The third version of LoL Arena returns in May 2024 together with LoL patch 14.9, and will be made available for the entire Split 2 — the longest that it will go live thus far.
LoL Arena is not a permanent mode in League of Legends and Riot Games is still exploring how to make that happen.
What can players expect from LoL Arena 3.0?
Eduardo “Riot Cadmus” Cortejoso, Product Lead for Modes, posted an update on the Riot Games dev blog giving an overview of feedback they’ve gathered from players, their international thought processes, and changes that go live in the next update.
Summary of LoL Arena 2024 changes in LoL patch 14.9
- Number of teams doubled from four to eight: 2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2
- UI changes: Tab scoreboard, better ways of scouting the lobby and opponents
- Pacing changes: Gold rewarded for wins and kills, starting health, health gained adjustments
- New item tier Prismatic items
- New shopping experience in Anvils, handy consumables that offer a chance to score powerful items.
- New map Koi Pond, and refreshed original map to accommodate more teams with Empyrean theme
- Ranked and matchmaking updates
- Enabled cameos: Lux, Sett, Thresh, Pyke, and Jhin
LoL Arena feedback that Riot Games gathered and are working on from previous rounds
- Higher ranks, lower variety: The higher you climb in the rankings, the less diverse the team compositions and strategies become. It can feel like you’re playing the same matches over and over.
- Unbreakable chains: Some tactics are just too dominant, making them frustrating to play against for most teams. There’s little room for counterplay, leading to a stale experience.
- Unreliable randomness: “Surprise” elements like cameos can be exciting, but sometimes they just feel cheap. It’s discouraging when you have no control over the outcome.
- Same old, same old: Facing the same team repeatedly can be tedious, especially if they completely outmatch you. It makes for a frustrating experience.
Ideally, LoL Arena in its healthiest state should contain these three pillars, shared Riot Cadmus:
- Fast-paced fun: Jump right in and experience engaging, quick-to-understand gameplay – perfect for League of Legends veterans.
- Unleash your creativity: Experiment with unique item builds you wouldn’t find in traditional modes, opening up exciting strategic possibilities.
- Adapt and conquer: Forget rigid strategies – this mode rewards your ability to react and adjust to any situation on the fly.
Combining player feedback, internal assessments, and the fact that LoL Arena is going live for much longer than before, the Modes dev team hopes to “measure Arena’s staying power this time around.”
LoL Arena 2024 increases number of teams from four to eight: 2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2v2
The number of players are now doubled. By expanding the roster of teams and players, the devs are aiming to create a wider pool of team compositions and strategies.
This means each match will hopefully feel more unique and exciting, with surprising tactics and scenarios emerging all the time.
With greater variety, individual games should feel less repetitive. Players will encounter new challenges and have to adapt on the fly, keeping things fresh and engaging.
In addition, there are improved user experience in the tab scoreboard, which now prioritizes intel on your opponent, showcasing their recent picks, strategies, and even past matches. To scout other teams, players can click their icon in the health panel on the right.
New item tier called Prismatic items
Prismatic items won’t be available in the shop, rather, they’ll be offered to you during a specific round, similar to augments.
This means you (and your opponents) won’t be able to craft the same build every match. After all, LoL Arena is all about adapting to what’s presented, not following a set recipe for success.
“These are build-defining items that should allow you to achieve build fantasies that you normally wouldn’t be able to,” wrote Riot Cadmus. “Wanna run full armor, tank Master Yi? How about on-hit Bard? The possibilities are endless, and we’re excited to see what builds you can cook with Prismatics giving you the foundation to do so.”
So how exactly can you access Prismatic items? Through Anvils.
Anvils, a new shopping experience in LoL Arena 2024
Anvils are purchasable consumables that when used, will offer three random options within a specific category, similar to how augments are presented.
Want a different selection? You can re-roll, but remember – re-rolls are shared with your augment choices, so pick wisely.
There are three key types of Anvils:
- Prismatic: Randomized choice between all Prismatic items.
- Legendary: Randomized choice between Legendary items within your desired category. Categories will use the shop classification for classes (fighter, mage, etc).
- Stat: Randomized choices between raw stat upgrades.
Legendary Anvils let you craft powerful items for less, but require planning ahead. Need something right now? Buying the complete item is the fastest option.
Stat Anvils, on the other hand, offer permanent stat boosts for leftover cash. Going for a crucial Ability Power spike? Consider a Stat Anvil alongside juices to maximize your damage output.
New LoL Arena 2024 dubbed “Koi Pond”
This map offers a unique challenge. Some areas might be temporarily inaccessible — which is where the special “Bloom Bridge” comes in. It opens periodically, allowing for risky dashes across the map.
There are also portals and Blast Cones for movement, but aggressive plays can leave you exposed if your team isn’t ready to back you up.
Ranked and matchmaking updates
Before the Summoner’s Rift ranked season resets in LoL patch 14.10, Riot is testing the waters with a special two-week “preseason” for Arena.
- Players can queue with parties of 1 to 8 players.
- Players cannot queue up with party sizes between 9-15 players.
- Full 16-player premades are allowed, and they won’t affect your MMR or Gladiator Rank during this test phase.
The full LoL Arena post can be found on Riot’s game dev blog here.
