Season S42 is about to begin, with a major overhaul of the ranking system and the ability to upgrade the quality of season skins.

The new season is just around the corner. Are you Summoners nervous? The game update date has been set for January 8th. After a long lull, the Rift will undergo a major upgrade and a complete overhaul. Not only will new heroes be released, but the Battle Pass, Ranked Matches, Battle System, and more will all be revamped. It will take some time to adapt, but if you know the new content in advance and prepare, you can immediately jump into matches and face off against top-tier players once Season 42 begins.

The calculation method is transparent, and the average rank is displayed at the top.

Let's talk about the ranking system first. Early leaks indicated that the mechanics would be made more transparent. After ten years of gaming, many players still have questions about their ranked ratings, especially in ELO. Winning streaks are often followed by losing streaks, making it feel like hidden MMR is being recorded after each match, subtly matching players with unequal skill levels to carry them. Yes, there is lane-based matchmaking to ensure you get your main role and champion, but no one can accurately assess the skill level of your teammates. After the update, the average rank will be closer, which will increase matchmaking time. Of course, players can choose to compromise and allow the system to expand the matchmaking range.

During matchmaking, the system will display the average rank of our team. If it is a team match, it will be weighted to increase the average team rank. For example, if a 10-star King player and a 1-star King player are in the same team, their ranks will be added together and divided by 2, resulting in an average rank of 6-star King. This calculation method is to avoid encountering low-ranked opponents. If the matchmaking range is expanded, the winning side will receive extra points. The principle is the same as filling in for other roles. The challenge is greater, so naturally, you will receive compensation.

Battle Pass system replaces seasonal missions

The old ban list had 6 bans for players below the King rank and 10 bans for players above the King rank. Now it's been standardized to 10 bans. In other words, each of the five players on a team can ban one hero. As a result, the support role, which has always been the most targeted, will be the first to be targeted in the future. Regardless of whether the ban options overlap, it will be difficult to let all the popular or overpowered heroes play. It is recommended that players expand their hero pool.

The season battle pass has also been optimized, replacing the season missions. After reaching level 5, you can claim the next season's skin, and at level 40, the skin will be upgraded to epic quality. This kind of generous benefit is not to be missed. The clever planners certainly know how to boost activity. I believe that epic quality will become more common, and the Brave event may become less interesting.