What is Arena?
Arena is a 2v2v2v2 game mode for League of Legends where players face off against other pairs across multiple maps (Rings) over the course of several rounds, whittling down their opponent's team health until only one duo stands victorious!
You'll also get to choose from random selection of Augments along the way, making every match fun and intense in its own unique way.
Of course, this is just a broad overview, so read on for the deets!
No Mastery/Eternals/Challenges Progression
Augments alter the game to such a degree that we aren't currently tracking Mastery, Eternals, or Challenge progression while you're in Arena. Focus on getting that dub instead!
Schedule
Arena will run for Patch 13.14 from July 20 to August 28 at 11:59pm PST, but the exact start time will vary by region!
July 20, 8am PST: EUW, EUN, RU, and TR
July 20, 1pm PST: OCE, JP, NA, LAN, LAS, BR, KR, VN, TW, PH, TH, SG, CN
We know how awe inspiring your competitive spirit can be, so we've staggered launch times to give the servers a little breathing room.
Arena Lobby
The Arena experience begins the moment you enter the lobby!
You and your duo show up on one side of the lobby while the other teams (6 players) appear on the right. You'll immediately notice several key differences from Summoner's Rift, such as…
No Runes - Arena's tempo makes certain rune choices less meaningful, so they've been removed entirely. Besides, many of the in-game Augments feature powered-up versions of the existing runes. Use those to custom-tailor your playstyle!
Preset Summoner Spells - Everybody starts with the same two Summoner Spells: Flash and Flee (which is similar to Ghost), though they can sometimes get swapped out via Augment
Blind Pick - Pick your champion at the same time as everybody else with no insight into what your enemies are choosing. This also means that multiple people can pick the same champion in the same match, though not on the same team.
Bans For All - Everybody gets a single ban that is visible to all and applies to everybody's champion pools. Use it wisely!
Once everybody's locked and loaded, it's time to enter Arena!
Preparation Phase
Every round begins with a preparation phase where you'll receive either a chunk of Gold or a short list of Augments to choose from. Use this time to scout out the competition, stretch those wrists, or slam some Juice (irl or otherwise!).
| Round | Bonus |
|---|---|
| 1 | 1000 Gold |
| 2 | New Augment |
| 3 | 1000 Gold |
| 4 | 3000 Gold |
| 5 | New Augment |
| 6 | 3000 Gold |
| 7+ | Bonuses for Rounds 4–6 repeat until a victor is determined |
Augments
Augments are special game-altering effects that, once selected, apply for the rest of the current game. They come in three flavors of increasing intensity: Silver, Gold, and Prismatic. While the rarity is random, you can rest assured that all players are offered the same level of power.
There's a huge variety of Augments, and many of them interact in strange, interesting, and powerful ways. Don't be afraid to explore new options or dial in on a cracked combo.
Juice
Don't quite have enough money for the item of your dreams? Consider knocking back a tasty Juice© for a short-term buff, now available every round!
| Juice | Single Round Buff |
|---|---|
| Juice of Power | AD/AP |
| Juice of Vitality | Health/Size |
| Juice of Haste | Ability Haste |
| Cappa Juice | Get a SWEET HAT that lasts the entire match (with no other effect) |
Although you can't stack the same kind of Juice*, you CAN drink different kinds of Juice together to get their cumulative effect.
*Cappa Juice is the only exception! Just like real life, hats can be stacked infinitely.
Combat Phase
Ready! Set! FIGHT!
Once preparation finishes, your team of two will be transported to one of four rings where you'll face off against another pairing. Last team standing wins the round, while the defeated team will lose 2 team health plus 2 more for every three rounds that have passed.
| Round | Damage for Defeat |
|---|---|
| 1–3 | 2 |
| 4–6 | 4 |
| 7–9 | 6 |
| 10–12 | 8 |
| 13–15 | 10 |
If your match runs longer than 30 seconds, a ring of fire will begin to close in around your ring every few seconds. You'll receive a small amount of health %-based true damage whenever you're standing in the fire, so try to avoid the flames if possible. If the ring closes entirely, damage ramps up significantly. If you and your opponent both somehow manage to endure the flames for another 15 seconds after they've reached peak intensity, the round will end in a tie, dealing damage to both teams.
Win or lose, getting a kill will score you 350 Gold.
Rings of Wrath
The mode may be called "Arena," but it actually features FOUR different rings you can battle on throughout the competition!
Frostbite Thicket
Ancestral Woods
Desert Oasis
Magma Chamber
New Terrain and Plant
The new maps also sport some fun new features to give you even more tactical options:
- Deep Water (terrain): Doesn't block vision but otherwise acts like any other terrain.
- Power Flower (plant): Gives Shield, Heal, Mana, and partial Cooldown refund on all abilities each time it's hit.
Cameos
Not content to just sit around and let you have the fun, Soul Fighter champions appear in your ring on random rounds throughout the match to add their own unique brand of chaos to the proceedings. Better yet, the Soul Fighter roster will expand from five champions to ten in patch 13.15 for double the disarray!
Patch 13.14 (initial release)
- Samira
- Pyke
- Sett
- Naafiri
- Lux
Patch 13.15 (additions)
- Viego
- Shaco
- Gwen
- Evelynn
- Jhin
End Game
Once your team health drops to 0, it's game over. You can choose to stick around and see who wins or leave without penalty, after which you can jump right back into the queue. Just know that the results aren't tallied until a final pair of victors emerges from the fray, so you may not see progress on your missions if you leave immediately after being knocked out early
If three teams remain at any point, one team will be randomly selected to sit out a match. Take a breather! You've earned it.
Ranking System
Arena's ranking system mirrors its gameplay philosophy—simple, fun, and competitive.
Arena Tiers
| Tier | Ranking Points |
|---|---|
| Wood | 0–1399 |
| Bronze | 1400–2599 |
| Silver | 2600–3199 |
| Gold | 3200–3799 |
| Gladiator | 3800+ |
Your current tier is shown via your in-lobby banner and in the post-game report.
Placements and Climbing
All players are initially seeded in the Wood tier (heh) at 500 Ranking Points, plus any points you earn for winning. But don't sweat it if victory is not forthcoming in your first match, as you'll be protected from losing any Ranking Points for your first five games while you get situated. You'll still gain Points every time you place 2nd or above, but you won't lose Points for placing 3rd and below until after your first five games are finished.
No Demotions!
Since Arena is coming to you fresh out of the oven, we want to emphasize fun and experimentation over a harrowing climb. That's why you won't be able to get demoted out of a tier. Fight ever onward and upward!
Tier Rewards
Glory's great, but prizes are forever.
If you've played at least one match of Arena, you'll receive summoner icons for your highest tier when Arena closes and all the ones below. So if you hit Silver, you'll also get Bronze and Wood, too!
And don't worry if you don't get the icons right away, as we're planning on divvying them out with the release of Patch 13.18 on Sept 13, 2023 PT.