Additionally, the most contentious dragon is back.
Beginning on Tuesday, Riot’s test world for League of Legends will receive the preseason patch, which includes significant changes to the map and jungle. A new elemental companion with improved stats will travel alongside junglers on their journey, and the contentious chemtech drake will once again be included in the dragon rotation.
Riot often uses the preseason, which occurs right after the annual Worlds esports competition, as a period for significant experimentation and dramatic change. Some of these modifications are reversed or improved upon further. Others become staples on Summoner’s Rift, such as the useful fruit scattered throughout the map.
One of those experiments, the chemtech drake, gave champions who died in battle a second chance at life in its original form. The new drake increases champion damage when they are low on health, which can enable them to win a close combat encounter. Additionally, after the dragon dies, the map will shift to resemble Zaun more, with chemically enhanced fruits encroaching on the Rift.
Chemtech When killed, Drake will now give a minor boost to tenacity and healer/shield strength.
When at a particular health level, Chemtech Soul will do additional damage.
The Rift will adopt a new Chemtech-inspired aesthetic with Zaunite chemicals and mutated jungle vegetation that have improved effects to go along with the Chemtech Drake.
Now, Blast Cones will blast those within range twice as far.
Honey Fruits will transform into Stim Fruits, offering a tiny additional shield in addition to the regular heal and no longer delaying champions who devour them.
Stalker’s Bloom will evolve from Scryer’s Bloom. When hit these plants will now reveal a small circular area around the plant and a cone opposite of the direction it was hit, granting movement speed towards revealed enemy champions and reducing wards revealed to 1 health.
With new jungle pets, League of Legends is also borrowing from Pokemon’s playbook. An egg bearing the Noxian Embercat, Ixtali Ixamander, or Ionian Cloudleaper can be purchased by players in the jungle role. The pet develops into a stronger version of itself that offers a potent bonus as the player kills jungle enemies.
The Noxian Embercat* will be the preferred pet for junglers who want to play more forcefully. It will offer extra damage and slows.
Ixtali Ixamander*: If you want to frontline and tank for your team, this is the jungle pet for you. Depending on your health, it will offer a shield that, when destroyed, will grant bonus slow resistance and tenacity.
Ionian Cloudleaper*: For junglers who want to spin and move over the map more fast, this pet is fantastic. There will be an increase in movement speed.
Additionally, because it demands players to stray from the main route, the jungling position should be a little easier during the preseason. Range indicators and suggested paths based on information gathered from top-ranked junglers will be added in the preseason patch, taking much of the guessing out of the job.
In addition, the preseason will test new methods of team communication, such as a ping wheel update with additional options and the ability to call a vote on whether to risk an objective. There will also be twelve new or revised Mythic items, an improved champion loadout UI, and enhancements to speed up top lane role scaling.
