League of Legends’ New Honor System Gives Me Hope for Better Games

As a seasoned League of Legends player with years of experience under my belt, I can’t help but feel a renewed sense of excitement for the upcoming changes to the Honor system in 2025. Over the years, I’ve found myself oscillating between Honor Level 4 and 5, but I must admit that I haven’t always been the picture of perfect behavior. I’ve had my fair share of moments where I’ve let loose a bit too much chat restraint or gotten carried away with pinging, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to the revamped Honor system.

The new system seems poised to address some longstanding issues with the current iteration, which often felt like more of an afterthought than a meaningful incentive for positive play. The introduction of Battle Pass XP drops in place of Key Fragments and the increased rewards at higher Honor Levels has me intrigued. I’ve always appreciated the occasional loot drop, but the potential for bigger rewards at Honor Level 4 and 5 is definitely a welcome change.

What excites me even more, however, are the threats that come with dropping down in Honor Level. The prospect of losing access to All Chat and being unable to communicate with the enemy team at Honor Level 2 has me rethinking my chat habits. If the system can hold players accountable for their behavior and encourage them to improve, it could make for a much more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

That being said, I have to admit that even this revamped Honor system might not go far enough. League of Legends players can be a rowdy bunch, and some of the things I’ve heard in-game over the years would make a sailor blush. If the system could penalize players with poor reputations by stripping them of their chat privileges entirely and making them rely on pings and teamwork to communicate, it might just be the kick in the pants that the community needs.

In the end, I’m cautiously optimistic about the new Honor system. It has the potential to make League of Legends a more positive and enjoyable experience for everyone involved, but we’ll have to wait and see how it plays out once it’s fully implemented in the upcoming season. Until then, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed and bracing myself for the occasional salty comment or two. After all, even the best of us can get a little carried away sometimes, right? (I mean, have you seen me when I lose a game of ARAM?)

The game League of Legends includes an Honor system, which aims to encourage better player behavior, but has not been particularly successful over time. Instead of something players actively work towards, it’s another element in the ongoing progression system that offers occasional rewards as long as the players are not being disruptive during games. However, there are upcoming changes slated for 2025 that have me more enthusiastic than I am about any new champion or jungle updates scheduled this year.

Since 2022, the existing Honor system, after minor adjustments, has been functioning. This system was initially introduced by Riot Games along with the “Three Honors” line of skins and regular Honor Orbs and Capsules for players who exhibit good behavior. Mostly, these rewards come in the form of Key Fragments; however, obtaining a Hextech Chest is up to you. The grand prize at the end of the season, when Honor rewards are finalized, is one of the Three Honors skins. Additionally, you’ll receive a stylish Honor recall for your champion to display your level to others.

As a long-time League of Legends player with countless hours under my belt, I’ve found myself stuck at Honor Level 5 for quite some time now, and it’s not something I’m particularly proud of. While I try to avoid flaming others in-game and have never been chat restricted, I can’t deny that I’ve let my emotions get the best of me at times, resulting in a few heated chats or too many pings. However, what troubles me most is the ease with which one can progress through the Honor system, as it seems to lack any real incentive for positive play.

In essence, it feels like the system rewards both good behavior and simply playing League of Legends frequently, but it doesn’t push players to strive for excellence or go above and beyond in their interactions with others. At best, it encourages neutral play, which is far from what League of Legends players should aspire to. As someone who has experienced the ups and downs of this game, I believe we, as a community, should aim higher and set the bar for ourselves and each other. It’s time to move beyond just being good or neutral players; it’s time to be great.

It appears that the upcoming Honor system for League this year could be promising. This new system is connected to League’s anticipated transition towards a genuine battle pass system, a topic on its own. Instead of Key Fragments, Battle Pass XP drops will now provide larger rewards as you advance your Honor Level. The highest Honor Levels, specifically Level 4 and Level 5, offer the most intriguing rewards. At Level 4, you’ll receive more frequent pings and emotes because Riot trusts you to use them responsibly, and at Level 5, you’ll get Honor emblems in chat, an Honor recall, and of course, the Three Honors skins.

As a long-time player of League of Legends, I have to admit that the game’s progression systems can feel overwhelming at times. Over the years, I’ve found myself sifting through keys, capsules, tokens, event passes, Eternals, and more, trying to unlock new skins for my favorite champions. However, as a player who doesn’t play frequently or consistently with the champions that receive Three Honors skins (Twitch, Warwick, Malzahar, Akshan, and soon Shen), I find myself feeling less motivated to work towards rare skins because they don’t apply to my preferred characters.

It’s frustrating as a player who has been with the game for years, as it feels like I’m missing out on something special that other players are enjoying. In an effort to make progression feel more rewarding and attainable for all players, I believe League of Legends could streamline Honor rewards by labeling them as “Battle Pass XP Drops.” This would provide a clearer goal for players to work towards, with Three Honors skins still being the ultimate prize if a player is interested in that season’s cosmetic.

By simplifying the reward system and making it more straightforward, League of Legends could help players like me feel more engaged and motivated, as we would have a clear understanding of what we need to do to unlock new skins for our favorite champions. I hope Riot Games takes this suggestion into consideration, as a simpler progression system would make the game more enjoyable for all players.

Instead of focusing solely on the incentives, it’s equally intriguing to explore the consequences. Setting Honor Level 3 as a neutral behavior benchmark means you can enjoy drops and uninhibited chatting when you maintain that level. However, falling to Honor Level 2 triggers an amusing yet restrictive situation: you are barred from All Chat and cannot interact with the opposing team. A further drop to Honor Level 1 results in a more severe limitation, where you can only communicate with your team during the game through in-game chat.

As a gamer myself, I’ve got to say it’s a decent beginning, but in my opinion, it could use more. You see, during games, some League players can dish out some pretty nasty remarks that get brushed aside quickly after the match ends. However, when players with questionable reputations keep spewing such negativity, it highlights the need for the Honor system to extend further. If a player falls as low as Honor Level 1, they should be stripped of their chat privileges and instead, have to demonstrate their improvement using the most fundamental tools at their disposal: pings and teamwork.

Despite the possibility that this might never materialize, the introduction of the new Honor system has me enthusiastic about League 2025 regardless. Positioning the Honor system as a key feature within the battle pass could potentially motivate players to focus more on their Honor Level beyond initial pop-ups when logging in and an end-of-year reward, but we’ll have to observe its impact once the new season officially begins, as it is currently being tested on the Public Beta Environment (PBE).

2025-01-01 23:14

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