For its milestone 10th anniversary, Arena of Valor (ROW)/Liên Quân Mobile (VNM) is rolling out sweeping updates to the battlefield. From nostalgic callbacks to fresh mechanics, here is everything you need to know to hit this landmark season running.
A seasonal makeover
The first thing you’ll notice is the map’s dramatic visual transformation in the eerie aesthetic of the Time Rift. But the changes go far deeper than looks: 15 minutes into your match, the arena summons an ancient boss from the game’s storied past, spawning the iconic King Kong, Abyssal Dragon Kraydus or Infinite Slayer at random. Five minutes later, the surviving beast grows even more formidable and begins patrolling the river area.
Slaying these behemoths yields game-changing buffs. Land the final blow against King Kong, for example, and you can transform into Kong itself, picking up its incredible strength and an entirely new set of abilities. Taking down Kraydus grants a one-time fatal damage shield, allowing you to cheat death in decisive skirmishes. And once the empowered beast is defeated (after the 20-minute mark), your entire team can instantly finish off any enemies falling below 10 per cent health.
Welcome, Evita!
The star of this season is Evita, a captivating Mage whose power of the Abyss directly inspired the arena’s visual makeover. Waking up after centuries of slumber, Evita channels Abyss energy to summon dark creatures, shielding herself while applying crippling slow debuffs to her targets. Her Ultimate unleashes a relentless flurry of attacks that decimates enemy forces and suppresses even the tankiest foes.
Preyta gets a rework
Fan-favourite dragon rider Preyta receives a comprehensive cosmetic and skill overhaul. Beyond sporting a far more menacing design with updated visual effects, his abilities can now be cast on the move for superior agility. His revamped passive permanently stacks his offensive stats with every ability hit, while his Ultimate blankets wide swathes of the battlefield in toxic energy. If you haven’t taken Preyta for a spin lately, now is the perfect time.
New talents and gear
The two new talents are set to shake up the meta. The new and improved Teleport allows your hero to warp to any allied structure (including destroyed turrets) or minion directly via the mini-map. Meanwhile, the season-limited Umbral Spawn, inspired by Evita’s powers, can reduce your skill cooldowns while also dealing a slowing attack to a rival.
Two new powerful equipment items can also radically change your builds. Raid Hand Crossbow grants brief invisibility, a burst of speed and health regeneration – all at the same time. Radiant Round Shield protects you and a nearby ally when you damage an enemy hero, while also reducing your skill cooldowns. Practically every hero can make use of those two items, especially Raid Hand Crossbow’s very rare invisibility power.