Nexus Blitz Explained: Everything You Need To Know About This LoL Game Mode

News 23-10-2023 16:40

We've waited a long time, but Nexus Blitz is finally coming back soon. If you've never come across this game mode, or it's just been too long and it has slipped from your memory, I'll introduce you to all the important details again!

It's been a long time. The last time we could play Nexus Blitz was in 2021. Nexus Blitz was introduced as a "for fun" mode in 2018, and many players consider Nexus Blitz as Riot's best game mode. Nexus Blitz has always been a favorite of mine and I enjoyed playing it with my friends a lot.

Nexus Blitz: How Is It Played?

The mode is played with five players, but not on Summoners Rift. Instead, it's on an entirely new map. While there are still lanes and a jungle like in normal League of Legends, Nexus Blitz plays by different rules. Instead of a single jungler, there are two, with one solo-laner and a duo lane.

Going into the game mode, players can choose your role beforehand, though you are not guaranteed a lane role and could end up as a jungler as well – but in Nexus Blitz it isn't as dire when you don't actually know how to jungle.

Just like on Summoner's Rift, you will receive a ban and then get to pick your champions, just like in Draft pick mode.

All Rotating Game Modes In League of Legends:

URF (Ultra Rapid Fire): Champions have significantly reduced cooldowns and mana costs, making for fast-paced, chaotic gameplay.
ARURF (All Random Ultra Rapid Fire): Like URF but champions are assigned randomly.
Nexus Blitz: A fast-paced mode on a smaller map, with mini-games and events happening throughout the match.
One for All: All players on a team play as the same champion.
Arena: Players pair up in 2v2v2v2 battle arenas to determine a winner. This mode features arenas similar to TFT platforms.
Ultimate Spellpook: Players choose a second champion's ultimate ability, creating unique combos in standard 5v5 matches on Summoner's Rift.

Nexus Blitz: What Events & Rewards Are There?

DRX World Championship skins — Grab your friends and match skins when you play Nexus Blitz! | © Riot Games

Another unique feature or Nexus Blitz are the special in-game events, like Scuttle Racing or 2v2s. These events happen roughly every three minutes and are announced by the announcer 30 seconds before they start. The team that wins the event receives a bonus, such as a cannon to move quickly across the map.

Special Nexus Blitz Events

Bardle Royale

There's a ring of fire, which shrinks over time. If you're outside of this circle, you'll take significant true damage. The goal is to eliminate the opposing team before your team is wiped out – similar to the ring of fire in the new Arena game mode Riot released in 2023.

URF Deathmatch

All players receive the U.R.F. buff. Teams engage in a best-of-three matchup, with cooldowns resetting every round. Also, if you're out of combat for too long, you'll start taking burning damage and receive Grievous Wounds.

Loot Goblin

Defeat either Teemo or Veigar to claim their bounty. Landing hits grants gold, while landing the last hit secures the win for your team.

Push the Cart

Control the cart to destroy the nearest enemy structure.

Prize Fight

Engage in battles against the enemy team! Two 2v2s and one 1v1 determine the winning team. The matchups are balanced based on gold earned.

King of the Hill

A control point appears on the map. It's essentially a "capture the flag" mode - stand there for a set duration without any enemy presence.

Scuttle Racing

Each team gets a scuttle crab to race. If a scuttle's health drops to zero, it's stunned and needs a brief recovery period. The first scuttle across the finish line secures the win for its team.

Protect the Soraka

Eliminate the enemy Soraka to win. Soraka will heal allies and silence enemies.

DPS Check

A practice dummy appears. The team with the highest DPS over a set duration wins.

Sudden Death: Nexus Blitz

After 18 minutes of gameplay, the Nexuses (or should it be Nexi?) start moving towards each other. Death timers are set to 15 seconds, and each team gets a Catapult of Champions.

Nexus Blitz Karte — The map is beautiful and takes place in Ionia |©Riot Games

Rewards

Of course, winning any of the challenges above will grant you some cool rewards that will help you win the game. So, what rewards are you hoping for? Honestly, Blessing of Blitzcrank is my personal favorite, since everyone will get to feel the frustration of getting hooked by the big guy.

Catapult of Champions

Launch yourself across the map!

Blessing of Blitzcrank

Your minions and turrets sporadically throw Blitzcrank hooks.

Poro King

The Poro King heals allies, damages enemies, and can tank towers.

Battle Sled

Use a sled to charge forward, damaging and knocking back any enemies you hit.

Guardian Angels

The winning team members receive a Guardian Angel effect for 90 seconds.

Statikk Shock

Acquire the passive ability of the Statikk Shiv.

B.F. Shields

Receive a sizable shield until it's depleted.

Mega Cloud Drake

Gain substantial out-of-combat speed.

Mega Ocean Drake

For 3 minutes, health and mana regeneration rates are enhanced.

Aspect of the Dragon

For 2 minutes, enemies below 20% health are executed upon being hit.

Nexus Blitz: What's New This Time?

The Best URF Champions

View Gallery

Ivern is now playable. In the past, he was disabled from the mode because he can't attack jungle creeps. But they simply changed his passive, so that he can attack them now. Welp, that was complicated.

Nexus Blitz: When Can You Play?

Nexus Blitz will be available from October 24th to November 17th 2023. The game mode will hit live servers with LoL Patch 13.21.

I'm hyped to finally play a fun mode again, in which you can pick your own champ and which is just different from the standard modes.