Blood Sweats and Tears Music Video
Without prior notice, during the semifinals matches this week (October 26-27, 2024), Riot Games released a video that reveals the backstory of Ambessa, Mel’s mother, and how she was chosen by the wolf. In a near-death experience, she faces a trial by combat with Pantheon to prove she is worthy of life after being gravely wounded in battle.
We learn that she’s originally from Shurima and immigrated to Noxus, where she joined the army. At the start of the sequence, we see her lying on the ground, almost dead.
While Ambessa is incapacitated and close to death, Kindred’s wolf appears to her, and her vision begins.
The song featured—Blood, Sweat & Tears—is exhilarating and fits the champion perfectly. Sheryl Lee Ralph, the singer, echoes the voice of the original voice actor, Ellen Thomas from Arcane, with striking accuracy.
Through the lyrics, we see the kind of person Ambessa is—unyielding and no stranger to bloodshed. She’s a self-made despot who cares about herself and her "pack," claiming that she was raised by wolves. From glimpses of her past in the vision, we can conclude she likely started as a young immigrant arriving in Noxus, where she carved out an empire for herself. By the time we see her in Arcane Season 1, she’s already a battle-hardened ruler, focused on extending her dynasty into the future.
Verse 1"I was raised by wolves, I was born to lead,
And I starve 'til there's no more mouths to feed.
There's a hand on my throat, and a blade at my feet,
But the weight of the world won't bend my knees."
Unusually for a despot, she’s also a leader who will not eat until all members of her tribe are fed. She leads by example, though it’s an uncompromising one.
Chosen by the Wolf Skin Line
This video also launched a new skin line with the same theme. It’s unclear whether all champions shown were actually “chosen by the wolf” or simply fit the theme. According to our lore experts, it’s possible that each of these champions faced a near-death experience in their story and survived, qualifying them for the Chosen by the Wolf skin line.
These will arrive on live servers in Patch 14.22 on Thursday, November 7 and were first teased in the Blood, Sweat & Tears music video! The skins include:
Ambessa’s Release Date and PBE Availability
Ambessa’s abilities were recently previewed, and she is now available for testing on the PBE. Players eager to experience her gameplay firsthand can try her out there. Don’t have a PBE account? Now is the perfect time to get it here.
Ambessa officially joins the Rift on November 6, 2024—the same day as the highly anticipated release of Arcane Season 2. This dual launch marks an exciting event, intertwining the stories of Arcane and League of Legends in a way that fans won’t want to miss.
Ambessa Abilities
| LoL AMBESSA ABILITIES | TLDR | Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Passive – Drakehound’s Step | Grants a short dash after casting an ability. Boosts next attack's range, damage, attack speed, and refunds energy. |  |
| Q – Cunning Sweep / Sundering Slam | Sweeps in a semicircle, dealing bonus damage. Follow-up cast transforms into a linear slam with enhanced damage. |  |
| W – Repudiation | Activates a shield, then slams the ground to damage enemies. Blocking damage boosts the slam’s impact. |  |
| >E – Lacerate | Swings drakehounds around, damaging and slowing enemies. Dashing afterward triggers an extra strike. |  |
| R – Public Execution (ultimate) | Blinks to the furthest target in a line, suppresses, then slams them down, dealing damage and stunning them. |  |
Passive – Drakehound’s Step
Ambessa’s passive, Drakehound’s Step, allows her to dash a short distance after casting an ability. Each ability cast boosts her next attack’s range, damage, and speed, while also refunding a portion of her energy. This passive enables her to remain mobile and deliver sustained, powerful blows.
Q – Cunning Sweep / Sundering Slam
Cunning Sweep strikes enemies in a semicircle, dealing bonus damage. When this ability lands, it transforms into Sundering Slam for a short time, allowing her to deal a powerful linear blow. This ability rewards precision and timing, letting Ambessa adapt her attacks based on the situation.
W – Repudiation
Repudiation gives Ambessa a shield, followed by a powerful slam that damages nearby enemies. If she takes damage from non-minion sources while bracing, the damage dealt by her slam is amplified, allowing her to turn defense into offense.
E – Lacerate
Ambessa’s Lacerate ability unleashes her twin drakehounds in a wide, sweeping motion around her, damaging and slowing enemies within range. If she activates Drakehound’s Step after this ability, she strikes again at the end of her dash, amplifying her damage potential and controlling enemy positioning.
R – Public Execution
Ambessa’s ultimate, Public Execution, is a brutal finishing move. She blinks to the furthest enemy in a line and immediately suppresses them, locking them in place. Upon reaching her target, she slams them into the ground, causing them to take massive damage and become stunned. This ability reflects her merciless command style, giving her a powerful tool to control critical moments in battle.
If you’re raising an eyebrow wondering just how often Ambessa can dash—brace yourself! With a full build, and according to the calculations of Vandril, Ambessa can dash up to
26 times within a 30-second window.
