Riot Games is preparing a major overhaul for League of Legends, shifting the focus back to champions rather than items. In what is being called the “Champion Emphasis” update, Riot aims to reduce item power by five to fifteen percent across nearly 120 Legendary items in the game.
This bold move is set to redefine how players approach builds and gameplay strategy, bringing champions back to the forefront.
Champion Emphasis Update: A Return to Core Gameplay
The preseason patch set to launch soon will reduce the reliance on items, restoring the uniqueness of each champion. Over the years, improvements in player skill have pushed League’s meta toward item power spikes, where success often hinges on who reaches their build faster.
Riot, however, believes that this has sidelined what makes League of Legends special—its diverse champion roster. In their September blog, Riot explained:
“Most players queue up for a game of League because they want to play a champion… No one gets excited about playing Infinity Edge; they want to play champions like Jinx or Yasuo.”
This change will impact every class in the game, from tanks and AD carries to assassins and mages. The goal is to slow down the game’s pace, allowing players to fully explore their champion’s potential rather than rushing to achieve powerful item combinations.
Key Changes Across All Classes
Riot’s plan involves significant class-specific adjustments to bring gameplay balance back to champions rather than items:
- Mages: Riot will remove some ability haste to reduce their burst potential.
- Tanks: Will receive higher resistances to help them withstand damage for longer.
- Enchanters: These supportive champions will be tuned to rely more on their healing and shielding abilities rather than overwhelming enemies with damage.
- Assassins: Will need to rely on individual spell casts and precision in targeting rather than high damage from items.
- Fighters and Juggernauts: Will experience a reduction in their power budget, making them less oppressive in 1v1 situations.
- AD Carries: While not facing major changes, Riot aims to maintain the damage-focused identity of this role.
The Bigger Picture: Slower, Less Snowbally Games
By reducing overall item power and tweaking specific class dynamics, Riot hopes to make teamfights longer and more strategic, similar to how games played out in the mid-2010s.
The update is designed to reduce the “snowball effect,” where one team quickly dominates by stacking item power spikes. Instead, players will be encouraged to think more about champion abilities and how to optimize their character’s unique playstyle.
Conclusion
The Champion Emphasis update for League of Legends marks a return to what has always made the game iconic—its champions. Riot’s shift from focusing on item strength to enhancing champion play promises to provide players with more dynamic and engaging matches.
Whether this revamp will achieve its intended balance remains to be seen, but it’s clear that League is heading back to its roots.
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