Does League of Legends Have a Beginner Mode? An In-Depth Look at New Player Experiences

Ever wondered if a game as intricate as League of Legends can actually be friendly to newcomers? Imagine walking into a bustling arcade, where the neon lights flash and the sounds of gameplay echo, yet there’s a special section that promises a gentler introduction. League of Legends offers just that with its beginner mode, a signature feature designed to ease new players into the realm of strategy, teamwork, and digital dueling. As you dip your toes into this immense world of champions, it becomes essential to understand how the game caters to novices while still retaining the thrill that keeps millions coming back for more.

Beginner Mode in League of Legends

League of Legends offers players the option to select from three distinct difficulty levels: Intro, Beginner, and Intermediate. This flexibility allows players to engage either solo or in groups, tailor-making their gameplay experience.

Co-op vs. AI: An Overview

The Co-op vs. AI mode in League of Legends pits players against teams of computer-controlled champions, often referred to as bots. While the team sizes mirror those of standard player versus player matches, the variety of game modes is more limited.

Game Mode Details

Co-op vs. AI is exclusively available on Summoner’s Rift, allowing players to choose among Intro, Beginner, and Intermediate difficulties. Players can participate either alone or as part of a group. The mode includes the First Win of the Day mission, and importantly, regular and ranked matchmaking ratings (MMR) remain unaffected after playing.

The experience rewards earned from Co-op vs. AI are dependent on the player’s level:

• Summoners at Level 20 or higher can only earn 75% of the standard Co-op vs. AI rewards after playing for 180 minutes.
• Playing in Co-op vs. AI does not contribute to Champion Mastery points.
• Rewards are adjusted based on the summoner’s level and the amount of time spent playing that day:

Available Champions

In the Beginner and Intermediate settings of Co-op vs. AI, the following champion roles are available:

Understanding Bot Behavior

Bots exhibit different behavioral patterns and advantages based on the chosen difficulty level. No matter the level, certain behaviors remain constant. Notably, bots do not utilize jungle resources or pursue creep buffs, although those on the Twisted Treeline map may seek out altar and pad buffs scattered across the terrain. A universal characteristic is a significantly reduced respawn time after being eliminated. Additionally, bots sometimes post preset chat messages at the start and conclusion of matches.

Intro Difficulty Level

• Bots remain inactive within their fountain for a brief period before joining the fray.
• They display sluggish reactions when attempting to flee due to low health or when casting abilities.
• The same five champions are always utilized: Nasus, Galio, Ryze, Alistar, and Ezreal.
• As of version 11.3, Intro AI bots follow the recommended items list but do not have the capability to activate items.
• Bots will push down their lane until an inhibitor turret is almost destroyed, at which point they will retreat to base (Nasus may sometimes go top lane).
• The respawn timer for bots is considerably shortened, reaching around just 10 seconds at the 20-minute mark.

Beginner Difficulty Level

• The selection of bots offers greater variety than in Intro but provides less than what is found in Intermediate.
• Bots operate with the recommended item builds but, similar to the Intro level, cannot activate items.
• Strategies employed by bots are less sophisticated, and they don’t gank effectively.
• Tellingly, while bots are equipped with summoner spells, they don’t utilize them in gameplay.

Intermediate Difficulty Level

• Bots possess the capability to target abilities without requiring line of sight. For instance, if a bot or a nearby enemy minion sees an enemy player enter a bush, the bots can target them as if they were visible, unlike human players who must check the bush directly.
• More advanced tactics are employed at this level, such as rotating champions between lanes and coordinating ganks, or occasionally pushing a lane with three champions within the first ten minutes.
• Bots can still acquire items even if they have faced gold starvation in a lane, indicating they gain gold based on level or accrue an increase in gold over time.
• To add a layer of unpredictability, bots may utilize alternate champion skins, leading to potential confusion.
• In this mode, bots actively use summoner spells including ignite, heal, exhaust, and ghost, though they use teleport rarely.
• They show an intent to dodge champion abilities when retreating from danger.

A Brief History of Co-op vs. AI

The Co-op vs. AI game mode was first revealed on Leagueoflegends.com on January 20, 2011. The intent was to present a more challenging environment for players to train, in contrast to the bots accessible through the custom game method.

A matchup featuring new bots against mid-level Riot employees was announced on February 4, to be streamed on February 9. The exciting battle ended in a close, albeit questionable, victory for the bots.

Initially slated for release following the V1.0.0.111 Patch, the mode’s launch was postponed due to European servers being unprepared for the additional stress it would incur. Ultimately, Co-op vs. AI debuted on March 10, introducing two difficulty levels—Beginner and Intermediate—and offering a selection of 12 bots exclusive to Summoner’s Rift.

Rise of the Bots Update

Announced on January 24, 2012, an update was made to the Co-op vs. AI mode. This update, integrated into the game with the V1.0.0.133 patch on February 1, 2012, brought several enhancements, including:

• Enhanced bot intelligence with improved map awareness, ability to execute skillshots, and utilization of more summoner spells and active items.
• Removal of the flat IP penalty for Co-op vs. AI games, coupled with alterations to rewards, making the mode more appealing.
• Expansion of the bot roster from 12 to 40, with more champions continuously added in subsequent patches.

Bots AI Improvements

A significant update was executed on April 16, 2014, alongside the V4.5 patch. This update aimed to enhance various facets of bot behavior, which included:

• Improved assessment of enemy and ally strengths.
• Refined understanding of turret mechanics and their associated power dynamics.
• Enhanced behavior during high-threat scenarios.
• Better decision-making relating to lane rotations.
• More skillful last hitting mechanics during farming phases and push strategies.
• Lane interaction patterns (e.g., harassment vs. farming) aligning more closely with human players’ behaviors.
• Bots demonstrated attempts to evade certain skill shots.
• Beginner bots now follow recommended item builds, while Intermediate bots select items with greater tactical consideration.
• Bots exhibit variable scanning frequencies based on difficulty level and perceived in-game threats; for example, Beginner bots scan for threats at approximately one-third the rate of previous versions, while Intermediate bots scan at rates fluctuating between 50% to 100% depending on their threat assessment.

Additionally, the developers provided a deeper insight into the rationale for these improvements in their accompanying blog post.