Last week Riot Games took some time out of their busy schedule to visit the Curse office in San Francisco for a guided tour of the new Summoner systems they recently unveiled for League of Legends. We got the lowdown on specific details for each, as well as a chance to play the game -- a first for me personally since GDC earlier this year. It's progressed quite nicely since then and it's great to see all of the aspects beginning to take shape as Riot Games sets their sights on a September release.

The Summoner System

At its core the summoner is your account, but there are three facets to the system: Spells, Runes and Masteries. As you level up your summoner by playing games you'll unlock additional spells, more rune slots, and additional mastery points to not only enhance your summoner spells, but also the champions you play.

You can also unlock access to new champions and more powerful runes as you level up. Marc Merrill described this as "gating content" so new players aren't overwhelmed by complex heroes and other aspects from the start. As you level up you'll unlock more complexity in the game, but early on the focus is on learning the game. And there will definitely be a lot to learn -- even for seasoned Defense of the Ancients veterans. You might recognize a few similar items and abilities, but for the most part these champions are in stark contrast to the heroes of the Warcraft III mod. And then there's the whole persistence of your summoner and deciding how to best set up your spells, runes and masteries for the champions you enjoy playing.

Summoner Spells

Early on you'll have access to a small selection of basic spells. Some of these will let you heal your champion and surrounding allies, reduce the movement speed of a targeted enemy, deal extreme damage to a minion or neutral creep, teleport to a targeted friendly minion, or allow you to run a bit faster and ignore unit collision. As you level up your summoner, you'll unlock more powerful spells. A few examples were the ability to revive your champion instantly when it dies (though with a long cooldown), or to teleport your champion forward a short distance -- allowing you to either escape harms way or gain on a fleeing enemy.

You'll be able to equip your champion with two of these spells during a match, so choosing wisely is important. You'll also want to pay close attention to your team's choices so that you can set up your spells around what will help the team as a whole.

The Rune System

The rune system can probably be best compared to the attribute leveling of Defense of the Ancients. The system will allow you to boost all kinds of attributes on your character; critical chance, movement speed, health regeneration, health, mana, etc. There are three different colored runes, as well as a fourth "uber rune" as Marc described it. These runes are of course offensive, defensive, and utilitarian in nature. At max-level you'll be able to slot up to nine of each of the red, yellow and blue runes, as well as three "uber" runes.

The major difference is this all takes place outside of the game, at your summoner profile -- giving you the time to decide which rune combinations fit your playstyle best. You can have up to three different rune combinations saved in your rune book, and will be able to choose from them when you start a match -- after selecting the champion you want to play. So if you want to play a tank champion, be sure to load up your rune configuration that fits that game play best!

Acquiring runes will be through the Influence Points system, which Merrill mentioned will accrue over the course of playing games. For each win or loss you'll receive influence points, which can then be used to purchase runes.

Masteries

The mastery system is essentially a World of Warcraft talent system, to best describe it. You have three mastery trees, though they're the same for every summoner -- it's not based on the champion you play. One tree is devoted to offense, another to defense, and the third to utility. Some examples Merrill gave were the ability to augment your Clairvoyance spell to also reveal stealthed units and increase its duration, augment your Smite spell to reward bonus gold and reduce its cooldown, or various ways to enhance your champions directly -- critical chance, mana regeneration, etc.

Similar to World of Warcraft, each tree is tiered, so you must spend a certain number of points in a tree to unlock deeper tiers. But as expected the best stuff is at the bottom, so you may want to focus on a single tree; some masteries will have multiple ranks as well. You'll start off with 1 point to spend, and as you level up, you'll receive additional points -- similar to unlocking rune slots or new spells. From the number of masteries available -- at least 30 -- it doesn't look like you'll be able to max out each tree by the time you reach the level cap for your summoner.

Best of all is that you'll be able to reset the mastery tree at will. So if you just played a game as a tank champion, but want to mix it up and play a bit of support, then just click on the "Return Points" button and you'll be able to set up your mastery spec for a different playstyle.

Hands-On

The game has changed substantially since the last time I played, way back in March of this year at GDC. To start off with, the game shop -- which you spawn at and have access to immediately -- now has a list of recommended items for the champion you're playing. For new players this is a godsend, as it means you don't have to memorize the massive number of potential item combinations you'll encounter while leveling up your champion and gaining gold.

In addition to this, Riot Games has implemented a range overlay for using abilities. When you use an ability that's targeted, a range indicator will display; this green radius around you is where your champion can successfully cast the ability from its current position. Anywhere outside of that radius and your champion will need to move a bit to cast it.

Overall the game is shaping up nicely for its September release, and it's going to be Free to Play, so it'll be worth checking out for any avid action strategy fan -- whether a novice or a pro. Merrill went as far as equating League of Legends to Defense of the Ancients as being the same as World of Warcraft to EverQuest. Whether he's right, only time will tell, but Riot Games seems to have the recipe for something that will drive the genre forward -- especially thanks to Tom Cadwell, the person who helped develop World of Warcraft's talent system and the new player experience.

League of Legends

League of Legends is due to release this fall and is an excellent mixture of RTS and RPG styles that should appeal to most gamers. It is a competitive online game set in an imaginative world with you as the player taking control of a powerful magical character known as a Summoner.

Each Summoner must participate in session based battles and control Champions to achieve victory and advance their persistent character. Champions are amazingly powerful characters with unique spells and abilities granted to each champion.

Here are the currently known champions in League of Legends. Riot Games has just unveiled details about two new champions; Amumu the Sad Mummy and Cho'Gath the Black Terror. Both Amumu and Chogath have been added to the official roster of champions and will be playable when the game releases this fall!  

 Here's a look at these exciting new champions:

Amumu, The Sad Mummy

 Stat Type: Strong

Champion Type: Tank

 Perhaps one of the oddest champions in the League of Legends is the yordle known as Amumu.  His life before joining the League remains unknown – especially to Amumu.  All he remembers is that he woke up alone inside a pyramid within the Shurima Desert.  He was wrapped in mummy wrappings and he could not feel his heart beat.  Furthermore, he felt a deep sadness that he could not entirely explain; he knew he missed his parents, though he could not remember who they were.  Dropping to his knees, Amumu wept into his bandages.  No matter what he did, it seemed he could just never stop his tears or sadness.  Eventually he got up off his knees to mope and wander the world, making his way to the League; it would seem that even the raw power of unleashed emotions can be used to benefit the plans of summoners.

 

 To this day, Amumu remains a very sad mummy, occasionally experiencing moments of extreme anger followed by bouts of crushing depression.  It is during these times that it is best to stay out of his way, or you may find yourself wrapped up and suffocating inside his tear-stained bandages.  Whenever a nearby enemy unit dies around Amumu, its corpse explodes, dealing magic damage to surrounding units.  Amumu can unleash his sadness and anger into a terrible tantrum, permanently reducing the physical damage of his foes.  He can entangle surrounding enemy units, immobilizing them and inflicting magic damage for a short duration.  Finally, Amumu temporarily reduces the magic resistance of every enemy he strikes.

Health = 8
Attack = 5
Spells = 5
Difficulty = 4

Cho'Gath the Black Terror

Stat Type: Strong

Champion Type: Tank

There is a place between dimensions, between worlds. To some it is known as the Outside, to others it is the Unknown. To most, however, it is called the Void. Cho’gath is a creature born of the Void, a thing whose true nature is so horrific most will not speak its name. Its fellows have been poking at the dimensional walls for a crack, a way into Runeterra, where they can visit their own personal paradise of horror upon the world. A way in they have found, as something dark stirs in Icathia, perverting the summoning ritual – how Cho’gath came to be here. Fortunately, the power of the summoning has chained Cho’gath to the League of Legends, where it uses its Voidborn abilities to help decide the fate of the world. It knows what it would choose, if given half the chance.

 

Cho’gath is a horrifying opponent. It is capable of impaling not only its enemies, but those standing nearby on vorpal spikes. It can also cause the earth beneath its foes to rupture, causing an explosion that sends them flying. It can unleash an otherworldly scream that not only harms the flesh of terrestrial creatures, but also silencing them for a time. However, and perhaps most terrifying, Cho’gath not only drains the life from those it kills, it can consume them whole, growing ever larger. There are those that wonder if there is a limit to how large the beast can become.

 Woe betide the day when Cho’gath grows weary of the League.

 Health = 7
Attack = 3
Spells = 3
Difficulty = 2

Riot Games has announced retail outlets and price for their September release of League of Legends! There will be a pre-order available from Gamestop and Best Buy and players who pre-order the Collectors Pack at www.leagueoflegends.com or at those retail outlets will also receive an exclusive Champion skin that will only be available with the pre-order. The Collector’s Pack will retail for $29.99. There will also be a free version for players who don't need any extras!

League of Legends will not use a subscription model but will sell Riot Points which will be obtainable with cash and will be required to buy from the in game item shop. Gamers who spend money in the game will not have a power advantage over other players; they will have access to rare visual customization options. Riot Points will also be awarded at the end of matches!

If you haven't had a chance to play or familiarize yourself with the game; League of Legends has put together an excellent Summoners Guide and a video walkthrough located here:

Here's a look at the official press release from Riot Games:

LOS ANGELES — July 14, 2009 — Riot Games, an independent developer and publisher of premium online video games, has unveiled the Summoner and currency systems for its highly anticipated online multiplayer session-based game League of Legends.   In a quest to make the title available to all gamers, and to support and reward a passionate community of competitive players, Riot has confirmed that League of Legends will be free.  Optional payment will enable additional virtual currency to be used within the Summoner system meta game for play diversity, customization and novelty.  League of Legends, which was nominated for the Game Critics Awards Best Strategy Game of E3, will be available for Windows PC in September 2009.

 “One of our goals at Riot has been to set a high quality bar for core games that are available for free online as we believe that a relentless focus on delivering tremendous value to online communities will earn player loyalty,”  Brandon Beck, co-founder and CEO, Riot Games, said.  “League of Legends is being built as a highly competitive core game that we believe will change many people’s minds about the type and caliber of games that can be offered for free.” 

A player in League of Legends takes on the role of a Summoner – a gifted spell caster who has the power to bring forth a champion to fight as his or her avatar in Valoran’s Fields of Justice.  As the Summoner controls the champion in combat, it also influences the outcome of the match through the use of spells, masteries and runes.  Once a match is over, the Summoner gains Influence Points and Riot Points. 

 Influence Points will be earned by simply playing the game, while Riot Points will be available for purchase with real money.  Both currencies will be used to unlock additional content customization options, whereas only Influence Points will be used to unlock content such as Runes, which enhance the power of playable characters.  Gamers who spend money in the game will not have a power advantage over other players; they will have access to rare visual customization options.  The system is designed to empower the player with a huge number of mechanical choices that deepen the level of the strategic thinking in the game.  

 Riot Games will also offer a League of Legends Collector’s Pack that contains exclusive items, such as two unique Champion skins, as well as a number of Champions, Runes and Riot Points.  Players who pre-order the Collectors Pack at www.leagueoflegends.com or at retail outlets GameStop and Best Buy will also receive an exclusive Champion skin that will only be available with the pre-order.  The Collector’s Pack will retail for $29.99.   

League of Legends combines elements of role-playing and strategy genres with addictive battle action that brings accessible, replayable and competitive gameplay into a whimsical universe that deepens with the player’s commitment.  Built by a veteran development team and the original creators of DotA Allstars, one of the world’s most popular player-made mods, League of Legends is a unique and genre bending experience.  The game will be operated as a live service that will be frequently updated with new features, Champions, maps and additional content as suggested by the community. 

 During each online multiplayer game session, players will choose from one of dozens unique Champions wielding diverse skills and abilities, and engage in fast-paced team-oriented combat to bring their foes to ruin.  Champions will gain levels, items and abilities that enable them to slay their opponents and augment the strength of their allies by battling with enemy minions, foul beasts, deadly turrets and enemy Champions.  Players will also advance their Summoner’s rank and power after each session to gain new abilities and items that assist their Champions in future battles.  At the maximum Summoner level, players will be on an even playing field from a power perspective.  League of Legends will offer endless permutations of builds, strategies and combinations that will make the game extremely competitive and interesting for those focused on competitive play.  

More information on League of Legends’ Summoner system, including an FAQ, can be found at www.leagueoflegends.com/summoners.  Riot Games will also host a live chat to answer the community’s questions about the Summoner system on Friday, July 17^th from 2 – 4 pm PDT at www.leagueoflegends.com/summonerchat