The League of Legends 2023 Pre-Season is in for some absolutely huge updates that completely change the jungle and reintroduce the infamous Chemtech Dragon from the MOBA. In addition to these powerful hits, there's a top lane rework, a new and improved ping wheel, and some huge item changes - yes folks, Spear of Shojin is back.
For many, the League of Legends preseason is both a blessing and a curse. The downtime between the Worlds and the start of 2023 provides the perfect testing ground for new mechanics, but given the hangover left behind by the 2022 Chemtech drake, you'll be forgiven for approaching this year with trepidation.
The Chemtech dragon was tested during pre-season but was removed just a few weeks into season 12 because it was broken. The bad news is that he'll be back in the 2023 preseason, but the good news is that he's got a brand new kit - you can find out about it in our in-depth look at the League of Legends chemtech dragon.
It's not just the jungle's most controversial gas-spewing lizard that's undergoing major changes. The role itself features new items in the form of adorable new pets that evolve like Pokémon and play an integral role in jungle strategy. For the full list of changes, check out our League of Legends Jungle Changes breakdown.
There's a lot more to the maps, though, so here's a rundown of what else is coming to the League of Legends 2023 preseason, including new pings, new item changes, and an attempt to rejuvenate the top lane.
Upper band changes
Lead game designer Matthew Leung-Harrison comments that the top lane is "a little withered" and that "the role has lost some of its uniqueness, especially after the teleport change.
“We think the teleport changes we made were good for the game overall, but the top lane definitely paid the price,” he continues. "So we wanted to find a unique angle to celebrate top players."
Hoping to make the top lane the richest in the game, solo lanes will now gain more experience (95% multiplier instead of 93%) and duo lanes less (22% bonus experience instead of 24,73%). Mid laner minion gold has also been reduced (all minions give one less gold up to 14 minutes) to help top laners earn a little more compared to them.
New pings
During the pre-season, players are given more ways to communicate than ever before, and no, they haven't added voice chat so you can tease each other.
There are some significant updates to the existing ping wheel, and there's a brand new vision (support the network, rejoice!) The existing ping wheel now has a bait, push, hold and all that allows players to communicate their plans for the future. They are located between the existing pings. Think of it like a compass: push northeast, all southeast, and so on.
The new Vision Marks wheel has enemy vision in the center, then a left-handed option for cleared vision, and a right-handed option for needed vision. You will also be able to see where the pings are coming from with voiceover pings that will tell you who pinged what and where they pinged it.
Both are linked to a new goal planning feature that will allow players to better coordinate their actions. Pinging an upcoming target will activate the voting system, allowing you to debate whether you are capable of defeating that monster.
Item changes
In an effort to "re-evaluate what it's like to have a mythic item for a tank", Leung-Harrison states that "we wanted to explore what it looks like when mythic items are bought as a second item more often, so you can more freely choose items against them." your opponent is on the line.
Three new myths are being added to the game: Icathia's Endurance, Radiant Virtue, and Goliath Rising. They are designed to build second and increase durability over longer fights, teamfight prowess, and scaling accordingly. The Turbo Chemtank and Sunfire Aegis have also been downgraded and are no longer mythic items.
The Iceborn Gauntlet will also receive a new life and will be used to control and weaken enemies. Rod of Ages is back to help armor-piercing tanks and battle mages, which means Catalyst of Aeons is back too. If you fully collect your Rod of Ages, you will gain a level, and Eternity Catalyst now also has an eternity passive ability.
The infamous Shojin Spear will also return, providing an ability boost bar to help fighter assassins get back into the game. The Ravenous Hydra has also been tweaked slightly to better suit Split Pushers. Abyssal Mask and Randuin's Omen have also been updated, providing magic resistance and critical strike resistance respectively.
Parish changes
The new allied ward tracking means players can keep an eye on their team's view on the map. Expiring totems will now display differently on the minimap, and if you tag an enemy totem, a tracker will be added above it so you know exactly where it is and don't accidentally step on it. This tracker will be removed when the ward explodes.
It goes without saying that many of these changes will greatly affect the game. We hope that making the top lane a bit more attractive will lead to a resurgence in its popularity, and as a support pro I'm more than happy with the ward changes and the new vision wheel.
For now, we have the League of Legends 12.18 patch to keep us busy, as well as the brand new League of Legends Fright Night skins. If you've purchased one of these spooky cosmetics, we advise you not to check how much you've spent on League of Legends - it's always Halloween skins that drain the bank balance.
