What is League of Legends?

League of Legends is a fast-paced, competitive online game that blends the speed and intensity of an RTS with RPG elements. Two teams of powerful champions, each with a unique design and playstyle, battle head-to-head across multiple battlefields and game modes. With an ever-expanding roster of champions, frequent updates and a thriving tournament scene, League of Legends offers endless replayability for players of every skill level.

Game Modes

Summoner's Rift

Defend and Destroy

The gold standard for competitive League of Legends. Action on Summoner's Rift often progresses in unique phases, beginning with small-scale duels between lane opponents before culminating in epic, large-scale team fights. Push your way into the opposing base, destroy the enemy nexus, and achieve victory!

The Battle for the Rift

The largest map in League of Legends, Summoner's Rift is mirrored diagonally and features three lanes into the enemy base. Each lane is defended by three turrets and an inhibitor, while the nexus is protected by a pair of turrets. Both sides of the map boast expansive jungles containing powerful buffs, and the central river is home to two boss monsters and a scuttle crab that provide team-wide benefits.

Neutral Ground

The Jungle

The mirrored jungle areas on Summoner's Rift each contain several lesser monster camps that grant unique powers when the summoner spell 'Smite' is used on them, along with a pair of more powerful monsters that buff the slaying champion for a longer duration. Managing your jungle buffs is essential to maximizing performance on the battlefield, so be wary of any enemy you spot entering your jungle. If you're not careful, you may find he's stolen your buffs!

Crest of Cinders: Kill the Red Brambleback to receive a buff that heals you over time and causes your basic attacks to slow the enemy while also dealing damage over time
Crest of Insight: Kill the Blue Sentinel to receive a buff that reduces cooldowns and causes your champion to rapidly regenerate mana.

The Dragon

Located in the river near bottom lane, this neutral monster is usually best handled as a group. Defeating the dragon grants a permanent stacking "Dragon Slayer" buff, with a massive bonus granted at 5 dragons slain. The dragon also gains bonus damage and takes less damage from opponents who have higher stacks of the Dragon Slayer buff.

Dragon's Might: Gain bonus attack damage and ability power
Dragon's Wrath: Gain bonus damage to turrets and structures
Dragon's Flight: Gain bonus movement speed
Dragon's Dominance: Gain bonus damage to minions and monsters
Aspect of the Dragon: Doubles all previous bonuses and causes your attacks to burn enemies for a high amount of damage over time

Baron Nashor

This dangerous monster makes his lair in the river near top lane. A hard fight, even for five well-equipped champions, Baron Nashor is the most challenging neutral encounter in League of Legends. Defeating this massive wyrm grants the massively powerful 'Hand of Baron' buff to all living champions.

Hand of Baron: A buff that grants a large amount of attack damage and ability power, while also reducing recall times by a large amount. All nearby minions gain powerful bonuses, like extra range, damage, movement speed, and damage reduction

Howling Abyss

Defend and Destroy

What started as a community movement has quickly developed into one of the most popular game modes in League of Legends today. The Howling Abyss (or Murder Bridge as it’s been lovingly dubbed) features two teams of five champions battling along a single lane with no neutral territory. Champions begin play at level 3 with substantial starting gold, launching the action immediately into a pitched battle of large, drawn out team fights, instant kills and narrow escapes.

The Battle for the Abyss

The only single-lane battlefield available in League of Legends, the Howling Abyss features two bases arranged at either end of a bridge. This bridge is defended by two turrets and an inhibitor, while the nexus is protected by a pair of turrets. With no neutral territory to distract from the task at hand, the Howling Abyss features some of the most frequent and intense team fights of any map.

Keeping Momentum

No Healing or Shopping

The summoner platform on the Howling Abyss provides no healing, and purchasing is strictly limited. Champions can only purchase items following in the wake of a death on the battlefield. The Recall spell is also disabled in this game mode.

Health Relics

In the absence of a healing platform, you’ll find health relics spread across the bridge at even intervals. Once consumed these relics cause your champion to rapidly regenerate health and mana for a short period of time.

A Single Inhibitor

With only one lane to conquer, your team’s sole inhibitor can make or break your success in a game. Once it goes down, the attacking team will immediately start spawning two super minions per wave. Defend your inhibitor at all costs.

The Twisted Treeline

Defend and Destroy

The second classic League of Legends map, the Twisted Treeline typically features faster, bloodier matches with an emphasis on ganking and small scale skirmishes. You achieve victory by pushing your way into the opposing base and destroying the enemy nexus.

The Battle for the Shadow Isles

A smaller map than Summoner’s Rift, the Twisted Treeline is configured horizontally, with two lanes flanking a neutral area. Two turrets are placed along the length of each lane, and the nexus is defended by a single turret. Teams are composed of three champions apiece, and each champion spawns with a substantial sum of gold. The reduced map size and accelerated level curve makes for a shorter game length and higher kill scores.