League of Legends Preseason 2021: 5 Tips for Players

League of Legends Preseason 2021 has received praise from the community. What players agree upon is the fact that it makes them feel like they play a fresh game with so much to learn and explore. Thanks to Patch 10.23 and 10.24 which rolled out Nov. 11 and Nov. 24 respectively, League of Legends players are challenged to get used to new itemization path and even a new shop look.

Here are five tips for players hopping in to Preseason 2021 for the first time.

Amumu still looking like a big outlier after the patch, overperforming other tanks (and everyone else). We have a hotfix nerf coming today:

-Mana per lvl 60 >>> 40
-E base damage 75-175 >>> 75-155
-R stun duration 2 >>> 1.5-2s
— Mark Yetter (@MarkYetter) November 25, 2020

League of Legends Preseason 2021: 5 Tips for Players

1. Be Open-Minded to Sleeper OP Builds!

Building Eclipse and The Collector may not be the common build on Miss Fortune / Courtesy of Riot Games

With new items and itemization path, there's room for players to explore and experiment. Building Eclipse and The Collector may not be the common build on Miss Fortune. Before preseason, her common build tends to rush crit items. Now that lethality items are in-demand, pairing them with Dark Harvest runes can make this bounty hunter's guns deadlier.

2. It's Time to Use Item Sets

Item sets help players avoid buying wrong items and save time in the shop / Courtesy of Riot Games

Item sets is a tool in League of Legends that is often forgotten. It is under Collection > Items in client and the third tab in the in-game shop. Item sets let players replace the Recommended Items in the shop with their own personal builds. This tool is often heeded because players were well-versed in what to build. Try it out as it will make learning new items easier.

3. Pay Attention to Suggested Items

Suggested items help players to better counter enemy champions / Courtesy of Riot Games

Overwhelmed by all the descriptions of all new items? This new feature is extremely useful for advanced, newbie and novice players alike. Players are not recommended to have one similar go-to building path because they face different team compositions every game. Sometimes, that fed enemy bruiser goes to the backline and eliminates the squishy champions. By looking at suggested items, players can save time and buy items to counter specific enemy champions.

4. Keep up With Patch Notes

Patch notes usually include champion rework or balancing, items changes, new champion skins, and adjustment in the Rift / Courtesy of Riot Games

Mark Yetter, Gameplay Design Director for League of Legends, admitted that Amumu is still pretty OP even after the patch. Riot Games rolled out a hotfix nerf for him specifically. There will be more adjustments like that before Season 11 starts as a part of the balancing effort. This reminds players to keep up with patch notes.

5. Play Ranked in Preseason

There are numerous reasons why players should keep grinding Ranked mode this Preseason / Courtesy of Riot Games

Many people stop grinding during Preseason. They argue that it does not matter as it does not give any advantage when Season 11 starts. There are a couple of reasons why players should not take a hiatus. Firstly, it is the best time to expand your champion pool. Being a one-trick lets you master a champion mechanically and strategically, but what happens if this comfort pick gets banned? Secondly, numerous patches and hotfixes will make the game today completely different in two months time. By playing ranked, it gives players a chance to absorb these changes gradually and try out numerous different builds.