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.

Rammus, the Armordillo

Champion Type: Tank

The dangerous magic that dominates the Plague Lands has an effect on all life within its confines.  Rammus is a living example.  No one is entirely certain how an armadillo from the Shurima Desert made his way through the Kumungu Jungle – much less unharmed – but he did just that.  Caught in a burst of wild magic, Rammus began to evolve.  In the matter of a week, he was man-sized and a week after that he had achieved sentience.  The question became, what now?  There really wasn't a place in the world for a sentient armadillo – except in the League of Legends.  His new form was certainly equipped to fight, and especially to defend.  However, it was Rammus' newfound sense of humor that led him to craft an outrageous suit of armor to go over his natural protection – giving birth to the fearsome Armordillo!

Rammus is a tough nut to crack on the field of battle.  His spiked shell not only protects him, it causes damage to those that attack him.  His wicked sense of humor gives him the ability to taunt his foes into recklessly attacking him, putting them at a defensive disadvantage.  Rammus’ armadillo heritage also comes out to play as he curls into a ball and launches himself at his foes with tremendous force.  He can also curl up to simply maximize his armor, making him very difficult to harm.  Rammus also possesses the unusual mystical ability to cause the earth beneath him to rumble, harming nearby enemies – and structures.

Make fun of his name, make fun of his armor, and Rammus will laugh.  But he will still lay you out!

Anivia, the Cryophoenix

Champion Type: Caster

In most lore, the phoenix is a creature of fire that rises from its own ashes. What few know, however, is that phoenixes are elemental beings, formed by the eternal essences of their native world. Anivia was conceived on a world such as this – a being of the coldest winter, a creature of pure elemental ice. On her world, Anivia was the protector of the frozen wastes and all those with the spirit to endure in such unforgiving places. She was consulted as a creature of great wisdom, one who could not die and who had seen the world renewed several times. Somehow, Anivia knew that the day would come when would be plucked from her home and pulled across worlds, and when that day came, she received the call with grace. Seeing the imbalance and injustice on Runeterra, a world lacking elemental protectors, Anivia took residence at the League of Legends.

Anivia is an immortal being of intense power. She can instantly freeze a path in front of her, covering all in its wake with thick frost – she can even force the cold to violently explode, throwing razor sharp ice shards in every direction. She can also concentrate this ability on a single enemy, riddling his flesh with deep frostbite. The cryophoenix can also summon a glacial storm, a blizzard of terrible fury that both harms and slows those within. When defense is needed, Anivia can create an impassible barrier of ice. Furthermore, Anivia can never die. Whenever she is killed, she simply transforms into an egg, waiting to be reborn.

Some say the world will end in fire, some in ice. Anivia awaits the inevitable latter.

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.