Riot Games has provided players with a glimpse into the early iterations of new and updated mechanics for the upcoming League of Legends preseason. These initial designs have evolved and expanded upon to become what players can now test on the PBE.
In a recent developer blog, Riot Phlox, a game designer on League’s Summoner’s Rift team, discussed the steps taken when designing features for the 2024 preseason. This includes the ability to ride the Rift Herald, the introduction of Voidgrubs, and the unleashed power of Baron Nashor.
One of the major additions to Summoner’s Rift in the preseason is the introduction of Voidgrubs, an epic-tier monster that resides in the Baron Pit before the Rift Herald spawns. Initially, the development team experimented with the idea of using Whiskers, a cat-like Little Legend from Teamfight Tactics, as a bonus-fighting mechanic. However, they ultimately decided to replace the Rift Herald with the Voidgrubs, making them the first top-side Epic monster for teams to face.
The team also explored the concept of allowing players to take control of the Rift Herald after defeating it. This would have involved players entering the Rift Herald and gaining control over the Void creature, complete with a new set of abilities. However, this idea was abandoned due to the overwhelming strength of the controlled creature.
Baron Nashor, the most fearsome creature on the Rift, also underwent changes in its design. Initially, the team experimented with adding and removing terrain around the map based on the form the Baron Nashor took. This included walls appearing in the middle of lanes and blocking existing gaps. However, the team found that these changes were too random and did not lead to interesting gameplay.
All of these preseason changes, along with a massive overhaul to the item system and the introduction of the newest champion, Hwei, are currently available for testing on the PBE. The 2024 season is set to begin on January 9th.
Source: DOTESPORTS
