Fearless Draft, a new rule in competitive League of Legends that prevents teams from picking the same champions more than once in a series, has dramatically reshaped professional play. Initially introduced as a trial during the 2025 season’s First Stand event, it has reportedly been so well received that Riot Games is now considering extending its use (per SheepEsports) to major international tournaments, including MSI and Worlds.
Though Riot has yet to officially confirm this decision, multiple reports suggest that the rule is likely to remain for the rest of the competitive year. Community reception has been largely positive, with many fans and analysts praising the format for increasing champion diversity and making drafts more exciting. However, the system has also drawn criticism from some players and analysts, who argue that it diminishes certain strategic elements of a best-of-series.
So, is Fearless Draft the best thing to happen to LoL esports, or does it introduce more problems than it solves?
Fearless Draft’s Impact on Champion Diversity
One of the biggest concerns in competitive LoL has always been repetitive champion picks. Over the years, the game’s meta has often resulted in the same handful of champions appearing in nearly every match, leading to stale drafts. Fearless Draft directly addresses this issue by forcing teams to use a new set of champions for each game in a series.
Early data from the LEC Winter Playoffs 2025 suggests that while the total number of unique champions played hasn’t significantly increased, the frequency of the most commonly picked champions has gone down. Azir, for example, was picked 23 times in 2024, but only 13 times in 2025 under the new system. This means that while teams are still sticking to the strongest champions available, they can’t spam them every game.
The rule has led to some unexpected picks, with pocket strategies and unconventional champions becoming more viable. On Reddit, many fans have praised the system for keeping drafts fresh. One user noted, "I love Fearless Draft, we just had a really cool Taliyah mid, Aphelios ADC, and Blitzcrank support game in LCK where those champs would never have come out without Fearless."
Another fan wrote, "These games are so much more fun to watch with the interesting drafts. Any chance this will revive a growth in pro play viewership?"
Riot’s reported decision to keep Fearless Draft appears to be driven by this exact reaction—increased fan engagement and excitement.
Mixed Reactions from Players and Analysts
While fans and viewers have largely embraced Fearless Draft, professional players and analysts have more divided opinions. The rule adds a new layer of complexity to competitive play, but not all pros are convinced that it’s a positive change.
Zeus: “It Should Be About the Fans”
HLE’s Zeus, a multiple-time World Champion, has publicly supported Fearless Draft. After his team’s First Stand series against CFO, he spoke about the change, acknowledging that while it requires more adaptation, it ultimately makes the game more enjoyable for viewers.
“So I know that whoever decided to implement this had considered a lot of different factors before they made this decision,” Zeus said. “As a player, you just have to do your best in the given circumstances, and I just hope that all the fans that are watching get more enjoyment out of this change.”
He also emphasized that esports should cater to viewers first, rather than prioritizing player convenience.
“Obviously [the decision] should be catered around the fans who watch and get more enjoyment out of it. I think just from a player’s perspective, the rule itself is not exactly too unreasonable or irrational.”
Zeus’ take reflects the broader sentiment among fans—that Fearless Draft makes matches more unpredictable and entertaining.
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Peanut: “It Adds a Lot of Difficulties”
On the other hand, HLE’s Peanut acknowledged that while the change makes sense from a spectator’s standpoint, it creates major challenges for players.
“From a professional player’s perspective, it does add a lot of difficulties when it comes to prepping,” he said in a recent interview. “It is definitely a little more difficult because we haven’t spent a whole lot of time on this Fearless mode.”
Peanut also pointed out that while fans love the format, it forces players to stretch their champion pools, making it harder to specialize in specific picks. However, he ultimately conceded that if fans are enjoying it, it’s probably here to stay.
“I heard that the viewers and the fans are loving their fearless mode,” he added. “So in the end, international events, or LoL esports events as a whole, it’s all about making the fans enjoy the event and have the best experience possible.”
Peanut’s comments highlight a key trade-off—Fearless Draft increases excitement for fans, but it makes preparation and execution harder for pro players.
The Strategic Trade-Off: Does Fearless Draft Hurt Competitive Integrity?
While the rule undeniably boosts champion diversity, some analysts and players argue that it comes at the cost of strategic depth in best-of-series.
In a traditional Bo5, teams can adapt their drafts throughout the series, adjusting their picks and bans based on what worked (or failed) in previous games. This dynamic has led to some of the most memorable moments in League of Legends history—where teams have forced their opponents to ban a specific pick after losing to it, or where players have demonstrated mastery over a champion by adjusting their playstyle within a series.
With Fearless Draft, this kind of game-to-game adaptation is lost. Each game essentially becomes its own separate draft, with no champion carryover, reducing the mind games and long-term strategies that many fans and analysts appreciate.
On Reddit, some fans have voiced their concerns:
“One of my favorite things in Bo5s is seeing draft adaptations—who can force a ban on a pocket pick, who can break a handshake matchup. That’s all gone now.”
“Instead of adapting between games, teams just pick down a list of priority champions. It feels like they’re drafting five separate games, not one series.”
“What happens in Game 4 and 5 when both teams are forced onto their 9th or 10th best picks? It’s going to get ugly.”
These concerns were reflected in early Bo5s using the format. Analysts noted that while the first two games were often exciting, later games sometimes turned into messy, lower-quality matches, as players were forced onto less-practiced champions.
This issue raises an important question: Does Fearless Draft improve the competitive experience, or does it prioritize “fun” at the expense of high-level play?
The Data: Fearless Draft’s Effect on Champion Diversity
One of Riot’s primary arguments for keeping Fearless Draft is that it increases champion diversity. Early data suggests that this is partially true, but not as dramatic as some had hoped.
In the LEC Winter Playoffs:
| Year | Games Played | Unique Champions Played |
| 2024 | 40 | 59 |
| 2025 | 39 | 59 |
At first glance, this seems surprising—the number of unique champions hasn’t changed. However, the distribution of picks has shifted. While the overall diversity remains similar, the most-picked champions appear less frequently, leading to more varied team compositions.
For example, in 2024:
- Azir was picked 23 times.
- Jinx was a top-tier ADC pick seen in nearly every series.
In 2025, under Fearless Draft:
- Azir was picked only 13 times.
- Other ADCs, like Aphelios and Kai’Sa, saw increased play as teams were forced to switch up their compositions.
While this suggests that Fearless Draft doesn’t necessarily introduce completely new champions, it does prevent repetitive drafts, which many fans appreciate.
The Future of Fearless Draft: Will Riot Fully Commit?
With MSI and Worlds approaching, Riot faces a crucial decision—will they officially implement Fearless Draft for the biggest international tournaments of the year?
Currently, there is no official confirmation, but reports strongly suggest that Riot is leaning toward keeping the format for the remainder of 2025. Given the overwhelmingly positive fan response, it seems likely that Riot will at least continue testing it in international events.
However, some insiders believe Riot may consider modifications before making it a permanent fixture. Possible adjustments could include:
- Limiting Fearless Draft to later rounds of tournaments (e.g., semifinals and finals).
- Allowing teams to “reset” their champion pool after a certain number of games in a Bo5.
- Adjusting the ban system to ensure that the quality of later games in a series doesn’t drop significantly.
Despite concerns from some pro players, the general consensus among fans, analysts, and Riot itself seems to be that Fearless Draft is a success. Whether it stays beyond 2025 will likely depend on how well it performs at MSI and Worlds.
The Big Question: Should Fearless Draft Be Permanent?
Fearless Draft is one of the biggest competitive changes in League of Legends history, and it has sparked an ongoing debate about what makes the best viewing experience. While fans love the increased variety and unpredictability, some pros and analysts worry that it reduces the depth of strategic adaptation.
Now, all eyes are on Riot Games. Will they fully commit to Fearless Draft for Worlds 2025, reshaping how professional League of Legends is played? Or will they return to the traditional system and maintain the game’s deep strategic layer?
What do you think? Should Fearless Draft be the future of LoL esports, or is it just a temporary experiment?
