We all need a break from playing video games, and a multiplayer online battle arena like League of Legends is no different. But, of course, you could’ve taken a break because you were busy with work, school, or simply enjoying a different game.
Yet, for some reason, you find yourself wanting to go back to Summoner’s Rift as a League player, destroying enemy turrets and capturing the enemy nexus. So you set up a new account or use your old one, download the game, and start patching the League of Legends client.
However, once you log in to the Riot Games server, you’re greeted by a host of changes, such as new champions, new game modes, new champion abilities, new concepts on objective control, and more. All of these additions are overwhelming for new and returning players alike. As a result, playing the game now is radically different than how it may have been the last time you played.
If you’re a returning player who wants to get back into League of Legends after a long period of time, it’s a good idea to know what you need to look out for to become a successful player.
- The Overall Concept Remains the Same
- Things To Do To Get Reacquainted With League of Legends
- Should I Go Back to League of Legends?
- How Do You Get Back Into League After a Break?
- Is League Still Popular in 2022?
- Conclusion
The Overall Concept Remains the Same
It’s easy to think that League of Legends will have completely changed the way it works after a while. However, the game doesn’t really go too far in terms of its overall concept.
You’ll still find a top lane champion, a bottom lane duo, a mid lane, and a jungler in each team. Champion kills will still be essential in winning team fights, while minion waves will play an integral role in how the game is played.
The goal remains the same: to push the enemy champions back to their spawn area so that you can destroy the enemy base. So when you’re getting reacquainted with League of Legends, remember that the overall concept will be the same.
Don’t overthink too much or try to change the way you see things in-game. As you patch the game or before loading into it, there are a few things you need to do to prepare yourself ahead of a match.
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Things To Do To Get Reacquainted With League of Legends
These are the best ways to familiarize yourself with all of the changes that happened since you last played League of Legends:
Tip #1: Take a Look at the Recent Patch Notes
Many things can change in League of Legends — even in just a few months. You can expect tweaks regarding permanent bans, crowd control effects, attack damage, and how a different champion works. You may even find improvements on the latest driver that you might have to reconfigure before playing or even minor things such as a new recall animation.
With that said, here are some of the priority points you need to check when viewing the latest patch notes:
- Any changes in how structures and towers operate
- Any revamps on effects, spawn timers, and the like on how Baron and dragons work
- Champion updates, particularly changes that affect your favorites
- Any champion rework or new champions introduced in the latest patches
- Any new items that can be bought at the item shop
- Changes to existing items or reworks
- Any nerfs and buffs that were added to a champion
- Changes and nerfs or buffs made that affect junglers
Tip #2: Start Playing a Few Matches
Now that you have a general idea of the latest changes applied to the game, you should try your favorite champion by playing a few matches. There will obviously be a learning curve as you get back to the game, but the skills and technique should naturally return to you the more you play.
You want to try to play your first few matches after coming back using roles and champions that you already know. Trying to play with something new is counterintuitive. If you check your match history and find that you’ve been playing mid-lane with a high-damage champion, then it would be a good idea to stick with that as you reacquaint yourself with League of Legends.
If there’s a specific role you want to give a shot because of a rework or update, you should play a champion that you know first, so you can learn the new mechanics that were added. In addition, this will give you a general idea of what you can expect when facing the recently-updated champion you want to try.
Once you get the hang of the game in its current state, you can start focusing on setting up that specific build with the knowledge you have in mind. Then, when you already know what to expect regarding a particular update, you’ll be able to get back to how you used to play faster.
Tip #3: Play Matches With Your Friends
The League of Legends client provides players with a lot of detailed information about the latest changes to the game and its current state. However, learning through reading can only get you so far, and having someone explain it to you in-game can be more efficient.
Getting together with a friend or a group that plays League of Legends to talk you through the recent tweaks about the game while playing can be an easier way to understand everything. Besides that, your friends can also provide you with recommendations on how to approach certain new aspects when playing.
Furthermore, playing with friends can be fun and will help improve your knowledge about the game before going solo.
Tip #4: Stick to Normal Games for Now
As you get back into playing League of Legends, you should start with normal matches. These games will provide you with valuable experience that will allow you to re-adjust to the current meta. It also has fewer consequences in case you end up on the losing end.
Given how there are now rotating game modes, playing normal games will let you have fun while you familiarize yourself with the game’s pace and newest changes. It also helps you warm up, which is a better way of getting back into the game rather than jumping into ranked matches immediately.
No matter how good you were before you went on hiatus, playing your first few matches on any game mode except for ranked is important. It’s simply not a wise decision to pick up on a competitive game mode when you haven’t played League of Legends for a while.
You’re basically setting yourself up to fail if you’re trying to relearn how the game is played in a ranked match. However, studying the recent gameplay changes and champion reworks will allow you to begin your ranked journey at a better pace.
Tip #5: Set Up a Solid Champion Pool
League of Legends has more than 100 champions to choose from, and each one of these characters offers different gameplay and dynamics to players. Given how many options you have available, it’s easy to see why there are many players who struggle to remain consistent in succeeding matches.
To be as prepared as possible while playing ranked matches, you should set up a solid pool of champions that you can truly be confident in bringing into games. Sticking to a small selection of around three to five champions each for at least two roles is ideal. In addition, this will allow you to have backups if the opposing team banned or countered your initial choice.
Learning the ins and outs of your chosen champions will allow you to familiarize yourself quickly with how they work as you get back into League of Legends. This is possible because you learn about each character’s strengths to land the killing blow and how you can play around with any weaknesses they have.
On the other hand, playing several champions as a returning player won’t let you master each one and bring out their full potential during matches. An intelligent opponent will easily recognize your lack of knowledge and will work to exploit this as much as possible.
Besides mastering a small selection of champions, you should also be more familiar with the two roles you have in mind. It’s simply not possible to be extremely good right away in each role as a returning player, and working on just a couple of options will help you focus your mindset as you get better.
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Should I Go Back to League of Legends?
The answer to this question will depend on what you want to achieve in the game that will make it enjoyable for you.
Are you planning to achieve a certain rank or statistic that you can show off to your friends? Perhaps you just want to play League of Legends for a few matches each day to let off some steam.
If you have a specific goal in the game, then you should be ready to devote some time and energy to obtain it. But, unfortunately, it’s not easy to win ranked games — even if you have an extremely skillful duo partner — and it will take time to level up in terms of ranking.
If you’re planning to play just to have fun, then by all means, go ahead and patch your client. The game is significantly more enjoyable nowadays, thanks to all the changes Riot Games has added.
How Do You Get Back Into League After a Break?
Follow the tips above to get back into League of Legends after a long break. However, it would be best to start by reading the recent patch notes and then understand how the changes work.
Playing a few matches both solo and with friends is a good start. You should also set up a pool of select champions you wish to master moving forward.
These steps will increase your chances of success when you go back and play League of Legends.
Is League Still Popular in 2022?
League of Legends - Mid-Season Invitation Finals (May 29, 2022) - © 2022 Riot Games, Inc. Used With Permission.
League of Legends has an average monthly player base of 150 million, which is a good indication that the game is still popular in 2022.
Conclusion
Getting back into League of Legends after a long absence isn’t easy, and it will take a while to get used to the game. The good news is that there are certain steps you can take to ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success moving forward.
By following the tips above, you should have a general direction on what you should do as a returning player.
