League of Legends Gets SMITE-like Game Mode for Casual Fans Dying to Play Their Favourite Champions

League of Legends has been sorely lacking some casual-friendly game modes since its launch. Though we've seen the times of Dominion and Twisted Treeline come and go, players are still crazy to get something that allows them to play their favourite champions (a rarity in the all-random ARAM mode).

For those who have been itching to be able to enjoy a deathmatch-like gameplay, the second season of League of Legends' thematic-focused approach, Spirit Blossom Beyond, might just be the answer. While we just saw Welcome to Noxus come and go, with Arena roping in players, the new Brawl might be what many have been hoping for.

In in-between seasons that aren't touching major Summoner's Rift changes (which will be at the beginning of the year, for the most part), the main focus will be the new and returning game modes that will be making arrival, ensuring that players have the opportunity to enjoy League of Legends without having to submit themselves to Summoner's Rift's complexities or ARAM's randomness.

The new game mode joining in Spirit Blossom Beyond will take place in Bandle City: Brawl. This 5v5 mode gives players the opportunity to pick their champions in a one-lane all-teamfight game mode, giving a similar feeling to one of SMITE's most famous game modes, Arena!

Fight on a long map with a few objectives to push minions into the enemy base, removing the necessity for towers and guard rails: just pure deathmatch fun. Removing some of the ARAM rules that players have taken problems with, you'll be able to pick your preferred champion, recall, and even heal, in a larger map that should (hopefully) reduce the omnipresence of strong poking champions.

The way it works is simple: there are two portals at the end of each side of the map, and teams have 250 health: takedowns deal five damage to the enemy health. Likewise, while the enemy team is not at low health, the takedowns on enemy champions will deal one damage, while pushing your minions into your opponent's Bandle portal will deal one damage each.

This health system will encourage players to fight and play intelligently, giving points for killing minions and encouraging smart playing and teamfighting. But, since you'll be able to return to the base, it'll be much easier to avoid needless deaths (unlike in ARAM). No towers, no nexus: just fighting.

Brawl is coming in Patch 25.10, on the 14th of May!