ANNIE

THE DARK CHILD

Classical splash art of Annie

Icon of Annie

Annie in game PNG - league of legends

Informations about the champion Annie:

Title: The Dark Child

Real Name: Annie Hastur

Pronouns: She/Her

Release Date: February 21, 2009

Attribute: Mage

Role: Mid

Region: Runeterra.

LORE OF ANNIE

Boram Darkwill’s last years on the throne were a time of great uncertainty for Noxus, and many with an aptitude for magic left the capital for the relative peace of more distant provinces. Gregori the Gray and his wife, a witch by the name of Amoline, preferred to demonstrate their Noxian strength by taming the borderlands, rather than partaking in the political intrigue of the noble houses.

The young couple claimed a piece of land beyond the Ironspike Mountains to the north, finishing their small home just before winter and the arrival of their first child. During their journey, other colonists’ tales of the great shadow bears that once roamed the territory had captivated Amoline—now heavily pregnant, she passed the time sitting near the fireplace, creating a toy version of the protective creatures. Just as she finished sewing the last button eye on the stuffed bear, the quickening of labor overcame her. Gregori remarked later that his daughter was eager to play with her new toy, for there, on an ember-warmed hearth, Amoline brought Annie into the world.

When Annie was still a toddler, she and her father took ill. As night fell, Annie began to burn with fever, and soon she was so hot, she could no longer be held in her mother’s arms. Amoline grew desperate, deciding at last to fetch icy water from the nearby river. The next morning Gregori awoke, weak and groggy from his sickness. In the crib, a now-healthy Annie played with her stuffed bear, Tibbers, but Amoline was gone.

Naïvely, Annie believed her mother would one day return. Gregori would often find the girl sitting in her mother’s rocking chair near the hearth, hugging Tibbers and staring into a crackling fire, where he was sure there had been nothing but cold ashes. He chalked up these slips of the mind to the burden of parenting a child alone.

Years passed, bringing more colonists to the region. And in time, Gregori met Leanna, a woman seeking a new life outside the capital with her own young daughter, Daisy.

Annie was eager for a playmate, but spoiled by the indulgences of being an only child, so acclimation to her new stepfamily was difficult. Whenever Annie’s fiery temper erupted, it left Leanna uneasy, and quick to take her own daughter’s side. It fell to Gregori to keep an uneasy peace between the three.

Unused to the dangers of the untamed borderlands, Daisy’s playing ended in catastrophe for the family. Leanna, of course, blamed Annie for the loss of her daughter, focusing her rage and grief on her stepdaughter’s most prized possession: Tibbers. Annie was horrified as the last physical memory of her mother was threatened. The girl’s terror grew to an unbridled rage, releasing her latent and powerful pyromancy, and the stuffed bear was brought to life in a maelstrom of protective fire.

When the flames died down and the swirl of ash settled, Annie was left orphaned and alone.

Believing most city adults to be like her stepmother, Annie has kept to the wilder parts of her frontier homeland. On occasion, she will use her disarmingly adorable exterior to be taken in by some pioneer family long enough to be offered new clothes and a hot meal. However, fire and death awaits anyone foolish enough to try parting Annie from the stuffed bear at her side.

Kept safe by Tibbers, she wanders the dark forests of Noxus, oblivious to danger—and the dangers posed to others by her own unchecked power—hoping, one day, to find someone like her to play with.

ANNIE VOICE - League of Legends

FUN FACTS ABOUT ANNIE

1. Voiced by the Same Actress as Ash Ketchum: Annie's voice actress, Lisa Ortiz, is well-known for her role as the iconic Pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum in the English dub of the Pokémon anime. Her portrayal of Annie adds a playful yet sinister tone to the champion, fitting her character as a mischievous child with immense magical power.

2. Inspired by Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas": Annie's design draws inspiration from the character Sally from Tim Burton's animated film "The Nightmare Before Christmas." The stitching on Annie's doll, Tibbers, resembles Sally's patchwork design, and both characters share a similar theme of innocence juxtaposed with dark undertones.

3. Originally Designed as a Teenager: In the early stages of development, Annie was initially conceived as a teenage sorceress. However, the developers later decided to reimagine her as a young child to create a more unique and unexpected contrast between her innocent appearance and her formidable magical abilities.

4. Tibbers' Lore Connection to Brand: Tibbers, Annie's beloved bear and constant companion, has a lore connection to the champion Brand. In Annie's updated lore, it's revealed that Tibbers was originally a toy bear given to her by her older sister, who was later consumed by the fiery entity that transformed into Brand. This connection adds depth to both champions' backstories and hints at a tragic past for Annie.

5. The Inspiration Behind "Frostfire Annie" Skin: Annie's "Frostfire Annie" skin is inspired by the character Elsa from Disney's animated film "Frozen." The skin features Annie dressed in a blue and white outfit reminiscent of Elsa's iconic attire, with Tibbers transformed into a frosty polar bear. This crossover between League of Legends and popular culture adds a fun and whimsical twist to Annie's character.

ABILITIES OF ANNIE

Passive: PYROMANIA

After casting 4 spells, Annie's next offensive spell will stun the target. Annie begins the game and respawns with Pyromania available.

Q - DISINTEGRATE

Annie hurls a Mana infused fireball, dealing damage and refunding the Mana cost if it destroys the target.

W - INCINERATE

Annie casts a blazing cone of fire, dealing damage to all enemies in the area.

E - MOLTEN SHIELD

Grants Annie or an ally a shield, a burst of Move Speed, and damages enemies who strike her with attacks or spells.

R - SUMMON: TIBBERS

Annie wills her bear Tibbers to life, dealing damage to units in the area. Tibbers can attack and also burns enemies that stand near him.

ANNIE ABILITIES COMBOS

Annie R - league of legends

1. Basic Burst Combo:

- Disintegrate (Q) + Incinerate (W) + Summon: Tibbers (R) + Pyromania (Passive): This combo is Annie's standard burst combo. Start with Disintegrate to stun the target with Pyromania, then follow up with Incinerate for AoE damage. Finally, unleash Summon: Tibbers to deal massive damage and continue the assault.

2. Flash Engage Combo:

- Flash + Summon: Tibbers (R) + Incinerate (W) + Disintegrate (Q) + Pyromania (Passive): This combo is ideal for catching enemies by surprise or engaging team fights. Flash into the enemy team to instantly summon Tibbers, stunning them with Pyromania. Follow up with Incinerate and Disintegrate for additional damage.

3. Stun Setup Combo:

- Molten Shield (E) + Disintegrate (Q) + Incinerate (W) + Summon: Tibbers (R): Use Molten Shield to gain a stack of Pyromania, then follow up with Disintegrate to stun the enemy. Quickly cast Incinerate for additional damage, then summon Tibbers to continue the assault while the enemy is stunned.

4. Lane Harass Combo:

- Disintegrate (Q) + Incinerate (W): Use this combo to harass enemies in lane and poke them down. Start with Disintegrate to farm minions and potentially stun the enemy laner. Follow up with Incinerate to deal AoE damage and zone them away from minions.

5. All-In Combo:

- Flash + Summon: Tibbers (R) + Disintegrate (Q) + Incinerate (W) + Ignite: This combo is used to secure kills on low-health enemies or in all-in fights. Flash in to summon Tibbers and stun enemies with Pyromania. Follow up with Disintegrate, Incinerate, and Ignite to finish off the target.

BUILD OF ANNIE

source: www.leagueofgraphs.com

RUNES OF ANNIE

TIPS ON HOW TO PLAY WITH ANNIE

1. Stack Passive Before Engaging: Annie's passive, Pyromania, empowers her next ability cast after casting four spells. Before engaging in fights or skirmishes, make sure to stack your passive by casting spells on minions or jungle camps. Having your passive ready ensures that you can unleash a devastating stun with your next ability, catching enemies off guard.

2. Utilize Flash-Tibbers Engage: Annie's ultimate ability, Summon: Tibbers, can be a game-changer in teamfights when used in combination with Flash. Practice the Flash-Tibbers combo to catch multiple enemies by surprise and lock them down with your stun. This can create opportunities for your team to follow up and secure kills or objectives.

3. Control Vision and Bushes: Use your Disintegrate (Q) ability to check bushes and control vision in key areas of the map. Annie's long-range Q allows her to safely check bushes without risking face-checking and getting caught out. Maintaining vision control denies the enemy team opportunities to ambush or flank your team and allows you to make informed decisions.

4. Focus on Map Awareness: Keep track of the map and enemy movements at all times. Annie is vulnerable to ganks and roams due to her lack of mobility, so it's essential to stay aware of potential threats. Communicate with your team to coordinate vision control and respond to enemy rotations. Proper map awareness will help you avoid getting caught out and enable you to make proactive plays.

5. Adapt Build and Playstyle:Adapt your build and playstyle based on the game's circumstances. Consider building items like Luden's Echo for burst damage, Zhonya's Hourglass for survivability, or Rylai's Crystal Scepter for additional crowd control. Adjust your playstyle to match the needs of your team, whether it's focusing on bursting down priority targets or providing consistent crowd control in teamfights.

TIPS FOR COUNTERING ANNIE

1. Stay Behind Minions:

- Annie's primary harassing ability, Disintegrate (Q), requires her to target a unit. Stay behind minions to avoid being hit by her Q, as it will prioritize minions over champions. This reduces her ability to poke and harass you in lane.

2. Watch for Stun Indicator:

- Annie's passive, Pyromania, grants her stun after casting 4 spells. Keep an eye on the stun indicator above her head. When it's fully charged, play cautiously as she can quickly stun and burst you down with her combo.

3. Engage When Her Ultimate is Down:

- Annie's ultimate, Summon: Tibbers (R), is a significant source of her burst damage and crowd control. Look for opportunities to engage or trade when her ultimate is on cooldown, as she will be less threatening without it.

4. Buy Magic Resistance:

- Annie deals primarily magic damage, so building magic resistance items like Mercury's Treads or Banshee's Veil can help mitigate her damage output. This makes it harder for her to burst you down and allows you to survive her combos.

5. Punish Cooldowns:

- Annie's abilities have relatively long cooldowns, especially in the early game. Try to punish her when her abilities are on cooldown, as she will be less threatening without her abilities available to use.

6. Jungle Assistance:

- Coordinate with your jungler to gank Annie and put pressure on her in lane. Annie is vulnerable to ganks, especially when her Flash is down or when her stun is not charged. A well-timed gank can set her behind and make it harder for her to snowball.

7. Dodge Skill Shots:

- Annie's main damaging abilities, Disintegrate (Q) and Incinerate (W), are skill shots that can be dodged. Practice sidestepping or using movement abilities to dodge her skill shots, reducing her ability to poke and harass you in lane.

SKINS OF ANNIE