Riot Games has revealed some details about the massive item overhaul planned for League of Legends’ 2021 preseason, with changes to starting jungle items, cooldown reduction, grievous wounds, and much more. Here’s what we know so far.
Since it was announced on June 22 that League of Legends would receive a major in-game shop and items rework during the 2021 preseason, fans have been eager to see just what would be in store.
Thankfully, in a blog post on August 7, Riot has now revealed many of the key details scheduled for the update, which is expected to drop after the 2020 World Championships.
The Preseason update is often used to test some of the biggest changes that Riot has planned, as seen with the Elemental Drakes for Season 10, while pro players take a break from competition.
For the 2021 preseason, the entire item system will be reworked, as Riot set out on their goal of having only “polished” items with a “clear purpose” in League of Legends.
League’s Preseason 2021 item update
Lead Gameplay Designer Mark ‘Scruffy’ Yetter shared some of these details, revealing that jungle items, CDR and healing reduction, would all be updated alongside the previously announced changes.
Very big new blog about this preseason's item overhaul:-Healing reduction and grievous wounds-CDR is changing into Ability Haste-Jungle items are becoming starters-Goals for each class
There's a ton in there, I'll try to answer questions that I canhttps://t.co/fYgsZkizof
— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter) August 7, 2020
League’s 2021 preseason jungle items
The LoL dev explained that jungle items would be transformed into new starting items, similar to those for support players, so that they can start building standard items immediately.
While they are still working on the final details, he also shared that they are exploring “something like the support quests” for these new items that would let them upgrade their smite spell throughout a game.
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The new jungle items will be like what we did with supports. Starter item for junglers will serve all of their needs and they can start building normal items immediately.
— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter) August 7, 2020
CDR and Ability Haste for 2021 preseason
Cooldown reduction is another major part of the preseason update. With the stat now changing into ‘Ability Haste’, the 40% CDR restriction will be completely removed and this item effect will have linear scaling.
“The upside (and why we’re doing it) is that build flexibility is dramatically better and there are more choices around haste vs non-haste builds,” the League dev added.
Our goal when tuning the move from CDR to Ability Haste is that there is on average the same amount of Cooldown Reduction on champs.
The upside (and why we're doing it) is that build flexibility is dramatically better and there are more choices around haste vs non haste builds.
— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter) August 7, 2020
Healing Reduction, Grievous Wounds, and more changes
The Summoner’s Rift team also highlighted Healing Reduction ahead of the end-of-season update, claiming that Grievous Wounds was”underpowered,” following the addition of healing-heavy champs like Senna, and that they would be buffing the HR item after Worlds 2020.
“We’re looking to make Grievous Wounds a sharper effect that more effectively counters extreme healing situations,” Riot shared, also adding that they will “trim some healing” from runes, items, and champs were it’s necessary.
They later announced that Tenacity would be receiving some adjustments before outlining their goals for each champion role and how these preseason changes would help them improve build paths and flexibility in-game.
While the exact date of these changes is still unclear, pre-season usually takes place after Worlds in November or December.
