If you've been waiting for the League to acquire a true Renaissance man, then your long wait is over. Meet Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow. In addition to being a class act and charmer, this modern gentleman is one of Piltover's premier scientific geniuses.
This brazen, well-equipped man for all seasons sports hi-tech armor and wields the skull-crushing Mercury Hammer that also transforms into the Mercury Cannon. Whether you want to get up close and personal to punish enemies with a gigantic blunt instrument or shake things up by peppering opponents with energy blasts from a distance, Jayce has the skills it takes to deliver.
If you're ready to add a little versatility to your fighter or ranged carry game, look no further than Jayce, the Defender of Tomorrow. Jayce's transforming weapon allows him to adapt to nearly any situation, making him an extremely versatile champion for whatever role you need filled on the Fields of Justice.
The lynchpin in Jayce's kit is his ultimate. Starting with a free rank at Level 1, Jayce can activate his ultimate to transform his weapon into either the short range Mercury Hammer or the long range Mercury Cannon. Each time he transitions he'll receive a bonus effect on his next basic attack that either shreds the target's defensive stats (ranged mode) or deals significantly increased damage (melee mode)
Selecting the right weapon type for your current engagement is the key to playing Jayce effectively. While ranged, Jayce can pepper enemies with ranged attacks, deploying Shock Blast and Hyper Charge to wear down opponents while utilizing Acceleration Gate to keep his team at a safe distance. Having worn an enemy down in this manner, Acceleration Gate can be repurposed to give chase, allowing him to shift his weapon into its hammer form and leap into the fray with To the Skies!
Once he's closed the distance, he can utilize Thundering Blow to pick up a quick kill, while the additional Armor from being in melee mode gives him the toughness necessary to either withdraw or continue fighting at close range. However you choose to play Jayce, canny shifting between his weapon modes will make or break your success on the battlefield.
Jayce gains a quick burst of movement speed and ignores unit collision each time Transform is cast.
To the Skies!
Jayce leaps to an enemy, dealing physical damage and slowing enemies.
Lightning Field
Passive: Jayce restores mana per strike.
Active: Jayce creates a field of lightning, damaging nearby enemies for several seconds.
Thundering Blow
Jayce deals magic damage to an enemy based on their maximum health and knocks them back a short distance.
Transform - Mercury Cannon
Transforms the Mercury Hammer into the Mercury Cannon, gaining new abilities and increased range. The first attack in this form reduces the target's Armor and Magic Resistance.
Jayce gains a quick burst of movement speed and ignores unit collision each time Transform is cast.
Shock Blast
Jayce fires an orb of electricity that detonates upon hitting an enemy (or reaching the end of its path) dealing physical damage to all enemies in the area of the explosion.
Hyper Charge
Jayce gains a burst of energy, increasing attack speed to maximum for several attacks.
Acceleration Gate
Jayce deploys an Acceleration Gate, increasing the movement speed of all allies who pass through it. If Shock Blast is fired through the gate, the missile speed, range, and damage will increase.
Transform - Mercury Hammer
Transforms the Mercury Cannon into the Mercury Hammer, gaining new abilities and increasing Armor and Magic Resistance. The first attack in this form deals additional magic damage.
Jayce was originally prototyped to have three forms instead of two.[7]
One of the original two forms experimented on Jayce involved him using a two-handed sword and a sword and shield.[8]
Scrapped spells tested on Jayce include:[9][10][11]
An iteration of Thundering Blow that would stun any target hit by the unit that was displaced.
An ultimate where Jayce would slam his hammer down creating a shockwave knocking up enemies.
An ultimate where Jayce would create an impassible well and march forward knocking enemies out of the way and blocking attacks and spells.
The idea for Jayce to wield a gun hammer came from the idea of making him a Piltover inventor and making his weapon more personal to him as his own invention.[12]
Jayce was supposed to appear in True Genius but was scrapped.