single character becomes an absolute necessity, promoting diversity in team compositions and playstyles.
The Future of Fighting Game Design: Shyvana’s Next Challenge
With Illaoi’s intricate design successfully navigated, the natural curiosity turns to what the future holds for Shyvana’s design endeavors within the fighting game space. When asked about which League of Legends champion she would be most excited to bring to a fighting game next, her passion for the roster shone through.
“I mean, I would love to work… well, honestly, I would have loved to work on Vi because Vi is who I main in the jungle,” Shyvana revealed. Her enthusiasm for Vi is rooted in her personal connection with the character, suggesting a deep understanding of Vi’s potential for a fighting game adaptation. The sheer physical presence and powerful, direct combat style of Vi would undoubtedly translate into a compelling fighter.
While the specifics of her next project remain under wraps, Shyvana offered a hint of what’s to come. “So, but I guess because I don’t want to give away too much information, I am working on some exciting channels and…” The tantalizing tease left us eager for more. When pressed for even a small hint, she politely declined, stating, “Unfortunately, no, but it’s very exciting for me personally.”
The journey of Illaoi in 2XKO is a prime example of thoughtful character adaptation. By focusing on her core essence, tackling complex technical challenges head-on, and meticulously balancing her unique mechanics, the design team has crafted a fighter that promises to be both a faithful representation of the Kraken Priestess and a thrilling addition to the fighting game genre. We at Gaming News eagerly await the 2XKO closed beta to experience Illaoi’s tentacle-fueled dominance firsthand.