Let's dive into the League of Legends 2019 season! For all you summoners out there, 2019 was a year of significant changes, meta shifts, and some seriously memorable gameplay moments. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a curious newcomer, understanding the nuances of the 2019 season can give you a deeper appreciation for how League of Legends has evolved. This article recaps the key aspects of gameplay, the dominant champions, and the strategic trends that defined the year. We'll explore everything from itemization to objective control, giving you a comprehensive overview of what made League of Legends 2019 so unique. So, buckle up and get ready for a trip down memory lane!

Key Gameplay Changes in 2019

In 2019, Riot Games introduced several pivotal gameplay changes that reshaped how League of Legends was played. These changes weren't just minor tweaks; they had a cascading effect, influencing everything from champion selection to late-game strategies. Understanding these changes is crucial for appreciating the meta that followed.

Elemental Rifts

One of the most significant additions was the introduction of Elemental Rifts. The dragon that spawned third in each game would transform the Summoner's Rift, creating unique terrain features depending on the element. Each elemental rift offered different strategic advantages:

• Infernal Rift: Destroyed walls and created new pathways, favoring aggressive, roam-heavy compositions.
• Ocean Rift: Provided increased brush and healing buffs in the jungle, sustaining prolonged sieges and objective control.
• Cloud Rift: Added speed zones around the jungle, enhancing mobility and rotations.
• Mountain Rift: Created additional walls and choke points, strengthening defensive strategies and objective control around towers and Baron.

These rifts changed the way teams approached the mid-to-late game, forcing them to adapt their strategies based on the elemental terrain. Players had to consider not only their champion picks but also how their team composition would interact with the potential rift transformations. This added a layer of complexity and excitement to each game, making every match feel unique.

Turret Plating

Another critical change was the introduction of turret plating. This system added extra gold and defensive stats to the outer turrets during the early game. Destroying these plates granted individual gold to the champions involved, rewarding aggressive lane play and early tower dives. Turret plating extended the laning phase, allowing players to accumulate more gold and experience before grouping for objectives. This also encouraged split-pushing strategies, as teams could focus on taking down turrets for economic advantages.

The introduction of turret plating directly impacted champion selection and lane matchups. Champions who excelled at pushing lanes and taking down turrets, such as Sivir and Tristana, became increasingly popular. Supports also had to adjust their playstyles to provide adequate protection for their AD carries while still allowing them to capitalize on turret plating gold. This change ultimately led to a more diverse range of viable strategies in the early to mid-game.

Jungle Changes

The jungle also saw significant updates in 2019. Riot Games adjusted the spawn timers and experience rewards for jungle camps to balance the power of different jungler archetypes. They also introduced the krugs camp, which provided a substantial amount of gold and experience when fully cleared. These changes aimed to promote more diverse jungle paths and encourage players to prioritize different camps based on their champion's strengths.

In addition to camp adjustments, Riot also tweaked the scuttle crab spawn mechanics. The first scuttle crab now spawned later in the game, and its vision range was reduced. This change made it more difficult for junglers to secure early vision control, reducing the effectiveness of early ganks and invades. As a result, junglers had to rely more on their laners for vision support and communication.

Dominant Champions and Meta Compositions

With these gameplay changes in place, the meta in 2019 shifted significantly. Certain champions and team compositions rose to prominence, dominating both professional play and solo queue. Let's take a look at some of the most impactful champions and strategies.

Top Lane

In the top lane, champions like Renekton, Jayce, and Vladimir were highly contested picks. Renekton remained a strong early-game bully, capable of dominating lane matchups and applying pressure across the map. Jayce offered a versatile combination of poke damage and burst potential, making him a valuable asset in both team fights and split-pushing scenarios. Vladimir excelled as a scaling AP carry, becoming nearly unstoppable in the late game with his sustain and damage output.

Tank champions such as Ornn and Maokai also saw play, providing valuable engage and crowd control for their teams. These champions were particularly effective in compositions that prioritized objective control and team fighting. Their ability to absorb damage and disrupt enemy formations made them essential for protecting their carries and securing victories.

Jungle

In the jungle, Lee Sin, Elise, and Gragas were popular choices. Lee Sin's early-game ganking potential and mobility made him a constant threat on the map. Elise offered a combination of burst damage and crowd control, allowing her to quickly eliminate priority targets. Gragas provided engage, disengage, and sustained damage, making him a versatile pick in various team compositions.

Farming junglers like Karthus and Graves also emerged as viable options. These champions focused on maximizing their farm and scaling into the late game. Their ability to dish out significant damage in team fights made them valuable assets, especially in compositions that could protect them from early-game aggression.

Mid Lane

In the mid lane, Ryze, Azir, and Leblanc were among the most contested picks. Ryze offered unparalleled wave clear and roaming potential, allowing him to influence skirmishes across the map. Azir provided sustained damage and zone control, making him a formidable force in team fights. Leblanc's burst damage and mobility made her a deadly assassin, capable of quickly eliminating squishy targets.

Control mages like Orianna and Syndra also saw significant play. These champions excelled at controlling the flow of team fights with their AoE abilities and crowd control. Their ability to protect their carries and set up favorable engagements made them valuable assets in team-oriented compositions.

AD Carry

In the AD carry role, Xayah, Kai'Sa, and Ezreal were highly sought-after. Xayah's self-peel and sustained damage made her a reliable choice in team fights. Kai'Sa offered a combination of burst damage and mobility, allowing her to quickly eliminate priority targets. Ezreal's safe laning phase and poke damage made him a consistent threat throughout the game.

Hyper-carry ADCs like Vayne and Twitch also saw play, particularly in compositions that could provide them with adequate protection. These champions scaled incredibly well into the late game, capable of single-handedly carrying team fights with their immense damage output.

Support

In the support role, Thresh, Nautilus, and Rakan were popular choices. Thresh's playmaking potential and utility made him a constant threat in lane and team fights. Nautilus offered engage, crowd control, and tankiness, making him a valuable asset in team-oriented compositions. Rakan's mobility and engage potential made him a dynamic playmaker, capable of initiating fights and protecting his carries.

Enchanter supports like Lulu and Janna also saw play, particularly in compositions that prioritized protecting hyper-carry ADCs. These champions provided shields, heals, and buffs, enabling their carries to survive and thrive in team fights.

Strategic Trends

Beyond individual champion picks, several strategic trends defined the 2019 League of Legends season. These trends influenced everything from team compositions to objective control and overall game pacing.

Early Game Aggression

One prominent trend was the emphasis on early-game aggression. With the introduction of turret plating and changes to jungle spawn timers, teams increasingly prioritized early ganks, dives, and tower pushes. Champions who excelled at early-game skirmishes and snowballing leads were highly valued.

This trend led to the rise of aggressive jungle picks like Lee Sin and Elise, as well as lane bullies like Renekton and Lucian. Teams looked to gain early advantages through coordinated invades, ganks, and tower dives, aiming to put their opponents behind and secure control of the map.

Objective Control

Objective control remained a critical aspect of the game. Teams focused on securing dragons, Rift Heralds, and Baron Nashor to gain significant advantages. The introduction of Elemental Rifts further emphasized the importance of dragon control, as each elemental buff provided unique strategic benefits.

Teams developed strategies to prioritize dragon control based on their team composition and the current state of the game. Some teams focused on securing early dragons to snowball their leads, while others prioritized scaling and only contested dragons when necessary. Securing Baron Nashor remained a game-changing objective, providing teams with the power to push lanes, siege turrets, and close out games.

Split-Pushing Strategies

Split-pushing strategies also saw increased play in 2019. Champions like Jayce, Tryndamere, and Fiora excelled at pushing lanes and drawing pressure away from objectives. Teams utilized split-pushing to create map pressure, force rotations, and open up opportunities for taking down turrets and inhibitors.

Split-pushing required strong map awareness and communication. Teams had to coordinate their split-pushing efforts with their objective control, ensuring that they could capitalize on the pressure created by the split-pusher. Successful split-pushing strategies often led to decisive victories, as teams could outmaneuver their opponents and secure multiple objectives simultaneously.

Conclusion

League of Legends in 2019 was a dynamic and exciting year, marked by significant gameplay changes, diverse champion picks, and evolving strategic trends. The introduction of Elemental Rifts and turret plating reshaped the way the game was played, forcing teams to adapt their strategies and champion selections.

From early-game aggression to objective control and split-pushing strategies, the 2019 season offered a wide range of playstyles and approaches. Whether you were a fan of aggressive ganks, strategic sieges, or late-game scaling, there was something for everyone to enjoy.

As League of Legends continues to evolve, understanding the history and nuances of past seasons can provide valuable insights and a deeper appreciation for the game. So, the next time you queue up for a match, remember the lessons learned from 2019 and apply them to your gameplay. Who knows, you might just discover a new strategy or champion that leads you to victory!