League of Legends is making some major changes to its main map, Summoner’s Rift, ahead of the 2024 season start next year. The changes will include both visual and gameplay updates to monsters, as well as terrain changes and other gameplay updates.
The influence of the Void will create some major changes to the Rift in the new year, resulting in both aesthetic and gameplay changes to Baron, jungle camps, and the Rift Herald, as well as introducing an all new type of monster.
As well as a visual update that gives him hands for the first time, Baron Nashor is getting three new forms that will grant him additional abilities as well as changing the terrain around the Baron pit. Hunting Baron will leave the pit unchanged but grant him a lightning blast ability, Territorial Baron creates a small wall in front of the pit and sees him using his newfound hands to pull champions towards him, while All-Seeing Baron turns the pit into a tunnel and adds a Void Rift ability that causes damage over time.
The Rift Herald is also getting a Void-inspired visual update, and a small gameplay update that will allow players to ride on its back and control it for a short time. Players can use the Herald to attack and knock up enemy champions, and if the Herald has a champion on its back when charging a turret, it will do more damage than usual.
A new monster called Voidgrubs will replace the first Rift Herald of the game, spawning after five minutes and despawning at 14 minutes. Players who kill Voidgrubs will get the stacking Hunger of the Void buff granting a damage bonus against structures. If players stack five or six of these buffs (with six the maximum available in each game) they’ll also be able to summon Voidmites to help take down structures.
The Void’s influence will also be seen in jungle camps, with Blue Sentinel and Red Brambleback respawning as Voidborn Sentinel and Voidborn Brambleback at 20 minutes into the game. The Void influence makes them harder to take down, but will grant their buff to all living members of a player’s team when slain. At 20 minutes the Scuttler will also spawn as Voidborn Scuttler, giving a boosted Scryers Bloom effect when killed.
The map update will also change up some of the terrain on the Rift, mainly around the river. The changes are largely focused on making sure the red and blue sides of the Rift are more closely mirrored, reducing side-based advantages.
In other gameplay changes, Riot will be removing Mythic items from the game, with the goal of “shifting power from items into the champions themselves.” Riot hopes the change will allow players more flexibility in how they choose to approach item builds in the 2024 season.
These changes will come into effect at the start of Season 2024, coinciding with the beginning of next calendar year. The new Rift is live now on the PBE for testing ahead of its full release.
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