History VideoGame / LeagueOfLegends

* FriendlyFireproof: Unlike earlier entries in the MOBA genre, ''[=LoL=]'' did away with denying[[note]]the practice of last-hitting your own creeps to prevent the opponent from doing it and getting the experience and gold[[/note]] as Riot found it counterintuitive and unsatisfying. Originally Gangplank's Raise Morale ability required him to execute a friendly minion [[BadBoss to motivate all nearby allies]] but this was removed when Riot realised it was no different from denying and gave Gangplank an unfair advantage over his opponent. This also extends to champions themselves, with absolutely no abilities in the entire game that allow you to directly cause harm to your own teammates. The trope would ''finally'' be subverted with the release of Renata Glasc, whose Hostile Takeover ultimate briefly makes enemies struck by it turn on and attack each other, although it's still completely impossible to ''intentionally'' do damage to an ally (which is not to say you can't [[StopHelpingMe use utility abilities like Cataclysm or Tempered Fate in a way that can screw them over]] if you're [[{{Troll}} that kind of player]]).

** Statikk Shiv item causes lightning to shoot out from the target of your next basic attack, chaining onto nearby enemies, making it very effective for clearing waves of minions.

** The now-removed Statikk Shiv item caused lightning to shoot out from the target of your next basic attack, chaining onto nearby enemies, making it very effective for clearing waves of minions. This effect has since been moved to the Hextech Dragon Soul.

* SetBonus: Several items only activate their signature features based on the type of items the player already currently has, generally meaning that they're limited to a specific build path, but [[AmplifierArtifact act as a significant power spike once acquired for it]]. For example, Infinity Edge -- which increases the damage of {{Critical Hit}}s -- only does so if the player [[CriticalHitClass has built at least 60% critical hit chance]], and Warmog's Armor -- which grants [[HealingFactor ridiculous amounts of health regeneration]] -- only does so if the player has built at least 1100 bonus health.

** Pulled off once again in 2019, this time with True Damage, a modern pop/hip-hop-styled DreamTeam by K/DA's Akali alongside Senna, Ekko, Qiyana, and Yasuo. Like K/DA, True Damage made its debut at Worlds with their track [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVZpHFXcFJw GIANTS]]".

* AllLoveIsUnrequited: [[OlderThanTheyLook Zoe]] has a crush on [[PrettyBoy Ezreal]], who is implied to have a crush on [[CuteWitch Lux]], who is either [[UnrequitedLove uninterested]] or [[ObliviousToLove oblivious]]. Averted in AlternateUniverse versions of Lux and Ezreal, as Star Guardian Ezreal is treated as an ImpliedLoveInterest to Lux and in the Battle Academia universe, they seem to be dating.

* BribingYourWayToVictory: Despite there being plenty of things to spend money on, very much {{Averted|Trope}}. While it's certainly faster to gain the unlockable champions by forking over cash, you can also gain them via "Blue Essence", which is awarded along with EXP after leveling up after certain games. While there are things you can only buy with money, they are either 1) [[CosmeticAward purely cosmetic]] skins for your champions, or 2) "Boosts" which double your EXP gain for a set period of time. Ten champions, rotated weekly, are free to play at any time. It's perfectly viable to do some playtesting and then purchase only the ones you like.

* DisabilityImmunity: Averted. All status effects are all-encompassing with all champions, meaning that [[BlindWeaponmaster Lee Sin]] can be Blinded, [[CuteMute Sona]] can be Silenced, [[SiliconBasedLife Malphite]] can be Petrified, etc. despite the lack of sense that it makes in-universe.

* DropInDropOutMultiplayer: '''[[AvertedTrope No.]]''' If you leave during a game, [[BladderOfSteel even for a few minutes to take a bathroom break]], you will cripple your team by being underleveled at best and singlehandedly turn the tide of battle in favor of your enemies at worst. If you're a busy person, live with your family or have friends who can drop in at any time, please wait until midnight when nobody will bother you and the internet is all yours. If you're gone long enough, you could end up reported for being a "leaver", which results in the banhammer if it happens enough.

* ElementalRockPaperScissors: Completely averted. Instead players need to take advantage of whether their targets are focusing on physical or magic resistance. The actual elements of the magic don't hold a candle to the combat, or even really determine the magic's mechanics.

* FamilyUnfriendlyDeath: In contrast to the mostly BloodlessCarnage of the earlier cinematics, several of the champions killed in [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzHrjOMfHPY 'A New Dawn']] suffer quite nasty deaths: [[spoiler:Draven gets ripped apart by Rengar's claws, with his blood flying everywhere, Katarina gets her head blown off by Graves' explosive round-firing shotgun, Jax is smashed to death by Nautilus' gigantic anchor, Graves has his back broken by the same anchor and [[TakingYouWithMe uses his Collateral Damage shell to blow himself up]], and Nautilus is brutally crushed flat under the massive stone pillar Graves' sacrifice collapses on him]]. Averted by [[spoiler:Zyra and Darius, who are killed by Ahri's magic, which isn't ''that'' painful-looking]] and [[spoiler:Leona, [[NotQuiteDead who actually survived being smashed with Darius' giant axe]]]].

* OneStatToRuleThemAll: Averted. Having both magical and physical damage on a team is necessary to prevent the opposition from stacking one type of resistance to counter it. Conversely, stacking just health, magic resistance, or armor leaves a tank vulnerable to at least one type of damage. As for the individual disciplines, AD and AP are the main stats for physical and magical attackers (respectively) but stacking too much of these without itemizing for the secondary stats is usually a bad idea. For example, an AD Carry building nothing but AD will lose a 1v1 duel with another that is building a healthy combination of AD, Attack Speed, Armor Penetration and Critical chance. And this doesn't even go into [[HybridPower hybrid champions]] who benefit from both AD and AP...

** The ShipTease between Ezreal and Lux had become seriously downplayed over the years, which seemingly culminated with Lux's updated voiceover, where she asks if they were supposed to be dating when they canonically ''never even talked''. [[SubvertedTrope However, the inclusion of Zoe revealed]] she ([[UnknownRival one-sidedly]]) considers Lux a rival for Ezreal's affection, implying the ship is still around, albeit [[AllLoveIsUnrequited one-sided on Ezreal's part]]. Averted in the recent years, as in some AlternateUniverse timelines, Ezreal is treated as an ImpliedLoveInterest to Lux. They even seem to be outright dating in the Battle Academia universe.

* NoPronunciationGuide: Several early champions fall into this, causing [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6rNjrWalvc no shortage of fan and even Rioter debates]] (Is Veigar "vay-gar", "vee-gar", or "vy-gar"? Is Shaco "shack-oh" or "shake-oh," etc.). [[https://nexus.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/2017/12/naming-new-champions/ Riot has since become more careful when naming champions to avoid this]], with one measure being simply having the champion say their own name to confirm a proper pronunciation.

* BaitAndSwitchLesbians: Former lore writer Runaan wrote a Twitter post where she accused Riot of queerbaiting with Graves and Twisted Fate after the ''Double Double Cross'' cinematic. Within the post, she explained she had been trying to write the pair as married for years and faced open hostility about it from her higher-ups, only for Riot to claim the HomoeroticSubtext between the pair was intentional after the fandom responded positively to it, suggesting that teasing the pair was okay but [[HideYourGays actually having the two be married was unacceptable.]]

* '''ARAM''': "All-Random, All-Mid", [[AscendedHouseRules which was originally a fan-made variant of Classic Mode]] where players would agree to use random Champions, only employ the central lane and were not allowed to return to their base until death. This created a highly-aggressive game based more around direct combat than map control. It was later canonized into an official mode and given a unique map: the "Proving Grounds", later revised into "The Howling Abyss".[[note]](Occasionally it also appears on "Butchers' Bridge", a pirate-themed reskin of the Howling Abyss.)[[/note]]

* '''ARAM''': "All-Random, All-Mid", which was originally a fan-made {{House Rule}} of Classic Mode where players would agree to use random Champions, only employ the central lane and were not allowed to return to their base until death. This created a highly-aggressive game based more around direct combat than map control. It was later canonized into an official mode and given a unique map: the "Proving Grounds", later revised into "The Howling Abyss".[[note]](Occasionally it also appears on "Butchers' Bridge", a pirate-themed reskin of the Howling Abyss.)[[/note]]

* BuxomIsBetter: Early on in the game's life, this was present for ''a lot'' of female champions. It was repeatedly explained that being subtler used to not work for the game engine, as long, elegant hair and massive breasts made it easy to distinguish a male character from female, and attempts from this era to be more modest (such as Riven or Quinn) proved them to be correct. Nowadays, they have much better graphics and technology available, so they don't need to rely on the tactic anymore with newer female champions like Jinx, Kalista, and Taliyah.

* ItOnlyWorksOnce: The Stopwatch item exists solely for its active ability, which is to self-inflict a "stasis" effect that renders its owner completely immobile, but also completely immune to everything for a few seconds, allowing them to potentially survive incoming fatal attacks. It only has one use before it becomes a "Broken Stopwatch" for the rest of the game, and considering how the item goes for a not-insignificant price and otherwise provides no other stats, it should be used carefully if they don't intend on buying the upgraded Zhonya's Hourglass (the ability recharges after a long cooldown, but the item is mostly for AP mages).

** Stopwatch can only be used once per game and cannot be bought again. It can however be still used as an ingredient for different items.

* SugarApocalypse: During the music video for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-mT9D4fdgQ "Mortal Reminder"]] the idyllic Bandle City (here portrayed as a simple [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Shire-esque]] village filled with harmless furry critters) is utterly leveled by the arrival of Pentakill. After the initial shock, the Yordles don't seem too bothered, though, as they end up rocking out with the band (although that may just be an effect of being struck by Karthus' [[KillEmAll Requiem]]).

* WeaponsKitchenSink: Runeterra is such a diverse FantasyKitchenSink with such varying technology levels and resource accessibility that nearly every conceptual weapon type is covered. Who gets what [[JustifiedTrope often has to do with the worldbuilding]]: places like [[GrimUpNorth The Freljord]], [[ThirstyDesert Shurima]], and [[DeathMountain Targon]] have lower tech, with its populous fighting with blunt objects ([[{{BFS}} giant swords]], [[CarryABigStick clubs]], [[AnAxeToGrind halberds]], even enchanted ''[[DoorFu doors]]'') or primitive firearms like [[TheStraightAndArrowPath bows and arrows]], though [[{{Wutai}} Ionia]] coasts on having simpler, eastern-inspired weapons ([[KatanasAreJustBetter katanas]], [[StockNinjaWeaponry ninja arsenals]], and the like) with [[SupernaturalMartialArts a large magical twist]]. More developed, militaristic nations like [[TheGoodKingdom Demacia]] and [[TheEmpire Noxus]] wield weapons more suited for large-scale war, with ornate swords, spears, battleaxes, knives, and even a scattering of handguns and artillery. The sister cities of [[ShiningCity Piltover]] and [[CityNoir Zaun]] (as well as the distant hub of piracy, [[NotSoSafeHarbour Bilgewater]]) have access to the highest available tech in Runeterra, and is where you'll find the most guns, including [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotguns]], {{Sniper Rifle}}s, [[HavingABlast rocket launchers]], {{Attack Drone}}s, as well as technologically-advanced melee options like giant {{Power Fist}}s and [[ArmedLegs scissor legs]]. This isn't even getting into all the various exceptions and twists thanks to the abundance of magic in the world, including Qiyana's [[ElementalPowers elemental power]]-channeling [[RingsOfDeath ring blade]] or the various [[MageMarksman light-firing guns]] used by [[ThePaladin the Sentinels]] (including Senna's "Relic Cannon" that is in practice akin to a massive, [[YinYangBomb light/dark]]-blasting [[{{BFG}} railgun]]).

* PerpetualBeta: The game is in its official release, but it's patched roughly every couple of weeks, and it will probably only end if the game's plug was pulled entirely. Being a PC-multiplayer game, along with the 150+ playable characters that are always being re-balanced against each other to prevent a severe game-breaker, this was probably expected.

* AnAxeToGrind: Many champions look to the trusty axe as their weapons. Also, a number of items, such as Black Cleaver, Ravenous Hydra, and Titanic Hydra.

* AnAxeToGrind: Many champions look to the trusty axe as their WeaponOfChoice. Also, a number of items, such as Black Cleaver, Ravenous Hydra, and Titanic Hydra.

** Flying champions are equal to walking champions, champions benefit from weapons despite having a WeaponOfChoice, et cetera, for versatility.

* WhatTheHellHero: You can use the enemy missing ping for such things.

* LonersAreFreaks: ExaggeratedTrope for yordles -- they require far more social interaction with their own kind than humans do, and so are generally kind and benevolent. If they are isolated from their own kind too long, they risk becoming sullen. If they already have a tendency toward immorality, they will become sadists; Veigar providing an extreme example of this ([[HarmlessVillain well, sorta]]).

** The now-removed Rod of Ages was a mage item that passively granted AP, health, and mana each minute for up to 10 minutes, usually necessitated as an early buy.

** Frostfire Gauntlet (and its predecessor, the Iceborn Gauntlet) is a Mythic-tier tank item that periodically creates zones of ice upon attacking enemies.

** Slow: Too many champions to list have abilities that slow, which vary wildly in effectiveness. Some items also grant this debuff, such as Rylai's Crystal Scepter and the Frostfire Gauntlet.

* CharacterRosterGlobalWarming: The game has steadily experienced a degree of this over the course of its 10+ year development. While tank champions are still being made and the {{metagame}} periodically dips in favor of tanky play, Riot's attitude towards balance and overall game design has increasingly shifted away from passive defense and more towards dealing and undoing damage. The primary focus has to do with how tanks inherently slow down games, and metas where they're the most viable [[PaddedSumoGameplay tend to reward passive play and thus become far more of a drag]], and further complications come in the form of "bruiser" champions; [[LightningBruiser bulky, but mobile and painful initiators]] that often make the point of [[StoneWall a more reactive, defensive-oriented tank]] redundant (at least for when they're functioning as intended). Riot determined that these two distinct forms of {{Mighty Glacier}} can't functionally coexist on equal ground, and thus more and more, modern tanks lean into dealing damage or crowd control as a means of expressing value. It's quite telling that since 2018, there's at least one damage-dealing [[TheJuggernaut "juggernaut"]] champion being developed for the game each year, but the defense-oriented [[StoneWall "warden"]] champion category has received no new additions since 2017.

** For years Lucian [[CrusadingWidower was only one of these in his backstory]], but his wife Senna was [[BackFromTheDead restored to life]] in 2019 and they're resumed their former relationship and job as monster hunters.

* MustBeInvited: In Runeterra, demons cannot harm anyone unless a condition is met based on what sort of demon they are. Evelynn cannot attack anyone who doesn't [[TheVamp lust after her]]. [[VillainousGlutton Tahm Kench]] can't sate his hunger unless he [[DealWithTheDevil makes a deal]], Noctus can't harm anyone [[YourWorstNightmare not having a bad dream]]. Fiddlesticks can't hurt anyone who isn't afraid.