"LoL"'s 170th New Champion "Mel," Featuring the First Projectile Reflection Skill, to Be Released Around January 22

Riot Games has announced the release of "Mel," the 170th champion to join the popular MOBA, "League of Legends"! She's expected to arrive with Patch 25.S1.2, around Wednesday, January 22, 2025.

New Champion "Mel" Arrives!

To think these gifts were hidden within me... The lives I could've saved.

Mel, the new champion slated for Patch 25.S1.2, looks to shake up the meta with her unique skill reflection and a passive that executes low-health enemies.

Passive - Searing Brilliance

>"League of Legends" Official Website

Whenever Mel uses an ability, she gains three bonus projectiles (up to nine maximum) on her next attack.
When Mel deals damage through an ability or attack, she applies Overwhelm, which can stack infinitely. If the enemy is hit by Mel with enough Overwhelm damage, the stacks are consumed to execute the target.

Mel's passive lets her secure kills on low-health enemies, similar to Urgot's "Fear Beyond Death." "Overwhelm" stacks have no limit, hinting at her potential for Pentakills. Notably, the execution threshold is lower against enemies with high magic resistance, making magic resistance items a must when facing her.

Q - Radiant Volley

"League of Legends" Official Website

Mel unleashes a burst of attacks in a target area. Each explosion deals minor damage and adds to her passive stack. The wide area of effect makes this ideal for poking.

W - Rebuttal

"League of Legends" Official Website

Mel forms a barrier around herself that reflects enemy projectiles back at the attacker, prevents her from taking damage, and grants her movement speed.

While several abilities can nullify or remove projectiles, Mel, the 170th "LoL" champion, is the first to have a projectile reflection ability. The barrier can bounce back anything Yasuo's "W - Wind Wall" blocks, including basic attacks, and flying projectiles. However, it can't reflect skills with proximity effects, such as Amumu's "Q - Bandage Toss" or Nautilus's "Q - Dredge Line."

E - Solar Snare

"League of Legends" Official Website

Mel fires a radiant orb forward, rooting those at its center while the area around it slows enemies and deals damage over time.

This ability allows Mel to snare or slow enemies within a large area. This crowd control should make her a strong mage.

R - Golden Eclipse

"League of Legends" Official Website

Mel strikes all enemies marked with Overwhelm regardless of their distance from her, dealing additional damage for each stack of Overwhelm.

This ability damages all enemies with "Overwhelm." The damage scales with the number of stacks and does not consume them on activation, potentially leading to executions via her passive. In team fights, surviving to use this ultimate is key.

Mel is Playable on PBE!

X (@LoLJPOfficial)

The new champion, Mel, and her release skin, "Arcane Councilor Mel," are now available on the PBE (Public Beta Environment). You can test her out before her official release in Patch 25.S1.2.

With the 2025 season underway, a new champion is already on the horizon! Get acquainted with the revamped Summoner's Rift and prepare for Mel!

メルとArcane 評議員メルで敵の予想を打ち砕け。PBEに登場。 pic.twitter.com/dMGUewcsZo

— リーグ・オブ・レジェンド (@LoLJPOfficial) January 9, 2025