Experimental LoL format was so good Riot decided to keep it in esports

When Riot Games first announced First Stand as part of the League of Legends esports calendar, many were skeptical: what was the point of this tournament? The proposed format changes didn’t inspire much confidence, as most players tend to be conservative when it comes to top-level esports.

However, First Stand’s main experiment turned out to be a massive success. The Fearless Draft format—where no champion can be picked more than once per series—was so well-received that Riot Games has already confirmed it will be used in other tournaments throughout 2025.

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This change will hit certain teams hard, as it demands a different type of player. Having a signature champion is great, but what’s the point if you can only use them once per series? Now, players with a wide champion pool and the ability to perform consistently across multiple picks will be much more valuable. Strategy—especially in Bo5 matches—will also shift significantly.

With this in mind, we could see some surprising results at MSI and Worlds this year. Stay tuned.

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