League Nexus Blitz guide: release date, events, rewards, more

Fan-favorite game mode Nexus Blitz is returning to League of Legends as part of the upcoming summer event. The game mode has changed drastically since its last appearance though, so here’s a refresh of what you can expect when you jump in.

Nexus Blitz is back. The wacky game mode full of mini-games and crazy buffs has made its return ahead of the upcoming summer event.

However, the game mode has changed significantly since its last appearance. So, to get you primed ahead of its return, we’ve got everything you need to know about Nexus Blitz ⁠— from the new events and rewards, to when it should hit live servers.

What is Nexus Blitz?

Nexus Blitz has been coined as League’s “experimental mode” by Riot. The game mode adds a bunch of party mini-games into your regular game of 5v5 League, with 1v1 duels, boss fights, and more.

While it was originally touted to join the game as a permanent mode, it now only makes its return for certain events. That’s what makes its appearance now so special, because it means something big is just around the corner.

• Read more: League devs accidentally leak huge Karthus buffs planned for Patch 10.14

If you want a break from grinding Summoner’s Rift or Howling Abyss, Nexus Blitz is a great game mode to just have fun, with no two games ever really being the same. They also only take around 15-20 minutes, so you can smash them out quickly.

League Nexus Blitz events

Nexus Blitz doesn’t play out linearly like regular League or ARAM. While you still have to destroy objectives on your way to victory, you’ll face a series of events you’ll need to overcome to win ⁠— or turn the tides of battle in your favor.

After winning each event, your team will be given a boost to help you steamroll through the enemy team. You can find the full list of events below:

• Bardle Royale (Classic): Fight for survival in the flaming circle of death while it closes in on a part of the map. The last surviving team wins.
• Bardle Royale (Paranoia): Fight for survival in the flaming circle BUT everyone is nearsighted, like you’re all being Nocturne ulted. The last surviving team wins.
• Bardle Royale (Juggernaut): Fight for survival in the flaming circle AND one random champion on each team gains a high amount of health and the On Fire! buff at the start of the event. (As a reminder, the On Fire! buff gives you bonus attack speed, adaptive power, and mana/energy regen, but makes you more vulnerable to damage). The last surviving team wins.
• URF Deathmatch: Every player goes into URF mode surrounded by a bunch of cheering minions! Defeat the enemy team in a best-of-three to win.
• Loot Teemo: A wandering Loot Teemo spawns randomly on the map. Hitting the Loot Teemo grants players gold. The team that last-hits Teemo wins the event.
• Loot Veigar: A wandering Loot Veigar spawns randomly on the map, using Dark Matter and Event Horizon while running away. Hitting the Loot Veigar grants players gold. The team that last-hits Veigar wins the event.
• Push the Cart (Classic): Escort the cart by standing near it to move it toward the nearest enemy structure to destroy it.
• Push the Cart (Attack / Defend): Race your opponents for who can blow up an enemy structure the fastest, except now both teams have a cart they can navigate!
• Protect the Soraka: Two Soraka bots enter lane, but only one can leave (… cause one team is gonna destroy the other one). Beware of all the healing and bananas!
• DPS Check: It’s like practice mode, but you need to out practice your opponent’s practice on the same Teemo dummy.

League Nexus Blitz rewards

If you win an event in Nexus Blitz, your team will be graced by either a temporary or permanent reward for the rest of the game. These power-ups can swing the tides of battle in your favor, or help you stomp even harder.

• Read more: High Noon 2020 event guide

From giving everyone an almost-unbreakable shield, to turrets that can Blitzcrank hook enemies in, the rewards you earn in Nexus Blitz are weird, wonderful, and wacky. You can find the full list below:

• Catapult of Champions: A cannon that launches your champion anywhere on the map appears in your base for the rest of the game. Upon landing, deal damage and push away nearby enemies.
• Blessing of Blitzcrank: Allied turrets, siege minions, and super minions have the ability to Rocket Grab nearby enemies for the rest of the game.
• Poro King: The Poro King spawns to aid your team in pushing forward and sieging enemy turrets, breathing fire on enemies and healing nearby allies periodically.
• Battle Sled: Players can jump aboard a sled from their base to nearly anywhere on the map. First person in the sled is in charge of where you go.
• Guardian Angels: Each member of the team gains a one-time Guardian Angel effect, lasting 90 seconds.
• Statikk Shock: Each player gains chain lightning zaps on their basic attacks for three minutes to help mow down waves and champions.
• B.F. Shields: Each member of the team gains a hefty shield until it is broken.
• Mega Cloud Drake: Team gets mega out-of-combat movement speed and CDR on their ultimate for three minutes.
• Mega Ocean Drake: Restores health and mana/energy when dealing damage for three minutes.
• Elder Dragon: You can now execute enemies under a specific health threshold for a few minutes by the force of a BIG DRAGON.

When is Nexus Blitz heading to live League servers?

Nexus Blitz is now live on the PBE for “extended testing” ahead of the upcoming summer event. Given the Ionian theme of the new Nexus Blitz map, and a few icons that have popped up on the Patch 10.14 cycle, it’s likely the upcoming event will be based around the Runeterra region.

There’s no set date for the return of Nexus Blitz on live servers. However, it’s fair to assume that it could come out when League Patch 10.14 drops on July 8. We will keep you updated as more information arises.