Which League mode should a new player choose?

Co-op vs AI and Practice Tool are useful for controls and champion basics. Normal Draft teaches the complete Summoner's Rift structure without ranked progression, while Swiftplay offers a faster but meaningfully different ruleset.

Is Swiftplay just a shorter Draft game?

No. Swiftplay starts at level 3 with 1,400 gold and changes gold, experience, jungle, objectives, timers and some shop choices. Build and objective guidance should stay separate from Draft and Ranked.

When can a League team surrender or FF?

The first normal vote is currently available at 15:00 in standard Draft and Ranked, 10:00 in Swiftplay, and 8:00 in ARAM. Remakes and AFK surrender are separate protections with their own eligibility checks, and the live client remains authoritative.

Does every mode use normal warding and objectives?

No. Draft, Ranked and Swiftplay use Summoner's Rift vision and map control, although Swiftplay has its own objective timing. ARAM does not use the normal Rift ward-control loop, and Arena uses round-specific rules instead of lanes and neutral objectives.

Arrr, league rulesets

Pick th' mode afore th' loadout

Q: Does ARAM use normal Summoner's Rift builds?

Not reliably. ARAM has a different map, starting state, shopping rules, mode-specific starter items and champion balance changes. VRC.LOL keeps its ARAM build path separate.

Q: Does the League Companion support every mode?

No. It provides detailed preparation for Draft, Ranked and Swiftplay, a separate ARAM reference, and read-only testing in supported custom or practice states. Arena and rotating modes are not currently supported.

Draft, Swiftplay, ARAM and Arena do nay share one economy or one prize timeline. Set sail here, choose th' rules ye be actually playing, then open th' matching champion course.

Seek me mode See th' key differences Vision chart

Th' differences that change yer course

Pick by rules, nay only clash length

Opening state, sea chart systems, champion selection and shopping rules determine which loadout and chart be relevant.

Arrr, full Summoner's Rift

Arrr, draft / Ranked

Unfurl: Arrr, level 1 · 500g
Pick: Arrr, bans and alternating picks
Vision: Arrr, full Rift ward control
First aboard FF: 15:00

Arrr, accelerated Summoner's Rift

Arrr, Swiftplay

Unfurl: Arrr, level 3 · 1,400g
Pick: Champion and roles first aboard
Vision: Rift sea chart, faster pacing
First aboard FF: 10:00

One-course crew fighting

Arrr, ARAM

Unfurl: Arrr, level 3 · 1,400g
Pick: Arrr, random, rerolls and bench
Vision: Nay normal Rift ward loop
First aboard FF: 8:00

Arrr, round-based event mode

Arena

Unfurl: Arrr, round economy
Pick: Arrr, event-specific
Vision: Round rules, nay Rift wards
Finish: Crew hull and elimination

Arrr, standard and faster RiftArrr, Summoner's RiftArrr, draft · Ranked · Swiftplay

Single-course combatArrr, howling AbyssArrr, ARAM · ARAM Mayhem

Arrr, round-based combatArrr, arena mapsAugments · teams o' two

Once th' queue be chosen

Unfurl th' sea chart system ye need

These guides explain th' repeatable decisions inside Summoner's Rift without pretending every mode shares th' same timer.

Ship's intelligenceArrr, vision and deep wardsMove together, sweep safely and establish an prize line.Unfurl Neutral prizesArrr, dragons, Herald and BaronCompare standard Rift and Swiftplay timing afore contesting.Unfurl FortificationsArrr, turrets, plates and aggroArrr, understand target switching, minion cover and structure order.Unfurl PathingArrr, jungle camps and routesLoadout a first aboard clear th' deck and know when a course or prize changes it.Unfurl

Arrr, pick by purpose

What do ye want from th' next aboard clash?

Th' captain's answer matters more booty than which queue be shortest.

Study th' charts fer standard RiftNormal Draft, mateyFull bans, roles, lanes and prizes without ranked progression. Arrr, play a faster RiftArrr, SwiftplayAccelerated economy wit' its own starters and prize rules. Arrr, climb competitivelyRankedArrr, solo / Duo or Flex progression on standard Summoner's Rift. Fight in one courseArrr, ARAMArrr, random champions, rerolls, a shared bench and no Recall shopping. Arrr, play short combat roundsArenaSmall teams, augments and event rules instead o' lanes. Study th' charts fer or test safelyArrr, practice / CustomArrr, controls, combos, builds and organised private matches.

Arrr, sTANDARD RIFT

Arrr, normal Draft Pick

Th' shipshape Summoner's Rift draft without ranked progression.

Sea chart: Arrr, Summoner's Rift
Teams: Arrr, 5 vs 5
Pick: Arrr, bans, picks and assigned roles
Set sail: Level 1 · 500 doubloons

Pick it whenLearning standard lanes, coordinated drafts, prize timings and new champions afore ranked.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceA full clash can be considerably longer than Swiftplay. Role assignments and normal Rift economy matter.

First aboard normal FF vote15:00An eligible AFK can make an earlier crew vote available.

COMPETITIVE

Arrr, ranked Solo / Duo

Th' standard five-role Rift wit' visible ranked progression.

Sea chart: Arrr, Summoner's Rift
Teams: Arrr, 5 vs 5
Party: Arrr, solo or one eligible duo
Set sail: Level 1 · 500 doubloons

Pick it whenTesting individual consistency and climbing th' Solo / Duo ladder.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceRank restrictions, placement rules and season structure can change. Inspect th' client afore queueing wit' a duo.

First aboard normal FF vote15:00An eligible AFK can make an earlier crew vote available.

Arrr, tEAM RANKED

Ranked Flex, matey

A separate ranked ladder designed fer flexible party sizes and crew play.

Sea chart: Arrr, Summoner's Rift
Teams: Arrr, 5 vs 5
Rank: Arrr, separate from Solo / Duo
Set sail: Level 1 · 500 doubloons

Pick it whenPractising coordinated drafts and climbing wit' a regular group.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceFlex rank and Solo / Duo rank be independent. Flex currently allows parties o' one, two, three or five, but nay four.

First aboard normal FF vote15:00An eligible AFK can make an earlier crew vote available.

Arrr, fASTER RIFT

Arrr, Swiftplay

A compressed Summoner's Rift ruleset wit' faster income, experience and prizes.

Sea chart: Arrr, Summoner's Rift
Teams: Arrr, 5 vs 5
Pick: Pick champion and roles afore queue
Set sail: Level 3 · 1,400 doubloons

Pick it whenFaster matches, practising a champion and trying deliberate flex picks wit' less draft pressure.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceIt be nay standard Rift at double speed. Starters, jungle pacing, prizes, death timers and inventory timing differ.

First aboard normal FF vote10:00Riot's accelerated queue allows th' vote five minutes earlier than standard Rift.

Arrr, oNE LANE

Arrr, ARAM

Random champions meet in one course wit' no Recall shopping.

Sea chart: Arrr, howling Abyss
Teams: Arrr, 5 vs 5
Pick: Arrr, random champion, rerolls and bench
Set sail: Level 3 · 1,400 doubloons

Pick it whenLearning crew fights, unfamiliar champion kits and fighting 'round one shared course.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceYe shop after spawning and when ye die; walking back aboard to th' shop does nay reopen purchases. ARAM balance modifiers can differ from Rift.

First aboard normal FF vote8:00Arrr, ARAM uses its own shorter surrender timer.

Arrr, rOUND COMBAT

Arena

Short combat rounds, augments and purchases replace normal course play.

Sea chart: Arrr, arena maps
Teams: Most often 8 teams o' 2
Progress: Arrr, buy rounds and augments
Availability: Arrr, seasonal rules may rotate

Pick it whenSmall-crew fights, experimenting wit' augment combinations and short round-based decisions.

Fit fer th' captain's eye differenceEvents can alter th' normal format. Riot's 2026 variants include 3x6, Bravery and Swift Arena.

Arrr, round eliminationNay fixed FFArena ends teams through its round and hull rules; follow th' present event client.

Th' most commonly confused mode

Swiftplay changes more booty than clash length

Unfurl prize timelines

1 Arrr, opening stateLevel 3 · 1,400 doubloons

Guardian starters replace th' normal Doran opening. Use th' Swiftplay shop course rather than copying Draft.

2 Faster sea chartMore booty doubloons and experience

Accelerated income, experience, respawns and minions compress th' clash. Inventory fills earlier.

3 Top-side prizesNay Voidgrubs or Herald

Baron appears at 12:00 and Hand o' Baron persists through death in this ruleset.

4 Arrr, dragon finishArrr, two-drake Soul

Only two elemental drakes spawn. One crew must kill both to gain Soul; Elder can appear from 15:00.

5 Arrr, jungle paceArrr, shorter quest and faster camps

Th' jungle quest needs fewer stacks, camps return faster, and nigh th' ship crewmates can share non-epic monster doubloons.

Arrr, learning and private play

Use a controlled mode fer a controlled query

Testing one mechanic be easier when clash pressure be removed.

Arrr, co-op vs AI

Play wit' people agin' computer-controlled foes. Good fer controls, shopping, course movement and first aboard matches.

Arrr, matchmade learning

Arrr, practice Tool

Use training controls to test trick ranges, combos, gear, jungle routes and damage without treating th' result as normal clash evidence.

Arrr, solo mechanical testing

Custom Battle

Create a private lobby fer friends, scrims, 1v1 tests or organised events. Th' lobby owner chooses th' available sea chart and rules.

Arrr, private organised play

Spectator

Watch a clash without participating. Th' Companion may recognise a spectator state but must nay save it as yer clash captain's log.

Spy only

Arrr, scheduled and rotating play

Some modes be nay permanent queues

If a mode be absent from th' client, a web chart cannae make it available.

Arrr, scheduled tournament

Clash

Form a fixed crew and enter Riot's scheduled bracket. Clash uses organised scouting and tournament rounds rather than an ordinary repeatable queue.

Preparation: Crew, roles and champion pool
Availability: Arrr, scheduled windows
Arrr, VRC.LOL: Arrr, draft references only

Arrr, ARAM variant

Arrr, ARAM: Mayhem

Howling Abyss combat wit' augments and evolving seasonal systems. Its present 2026 rules continue to change through patches, so keep its course separate from standard ARAM.

Sea chart: Arrr, howling Abyss variant
Availability: Inspect th' live client
Arrr, VRC.LOL: Nay dedicated loadout yet

Arrr, event queues

Arrr, rotating modes

Modes such as URF or One fer All can return fer limited periods. Cooldowns, champion selection, teams and sea chart rules can differ substantially betwixt events.

Rules: Read th' live event card
Availability: Arrr, region and patch-dependent
Arrr, VRC.LOL: Ne'er assumes standard Rift

Arrr, side-by-side reference

Do nay carry one queue's assumptions into another

Availability and exact eligibility remain controlled by th' live League client.

Mode	Sea chart	Selection	Opening	Arrr, vision model	First aboard normal FF	Ranks	VRC.LOL course
Normal Draft, matey	Arrr, Summoner's Rift	Arrr, bans and alternating picks	Arrr, level 1 · 500g	Arrr, full Rift warding	15:00	Nay	Arrr, standard Rift
Arrr, ranked Solo / Duo	Arrr, Summoner's Rift	Arrr, ranked draft	Arrr, level 1 · 500g	Arrr, full Rift warding	15:00	Arrr, solo / Duo	Arrr, standard Rift
Ranked Flex, matey	Arrr, Summoner's Rift	Arrr, ranked draft	Arrr, level 1 · 500g	Arrr, full Rift warding	15:00	Flex	Arrr, standard Rift
Arrr, Swiftplay	Arrr, Summoner's Rift	Champion and role afore queue	Arrr, level 3 · 1,400g	Rift vision, faster sea chart	10:00	Nay	Arrr, Swiftplay only
Arrr, ARAM	Arrr, howling Abyss	Arrr, random, rerolls and bench	Arrr, level 3 · 1,400g	Nay normal Rift ward loop	8:00	Nay	Arrr, ARAM only
Arena	Arrr, arena maps	Arrr, event-dependent	Arrr, round-based	Arrr, round-specific	Nay fixed FF	Nay	Nay supported

Arrr, league Companion boundary

What changes inside th' app?

Companion captain's particulars

Detailed

Arrr, draft / Ranked

Role-aware draft, bans, fixed pre-battle builds, course pair inspect and prize references.

Detailed

Arrr, Swiftplay

Arrr, separate starting state, faster inventory, queue-specific builds and less judgemental flex-pick labels.

Focused

Arrr, ARAM

A mode-specific champion loadout without Rift course, jungle or prize advice.

Testing

Arrr, custom / Practice

Read-only detection fer testing. Custom and spectator battles stay out o' normal personal captain's log.

Nay supported

Arrr, arena / rotating

Use th' in-client mode rules. Th' app does nay invent a Rift loadout or course fer an unsupported mode.

Leaving a clash correctly

Remake, AFK surrender and normal FF be different

These be earliest eligibility times, nay a promise that a vote will appear or pass.

1Arrr, remake eligibility0:55–2:25

When Riot detects th' required early absence, th' client can offer a protected remake during this window. It be nay a normal surrender.

2Arrr, aFK surrenderArrr, from 2:55

An eligible AFK can unlock an earlier surrender course. Th' live client decides whether th' absence qualifies.

3Arrr, standard Rift15:00

Normal Draft and both Ranked queues use th' standard Summoner's Rift surrender timer.

4Arrr, Swiftplay10:00

Th' accelerated queue opens its first aboard normal vote five minutes earlier than standard Rift.

5Arrr, ARAM8:00

ARAM uses its own shorter timer. Event variants can use different rules, so inspect th' present client prompt.

Arrr, quick answers

Battle mode questions

Which League mode should a new sailor choose?

Co-op vs AI and Practice Tool be useful fer controls and champion basics. Normal Draft teaches th' shipshape Summoner's Rift structure without ranked progression, while Swiftplay offers a faster but meaningfully different ruleset.

Is Swiftplay just a shorter Draft battle?

Nay. Swiftplay starts at level 3 wit' 1,400 doubloons and changes doubloons, experience, jungle, prizes, timers and some shop choices. Loadout and prize guidance should stay separate from Draft and Ranked.

Arrr, does ARAM use normal Summoner's Rift builds?

Nay reliably. ARAM has a different sea chart, starting state, shopping rules, mode-specific starter gear and champion balance changes. VRC.LOL keeps its ARAM loadout course separate.

Does th' League Companion support every mode?

Nay. It provides detailed preparation fer Draft, Ranked and Swiftplay, a separate ARAM reference, and read-only testing in supported custom or practice states. Arena and rotating modes be nay currently supported.

When can a League crew surrender or FF?

Th' first aboard normal vote be currently available at 15:00 in standard Draft and Ranked, 10:00 in Swiftplay, and 8:00 in ARAM. Remakes and AFK surrender be separate protections wit' their own eligibility checks, and th' live client remains authoritative.

Does every mode use normal warding and prizes?

Nay. Draft, Ranked and Swiftplay use Summoner's Rift vision and sea chart control, although Swiftplay has its own prize timing. ARAM does nay use th' normal Rift ward-control loop, and Arena uses round-specific rules instead o' lanes and neutral prizes.