‘Teamfight Tactics’ Returns To Classic Runeterra In “Lore & Legends”

It’s that time once again. The Convergence is shifting, and Teamfight Tactics players are ready for a new set to drop. But rather than going Into the Arcane or exploring Inkborn Fables, the developers at Riot Games are going back to the classic Runeterra setting for the newest set, Lore & Legends.

Harkening back to the franchise’s roots, the champions in Lore & Legends will largely bear their classic League designs. After skipping around the Convergence all this time, seeing the champions don their iconic outfits looks great. However, the designers have made a few exceptions.

Certain characters will not be seen in their original outfits in Lore & Legends for several reasons. Some, like Jinx and Vi, wear their Arcane designs, as those have basically become the default look of the characters at this point. Then you have Vayne, who wears her Sentinel look.

This is to achieve a cohesive aesthetic in Lore & Legends. The origins of this set are by region, and having the entire Demacia region wear their bright colors while Vayne stands out in black latex and shades makes the scene look awkward. This flexibility towards design is important. A willingness to stretch rules for a better outcome helps the overall game experience far more than it hurts. 

With Lore & Legends heading back to its roots, a familiar question feels more prevalent than ever: who’s making the roster? Everyone will want to see their main taking the field for this special set. And while not everyone’s wish will be granted, the developers are trying to please as many players as they can. This set features the highest champion count ever. 100 members of the League of Legends roster will be present in the new set. Along with the high character count, there are also a few fun surprises in the roster. Lore & Legends also features several champions who are not League champions, but will be familiar to players.

Figures like Baron Nashor make an appearance in Lore & Legends, broadening the scope of the options, while still adhering to the nostalgic core of the set. Also helping to spice up the set’s options is the presence of duo characters. These pairings bring more options to builds, while also allowing for a couple of extra faces to squeeze into the set. 

How will they accomplish all this without wreaking havoc on the game’s delicate shop system? For that, we need to examine the set’s unique mechanic: unlockables. 

Set Mechanic: Unlockables

When a new match starts, only 60 of the set’s characters will be in the drafting pool in Lore & Legends. The final 40 can only be unlocked by individual players through secret means. Once the conditions are met, the character becomes available, with a guaranteed appearance in the player’s next shop offering.

Unlockable character range from two-cost upwards, with a heavier focus on the higher costs. Their unlock conditions also vary wildly. Some may trigger off events surrounding an individual character, while others are in response to broader events like effects connected to your entire team composition. These conditions can be challenging to manufacture, which may require significant adjustments to player strategies late in the game. Whether or not you’ve managed to acquire a powerful unlockable could significantly alter how you want to approach your build.

Despite all the excitement built into the uncertainties and discovery of this mechanic, there are some obvious concerns. What if I unlock a character I don’t want? Will that dilute my draft pool? Or if I’m the only player to unlock a five-cost character, does that mean I can three-star it easier than a contested one? The devs at Riot Games had plenty of answers prepared for these concerns when asked about them. 

Regarding the first problem, the devs explained during the preview event I attended that if a player doesn’t buy an unlocked champion when it first appears, its appearance rate will reduce over time. This helps to minimize the effects on RNG that the additional champion has on a player’s shop. However, if the player chooses to buy a copy of the champion at a later opportunity, it will immediately revert to the default for its rarity, allowing for flexibility as match conditions change. 

Regarding the second concern, the developers are on top of it. Depending on how many players have late-game characters unlocked, the appearance rate for the character can drop once a player has two-starred it, keeping it roughly at the same difficulty to chase as a contested character would be. 

While it’s unsurprising that a team with as much experience as Teamfight Tactics has clearly covered its bases, it’s still great to see. Knowing how much thought and careful planning have been put into a mechanic that could askew some of the basic elements of the game allows the excitement for its potential to be unhampered by fears of imbalances ruining the fun in Lore & Legends.

Champions

Now that we’ve explored how Teamight Tactics is balancing having this many characters in the game, let’s look at exactly who made the cut in Lore & Legends. Our list will feature the champions in alphabetical order, along with their traits. Characters marked with an asterisk (*) are unlockables.

• *Aatrox: Darkin, World Ender, Slayer
• Ahri: Ionia, Arcanist, 
• Ambessa: Noxus, Vanquisher
• Anivia: Freljord, Inovker
• Annie: Dark Child, Arcanist
• Aphelios: Targon
• *Aurelion Sol: Star Forge, Targon
• Azir: Shurima, Emperor, Disruptor
• *Bard: Caretaker
• *Baron Nashor: Void, Riftscourge
• Bel’Veth: Void, Slayer
• Blitzcrank: Zaun, Juggernaut
• Braum: Freljord, Warden
• Brair: Noxus, Slayer, Juggernaut
• *Brock: Ixtal
• Caitlyn: Piltover, Longshot
• Cho’Gath: Void, juggernaut
• *Darius: Noxus, Defender
• *Diana: Targon
• Dr. Mundo: Zaun, Bruiser
• Draven: Noxus, Quickstriker
• Ekko: Zaun, Disrupter
• Fiddlesticks: Harvester, Vanquisher
• *Fizz: Bilgewater, Yordle
• *Galio: Demacia, Heroic
• Gangplank: Bilgewater, Slayer, Vaquisher
• Garen: Demacia, Defender
• *Graves: Bilgewater, Gunslinger
• *Gwen: Shadow Isles, Disrupter
• Illaoi: Bilgewater, Bruiser
• Jarvan IV: Demacia, Defender
• Jhin: Ionia, Gunslinger
• Jinx: Zaun, Gunslinger
• *Kai’Sa: assimilator, Void, Longshot
• *Kalista: Shadow Isles, Vanquisher
• *Kennen: Ionia, Yordle, Defender
• Kindred: Eternal, Quickstriker
• *Kobuko & Yuumi: Yordle, Bruiser, Invoker
• Kog’Maw: Void, Arcanist, Longshot
• *Leblanc: Noxus, Invoker
• Leona: Targon
• Lissanda: Freljord, Invoker
• Loris: Piltover, Warden
• Lucian & Senna: Souldbound, Gunslinger
• Lulu: Yordle, Arcanist
• Lux, Demacia, Arcanist
• Malzahar: Void, Disruptor
• *Mel: Noxus, Disruptor
• Milio: Ixtal, Invoker
• Miss Fortune: Bilgewater, Gunslinger
• *Nasus: Shurima
• Nautilus: Bilgewater, Juggernaut, Warden
• Neeko: Ixtal, Arcanist, Defender
• *Nidalee: Ixtal, huntress
• *Orianna: Piltover, Invoker
• Ornn: Blacksmith, Warden
• *Poppy: Demacia, Yorle, Juggernaut
• Qiyana: Ixtal, Slayer
• Rek’Sai: Void, Vanquisher
• *Renekton: Shurima
• *Rift Herald: Void, Bruiser
• Rumble: Yordle, Defender
• *Ryze: Runemage
• Sejuani: Freljord, Defender
• Seraphine: Piltover, Distruptor
• *Sett: ionia, The Boss
• Shen: Ionia, Brusier
• Shyvana: Dragonborn, Juggernaut
• *Singed: Zaun, Juggernaut
• Sion: Noxus, Bruiser
• *Skarner: Ixtal
• Sona: Demacia, Invoker
• Swain: Noxus, Arcanist, Juggernaut
• Sylas: Chainbreaker, Arcanist, Defender
• *T-Hex: HexMech, Piltover, Gunslinger
• *Tahm Kench: Bilgwater, Glutton, Bruiser
• Taric: Targon
• Teemo: Yordle, Longshot
• *Thresh: Shadow Isles, Warden
• Tristana: Yordle, Gunslinger
• *Tryndamere: Freljord, Slayer
• Twisted Fate: Bilgewater, Quickstriker
• Vayne: Demacia, Longshot
• *Veiger: Yordle, Arcanist
• Vi: Piltover, Zaun, Defender
• Viego: Shadow Isles, Quickstriker
• *Volibear: Freljord, Bruiser
• *Warwick: Zaun, Quickstriker
• Wukong: Ionia, Bruiser
• *Xerath: Shurima, Ascendent
• Xin Zhao: Demacia, Ionia, Warden
• Yasuo: Ionia, Slayer
• *Yone: Ionia, Slayer
• *Yorick: Shado Isles, Warden
• Yunara: Ionia, Quickstriker
• *Zaahen: Darkin, Immortal
• *Ziggs: Zaun, Yordle, Longshot
• Zilean: Chronokeeper, Invoker
• Zoe: Targon

Origins & Traits

The selection of origins and traits provides lots of interesting choices to mix and match in the Lore & Legends set. While the region-based origins are sure to catch many players’ eyes, others like Darkin also provide cool options for both gameplay and as callbacks to League’s lore. The full list, along with a brief description of each, can be found below:

• Ascendant: After each combat, an Ascendant Charm appears in your shop. These are powerful effects you can purchase for gold.
• Assimilator: Kai’Sa has a different ability depending on whether her attack damage or ability power is higher.
• Bilgewater: Each round gains Silver Serpents, with additional ones gained for each Bilgewater takedown. Silver Serpents can be spent in the black market to grant Bilgewater champions bonus stats and special loot. Higher tiers unlock rarer loot.
• Blacksmith: After each player’s combat your strongest Ornn participates in, he makes progress forging an artifact item. Items and artifacts also grant Ornn extra health.
• Caretaker: After winning a player combat, gain a random unit from Runeterra. After each loss, gain free rerolls, with an increasing amount by stage.
• Chainbreaker: Sylas rotates between three abilities depending on which is most useful at the moment. He cannot cast the same one twice in a row. 
• Chronokeeper: Every two casts, the Chronokeeper stores one XP. If he has enough for you to level, he transfers you the required XP. If you are level ten, he instead gains a 15% damage amp.
• Dark Child: Annie summons Tibbers on your bench. He can be fielded and equipped with items separately. His star level is the same as Annie’s.
• Darkin: Grants ominvamp, healing for the player, and can deal damage to enemies close to a darkin whenever they heal for 100 health.
• Demacia: Each time your team loses 25% of their max health, Demacians rally, reducing the cost of their abilities, as well as gaining armor and magic resist.
• Dragonborn: On cast, Shyvana replaces her spell with Flamebreath. All allies take 10% less damage from enemy abilities.
• Emperor: Azir deploys two guards who can be placed anywhere on the battlefield. They do not move or attack.
• Eternal: Every third attack on an enemy deals 350% damage.
• Freljord: Summon a frozen tower. Allies in front of it gain health, and allies behind it gain damage amp. Freljords gain more.
• Glutton: Once per planning phase, you may feed Tahm Kench a champion, permanently granting him health, attack speed, or ability power depending on the role and star level of the champion eaten. 
• Harvetser: Each time an enemy champion dies, gain 15 mana. Casting doesn’t consume mana. Enemies lose armor and magic resist.
• Heroic: Gallio cannot be fielded, but his traits count from the bench. When Demacians rally, he joins the fight. When he does, he creates a three-hex shockwave that deals damage and knocks up enemies. 
• Hexmech: Gain a pilot hex. When combat starts, the unit in the hex jumps into T-Hex, granting 80% of their health, along with a bonus stat dependent on the champion’s role. On death, the pilot ejects and T-Hex stuns nearby enemies.
• Huntress: While your strongest Neeko is alive, your strongest Nidalee is untargetable.
• Immortal: While Xin Zhao is not on your board, Zaahan gains the Ionia, Demacia, and Warden traits. On kill, Zaahan gains a point of focus. When he dies, if he has three focus points, he revives with 60% health.
• Ionia: In each game, Ionia has access to one of five different paths, each granting a unique buff. All players have access to the same path.
• Ixtal: Complete quests to gain sunshards and exchange them for loot. Gain new quests upon completing one. Also, heals the player for two health at the start of each player combat, and after winning a combat, finds bonus loot. 
• Noxus: After the enemy team has lost 15% of their health, summon Atakhan, Bringer of Ruin. Each Noxian champion’s star level increases his power.
• Piltover: Build an invention on the right side of the board. After eight seconds, it activates.
• Riftscourge: Baron Nasher takes up two character slots and provides two to the Void trait. After eight seconds, the board is pulled into the void, granting Void units damage amp, and striking enemies for magic damage.
• Rune Mage: The Rune Mage benefits from all active region traits but contributes to none. He also enhances his abilities in unique ways depending on the regions that are active.
• Shadow Isles: Whenever any champion dies, gain souls. Shadow Isles champions’ abilities are empowered in unique ways based on the number of souls. Shadow Isles champions also gain attack damage and ability power.
• Shurima: Each second, Shurimans gain 2% attack speed and gain twenty health. At combat start, they gain additional effects. 
• Soulbound: Lucian and Senna fight together, swapping out whenever one casts. Each has a unique ability. They also provide damage reduction and damage amp to your team, depending on which of them is on the board.
• Star Forger: Aurelion Sol gains star dust for each unique Targonion fielded in combat.
• Targon: Targonians are traitless but are stronger than the average champion.
• The Boss: When Sett drops to 45% health, he leaves the field to do sit-ups. Each one he does restores health and gives him attack and move speed. If he reaches full health, he returns to the battle, converting all damage from his attacks and abilities into true damage. If all his allies die, he immediately returns to combat.
• Void: Gain mutations only void champions can use. Void champions gain attack speed.
• World Ender: Aatrox gains attack damage equal to his omnivamp. The first time he dies, he briefly becomes untargetable and regains full health in two seconds. He also reduces his maximum mana and gains durability. 
• Yordle: Gain health and attack speed for each Yordle fielded. Also gain rerolls, guaranteed Yordles, and Yordle grab bags in your shop.
• Zaun: After four seconds, Zaunites gain a 10% durability and 90% attack speed buff that decays over four seconds. After a short cooldown, it happens again.
• Aracnist: Your team gains ability power; Aracnists gain more.
• Bruiser: Your team gains maximum health; Bruisers gain more.
• Defender: Your team gains armor and magic resist; Defenders gain more.
• Disruptor: Disruptors dazzle enemies and deal bonus damage to dazzled enemies. 
• Gunslinger: Gunslingers gain attack damage. Every fourth attack, they deal bonus physical damage. 
• Invoker: Your team gains one mana regen; Invokers gain more mana from all sources.
• Juggernaut: Juggernauts gain increased durability while above 50% health. When a Juggernaut dies, other Juggernauts gain 5% of their max health.
• Longshot: Longshots gain damage amp and deal more damage to targets further away.
• Quickstriker: Your team gains 15% attack speed; Quickstrikers gain bonus attack speed based on their target’s missing health.
• Slayer: Slayers gain omnivamp and attack damage.
• Vanquisher: Vanquishers’ abilities critically strike. They also gain crit chance and crit damage.
• Warden: When Wardens drop below 75% and 25% phealth, they gain a shield based on their max health.

Augments

Lots of new augments are making their way to Lore & Legends. With 140 new augments and 350 total, this set sports the most significant number yet. Of particular note are several that target specific characters, or in some cases, a pairing of characters. Unexpected pairings like Ambessa and Kindred show up, alongside more conventional duos like Jarvan and Shyvana. These augments bring even more options to an already strong set of choices within team construction. 

Cosmetics

It wouldn’t be a new Teamfight Tactics set without a load of new cosmetics on the way. Unbound KD/A Ahri brings a fresh rework to the character’s classic K-pop skin, and Unbound God King Darius brings his unfettered rage to the Convergence. 

Along with the unbound offerings are several chibis. Prestige chibi Blood Moon Miss Fortune brings fun gunplay animations and a gorgeous design. Also, Dark Cosmic Lux gets the chibi treatment, allowing fans to have a darker, if still adorable, version of the Demacian mage.

A pair of new boards in Lore & Legends also brings a lot of personality to players’ games. Fields of Volrachum infuse an epic energy to the battlefield. Alternatively, if players prefer a calmer setting, Le Cafe de Paris offers a unique experience where players can engage in combat amidst the serene atmosphere of a Parisian cafe—a fun change of pace from many of the game’s other board offerings. 

As Lore & Legends looks to combine new gameplay with classic Runeterra designs, Teamfight Tactics players can expect plenty of fun matches ahead when the set launches. 

Lore & Legends releases on December 3, 2025 (TFT Patch 16.1) on PC and Mobile.