It’s well known that staying on top of patches is important for a competitive edge in gaming. Legends of Runeterra underwent its biggest transformation in 2024. The patch notes revealed the most significant changes the game had experienced since its initial release.
The year brought major updates every quarter. Players saw new champions and detailed system changes. These patch notes highlighted vital competitive adjustments that altered how players engaged with both current and upcoming content.
This piece detailed every major change that came to Legends of Runeterra in 2024. Players could remain competitive and maximize the benefits of new features as they became available.
Contents
Q1 2024 Major Game Changes
Legends of Runeterra’s most anticipated patch notes for Q1 2024 arrived. The Dreamlit Paths expansion represented a key milestone in the game’s development and added new mechanics and strategic depth to the digital card battlefield.
Dreamlit Paths Expansion Overview
The Dreamlit Paths expansion launched on April 24th, 2024, and brought several game-changing mechanics:
- Spirit – Granted stackable +1/+1 buffs
- Gloom – Reduced attack power
- Sleep – Temporarily removed units from battle
- Story and Boost – New vocabulary mechanics
New Champion Additions and Reworks
Three unique champions joined the roster. Lux: Illuminated made a comeback with a complete redesign that focused on Spirit synergies and board control. Vex, the gloomy yordle, made her debut with mechanics built around the new Gloom keyword. Lillia brought unique Sleep-based strategies that could temporarily remove enemy units from battle.
Balance Changes and Meta Shifts
The competitive landscape saw major changes with the new Standard rotation in Q1 2024. The Standard format saw several established champions rotate out to make room for fresh strategies and deck building options. Akshan led this transition to the Eternal format, which signaled the start of a more dynamic meta environment.
The developers made key adjustments to existing archetypes that created a healthier competitive environment. These updates curbed the power level of dominant strategies and created opportunities for new deck archetypes from the Dreamlit Paths expansion.
Q2 2024 Content Updates
Legends of Runeterra’s development team changed their focus in the second quarter of 2024. These updates improved player experience in game modes of all types.
Path of Champions Progress
The Path of Champions (TPoC) was the life-blood of Runeterra’s future development. Players enjoyed a richer PvE experience with new champion progression systems. The development team expanded champion customization through Constellations. Players could now upgrade their favorite champions beyond the three-star limit.
New Gameplay Mechanics
Q2 brought fresh mechanics that kept the game engaging:
- Regen System: A healing mechanic restored Nexus health after battles
- Regional Currencies: Additional reward systems came with specialized containers like Diamond Vaults
- Achievement Quests: New challenge tracks offered unique rewards
Event Calendar Details
Q2 packed exciting content drops and events. June 20th brought Patch 5.6.0, a crucial update that introduced ranked season changes and additional Constellation features. The development team planned regular content updates throughout the quarter to maintain a steady flow of new experiences.
The Dreamlit Paths LoRreport Tournament on May 26th stood out with these features:
- Free entry for all players
- 300 Euro prize pool
- EMEA region focus
- Standard format competition
The quarter ended with preparations for major system updates, setting the stage for an ambitious second half of 2024. Players received regular Path of Champions updates. New champion additions and adventure content drops kept the game’s momentum strong through Q2 and beyond.
Q3 2024 System Updates
Legends of Runeterra’s competitive scene looked very different in the third quarter. Players experienced a new way to play competitively that changed many core aspects of the game.
Competitive Mode Changes
PvP went into hibernation mode which brought big changes to competitive play. Standard, Eternal, and vs AI modes remained available to players. The competitive structure saw some key updates. Gauntlets and their reward tracks, along with the Runeterra Open system paused temporarily. These changes created an eco-friendly gaming environment that kept the core gameplay intact.
Ranked Season Adjustments
Q3 brought a complete makeover to the ranked system. Standard and Eternal formats continued with a new structure that was still being finalized. The 2024 World Championship was canceled, which marked a major change in competitive events. Players could take a more relaxed approach to building decks and trying new strategies in the ranked environment.
Quality of Life Improvements
Q3 delivered several player-focused updates:
- A smarter AI matchmaking system with more opponent variety
- Better visual clarity for game mechanics and card interactions
- More consistent text across game elements
The team added new AI matchmaking rules. Players faced different AI opponents after about 20 games based on how well they performed. These updates showed the team’s dedication to making the game better despite organizational changes.
These updates made the game more polished and available to everyone. The competitive scene changed, but these improvements showed that the team remained focused on making the core gameplay experience better for all players.
Q4 2024 Future Roadmap
Legends of Runeterra took a new direction as Path of Champions became the main focus of game development in late 2024.
Upcoming Expansions and Events
The developers created a clear content plan for Q4 with monthly updates. New content dropped in October (Patch 5.10), November (Patch 5.11), and December (Patch 5.12). Players received:
- Fresh Path of Champions content
- New constellation features
- An Arcane-themed event in November
Champion Release Schedule
Q4 brought regular champion additions to Path of Champions, with each major patch introducing a new champion. These releases matched the team’s steadfast dedication to creating champions that players loved while keeping an eco-friendly development pace.
Community Requested Features
Player feedback sparked several quality-of-life improvements. The developers worked hard to address what the community wanted for Path of Champions, including:
- Boosted monthly challenge navigation
- A better experience point system for max-level champions
- Better balanced items for challenging encounters
The team deepened their commitment to create engaging content within a more focused scope. This new direction gave players regular updates while the game grew sustainably. The developers stressed that even with changes in the game’s scope, they remained dedicated to delivering quality content, especially when Path of Champions became more popular among players.
