League of Legends ARAM is undergoing some rather significant changes coming into 2023, adding some new spice to the MOBA‘s most chaotic (and simultaneously polarising) game mode. With new structures added to the Howling Abyss and a plethora of changes to champions, there’s one thing that has flown under the radar that makes these fallen towers incredibly powerful.
While Freljordian archer Ashe has taken some pretty hefty nerfs, and assassins like Akali some surprising buffs, one of the biggest changes to the Howling Abyss is the fact that towers now generate rubble when they collapse.
As show in Riot’s ARAM 2023 preview, when you defeat a turret it will crumble to the ground, and its remains will obstruct the segment of the map it has collapsed on. This is shown off in a small video of minions circling around the once proud structure, returning to their normal regimented pathway after they move past it.
Following the announcement, several players were quick to ask whether or not the fallen pillars will obstruct vision – after all, in the real world they would. In response, lead modes designer Daniel ‘Maxw3ll’ Emmons has confirmed that the remains will, indeed, block vision.
One fan asked why Riot made the decision to have the pillars fall to the side instead of straight down the middle of the lane. Maxw3ll explains “we tried it falling at various angles but unless it restricted player movement in this way the terrain just wasn’t changing up the game. Most of the movement on Howling Abyss is towards or away from the nexuses (nexii?). Falling in the middle or at an angle didn’t really create cool vision plays you could make.”
A follow up question asked “do the walls block vision?” and Maxw3ll quickly clarifies “yes, they do.” A full overview of the fallen turrets can be found here.
So not only do the pillars change up the linear landscape of the Howling Abyss, they’ll allow for players to make flashier plays, too. Have you missed LeBlanc jumping over a wall and one-shotting you? Or that Lux binding into that oh so annoying laser? If you’re a player who loves toying with vision and sneaking around, you’re going to feel right at home in the new and improved ARAM. If you’re a squishy support main like me, you’ll probably hate it – but that’s beside the point.
ARAM isn’t the only thing getting an overhaul coming into 2023 – the jungle is, too. For all of the latest changes be sure to check out our League of Legends preseason 2023 rundown. You can also work out how much you’ve spent on League of Legends, but given Christmas is coming up and we’re all about to be penniless, maybe that’s a bad idea.