History VideoGame / LeagueOfLegends

** Older champion models that haven't yet been given a [[ArtEvolution visual update]] (which will become fewer and fewer over the years as more champions receive [=VGUs=]) look out of place compared to the visually updated Rift and champions as well as newer champions.

* TheArtifact: Before the great retconning, the League of Legends itself descended into this. It's one of the primary reasons why Riot went through with the retcon.

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.
* GlassCannon: Marksman, Assassin, and Skirmisher champions are designed to deal tons of damage very quickly. Their defensive stats and abilities are usually quite low.

Not pictured: Over 150 other playable champions.]]

** '''Pulsefire:''' Future setting where champions have access to time travel and other alternate universes. Ezereal has become a "time explorer", but is actually considered a criminal because of his habit of taking artifacts from their correct timelines, causing [[ForWantOfANail the butterfly effect]]. He is now chased after by this universe's Caitlyn [[TimePolice as she tries to stop him and others who negatively affect the various time streams from their rightful course.]]

''League of Legends'', like all MOBA games, stems from ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'', originally a ''{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} 3'' custom map, which itself was based on Aeon of Strife, a ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'' custom map. ''[=LoL=]'' currently competes with several other games that originate from ''[=DotA=]'', including its own direct sequel, ''{{VideoGame/Dota 2}}''. However, ''[=LoL=]'' has many distinct differences from ''[=DotA=]'', most of which simplify the game to some extent. Riot Games pushed it heavily as a professional e-sport, and it has long since eclipsed the original ''[=DotA=]'''s popularity. Like we said: [[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/728786/league-of-legends-is-the-most-played-video-game-in-the-world most played game in the world.]] After awhile, the BattleRoyale shooter genre popularized by ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' dethroned it, but ''League'' certainly left their mark in the stages of gaming history.

''League of Legends'', like all MOBA games, stems from ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'', originally a ''{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} 3'' custom map, which itself was based on Aeon of Strife, a ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'' custom map. ''[=LoL=]'' currently competes with several other games that originate from ''[=DotA=]'', including its own direct sequel, ''{{VideoGame/Dota 2}}''. However, ''[=LoL=]'' has many distinct differences from ''[=DotA=]'', most of which simplify the game to some extent. Riot Games pushed it heavily as a professional e-sport, and it has long since eclipsed the original ''[=DotA=]'''s popularity. Like we said: [[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/728786/league-of-legends-is-the-most-played-video-game-in-the-world most played game in the world.]] After awhile, the Battle Royale shooter genre popularized by ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' dethroned it, but ''League'' certainly left their mark in the stages of gaming history.

''League of Legends'', like all MOBA games, stems from ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'', originally a ''{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} 3'' custom map, which itself was based on Aeon of Strife, a ''VideoGame/Starcraft'' custom map. ''[=LoL=]'' currently competes with several other games that originate from ''[=DotA=]'', including its own direct sequel, ''{{VideoGame/Dota 2}}''. However, ''[=LoL=]'' has many distinct differences from ''[=DotA=]'', most of which simplify the game to some extent. Riot Games pushed it heavily as a professional e-sport, and it has long since eclipsed the original ''[=DotA=]'''s popularity. Like we said: [[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/728786/league-of-legends-is-the-most-played-video-game-in-the-world most played game in the world.]] After awhile, the Battle Royale shooter genre popularized by ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' dethroned it, but ''League'' certainly left their mark in the stages of gaming history.

''League of Legends'', like all MOBA games, stems from ''VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients'', originally a ''{{VideoGame/Warcraft}} 3'' custom map, which itself was based on Aeon of Strife, a Starcraft custom map. ''[=LoL=]'' currently competes with several other games that originate from ''[=DotA=]'', including its own direct sequel, ''{{VideoGame/Dota 2}}''. However, ''[=LoL=]'' has many distinct differences from ''[=DotA=]'', most of which simplify the game to some extent. Riot Games pushed it heavily as a professional e-sport, and it has long since eclipsed the original ''[=DotA=]'''s popularity. Like we said: [[http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/728786/league-of-legends-is-the-most-played-video-game-in-the-world most played game in the world.]] After awhile, the Battle Royale shooter genre popularized by ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' dethroned it, but ''League'' certainly left their mark in the stages of gaming history.

* DoubleEdgedBuff:
** Briar has an extreme case of a tradeoff through her "Blood Frenzy" ability; when she enters a frenzy, she gains bonus movement and attack speed, extra on-hit damage, and an area of effect on her attacks. But in exchange, she's completely uncontrollable by her player save for ending her frenzy with another ability. So, the decision is a matter of extra damage potential in exchange for the game's AI making all the decisions.
** Rammus's "Defensive Ball Curl" grants him greatly increased armor and magic resist, and any enemies that hit him will take damage back due to his spiky shell. The tradeoff though is his drastically lowered movement speed, slowing down his mobility to a literal crawl.

*** "last shadow" and "ls" bring up Liandry's Anguish and Morellonomicon, referencing former LCK caster/analyst Nick "LS" De Cesare, who had [[SeriousBusiness an infamously passionate crusade against AP players who bought Morellonomicon, instead promoting Liandry's Anguish]] (more specifically its predecessor, Liandry's Torment).

* AttackChanceFailure: [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness In the game's very early years]], there was universal stat known as "Dodge", implemented as a sort of inverse to "CriticalHit Chance" that allowed certain characters to randomly [[NoSell shrug off basic attacks to receive no damage]]. Only one champion had innate Dodge as part of their kit -- Jax, whose ability ''Counter Strike'' granted him Dodge over several seconds before retaliating based on whatever damage he absorbed -- for everyone else, it was only granted in single-digit amounts from various [[SupportPower Runes and Summoner Masteries]] as well as from the item "Ninja Tabi" (a set of boots that granted a 12% Dodge chance). There also existed the "Sword of the Divine" item [[TacticalRockPaperScissors designed to counter the stat]], having an active buff [[AlwaysAccurateAttack to completely bypass Dodge and deal full damage all the way]]. Dodge was eventually removed from the game in 2012 as it wasn't fun on either end of the exchange (frustrating attackers to lose damage at random, unsatisfying and unreliable for targets), with Jax's ability, Ninja Tabi, and Sword of the Divine all being majorly reworked (the latter item removed altogether by late 2014).

* SquishyWizard: Many of the mages, mostly Burst (champions such as Brand, Veigar, and Lux, who are intended to simply dip in, explode a target and dip back out) and Artillery Mages (champions such as Xerath, Ziggs, or Vel'Koz who act as magic howitzers, constantly attacking from a long distance). Enchanters (champions as Sona, Soraka, Yuumi and Milio) are also quite frail and usually a [[ShootTheMedicFirst priority target]] in teamfights.
* StatusEffects:

* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: Between Jarvan IV, Garen, Swain, Darius, Ashe, Tryndamere, and Sejuani, the game has quite a few badass royals and generals.

* SquishyWizard: Many of the mages, mostly Burst (champions such as Brand, Veigar, and Lux, who are intended to simply dip in, explode a target and dip back out) and Artillery Mages (champions such as Xerath, Ziggs, or Vel'Koz who act as magic howitzers, constantly attacking from a long distance).

*** Dr. Mundo, Vladimir, and Zac simply CastFromHitPoints.

*** Sett has Grit, a rapidly-depleting resource converted directly from the damage he receives, [[AttackReflector which he can then unleash back onto his enemies with] [[MegatonPunch a massive Haymaker punch.]]

*** Garen, Katarina, and Riven are manaless champions without any secondary resources. This functions similar to having infinite Mana, but cooldown times are crucial to them in exchange.

*** Gnar gains Rage over time whenenever he deals or takes damage. When he reaches maximum Rage, he will transform for a few seconds into Mega Gnar, a hulking, close-range champion with a new set of skills. Besides, he's the only dual-form champion that can't switch forms back and forth at will. [[note]]Though he can speed up his Mega Gnar transformation by using a skill, even his ult as Mini Gnar.[[/note]]

*** Gnar gains Rage over time whenenever he deals or takes damage. When he reaches maximum Rage, he will transform for a few seconds into Mega Gnar, a hulking, close-range champion with a new set of skills. Besides, he's the only dual-form champion that can't switch forms back and forth at will. [note]Though he can speed up his Mega Gnar transformation by using a skill, even his ult as Mini Gnar.[/note]

*** Gnar gains Rage over time or when he deals or takes damage. When he reaches maximum Rage, he can transform into Mega Gnar, a hulking, close-range champion with a new set of skills.

*** Sett has Grit, a rapidly-depleting resource converted directly from the damage he receives, [[AttackReflector which he can then unleash back onto his enemies with]] [[MegatonPunch a massive Haymaker punch.]]

* '''Arena:''' Launched during the 2023 Soul Fighter event, this mode flips the team dynamic of the game on its head, featuring ''four'' teams of ''two players each'' competing to be the last team standing. Players alternate between shopping for items and mode-specific [[SupportPower Augments]] and slugging it out in [=2v2v2v2=] brawls among different maps, which are periodically interrupted by neutral Soul Fighter champions, each acting as a battlefield hazard that alters the flow of battle.

* '''Ultimate Spellbook''': The most recently developed (and currently unreleased) rotating mode, themed after the Ruination event. Everyone gets a special summoner spell that allows you to cast one of three randomly-selected ultimates from another Champion. Additionally, everyone's ultimates now scale with both ability power and attack damage, meaning that the ult you pick won't conflict with your item build.
* '''Legend of the Poro King:''' A winter-exclusive 5v5 skirmish on the Howling Abyss where the usual Summoner spells are replaced by two poro-specific abilities: firstly, the ability to throw a companion poro at enemies (and to dash to an enemy afterward) and secondly, to dash to the side of the Poro King, whom you will summon once your team has landed 10 poro hits on enemy players. The Poro King is a giant poro who proceeds slowly down the map, healing your team and doing damage to your enemies (tanking turret blasts and thrown enemy poros too) until he is dispelled. Possibly retired.

** Every champion has a unique skillset and playstyle, with many of them having access to something that no other champion can replicate (for instance, Singed's Poison Gas). Some champions stand out, though, for having their skills arranged in a different way than the usual "3 active abilities on Q, W, and E, one ultimate ability on R, one passive" formula. Some have a second passive that you need to slowly rank up as you would a regular skill, and other shapeshifting champions have upwards of 6 or 7 abilities that change depending on what form the character is currently in.
** There are also more champions being released now who are designed to be unusually functional to the {{Metagame}}. Riot is well aware of the fact that the standard "bruiser/tank top, bruiser/tank jungler, mage/assassin mid, ADC and support duo bot" meta is the most common way the game is played, so in order to make [[CastOfSnowflakes every character look, feel and play uniquely,]] they have to get tricky with champion capabilities. For some examples, Bard is a bot-lane support who heavily encourages global roaming, Kindred is a jungling ADC (other champions such as Graves and Quinn have also seen this role ever since, [[NotTheIntendedUse but they weren't intended to be]]), and Ivern is a pure support who exists as a roaming jungler due to a passive that makes it so he doesn't have to fight to gain a jungler's benefits.
** The unquestioned definitive example of this in the game is Aphelios, a champion so bizarre that he's like an escapee from ''an entirely different game.'' He doesn't even have 4 skills, instead having one skill, one ultimate, and a toggle between his two equippable guns which all change what his skill does and run on an ammo system that causes them to cycle to his next gun whenever one runs empty. Oh, and he doesn't rank up his skill when he gains levels either, instead gaining his choice of more AD, AS or armour penetration.

* '''Nexus Blitz''': A fast-paced mode on a separate map from Summoner's Rift and the Howling Abyss called the "Temple of Lily and Lotus", with two lanes, a jungle designed for two players, the ability to get [[SuperMode "On Fire"]] from killstreaks, and minigames that grant random bonuses happening every few minutes. Notably intended to explicitly last 20 minutes or less: if a team hasn't won by 17:30, [[SuddenDeath the Nexii get up and start attacking each other]].

** The Hextech Dragon Soul.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/leagueoflegendstitle.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Pictured L-R: [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsLux Lux]], [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsJinx Jinx]], [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsYasuo Yasuo]], [[{{TokenRobot}} Blitzcrank]].\\
Not pictured: Over 150 other playable champions.]]