This is a fantastic time to bring EVEN MORE excitement to our plans for League of Legends because Preseason adjustments are only 2 days away. ARAM 2023 will appear slightly different when the PBE server changes later today.

Yes, ARAM gamers, we have a ton of Preseason upgrades planned for you! We’re integrating many permanent mechanisms, including new stat adjustments, falling towers, and hexgates, that should add fresh excitement to one of Runeterra’s most well-liked bridges. These modifications should go into effect between patches 12.22 and 12.23.

New Balance Techniques

Hello, buddies! Here is Riot Maxw3ll, the new Design Lead for the League Modes Team. The Modes team is in charge of more than just the recurring Rotating Game Modes; we are also in charge of modes like ARAM. We recently revisited ARAM and how we support it because it has been quite some time. Along with all the excellent new map features, we’re also adding a few new balance tweaks and levers that will help make playing as and competing against some of the challenging ARAM champions more enjoyable.

Roster-Wide Modifications

We’ll be updating the following ARAM mechanics along with the map changes on 12.23:

• There will be a 50% reduction in Omnivamp and Lifesteal against minions.
• Changes to the long-range damage modifier: Champions currently deal 15% less damage when they are more than 1000 units away from the target. Based on the additional distance, we are reducing the damage even more. With a 1000–2000 distance increase, the reduction will scale up by 15–30%. Some of those highly long-range abilities that are too repeatable will be significantly diminished by this. It should be noted that this damage reduction does not apply to Ultimate Abilities.
• There will be a 15 percent increase in the bonus magic resistance for melee champions.

Generally speaking, these effects aim to lessen some of the more annoying aspects of ARAM.

These effects aim to lessen some of the more annoying aspects of ARAM. The super-long poke of your resident AP Kai’Sa will be somewhat lessened, and ADCs will need an easier way to heal back to complete after a wave clears.

Balance Updates Specific to Champions

The Modes team recently developed specific stat modifier balance levers (such as overall lowered damage) that might be used to balance a sizable roster of champions. Although they have been helpful tools, these levers must balance all our ARAM-issue children. For instance, numerous assassins need significant damage buffs to stay viable, and numerous enchanter characters require the efficacy of their healing spells to be decreased.

To have a little more nuance in balancing these champions, we decided to expand our toolkit rather than throw out the system that was working for most of the cast. The specific champion balance changes included in patch 12.22 are listed below.  We are making these adjustments individually so that we may see how they affect ARAM balance and take further action as necessary. As we need more specialized solutions in the future, you might notice additional new levers emerge, but for the time being, we’re concentrating on three key areas:

The management of Energy is intended to be used for quick engages and escapes against energy-consuming champions, but in ARAM, the battle never ends. We’re adding the following to make these characters’ patterns a little more approachable and conducive to team fighting:

• Akali, Kennen, Lee Sin, and Zed are the Champions who will receive a 20% bonus to their Energy Regen while playing ARAM.

Tenacity: If you lose to a single CC spell during ARAM, it’s an awful time. Some of our squishier melee fighters will receive increased tenacity to withstand CC quickly.

• The champions Akali, Ekko, Elise, Evelynn, Fizz, Kassadin, Katarina, Kayn, Kha’Zix, Leblanc, Pyke, Qiyana, Rek’Sai, Rengar, Talon, and Zed will all gain 20% more tenacity on ARAM.

Only one submission this time for Ashe, our beloved Freljordian who likes to spam arrows. She hasn’t reacted much when we reduce her damage because of her ability to gain Imperial Mandate and simply spam Volley to slow down the entire team. We are explicitly nerfing her Ability Haste to limit how frequently she can cast her team-wide slow and mark spell.

-20 Ability Haste will be applied to Ashe in ARAM.

The balance modifications have only just begun! Just a quick note: Since these are brand-new balance levers, we anticipate some turbulence. However, going forward, we’ll be analyzing the impact these changes have on these champions and taking that into account for future balance adjustments. Long-term champion balance is our aim so players can enjoy each champion’s distinct fantasy.

Updating the Howling Abyss Map

Hexgates (but with ice)

ARAM is most enjoyable when you and your team are grouped together, taking on your opponents, patiently taking them out with pokes, practicing wombo combos, or just playing a chaotic 5v5. We’re introducing Hexgates to the Howling Abyss to make it easier for players to participate in these battles for a more extended period of time.

You can teleport from your Nexus to your outside tower using hexgates, which are available from the start of the game. The Hexgate will link to your team’s inhibitor tower once your initial tower is destroyed, staying there for the game and allowing for some entertaining flanking moves or wild back doors for your team. And you can use the Hexgate of your adversary.