Legends of Runeterra has added a new solo roguelike mode called Path of Champions, a large expansion of the acclaimed Lab of Legends mode introduced in 2020.
Path of Champions builds off the exploration and character progression introduced in the Saltwater Scourge. Players can choose to follow a narrative centered around Jinx or play as one of 15 available champions.
The first time you load into Path of Champions, you’ll play as Jinx in the opening tutorial mission. You’ll fight your way through Piltover and Zaun while learning the mode’s mechanics and earning Reputation as Jinx. This mode ends with a final boss fight against Vi.
Once this is completed, you’ll unlock the full Path of Champions experience.
Each victory and run rewards the player with experience points called Reputation. Reputation allows players to level up and earn buffs, passive powers, and permanent items called relics.
You can play as Jinx, Vi, Ekko, Caitlyn, Jayce, Miss Fortune, Nami, Pyke, Tahm Kench, Twisted Fate, Irelia, Lee Sin, Lulu, Yasuo, and Zed.
You must own two copies of a champion’s card before they’re unlocked in Path of Champions.
Players start out with a base deck and progress through different regions throughout Runeterra. The region maps that can be explored are Ionia, Piltover and Zaun, and Bilgewater. There are nine regions on the map, but those three are the only ones unlocked at this time. Future updates will add more champions and regions to the mode.
Each region has a final boss in it that’s a champion from Legends of Runeterra with a specific buff that makes them much stronger. Piltover puts you up against Ezreal and Viktor. Bilgewater is enforced by Gangplank and Nautilus. Ionia rounds out the bosses with Lulu and Zed.
Each map has a semi-linear map that players can navigate on their way to the ultimate boss battle. Each region will have its own specific flavorful encounters, but there are some common ones found in Path of Champions.
- Rewards: These spaces can give you a variety of different buffs from additional cards, reinforcements in the form of more champions. Winning battles also provides Battle Rewards.
- Spells Chest: Gives you the option of three spells and adds two copies of the card you choose to your deck.
- Items Chest: Gives you the option of three items and adds those to your run.
- Shop: With the gold you’ve accrued through the adventure, you can buy new cards for your deck. The shop will give at least six card options. You can also purchase reroll tokens for 30 gold.
Path of Champions appears to be the primary PvE experience in Legends of Runeterra going forward. Future updates will further flesh out the mode, but there’s more than enough content for completionists to get a fun, Slay the Spire style experience out of the mode.
