A new game mode, 'League Classic,' which recreates past versions of 'League of Legends,' is on the horizon. Riot Games recently confirmed the development of 'League Classic,' a mode that revives old champions lost to nerfs and reworks, and plans to reveal further details at the 'League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)' finals on the 12nd.

According to leaked data from the Public Beta Environment (PBE), 'League Classic' is expected to feature the game environment of Seasons 2 and 3, combined with the pre-rework skill sets of various champions. Andrei van Roon, Head of the League Studio at Riot Games, also confirmed that they are "bringing back old gameplay kits."

The return of these past champions is a compelling narrative in itself. Riot Games has long operated under a clear philosophy of "providing players with the room to understand and respond to in-game situations," consistently overhauling skill structures that were deemed one-sided or unreasonable. In the process, some of these older champions have changed beyond recognition.

'League Classic' offers a chance to re-experience the 'raw' flavor of the past that vanished amidst reworks and nerfs. As the clock turns back on Summoner's Rift, we have selected five champions expected to best showcase that unrefined, raw fun. While every player has their own nostalgic favorites, these are the candidates worth revisiting.

AP Master Yi: The 'Alpha Strike' that defined 'Cornsalad'

On November 21, 2012, during the second game between Team OP and Najin White Shield in the OGN LoL Champions Winter Round of 12, Najin used all three of their ban cards against a single mid-laner: Lee 'Cornsalad' Sang-jeong. The joker card pulled out in response was mid-lane AP Master Yi. The result was a 9/1/6 KDA. That day, Summoner's Rift was filled with the screams of those suffering at the hands of AP Master Yi.

At the time, Master Yi's Meditate (W) had a 4 ability power (AP) ratio. If you built AP items and activated Meditate, his health would actually increase even while three enemies were beating on him. Furthermore, his ultimate, Highlander (R), reset his skill cooldowns upon every champion takedown. He would hide in the back during a teamfight, wait for the enemy's health to drop, activate his ultimate, and use Alpha Strike (Q) to secure a kill, reset his cooldowns, and repeat the process. This infinite chain actually happened in professional play. Commentator Kim Dong-jun famously shouted, "There are over 100 champions, do you really think there are only a few good ones?" That day, AP Master Yi hit #1 on Naver's real-time search rankings.

Mid-lane AP Master Yi, which had been forgotten in favor of jungle AD Master Yi, rose to prominence after this single match. A few days later, Master Yi was even banned in a game. However, as Meditate was nerfed and his skills were adjusted, AP Master Yi vanished from the Rift entirely. Today's Master Yi is an AD melee damage dealer. The mage who could end a game with a single Alpha Strike has been sealed away for over a decade.

In Classic mode, we expect to see the return of mid-lane AP Master Yi. Master Yi is also on the PBE leak list. For any user who remembers 'Cornsalad,' this is a champion you'll want to pick from the very first game.

The 'National Urgot Association' awaits... The 'Urgot' of old

Viewers who watched the early days of LoL Champions will remember the name of Urgot's ultimate skill. This is because commentator Um Jae-kyung frequently mentioned the nine-syllable skill name, 'Hyper-Kinetic Position Reverser,' whenever Urgot appeared in a match. The fact that many users still remember this tongue-twister is a testament to the unique presence Urgot held in the past.

Urgot's identity in the past was defined by his one-of-a-kind role as a 'ranged bruiser.' If he landed his 'Noxian Corrosive Charge (E)' on an enemy, his 'Acid Hunter (Q)' would automatically lock onto the target, turning him into a sniper with a 1200-range reach in an instant. He also possessed a passive that reduced the attack damage of enemies he hit by 15%.

The highlight, however, was his ultimate. It was a targeted skill that swapped his position with an enemy, forcibly delivering the opposing team's key damage dealer into the middle of his own team. With just a blue buff, he could overwhelm an enemy duo on his own, earning him the nickname 'Urgot' and a passionate fandom known as the 'National Urgot Association.'

In the upcoming 'League Classic,' Urgot is the most anticipated champion, officially acknowledged by the developers. Andrei van Roon, Head of League Studio at Riot Games, recalled, "Personally, the skill kit I'm most looking forward to is the old Urgot. It was so much fun to encounter opponents in the mid lane who had no idea what Urgot did and then engage them." Urgot has also appeared in PBE datamining leaks. For users who still have painful memories of being helplessly dragged away by his 'Hyper-Kinetic Position Reverser,' it is now your turn to experience the satisfaction of dragging your opponents yourself.

The legendary 14-stack nerf: Graves, the ranged damage dealer

Graves is a jungler today. However, in the Summoner's Rift of Seasons 2 and 3, he was one of the premier bottom-lane ranged damage dealers. His basic attack animation and speed were among the best for any bottom-lane champion, and immediately after his release, he was always part of the conversation regarding the greatest 'OP' (overpowered) champions of all time. Despite being a ranged damage dealer, he had the health and defense of a bruiser; after reaching level 6, he could dash in with 'Quickdraw (E)' and unleash 'Buckshot (Q)' and 'Collateral Damage (R)' to leave even health-item-stacking opponents in critical condition.

Graves' identity at the time was a 'ranged damage dealer who fights while taking hits.' His range was 525, below the average for ranged damage dealers, but he relied on his passive, 'True Grit,' which increased his armor and magic resistance during combat, to walk right up to the enemy's face and unleash his shotgun. Thanks to the nature of Buckshot, which dealt more damage at closer range, Graves' firepower at close quarters was terrifying. On top of that, he had Smokescreen (W). The ability to completely erase an opponent's vision remains unique on the Rift even today, and a single smoke cloud dropped in the middle of a teamfight could seal both the skills and basic attacks of enemy damage dealers.

Graves was transformed into his current state through a 2015 rework. His repeating rifle became a double-barreled shotgun that reloads two shells, and Graves left the bot lane for the jungle. Only those who lived through that era remember the outlaw who used to fire basic attacks from the bot lane.

There is a high possibility that this outlaw will return in Classic. Andrei van Roon (Meddler), Head of the League Studio, mentioned in a teaser video, "I want to play the old Graves again." However, Graves is not on the PBE leaked champion list. Since Riot has confirmed that the leak list is not final, we will have to wait for the announcement on the 12nd to see if the bot-lane outlaw returns.

Do you know the 'Nuclear Spear'? Nidalee's 'Javelin Toss'

Nidalee's spear was famously dubbed the 'Nuclear Spear.' Before her rework, Javelin Toss (Q) had a high AP ratio, and its damage increased by up to 2.5 times based on the distance it traveled. A single spear thrown from off-screen by a well-fed Nidalee would send squishy champions like supports straight back to the fountain. With one skill treated like a nuclear weapon, Nidalee once rose to Tier 1 in the mid-lane.

The 'Nuclear Spear' even spawned memes. Whenever a mid-lane Nidalee appeared in a tournament, fans and commentators would attach 'Spear' to the player's nickname. If Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok played her, it was 'Faker-spear'; if Najin Shield's 'Ggoong' Yoo Byung-jun played her, it was 'Ggoong-spear.' 'Ggoong' was called the 'Master of Spears' for his accuracy in landing spears from unseen positions behind bushes, and OnGameNet, which broadcast the games, even created a 'Ggoong-beat' video parodying Song Dae-kwan's 'Four Beats.

The balance designer at the time cited the 'lack of interactive gameplay' as Nidalee's biggest problem. Nidalee would throw spears from a very long distance, and the opponent had no way to counter, only being hit unilaterally. Riot carried out a rework in the 2014 4.10 patch, reducing the spear's damage and halving the projectile width, and mid-lane Nidalee disappeared from the Rift. Today, Nidalee is a jungler who runs through the Rift hunting for marks.

In Classic, there is a high possibility that Nidalee will reclaim that spear. Nidalee is on the PBE leaked champion list, and if the pre-rework kit is applied as leaked, the 2.5x 'Nuclear Spear' will return as well. It's time to taste the 'Nuclear Spear' again after all these years.

The origin of the 'Sword Dance' augment: Fiora's 'Blade Waltz'

Fiora's ultimate, Blade Waltz, allowed her to become untargetable the moment she activated it on a target, dashing between enemies and landing five guaranteed physical hits. The opponent could neither block, attack, nor escape. In front of a well-fed Fiora, it didn't matter how much tanks or supports tried to protect their damage dealers. As it was evaluated at the time, it was a champion that was simply impossible to deal with.

Ironically, her prime came unexpectedly. During Season 4, Riot had identified Fiora as the 'worst champion' and even announced separate plans for a remake. However, the situation flipped when it was rediscovered that all five hits counted as basic attacks. Fiora, equipped with 'Ravenous Hydra'—which provided area-of-effect damage and life steal—would tear through teamfights with a single ultimate, causing her win rate to skyrocket. On overseas servers, she was treated as an overpowered champion, with players saying, 'It's an ultimate you can't stop even if you know it's coming.' It was a rollercoaster from the worst champion to a must-ban card, all due to a single skill.

Riot nerfed Blade Waltz instead of doing a full remake, and Fiora, who relied entirely on her ultimate, collapsed. Then, in 2015, a rework was carried out that changed all four of her skills. Today's Fiora is a duelist who must strike vitals to deal damage and relies on the timing of Riposte (W). It is a design that is the exact opposite of the old Fiora, incorporating room for the opponent to read and counter her moves. Interestingly, the Arena mode augment 'Sword Dance' is an effect that almost perfectly replicates the pre-rework Fiora's ultimate. This is proof that Riot remembers the flavor of those days.

Fiora was released in early 2012, so she is a candidate for Classic in terms of timing, but she is not on the PBE leaked champion list. Since Riot confirmed that the leak list is not final, the possibility of the return of the guaranteed 5-hit combo remains open.