Summary
Riot has once again reached into their bag of tricks to release a fun new mode that brings the traditionalLeague of Legendsformula to a familiar yet fresh format. Brawl isn’t quite as fleshed out as some of the other modes in the past, with no hugegameplay changes or additional features. But it more than makes up for that with its fast gameplay and teamfight-oriented map that puts ARAM to shame.
Brawl isn’t designed as a hyper-competitive experience that pushes players to their limit all in the name of climbing the ranks. Still, it is worth noting that there are a few champions that excel more than others, and can take over the map in a matter of minutes. The games being so short means that scaling champions are king, and with all the teamfighting, any reset character is going to have an absolute ride.
8Mel
Poke That Keeps On Sticking
Mel is the newest mage on the block, and she brings asignificant amount of powerin a pretty simplistic kit. The reason she functions so well in Brawl is because of the constant fighting and clumped-up teams that make landing skills a bit easier. One of her weakest parts, the landing phase, is all but removed, and she can scale up in just a few minutes.
The other benefit is her reflection, which normally serves as a one-time block that can get her out of a tricky gank. Now, it becomes a guaranteed hit that can turn fights instantly, and it is all the more powerful thanks to the sheer number of crucial skillshots that will be flying toward the player. Few champs can get onto her, and because of the faster games, her late-game power gets unlocked fast.
7Kha’Zix
King Of The Jungle
An interesting feature that sets Brawl apart from ARAM is the extra jungle camps on either side of the map, which add an extra incentive outside the fighting in the center. While players can’t actually take smite to go full-on Jungle mode, they can still hop around the sides and build up a pretty healthy wallet of cash. And there’s no better way to do this than the champ that excels at isolating individual targets.
Kha’zix has no trouble going straight for the camps and taking them out in a few seconds, and that extra gold is a nice way of building up some early lethality to jump into the fight andassassinate anyone that comes near. Even though the map is mainly fought in the middle, stragglers do walk off to the side a lot. This makes it easy for Kha’zix to swoop in for a quick kill and get out before anyone can do anything about it.
6Jhin
Musical Precision That Hits Hard From The Start
Jhin has always been an absolute beast in limited-time modes. He uses his speed, high base damage, and decent scaling to dish out serious punishment, all while running around at 1000 miles an hour. His strength in Brawl comes from his ability to shred through enemy health bars right when the game starts, and finish off low HP targets that would normally be able to escape to the safety of their nexus.
There aren’t too many tanks running around, so Jhin won’t struggle much compared to normal games where there is a Nautilus in his face 24/7. With so much raw damage after just a few minutes of fighting, the enemy team will have a hard time keeping up with the incredible burst that he offers, which doesn’t need a long time to come online.
5Viktor
No More Waiting For Stacks
Viktor is one of the many champs inLeaguewhohas a stacking mechanicthat augments his abilities and makes them stronger over time. In his case, his abilities each level up and unlock a new level of power, transforming him into a late-game monster. In Brawl, the number of stacks gained is significantly higher, which means that Viktor can reach all four upgrades before anyone can even attempt to match his power.
The secondary benefit is the newest change to his kit, which allows his ultimate to grow in size on subsequent kills. When the ult upgrade is unlocked, the constant 5v5 teamfights can be turned on their heads. Getting that initial kill is way easier, which can translate into a bunch more, as the giant electrical storm grows to fill up the entire screen and tear through everything in its path.
4Tristana
Jump After Jump
Tristana is by far one of themost fun ADCs inLeague.A big part of that fun factor is the ability to jump over and over, leaping into the enemy backline and back out again unscathed. Having the entire team clumped up and under fire means that those jumps come back instantly, and there are plenty of walls to reposition around and space the enemy.
Tristana’s items also unlock her one-shot potential in a big way. Having them come online without worrying about a good landing phase or careful navigation in the early game means that those intense fights can easily sway in the player’s favor. This is all thanks to Tristana’s ability to dispatch individual enemies in an instant and keep the fight going afterwards.
3Viego
Keep Those Resets Coming
Viego is practically the poster child for reset champions. Hisentire identity and championis built around the ability to jump into a corpse, play as them for a moment, then swap back or even move onto the next dead foe. With so many corpses around the place, Viego can change bodies as soon as the first fight, much in the same way he functions in ARAM.
He also doesn’t have as many weaknesses as traditional Summoner’s Rift. The teamfights are much scrappier and involve much less coordination, which is where Viego shines. Any time there is an opportunity to take off a low target and switch form, the fight is immediately won, as it is very hard to compete against a champion that has a whole extra set of abilities.
2Pyke
So Much Gold And So Much Death
There is nothing like a five-man Pyke ult, and pulling them off almost every game is a near guarantee in Brawl.Chaining together those executionsone after another is unbelievably satisfying. What makes it far easier is having all the enemies pushed into one spot and having constant fighting to give way more opportunities for kills and, of course, the cash in.
Another benefit that helps Pyke is the way the map is built. There are bushes all up the sides, plenty of walls to dash over for offense and defense, and a nice tight corridor that makes lining up hooks and ultimates way more consistent. He was already a fun pick whenever he popped up in ARAM, so now that players can jump in and select him when they want, he is a must.
1Jinx
Attack Damage Destruction
One of the best scaling champions inLeagueand an absolute demon in the right teamfight circumstances, Jinx destroys in 5v5 skirmishes where coordination isn’t great and where mistakes are easily punished. It is quite easy to get that initial kill, but sometimes it is hard to follow and chain it into a full team wipe to let the minions push forward.
But Jinx turns that one single kill into an instant teamwipe, building up tempo and annihilating everyone on the screen, never feeling threatened thanks to her range. Getting full build as quickly as she does in Brawl means that even if the team struggles early on, those final few kills will come in no time. The player will easily be able to carry their team to victory.
