While the upcoming Season 14 of League of Legends brings a host of well-received item and map changes, Rift Herald's rework has ignited a heated debate among players within the competitive League of Legends community.
The immensely popular MOBA, League of Legends, is constantly evolving, and Season 14 ushers in a new era of changes. However, change often breeds criticism, which is something Riot Games is no stranger to. This time, Riot developers have introduced an innovative rework to Shelly, which some players are deeming an "unnecessary mechanic" that should be confined to "fun modes" only.
The ability to steer Shelly is “too goofy” for the competitive nature of League of Legends, according to some players
In Season 14, players will gain the ability to ride Rift Herald (Shelly) into battle. Upon crushing the Eye of the Herald, Rift Herald will spawn, and allied champions can right-click it to jump on, allowing them to steer Shelly similarly to Sion's ultimate or the Battle Sled from Nexus Blitz.
Following the announcement of Shelly's rework, u/nightlesscurse took to Reddit to express their concerns in a post titled "Riding shelly is an unneeded mechanic for summoner rift and should be kept in fun modes only," which has since garnered over 1,000 likes.
Reddit user nightlesscurse further states that they were "actually pretty hyped about this preseason," but that they felt the new Shelly mechanic was "extra/unnecessary" and "did not suit the Summoner's Rift ranked theme." They also expressed concern that the mechanic "takes away the special things from Nexus Blitz."
Some players share nightlesscurse's sentiment, believing that Shelly's new driving mechanic injects an unwanted level of “goofiness” into the competitive landscape of League of Legends.
However, others have defended the Shelly rework, arguing that it is more than just a "goofy" new mechanic.
User Adventuroius_File_798 commented under the post that the new Shelly mechanic adds an element of strategy to the game. In the past, Shelly was often used as a mere distraction before a teamfight. Now, players will have to make more thoughtful decisions about how to use Shelly, like whether to prioritise turret damage or objective control.
Another user agrees with that sentiment, stating that the current Rift Herald could definitely use the rework, replying, “Yeah shelly is currently a little mindless.” Players typically just use Shelly to push a lane or take an objective. The rework adds more options to Shelly's gameplay, such as using it to pick off enemies or damage turrets. It could also be a useful tool for champions who lack gap-closing abilities in their kit.
The debate surrounding Shelly's rework highlights the delicate balance between maintaining League of Legends' competitive integrity and introducing elements of fun and excitement.
Riot Games is constantly trying to bring in new players and has recognised that League of Legends sometimes overly focuses on competitive mechanics. It's important to note that League can have fun mechanics while also staying competitive!
Interested in learning more about LoL Preseason 2024? We've got you covered. Check out our comprehensive LoL Preseason 2024 guide here, which includes its release date and details on the upcoming sweeping changes! We have also compiled all map changes, jungle camp adjustments, and new items to arrive in Season 14.