Rotating game mode queue now live!

Riot·Sep 22, 2016·7 votes·134,617 views

From the original clone-tastic One For All to the sand-strewn battlefield of Ascension, rotating game modes provide unique spins on the classic League formula. It’s time to kick things off with the next game mode in the rotation: All Random Ultra Rapid Fire.

URF is back, now with two new letters. ARURF is the 80% cooldown, infinite mana insanorama you know, but with randomized champ select kicked in for good measure. Here. We. Go.

Map:

ARURF takes place on Summoner’s Rift, but it wasn’t an easy call. It was a toss-up between URF’s legacy on the Rift and the traditional home of random shenanigans on the Murderbridge, so we threw the shopkeeps into a cage fight and the Summoner’s Rift crew won. Silent but deadly types, from what little we heard.

Randomization:

Champ select in ARURF is just like ARAM: a random selection from owned champs plus the weekly rotation of free champs.

Rerolls:

Rerolls are shared with ARAM, so using one in either mode consumes it in the other. To compensate, we’ve increased the rate you rack up rerolls for the weekend. You should stack a reroll every game or two.

Queue dodges:

Dodge penalty timers for ARURF (and other normal queues) are increased to 10 minutes and 20 minutes, mainly because dodging a random champ is considered an act of cowardice. It also slows things down for everyone else. Don’t be that player.

Champion Mastery:

We’ve specially tuned Champion Mastery so you can earn points in ARURF. You’ll also be able to earn keys for your wins and loot chests for your (or your premade’s) S-, S, and S+ games.

Availability:

ARURF is now available and blasts through Sunday evening (we’ll shut it down very early Tuesday morning--usually between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM).

RGMQ is the perfect pot of alphabet soup for ARURF to simmer in. Hop in this weekend and help us boil down the future of Ultra Rapid Fire. We're open to more marine mammal experimentation, so give us your gameplay datums and ideas. GLHARURF

359 Comments

allblacksSep 23, 201686 votes

Thank you Riot and please don't make us wait 4 months till the next URF

dnsupSep 23, 201640 votes

Thank you Riot and please don't make us wait 4 months till the next URF

Seconded on both counts. Thanks, Riot. Also, make URF more often (please).

I hate to say it, but I'm also going to agree with people who are a little disappointed that there's no opportunity to choose the champions you play. I would have at least liked the option of playing either version of URF (random or blind pick with bans). I don't see why it shouldn't at least be allowed in customs.

As a player with nearly all champs (except the two newest and maybe Zac), I probably won't get a chance to play certain champs that I really like to get spammy on.

For example: I would like to play (but probably won't be able to, in the two days this is available and I'm not working)

tahm
viktor
nami
kennen
nasus
mordekaiser
ekko
galio
leblanc
teemo (gotta play at least one URF as teemo...)
maokai (ditto--have to play at least one maokai, for the laughs)
leona
elise
bard (again, too funny to pass up)

What's sad is, somehow every game seems to have at least one of the champs the saltiest anti-URF players hate. Personally, I don't care about that. But what bothers me is that I'm punished for having played longer than people who have fewer champs. Certain champs haven't had their kits updated in so long that they're woefully boring to play, or just can't keep up (that's a minority of cases, though). But while I might end up with one of those, there are a ton of players who have only unlocked up-to-date champs.

That's a double whammy.

Having more champs unlocked --> lower probability of rolling a particular up-to-date/"fun"/"novel" champ

On a team with someone who has fewer unlocks --> they are more likely they have unlocked up-to-date/"fun"/"novel" champs (why would anyone choose to unlock a champ in need of an update?) --> they are more likely to roll a champ from the pool of up-to-date/"fun"/"novel" champs --> lower probability I roll an up-to-date champ

VedorialSep 23, 20169 votes

That's a really strong point, regarding the champion pool "random" selection aspect. People who only purchase newer and "stronger" champions have a huge advantage over those who are "equal opportunity if you will. I have a similar issue in that I have bought a lot of older champs which tend to be the ones I'm stuck with in both ARAM and this new ARURF.

As I mentioned in another post, I think if they organized champs into pools, like melee assassins, burst mages, bruisers, tanks, melee supp, etc., and only allowed up to 2 of any one pool to be placed on a team, it would still prevent the same composition every game like old URF, but it would also prevent one team from being overwhelmingly stacked with dominant champions. Upvote.

Call Me TwistedSep 24, 20167 votes

Or... just let us pick so we can all have fun?

Call Me TwistedSep 24, 201611 votes

It isn't even disappointment, its frustrating to be stuck as a melee champ vs Lux 4 games i an row. Its so frustrating to Re -Roll tryndamere after playing him 3 times and get a support... Its even more frustrating to be against champs like Ezreal, and Lux who where almost always ban before.

I am not disappointed at all.. i am frustrated at how un fun this is. I just do not find this mode fun any more.

AhriDiculousIdeaSep 24, 201611 votes

dont worry it wont be 4 month :) [slayer-jinx-wink] ... it will be 4 years [slayer-jinx-unamused]

Zherron VorseSep 23, 201651 votes

Ready for my downvotes.. This Random URF is not near as fun as normal URF mode is due to the fact that it has the same problems as ARAM. It's always one team has pure poke and CC versus a team that does not. The normal URF let you experiment with champions you wanted to play with not champions you are already aware don't work well in the URF mode. I miss my Teemo, Vlad, and Veigar. But I was also wanting to try new Yorick along with Kled but that is unlikely to happen with my 105 champions.

I like the fact it's a form of URF but the games are usually decided at the loading screen.

Revan7evenSep 24, 201613 votes

See Jana in loading screen: GG See Hecarim in loading screen: GG See Singed in loading screen: GG See Annie AND Veigar in loading Screen: QQ

Out of my 40 champs, in the last 10 ARURF games I've been given Shyvana three times, Gragas twice, Garen twice, Lulu twice only to reroll her and end up with one of the previous. It doesn't make for much fun.

Call Me TwistedSep 24, 20167 votes

I had Tryndamere 4 times in a row... the 1 game i Re roll him... Shyvana the next game. Singed ... I am done with Urf till it changes back.

Edit : i own ALL THE CHAMPS

Call Me TwistedSep 24, 20165 votes

And i mean .. what if you own every champ. and you do not like to play every champ?... now you are in a /fun/ game mode feeling miserable because you used re-roles LAST time you had a champ you didn't like.

AmeHakumeiSep 23, 201637 votes

Rift URF best URF, Old URF best URF.

AmeHakumeiSep 24, 201628 votes

After playing all day, I can safely say that being able to pick your own champ is legitimately better.

All random can give your team sub par champions, and even with re-rolls you could still end up with some bad ones.

The whole point of URF was that it was supposed to be fun. At least, for us. (The people who have consistently been looking forward to playing it.)

The old URF was perfect. Any naysayers don't get it. There were bans, so if people thought anything was "OP" it could be banned. There was nothing wrong with it. I'd say the only thing "wrong" with it for me is that it isn't a perm. game mode already.

This URF isn't as fun. A lot of players are experiencing URF for the first time now, and they don't even get to witness it in its original glory. Being able to play stuff like Blitz, and pulling someone into a bush full of Shaco boxes or Maokai Saplings was so much fun.

Being able to play any champ you wanted because you had a cool idea on something you wanted to try out is what made it fun. There's nothing like being able to choose your own champ in URF.

I could go into a lot of detail on why being able to choose is better. To me, there aren't even any cons to it. But I'm keeping it as simple as I can. Please.

TL;DR: At least bring the old URF back. I truly and sincerely even beg of you. And I'm certain others feel the same way.

Betoldia PrimeSep 24, 20164 votes

This is exactly my point, although the banning option i would remove if we get to pick because it would give more versatility (ill admit, not always) to the teams. Although something cool they could do so that people dont team spam wins or stuff.... the game could lock the last champion used by you in URF, that way you always have to pick a different option.... maybe it could ban up to 3 champs at a time and force the craziness even further.... idk tho.... thats just my opinion

Dabrick01Sep 24, 20168 votes

If we get to pick, we need bans.

PglackSep 23, 201631 votes

ARURF sucks imo. The random factor makes games to one sided. Bring back regular URF the 6 bans really helped imo.

little studenttSep 23, 20168 votes

That is the problem that one team got OP champ, one team got boosted champ on urf

SammyDayspringSep 23, 201611 votes

I just played my first game. My team was all melee, and the enemy was mostly ranged. We were slaughtered from the start. Not much you can do against spammed ranged attacks.

This mode is an epic failure now. I don't know why they would change one of the most popular modes. Sure, it was unbalanced, but all the special modes are. At least I got to try out different champs and play whomever I wanted. Riot ruined this.

NotsofatTheGamerSep 26, 20162 votes

smh people still don't get why they changed it? Its because do you want to have to ban katarina, fizz. every. single. game. ever. Its so stupid to ask that. I DON'T WANT TO GO AGAINST THEM EVERY SINGLE GAME IF I DON'T BAN THEM. People made the game unfun beause of that and so Riot had to change it or else PENTAKILLS EVERY 5 MINUTES MAN! THEY GOT OUR NEXUS AT 10 MIN! WOOOO. It was so stupid.

SammyDayspringSep 29, 20164 votes

It is condescending to believe that just because people don't like a change means they don't understand it. It's not that people don't get why they changed it. It's that changing it made it worse. The champs that are OP in URF are still OP, but now, you don't have a choice to ban or pick. It's left totally to chance. If you get a bad comp, you might as well not even try. How is that more fun? Every special mode has it's OP champs. All-for-one has chained CC champs. Nexus Siege has the lane pushers. These modes will never be balanced. AR URF only took that balance and threw it into a randomizer. Get a bad team? Well, sit back and helplessly watch yourself get stomped. Get a great team? Then yawn while you run over an opposing comp that can't put up a fight.

And there are plenty of counters to Kat and Fizz, especially if you don't have to worry about cooldowns and mana.

Vah NaborisSep 24, 20163 votes

tbh the argument they're using is so that you don't see the same champs over and over again but because of this, all of the perma bans in urf are going to be playable. Like Wukong, Fizz (I just went 23/4 as Katarina), so her, etc. And the permaspin Garen. It's annoying there are no more bans. And URF sandbox makes it easy to learn mechanics of champions too and it was also fun to 1v1 friends in the Howling Abyss during URF.

Light SovereignSep 23, 201627 votes

will we ever get Normal Urf back? Arurf is fun but not as Satisfying.

TwoFaceTonySep 23, 201625 votes

I've been saying we need a random champ URF mode for a while now. ARURF is a great way to make sure URF doesn't end up being the same 2 or 3 team comps every single match. Good job Riot! The people that are complaining that it's random champs are probably the same people who play the champs that are considered OP on urf over and over again.

ModJikkerSep 24, 201614 votes

Not really. I don't do that and I'm complaining because while it's "fair" it's not. It makes for very one sided team comps usually and there's no way to ban out the true anti-fun champs. Faced a team with Hec, Lux, and Graves and just died repeatedly since I was Vayne and tumble tumble only gets you so far. I wouldn't have complained if I had picked her (I have in the past cause Vayne the gymnast is hilarious), but in this case I didn't so it was as if I was forced into a total stomp mode where they just toyed with us, taunted us in all chat, and made it miserable. At least in old URF, I could've banned Hec.

Next game was better and not just cause I rolled my main, but because by random we got pretty even teams. They got a few OPs and a few mediocre champs and we did as well and it came down to the wire that while we got kills they had the objective shoving and cc advantage. It was a lot more fun, but once again none of the true true "OPs" were in there. But it was all by luck. We could've rolled terrible champs again and they could've rolled Sona, Ryze, Hec, Soraka, etc... and just made the whole thing miserable with us having no bans or any way to counter it since the thing is "random".

In other words, I'll take the ban out annoying champs but seeing the same champs repeatedly over the 50/50 chance you get a really fun match or a really antifun match. If they would allow us to ban then choose at random, that might make it best of all, but I still wish there was a way to choose because I love playing many champs in URF and I have no way of maybe playing them this time round since it's all picked for me.

tl;dr - nah it's not just OP pickers there are other reasons

Hooker 4 SoulsSep 23, 201624 votes

Runs to nearest electronics store. Asks where the keyboards are. Sales person says "URF must be out"

Light SovereignSep 24, 201624 votes

Upvote this if you have't Gotten to play your Main on urf Yet.

DraddiusSep 23, 201617 votes

riot... thanks for bringing us urf but WHY YOU GOTTA MAKE IT ALL RANDOM if its because champs are too op then urf well ima let you know right now EVERYONE IS OP IN URF IF PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT A CHAMP IN URF THEN THEY SHOULD JUST NOT PLAY URF ITS THAT SIMPLE WE WE WAITED 4 MONTHS FOR URF AND WE GET THIS HOLY SH*T AND GRAVES DOESNT EVEN HAVE A CIGAR thanks riot anyways for urf

Light SovereignSep 23, 201616 votes

I only came to play urf not the Random part, if i wanted random i would have played aram, btw where are the custom games for this?

memiuxSep 23, 201616 votes

URF used to be fun, we need blind pick.

PunkDisorderSep 23, 201614 votes

Listening was never their strong point was it... The reason ARAM is weird and gets old fast: It's whoever randomly gets what works best. The reason ARURF is weird: It's whoever randomly gets what works best.

My solution? 2 small selection changes. 4 bans per side. 3 too few, 5 too much. Make it so that people can see what the enemy is picking. It's still the blind pick style, you can just see what the enemy is playing so that you know whether or not you can play something that will suck to play against.

Just seems like a thought...

PusheenosaurusSep 24, 201614 votes

Ready to get downvoted..

I LOVE URF. I dont like AR URF. At least w/ normal URF, you can ban champs that are considered to be "broken" in this game mode like zed, kassadin, sona etc. It absolutely sucks and I'm tired of having disgusting one sided matches where my team are usually forced to wait for the 20 min mark just so we can surrender. AR URF game mode = whoever has the most OP champs/disgusting team combo wins . If you're not part of the OP team, gg ff@20.

avatarkaiSep 23, 201613 votes

URF IS HERE MY LADS BRING ALL THE FOlloWING tO GET ReADY TEEMO(SATAN) CHEAPCHAMpiONS MAGES AND Of courSE THE ONE THING THAT MAKES LOL SALTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTtttt*[slayer-pantheon-thumbs]*

DraykowSep 23, 201620 votes

Your lower case letters spell out: o t e p i f c o u r Vowels: e i o o u Consonants: c f p r t Deciphered it reads: Rice Tofu Cop ? New legendary Caitlyn skin confirmed?

ThunderspamSep 23, 201611 votes

[zombie-brand-mindblown]

TerozuSep 24, 20165 votes

You added a C, it's Rice Tofu Op, maybe it's a secret Ivern message?

PlzChokeMeDaddySep 24, 201612 votes

Bring back Draft URF!

east side SouljaSep 23, 201610 votes

I've played around 10 URF games and only won 1 of them. My team comp vs the enemy team's has always been ridiculously unfair. Why couldn't it have been just regular URF? I don't understand why we had to have random champs, it makes the game less fun.

GrosSep 24, 201610 votes

I was so glad that URF is back but then after playing many games I realized it is sooo much less fun than URF. At least in URF it was one op team comp vs another op team comp. Now that its random, you randomly either shit on the opposing team or get shit on. There is no playing worst or better than someone else with an op champ. Now there is only a better team comp than another. Most of my games after 10 minutes it was clear who is winning, don't ever hope for a comeback in the game, its pure snowballing. Bring back URF! Let us choose what we want to win/lose with! Urf always was my favorite game mode and now this AR URF just made it the worst game mode (in my opinion).

NoctiiSep 24, 201610 votes

eeehhh played it and for me in my opinion its just sucks now AR just makes it so one sided like aram does. it was better off having everyone pick whatever op champ they wanted to play at least that way everyone is op instead of it being only one side like aram is. this was the last fun game league had and now its ruined for me

Deanster17Sep 24, 201610 votes

I think there was a really good idea behind this. Truly, I think you guys had good intentions.

But who in the hell approved this? It's almost like the odds of getting the OP champions that we all see in every game are more likely to get "randomly" chosen.

The only game that was even remotely close/even was a game where I was Master Yi against three AD Carries. None were mobile, so that makes sense.

The other games have either been absolute, brain-dead, boring stomp-fests with the overpowered champions against terrible champions or getting absolutely stomped by (in the words of Riot themselves) "the same 20 champions you see". Such as: Kayle, Lux, Ezreal, Kha'Zix, Maokai, etc. For example, 3/5 of my games have had an Ezreal and/or Lux.

I don't think I've legitimately enjoyed a single game yet. I can't even bring myself to continue playing because of how unhealthy it is. You stomp, or get stomped. It's as simple as that and there's nothing you can do about it.

Absolutely nothing.

You're essentially thrown into a game with, say: Maokai, Fizz, Viktor, Malphite and Katarina. This team completely dominated to the point of opening mid before roughly 8 minutes.

Yep, this team or my team if you will, beat them so hard they gave up before 10 minutes into the game. Champion-wise, it's almost no different from the regular U.R.F., except for the fact that one team is stacked with poke, cc, and/or greater range overall; the second team is stuffed with melee squishies with no escapes.

It's a brutal gamemode. It's either boring because of how hard you're winning, and painful because of how hard you're losing.

Sure, the reason behind it was good, but in practice...?

Absolutely awful. I've been beaten just as hard in ranked, been flamed dozens of times, and more, but it doesn't even hold a candle to just how horrible this gamemode is. Please, Riot, please just bring back the old U.R.F.

Light SovereignSep 24, 201610 votes

When can we have Normal Urf back? my friend is new and a lot of her games are losses due to her feeding and not knowing the champ she plays, i'd rather have her playing a champ she knows well.

AngloSaxonfSep 24, 201610 votes

The AR URF mode experience is terrible.PLS I need old URF mode. I wish you guys think about this. Thank you.

twenty2020Sep 24, 20169 votes

Riot you really should listen to the players' feedback and also take a close look at your statistic. I bet AR URF has more players leave the game, more complaints, more hate words, and less players than normal URF. AR URF is a failure in making URF balance. In fact, it not only makes it even more unbalance, but also makes people unhappy. Players who play against OP champ team will have miserable 20 minutes game and a bunch of complaint. Players who get OP champ will not appreciate you as much because their enemy are too weak and this takes all the challenge and fun away. URF is like drug for players. Use it to make us happy. Take it away if we have too much. This will makes us like it even more and help riot generate even more profit.

AngloSaxonfSep 24, 20168 votes

PLS RIOT . DO NOT LAUNCH RANDOM MODE ANYMORE. NOBODY LIKES THAT.

SimulcrashSep 23, 20167 votes

"ARURF is now available and blasts through Sunday evening (we’ll shut it down very early Tuesday morning--usually between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM)."

While technically correct, I think "Monday evening" is what was intended.

DJ IceFyrSep 23, 20167 votes

Could we still implement a banning system with the randomization of URF? There are some champs out there that are just too ridiculous that it's almost an assured win. (Eve, Jax, so on)

Ibuki SuikaSep 23, 20166 votes

says ends sunday evening

"we shut it off early tuesday"

does that mean we get an extra day of AR URF or is that a typo? :(

CithriaCSep 23, 20163 votes

They changed random game modes so they end monday instead of sunday. summoner 31

ToonyHijinxSep 24, 20166 votes

This legit broke my heart when i saw it was all random now

Light SovereignSep 24, 20165 votes

Day 2 of urf: Still didnt get to play my Main i keep getting all the Free to play champs.

FuzzyLumpsSep 24, 20164 votes

I see the merit in having random champion select but I personally don't find it as entertaining. I wish Riot would make a public poll to see which mode of champion select was preferred. If random wins then it will put all the complainers at ease,and if not maybe the next urf could be like the old urf.