Get ready for Black Market Brawlers!
Runeterra's biggest black market is coming to Summoner's Rift in the next act of Bilgewater: Burning Tides! In the Black Market Brawlers featured game mode, you're still trying to destroy the enemy Nexus, but now you've got a pool of illegal items and a cast of cutthroat new minions to assist you.
Ahead of the upcoming Black Market Brawlers showmatch on July 31, we talked strategy with a few of the competitors to help get you ready for the new mode. But before we brawl, let's take a look at some key features of this complex new mode:
- Teams can hire new types of brawler minions to spawn in lanes, each with unique abilities
- Brawler minions are purchased and upgraded with a new type of currency called Krakens
- You earn Krakens passively, as well as through kills, assists, taking objectives, and counter jungling.
- A hoard of new items have flooded the shop
Minions for Hire
A fleet of brawler minions are heading to the Rift in this new featured game mode! They all have benefits, but it's important to keep your team's composition in mind when choosing which of the four brawlers to go for. Each team member can hire one brawler minion for five Krakens to replace a standard minion in every wave. The brawlers can each be upgraded with Krakens -- but remember, your choice of minion, and the upgrades you choose for it, are permanent for the remainder of the game.
[[{"fid":"18026","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"tagName":"IMG","src":"http%3A//riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/full_width_scale/public/resize.png%3Fitok%3D-B7IL2sS","type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","height":"219","style":"width: 200px; height: 112px; margin: 10px; float: right;","width":"392"}}]]Ironbacks are burly melee tanks that take reduced damage from enemy structures and basically act like buffed cannon minions. They'll auto push lanes over time, so if you're building a siege team composition, these are the minions for you! "I love the tank minion," says Aidan "Zirene" Moon. "It has a Pantheon shield and takes way less damage against turrets! They become incredibly durable and even deal more damage vs. turrets [after upgrades]."
[[{"fid":"18027","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"tagName":"IMG","src":"http%3A//riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/full_width_scale/public/resize%2520%25281%2529.png%3Fitok%3DadXejAPW","type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","height":"240","style":"width: 200px; height: 122px; margin: 10px; float: left;","width":"392"}}]]Plundercrabs and Razorfins are the minions you're going to want to go with to deal damage. The Plundercrabs are long ranged minions that are great for harassing, as they deal damage to champions while attacking enemy waves. Pew pew! Razorfins are melee minions with bonus movement and attack speed. They'll help you chase down enemy champions and finish the job.
[[{"fid":"18028","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"tagName":"IMG","src":"http%3A//riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/full_width_scale/public/resize%2520%25283%2529.png%3Fitok%3DcUwxtGfw","type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","height":"199","style":"width: 200px; height: 102px; margin: 10px; float: right;","width":"392"}}]]Ocklepods are supportive ranged minions that fit into every comp. "They are really good against heavy AP teams because they give big magic shields to the minion waves and make it difficult for the enemy team to wave clear," says Clark "ClakeyD" Smith. On top of that, they also give periodic vision.
"I'm always buying Ocklelpods for safety in lane. Getting free wards as a support is the bees knees!" says Rivington "Rivingtonthe3rd" Bisland III. "These minions give you quick knowledge of the area around you, constantly allowing you to play aggressive and send your enemies to the depths even more!"
Don't forget to upgrade those brawler minions with Krakens, and remember that they'll also be buffed if your team takes down an enemy Inhibitor. Super brawlers!
A new trove of items
Your new hired minions aren't the only things that will get you ahead in the Black Market Brawlers! No matter what role you're playing, one of over 15 new available items will present fresh opportunities for epic outplays.
[[{"fid":"18030","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"tagName":"IMG","src":"http%3A//riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/full_width_scale/public/Bilgewater_Slaughter_Docks_warehouse.jpg%3Fitok%3D5jc9PhHq","type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","height":"315","style":"font-weight: lighter;","width":"699"}}]]
A big favorite is the Trickster's Glass, as it allows players to disguise themselves as an allied champion. Just imagine disguising yourself as a support, then surprising the enemy when you pop out as a fed assassin. Or, turn your tank into a high priority target and trick the enemy into attacking your meat shield. Sneaky but effective!
For you supports out there, consider the Globe of Trust, built out of a Murksphere. This little gadget allows you to shield your allies and generates gold equal to 25% of the damage absorbed! You can then turn and spend that plunder on even more helpful items like the Martyr's Gambit, which redirects 60% of the damage dealt to an enemy onto you. "Think about your ADC's positioning and your mid laner in a team fight," Zirene explains. "Which person is about to get jumped on? If you eat a lot of the front loaded damage, you can have things like a Katarina survive the fight for resets!"
Get out there and Brawl!
[[{"fid":"18031","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"tagName":"IMG","src":"http%3A//riot-web-cdn.s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/lolesports/s3fs-public/styles/full_width_scale/public/Graves_%2526_Twisted_Fate_Login_Screen_still.png%3Fitok%3DCqOjjPr8","type":"media","attributes":{"class":"media-element file-full","height":"315","width":"699"}}]]
Just like in a normal match of Summoner's Rift, there isn't one strategy that will always lead to success in Black Market Brawlers. The standard meta could be thrown overboard, and we can't wait to see the variety of brawler minions and item choices you combine to take down the Nexus.
Don't forget to tune into the Black Market Brawls showmatch on July 31 at 12PM PDT on Lolesports, and be sure to let us know about your brawls and favorite combinations in the comments below when the game mode goes live with the next act of Bilgewater: Burning Tides. Good luck out there, and have fun! For Bilgewater!
Main
