What is League Classic, what champions can you play?

Naerlyn Published July 30, 2026

League Classic comes to the live servers on July 29. This game mode recreates versions of LoL from around 2013, for the nostalgia of the olden and golden days. How will League Classic work? What champions are in this game mode?

What is League Classic?

League Classic is the game mode coming out with Season 3 of 2026, on July 29. In this mode, people play a version of LoL brought back to its 2012-2013 state. Old map, old champions and kits, old items, old models, old runes and masteries, influence points: everything is back to how it was at the time.

League Classic allows players to discover or rediscover AP Master Yi, global teleport Twisted Fate, 700 ult range Kassadin, Mafia Graves, and so many others. Just like champions, it will bring back Heart of Gold, Deathfire Grasp, Banner of Command, and all the items from back then.

This game mode will be available to play for the foreseeable future, and will include its own out-of-game systems. Riot wants it to feel like how it did back in the day, including with collecting content and awaiting releases.

The LoL Classic jungle: The red buff in 2013. Image credit: Riot Games

What patch will League Classic use?

League Classic won’t use a specific patch, but rather a combination of old elements. The basis of reference is season 3, but all champions will be brought back to their most interesting kit from beta to early 2014. Systems are mostly from 2013.

As for quality-of-life elements, they’re all kept in. Modern pings, bounty displays, tooltip clarity, all such aspects stay in their current state, as only gameplay elements need to emulate the past. As such, the game also uses the new engine for various reasons such as compatibility, security, and overall ease of use.

All champions in League Classic

On release, the game mode will have all 40 original champions as well as another select 20. Here are all champions in League Classic:

• Ahri
• Alistar
• Amumu
• Anivia
• Annie
• Ashe
• Blitzcrank
• Brand
• Cho’Gath
• Dr. Mundo
• Evelynn
• Ezreal
• Fiddlesticks
• Gangplank
• Garen
• Gragas
• Heimerdinger
• Janna
• Jarvan IV
• Jax
• Karthus
• Kassadin
• Katarina
• Kayle
• Kog’Maw
• Lee Sin
• Leona
• Lulu
• Lux
• Malphite
• Malzahar
• Master Yi
• Miss Fortune
• Morgana
• Nasus
• Nidalee
• Nunu
• Olaf
• Pantheon
• Rammus
• Ryze
• Shaco
• Singed
• Sion
• Sivir
• Skarner
• Sona
• Soraka
• Taric
• Teemo
• Tristana
• Tryndamere
• Twisted Fate
• Twitch
• Vayne
• Veigar
• Warwick
• Wukong
• Zilean

More champions will be added “at a relatively quick cadence”, with no further clarification. Riot already confirmed some that will join the roster soon, such as Graves, Urgot, or Mordekaiser.

The original 40 will be part of all champions in LoL Classic. Image credit: Riot Games

Will League Classic be permanent?

Nothing has been confirmed, but Riot wants League Classic to be permanent. The team working on it aims to create an experience that is enjoyable long-term, for months or years. However, this plan isn’t set in stone as this will depend on how the mode is received.

For every game mode, Riot can’t gauge how much it will be played. The devs make a guess and plan for it, but they need to adapt everything once they see the actual reception. If the playerbase drops the mode too quickly, then LoL Classic won’t return. On the other hand, successful game modes can stay indefinitely, as Arena and ARAM Mayhem have shown.

There is out-of-game progression to unlock as matches grant experience along with Influence Points. After a few games, runes and masteries progressively unlocked, as does a form of ranked. Then, those IPs allow for purchasing runes and other content. The goal is to keep this aspect of replayability as well.

Playing games will award IP to buy new runes. Image credit: Riot Games

Will League Classic have patches?

Classic will receive regular patches, at a rate to be announced. Players will have a say in how the game evolves, gaining a stronger voice the more actively they play.

As David “Phreak” Turley stated, the goal for patches is to keep up the game quality without ever compromising on the Classic feeling.

The game will remain slower, more decisive and more punishing. Mana costs and cooldowns will stay higher, point-and-clicks aren’t going away, money and experience won’t go up. Riot will work with the community to find how to make the mode evolve while preserving it all.

Which one of all champions in League Classic are you most excited to play? Let us know on our forums!

Featured image credit: Riot Games