League of Legends - Dominion First Impression

Dominion is a new game type announced by Riot Games. It features the use of a new map, the Crystal Scar, and features a new Capture-and-Hold playstyle. Players choose Champions, as in the "standard" Summoners Rift games, but the Inhibitors and Turrets have been removed. Instead, the map has five Capture Points.


The League of Legends map Dominion went live for about 10 hours yesterday for people who were level 30 to play, I myself got in about... 6-7 hours of that time to play, Which if most of you know that can be only 6-7 matches of Summoners Rift (the 5v5 map). Well, with Dominion that's more like 25-30 games. They are fast paced, strategic, and fun as hell!


There are a few problems with it though, certain champs are just overpowered just as some are in Twisted Treeline (the 3v3 map). I quickly hit a few forums and the league chat rooms and came up with a list of a few champs who are just doing a little too well in Dominion.

1. Rammus -- The king of Dominion at this point, His power-ball gives him the fastest movement and best defensive response around the map. Along with Armor being a large plus for him and most AD champs are being played heavily at the moment.
2. Evelynn -- Stealth makes for good baiting.
3. Master Yi -- Stacking phantom dancers has never been so good
4. Tryndamere -- all around great pusher and heavy hitter
5. Pantheon -- Ult lets him get to points fast for capture
6. Gangplank -- Fast heavy hitter, makes for offensive pushes
7. Karthus -- being able to cancel opponent capture casts with his wall and his Q just has his ult as icing on the cake
8. Shaco -- Stealth and his Boxes make him a great choice for dominion where CC and movement are key.

When the match starts your team is on a platform and everyone is already level 3. you quickly hit level 4 as you take your first point and head toward the conflicting team. The map has a scaling buff that every champ gets that covers things such as Armor pen/Magic pen and other things, as long as giving you a passive Exp gain so everyone stays really close to the same level throughout the whole map. 

Due to the different pace of the game, Dominion will offer new items available only on the Crystal Scar as well as prohibit other items to maintain balance. Each champion will also be provided with a new set of recommended items for the new map.

Many of the new items are variations of the removed items to maintain balance. For instance, the Prospector items are the removed Doran items with double the stats and unique added to the health stat to prevent stacking,  Odyn's Veil is a variation of the  Banshee's Veil that remains benefitial to the faster paced game style,  Kitae's Bloodrazor replaces  Madred's Bloodrazor and  Sanguine Blade is  The Bloodthirster that doesn't lose stacks from deaths.

There are also a brand new set of buffs, these new buffs came in three forms: Greater Relics, Health Relics and Speed Shrines. Greater Relics are consumable resources located in the middle of the map that yield an individual benefit and respawn at fixed intervals. Health Relics are items that provide champions using them with an instant burst of HP and mana. These were placed to counter the advantage that sustainable champions had. Speed Shrines provide a short bonus to any champion who enters their sphere of influence.

As the beta goes on, I will be covering more features as well as getting some footage up and lots of screenshots. Stay tuned!