Riot Games is experimenting with a new feature in League of Legends that takes inspiration from the developer’s other MOBA game, Wild Rift.
Riot has released the patch notes for League of Legends’ early 14.10 update, and one change in particular has garnered attention from players: the return of the Zephyr item through a boots upgrade. This item can now be obtained by players who have already built Berserker’s Graves and reached level 15.
For a long time, boots have been considered a necessary item in League. They are typically the first item that every player buys to increase their movement speed, and later on, they can upgrade to stronger versions such as Berserker’s Graves for additional speed and stats. Although boots had a brief period where they could be enchanted, they have otherwise served their purpose and have not been utilized much beyond that.
In lengthy games, it is common for players to trade in their upgraded boots for an item that provides more late-game strength. However, the Zephyr upgrade test offers a boots system similar to the one implemented by Riot in Wild Rift, incentivizing players to hold onto the item throughout the entirety of the game.
In the mobile game, players have the option to buy an upgrade for their basic boots that grants them a new active ability. Popular choices such as the Boots of Swiftness and Mercury’s Treads are available in Wild Rift, along with additional actives from items like Protobelt or Zhonya’s Hourglass.
Although it differs slightly as a third upgrade for a new item, this modification appears to have been directly inspired by Wild Rift. The implementation in the mobile game is successful, as it introduces more dynamic gameplay to the item. In addition, it adds significance to choosing specific boots, rather than just being a basic stat boost overshadowed by other item categories.
Despite not achieving the same level of popularity as Riot’s other titles, Wild Rift’s advancements in the developer’s current MOBA systems continue to impact their League of Legends team.
If the new item receives a positive response from players, the developers appear to be enthusiastic about incorporating an upgrade into the other boot options available in the game, potentially simplifying item choices even further.
The upcoming boot upgrade system will begin its trial run with Zephyr upon the release of patch 14.10 on May 15.
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