What is League of Legends? Explained in 5 Minutes
League of Legends has been one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena PC games since its debut in 2009.
Since 2010, the League of Legends player base has grown to complete a community of over 150 million players.
Why do so many people enjoy League of Legends? What makes players continue to play the game in 2022? Find the answers to these questions and more with the help of this introduction to League of Legends.
Source: Riot Games
What is League of Legends about?
League of Legends is a MOBA, in which players fight against each other using characters, known as champions. These champions all have unique abilities to help their team with attacking, defending, or healing.
To win matches, players will have to rely on both personal skill and teamwork to defeat the enemy team.
The main objective of each team is to take down the enemy Nexus. To do that, they will have to destroy the enemy towers that line the lanes stretching from each Nexus. The three lanes are divided into a top lane, a mid lane and a bot lane.
On top of this, players will also have to deal with the jungle surrounding the lanes with monsters that drop special buffs. Before starting a match, players need to select a role which designates the lane they will be playing.
Source: Riot Games
There are different lanes for each role
The top lane is reserved for champions that are tanks, bruisers, or battlemages. Mid-lane is primarily played by an assassin, mage, and some marksman champions to provide burst damage or magic damage against the enemy team. The jungle role is tasked with snowballing lanes and taking objectives such as dragons, Rift Herald, and Baron Nashor.
The bottom lane includes two players where one player has the ADC (attack-damage carry) while the other player takes the support role. ADCs are usually played by marksman champions for DPS (damage per second) for the team. Alternatively, the support role is typically played by champions with a utility such as shields, healing, and CC (crowd control) to provide for the team.
Source: Riot Games
League of Legends ranked game modes
Although the idea of destroying towers and winning the game might sound repetitive, each match is different because of the game’s varying champions and game strategies. Each champion brings something different to the game.
League of Legends even has two competitive modes for players who want even more of a challenge called Ranked Solo/Duo and Ranked Flex. Play with friends in Ranked Flex or queue up on your own or with one other person in Ranked Solo/Duo to test your skills.
At the end of the ranked season, if a player hits the Gold rank or higher they will receive competitive rewards such as Victorious skins with different chromas that change the original color of the skin.
What are champions in League of Legends?
League of Legends contrasts greatly with other MOBA games on the market. Compared to other MOBAs like Dota 2, League of Legends is much less complex and easier to learn.
To start off, you will have to purchase champions with BE or Blue Essence. After playing so many games you will receive champion shards which you can choose to add to your champion pool or disenchant for extra BE. You can also purchase RP (Riot Points) to buy champions to accumulate champions faster.
Source: Riot Games
Learn easier champions first
It is recommended to begin learning a few champions at a time to improve your mechanics with them. Mechanical skill requires landing skill shots, the champion’s playstyle, and their damage output and range throughout the game. Some champions rely on the early part of the game, while others are weak at the early stages of the match and need the game to last longer to scale.
According to Mobalytics, these champions are the easiest for beginners to play while they learn the game:
- Garen - Played in the top or mid lane as a bruiser or tank.
- Malphite - Also a top laner, you can build tank or sometimes magic damage.
- Ashe - Marksman played as an ADC in the bot lane.
- Master Yi - Attack damage carry that can be played in the Jungle role.
- Janna - Support champion played bot lane to provide utility, shields, and CC for teammates.
Source: Riot Games
League of Legends patch notes and shop
As you play League of Legends, you will notice changes to the champions you play, map, objectives, and other champions you do not play. This is because Riot Games releases updates called “patches” every other week to adjust the game. Sometimes these updates will weaken champions while others may be buffed so they are stronger. You can read the patch notes inside the client under the home tab.
Along with patch notes, League of Legends also includes skins and other loot you can purchase in the game’s shop. Often, they will release events with new patches that enable players to complete missions and earn loot, skins, or champions. These missions are free to complete by playing the game. You can also earn more loot by purchasing the event passes in the shop to complete extra missions.