After an age of warfare, the superpowers of the land of Valoran have come together to form a governing body that will settle all disputes behind the closed doors of the Institute of War. Their task is a noble one — to lift the impossible weight of bloody war off the shoulders of the world and place it upon a select few — The League of Legends. On the Fields of Justice, legendary Champions forge alliances and resolve their differences in battle arenas. In the League there is one rule that reigns over all else: Winner rules all.

In League of Legends, players take on the role of a persistent Summoner avatar that gazes upon the battlefield from above and influences battles by taking command of a chosen Champion. During each online multiplayer play session, gamers will choose one of dozens of 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 also advance their Summoner’s rank and power to gain new abilities and items, assisting their Champions in battle.

League of Legends emphasizes team-oriented gameplay and players must work together in order to defeat the opposing team. Players will be able to communicate easily through in-game lounges and chat rooms, and forums will act as a conversational hub for a wide variety of discussions amongst community members. League of Legends will feature custom-built multiplayer support including matchmaking, stat tracking, clan support, anti-cheat systems, dedicated in-game ladders and Leaverbuster technology. In addition to extensive multiplayer features, League of Legends will include a single-player mode where players can learn how to play and practice new strategies by engaging robust Bot-AI.

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

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

Key Features :

• Play as dozens of unique Champions with diverse skills and abilities while engaging in fast-paced team-oriented combat.
• Compete in a variety of highly stylized and unique handcrafted battle scenarios.
• Create your own persistent Summoner avatar and customize your appearance through achievements that you earn in game.
• Advance your Summoner in rank and power to gain skills and abilities that give you an edge in battle.
• Join clans and teams to compete with other players in tournaments and organized leagues.
• Assemble Legendary items for your Champion by forging together basic items you obtain on the battlefield. Choose from over 200 uniquely crafted items to augment your Champion's power.
• Robust matchmaking and detailed stat tracking help to ensure balanced games for new players and veterans alike.
• Unlock new content through persistent gameplay and mastering the game.
• Integrated LeaverbusterTM technology helps ensure people stay for the whole game!
• Participate in the creation of League of Legends through our Suggestion Engine the community will have an unprecedented voice in what new content is created and implemented into the game.
  And much, much more...

The League of Legends community will feature an abundance of ongoing events including tournaments, leagues and contests. The Riot development team will open their doors for community input, allowing gamers to have their opinions heard, have their ideas implemented in League of Legends and continue to shape the game as it evolves post-launch. Gamers can already join the community forums to begin tracking the new title, engage with the Riot team and other players and become a part of the development process for League of Legends.

League of Legends is being designed by a decorated group of developers with credits that include PC & console blockbusters, as well as part of the team that created the popular Warcraft 3 mod DotA-Allstars. Riot will invite players into the League of Legends beta in 2009.