The recent major update in League of Legends, Patch 14.10, introduced a slew of changes, but none have sparked as much controversy as the alterations to Champion Mastery, which have left many players feeling frustrated and confused.
Why do players hate the new Champion Mastery system?
Firstly, the Sage Challenge, which measures mastery with various champions, has become significantly more difficult. Previously, reaching Champion Mastery 7 was hard, but now players must achieve Mastery 10 with each champion. This means a considerable increase in the time and effort required to max out mastery levels, with calculations suggesting it could take nearly 14.5 million Mastery Points to reach this new pinnacle.
Moreover, associated challenges linked to Champion Mastery, such as Maven of Strings and Master Mage, have also been affected, demanding Mastery 10 with specific champions for completion. This adjustment has left many players disappointed, especially if they were aiming for completionist achievements.
Secondly, there has been confusion surrounding the conversion of old Mastery scores to the new system. While Riot’s Champion Mastery Guide indicated that previous scores would convert into experience and Marks of Mastery, the process has not been straightforward.
Some champions remained at Mastery 7 after the update, while others were upgraded to Mastery 10, leading to uncertainty and frustration among players. The lack of clear communication from Riot has exacerbated the confusion, particularly regarding expectations about the conversion process.
Thirdly, changes to Mastery crests and emotes have been met with criticism, with many players finding them unappealing and uninspired. The redesigned emotes have been described as lacking visual appeal, diminishing the satisfaction of achieving high mastery levels.
Lastly, the increased difficulty in reaching Mastery 10 has shifted perceptions of champion mastery from a reflection of skill to a mere grind for rewards. This has left many players feeling demoralized, especially those who take pride in achieving mastery milestones as a measure of skill and dedication.
Overall, while Patch 14.10 introduced numerous changes to League of Legends, the adjustments to Champion Mastery, Mastery Points, and associated challenges have been met with widespread discontent, marking one of the most criticized updates in recent memory.