League Of Legends Artillery Mage Category: LoL Confirms Major Changes Before Arena Game Mode

The total number of champions available in League of Legends will rise to 164 when Naafiri launches next week. This is a monstrous number, the result of the constant expansion work that Riot Games has carried out since the first tests of the game were launched with just over a dozen heroes available. However, there is a whole category of characters that have been abandoned by the developers. It hasn’t received a single update since 2014, its champions are rarely used in ranked matches, and almost no one has hope for its future.

A category of characters that have disappeared from League of Legends

Riot Games classifies champions into relatively large groups based on the role they play in games. There are, for example, vanguard tanks: they are characters specialized in resisting blows that use this ability to start fights and show the face of their team (Sejuani, Rell, Malphite…). It is a very specific role and is differentiated from defensive tanks. They are similar characters, but these seconds focus on protecting the allies once the enemy initiation takes place (Shen, Braum, Galio…). There are a total of thirteen categories like these and they all receive news from place. Well, all except one.

Characters belonging to the Artillery Mage category are the rarest in the game. “They are the masters of attack range and use this advantage to harass their opponents over time from great distances. In turn, they are heavily punished when enemies finally get close to them, as they are very fragile and have limited mobility,” explains the highly worked League of Legends wiki. According to the official Riot Games classification, there are only six characters that fall into this classification. They are Lux, Xerath, Ziggs, Vel’Koz, Jayce, and Varus. In this sense, the last novelty was Vel’Koz. This hero from the void was added to the game nine and a half years ago, on February 27, 2014.

None of the 45 champions that have come to League of Legends since Vel’Koz’s release has been an artillery mage. Nor will Naafiri have that role, classified by Riot Games as an assassin. Briar, who will be the 165th character to arrive in the game, will be a ‘diver’ fighter, specializing in attacking the enemy’s rear guard as Jarvan, Lee Sin or Hecarim can do. The category of champions with the fewest heroes in the entire game will remain unchanged for a little longer. Something particularly serious considering that, despite being made up of only six characters, some do not even quite fit together. Despite his wear abilities, Jayce is often used as an assassin. Varus, in a similar situation, usually takes the role of marksman focused on his basic attacks.

Also Read: League Of Legends Arena Mode Date: What To Expect, Key Changes, Updates & More

LoL Updates

The developer has reassured fans regarding the future of artillery magicians. Initially, it was planned that this category of characters would be increased with the release of Vex. The mid-laner was initially going to be a character more similar to Lux or Xerath in her kit. However, when combining these characteristics with a mechanic to counter champions without mobility, it became very difficult to balance. Riot Games explained that “that concept was removed and it became the Vex we know” as it was “not a suitable direction for this particular character.” However, the news will end up coming. Of course, it may not be soon.

The next opportunity for the introduction of an Artillery Mage will come later this year/early next year when a new character to be played in the mid-lane is scheduled to be introduced. However, its playable characteristics are unknown. This situation could lead to the wait going on for much longer since the developer has announced that fewer champions will be released in 2024 to focus efforts on other interesting news for the video game.