On February 7, Riot Games announced the return of one of
League of Legends' most popular game modes, Arena. It will be reintroduced on March 5 and remain available until April 30. As with Summoner's Rift, Noxus will take center stage in this new iteration of Arena. Two weeks ago, the publisher also unveiled several adjustments and new features, including the introduction of the
Guest of Honor system. With this mechanic, Noxian champions will appear between rounds, and players will be able to vote for one of them, influencing the rules of the game.
On Tuesday,
Mike Breese, game designer for Arena mode, provided further details about this system on X, specifying which champions players will be able to vote for and at which rounds. Riot also outlined the rules associated with each champion. Breese explained that the system would be implemented in two phases: “
We’ll be releasing the Guest of Honor roster over 2 waves. The 1st wave will be released in patch 25.05, while the 2nd will come in 25.07.”
Riven can appear in either voting phase
On March 5, 14 champions will be introduced. The first vote will take place before Round 2, where players can choose from seven champions:
- Darius: Each team takes 50 damage. Whenever a team is eliminated, the remaining teams heal 5 HP
- Rell: Reduces the price of Prismatic Anvils by 1,000 gold.
- Vladimir: Grants everyone a bonus matching Augment.
- Swain: Players collect Ravens during combat. The number of Ravens determines the tier of future Augment offerings.
- Kled: After each combat, gain a spell that can be cast to disrupt any ongoing battles.
- Xin Zhao: When your team’s health drops below 60, gain a Gold Stat Anvil. The first time your team is at risk of elimination, receive a Prismatic Stat Anvil.
- Briar: Increases round damage by 5. Winning a round while at risk of elimination restores 15 Health.
The second vote will take place after Round 8, with six champions available:
- Mordekaiser: A random player from each team enters the Death Realm during combat.
- Mel: Enables four additional Hexgates in each combat.
- Talon: One combatant on each team deals 20% increased damage but grants 250 gold when slain.
- Sion: The Ring of Fire spawns 15 seconds earlier, rapidly constricting while slowly drifting around the arena.
- Samira: Striking an opponent first grants two Juices, increasing to four while on a hot streak.
- Elise: Revives are replaced with Elise cocooning fallen players, requiring their allies to break them free.
Riven is the only champion who can appear in either voting phase. If Riven is chosen, no rule change will occur.
Eight more champions
In patch 25.07, eight additional champions will be introduced into the same rounds. Four more champions will be added before Round 2:
- Ambessa: Make a sacrifice, reducing your health during combat for several rounds, then gain a bonus Augment based on the total Health sacrificed.
- Katarina: Grants everyone five rerolls.
- Alistar: The first time a team would be eliminated, their Health is set to 1 instead.
- Draven: Increases the likelihood of higher-tier Stat Anvils, with an even greater chance when on a hot streak.
Four more champions will be added to the vote before Round 8:
- LeBlanc: Every 25 seconds, LeBlanc turns all players invisible for three seconds.
- Trundle: Locks Legendary Items while keeping Legendary Anvils available.
- Cassiopeia: In each round, all teams lose 5 Health, but this cannot eliminate a team.
- Sahn Uzal (Mordekaiser’s real name): Revives no longer occur.
Mike Breese also clarified that the voting system would not follow a majority rule. Instead, each player will vote individually for a champion, and the final selection will be determined by a draw among the chosen champions. Champions receiving multiple votes will have a proportionally higher chance of being selected.
Header Photo Credit: Riot Games
