What is a Poro in LoL? Runeterra race, explained

Forget Yordles, because there’s an even cuter and cuddlier race that appears all across Runeterra and in the deep League of Legends lore: Poros.

These adorable little critters have popped up everywhere from League and TFT to Legends of Runeterra, and most famously on Howling Abyss. They originally appeared on the single-lane map in 2012 when the new mode was first invented and have stuck around as the faux-mascots of the franchise ever since.

Here’s everything we know about Poros in League and Runeterra.

Poros in Runeterra lore, explained

The ever-lovable Poros are a magical little race that originated from Freljord, according to the expansive Runeterra lore. While they started in the icy wastes, however, they’ve spread to the entire fantasy continent since then.

Exactly what they are is a little unclear, though Riot describes them as “equal parts truth, valor, and innocence.” They all appear with white fur and boast heart-shaped underbellies because⁠—again, as Riot says⁠—they’re “made of love.” They have tiny little horns and are believed to be indestructible.

A huge part of the Poro lore both in-game and out are Poro-Snax. In League’s long-standing ARAM mode, they’re used to heal or grow Poros on Howling Abyss. There’s been little confirmation about whether these snacks are sweet or savory.

Several League champions are known to be friends with the Poros, most famously the shield-wielding Braum. A group of gathered Poros is known as a “fluft.”

Are there any Poro champions in League?

Unlike other Runeterra races like Yordles and Vastayans, there’s no Poro champions in League yet. The closest any character has come is Sejuani, whose iconic boar mount Bristle becomes a huge Poro in her Poro Rider cosmetic.

Elsewhere in the wider Runeterra universe, there are several notable Poro characters, including kings and warriors. Most appear in Legends of Runeterra.

Here’s all the most famous Poros in the Runeterra lore:

• Poro King
• ‘Ol Longhorn
• Heart of the Fluft
• Plucky Poro
• Plunderer Poro
• Porofly

There’s also a hilarious (non-canon) Poro character who appears to be part of the Crime City mafia in Bruam’s alternate-universe Crime City artwork.