Riot's Big Reworks: Udyr, Aurelion Sol, and Skarner Are Finally Getting What They Deserve

I still remember booting up League of Legends five years ago and feeling genuinely excited whenever Riot teased a champion rework. But honestly? Not all of them hit the mark. Some champions just kind of faded into the background even after a visual polish. So here we are in 2026, and I’ve gotta say – the current wave of VGUs and CGUs is hitting different. Let me walk you through what’s happening with Udyr, Aurelion Sol, and Skarner, because if you’ve stuck with these champs through thick and thin, you’re in for a treat.

Let’s start with the one that’s already transformed: Udyr. You know, the Spirit Walker was crying out for a modern identity for years. Well, as of now, his base model rework has already shipped and it’s glorious – he feels like a true Freljordian shaman who’s spent deep, meditative years in Ionia. But the real crown jewel that dropped recently is the revamped Spirit Guard Udyr skin. It’s not just a texture update. Riot rebuilt that ultimate skin to balance his primal essence with the serene, animalistic wisdom he gained from Ionian training. The stances still call upon the same beasts we knew – bear, tiger, turtle, and phoenix – but now they flow together seamlessly. If you haven’t loaded into a game with it yet, you’re missing out. The transformation animations midway through a stance swap give me chills every time.

Now, let’s talk about the cosmic dragon who’s been burning up mid-lane lately: Aurelion Sol. Man, this one is personal to me. When ASol was first announced, the community went wild. A star-forging celestial dragon? Instant main material. But his original gameplay kit? It felt like steering a celestial shopping cart through a tight alley. His fantasy never quite matched the reality, and his pick rate fell off a cliff. That’s why I was stoked when Riot announced something entirely new – a Comprehensive Gameplay Update (CGU). Instead of small tweaks, they rebuilt his kit from scratch on the same model and theme. And the result? A true dragon.

In 2026, Aurelion Sol finally lives up to the hype. His new gameplay emphasizes the sheer scale of a star forger. You actually feel like you’re controlling a cosmic entity that breathes collapsing stars and manipulates the battlefield with gravitational pull. The star-forging fantasy is no longer about orbiting passive spheres – it’s active, destructive, and majestic. Riot took risks here, and it paid off massively. Best part? Because ASol was the first CGU champ, his success opened the door for similar updates to other champions whose visuals are fine but whose kits just can’t keep up. I’m looking at you, Shyvana!

And then there’s Skarner, the forgotten crystal scorpion. He won the VGU poll back in 2022 by a landslide – the community practically begged for it. Riot admitted they hadn’t started on him immediately, but when they did, they went deep. I managed to get a peek at some early exploration art from that exact period, and let me tell you, it was wild. Four rows of sketches, each exploring a completely different direction for Skarner. One sketch leaned into the pure crystal monstrosity, all sharp edges and glowing violet. Another made him more of a living sandstorm with crystals protruding from his back like spines. A third looked almost royalty-like – an ancient protector of a hidden desert civilization. It was obvious Riot wanted to nail his visual identity.

Fast forward to 2026, and Skarner’s full VGU is finally live. The designers settled on a direction that honors his original Brackern lore while injecting a massive dose of ancient, primal terror. His new model is enormous on the Rift – a scuttling, crystalline nightmare that actually makes you think twice before facechecking a bush. The gameplay kit got completely overhauled too. His ultimate no longer just suppresses one target; it now creates a seismic crystal zone that impales multiple enemies if they don’t scatter fast enough. It’s glorious chaos. If you ever felt bad for the scorpion mains out there, their patience has been rewarded tenfold.

So what’s the big takeaway from all this? Slowing down champion production was actually a genius move by Riot. They’re giving each rework the time it needs to breathe, and it shows. Udyr’s skins feel like premium products. Aurelion Sol became a mid-lane staple overnight. And Skarner? He’s genuinely terrifying again. If this is the future of champion updates, count me in. I’m already itching to see who gets the CGU treatment next. Maybe a certain mummy or a hungry void beast? Only time will tell, but for now, I’m just going to enjoy these legendary reworks that finally feel complete.

Keep an eye on the Rift, summoners. These ancient ones are back, and they’re not messing around.