If you binged the gritty, emotional Arcane series on Netflix and immediately hopped into League of Legends to play your favorite characters from the show, you’re not alone. Millions of new players joined Riot’s flagship MOBA after the first season dropped, and even long-time players started maining characters they’d previously slept on after seeing their backstories play out on screen. If you’re wondering what arcane characters are in league of legends, we’ve broken down every playable champion from the show, plus details on their kits, lore connections, and tips for playing them if you’re new to the game.
Full List of Arcane Characters Available in League of Legends
All of these characters appear in at least one season of Arcane, and are fully playable in standard League of Legends matches, ranked play, and most rotating game modes. A small number of side characters from the show are not yet available to play, but we’ll cover those later on.
Popular fan favorites like Silco and Mel Medarda are not playable as of now, but Riot has hinted that more Arcane-themed champions may be added as future seasons of the show release. If you’re a new player, you don’t have to unlock all of these at once – most are available for free in the weekly champion rotation, so you can test them out before spending Blue Essence to add them to your permanent collection.
How Arcane Characters’ In-Game Kits Tie To Their Show Lore
Riot worked closely with the Arcane animation team to make sure every playable character’s in-game abilities aligned with their actions and personality in the show, so you’ll feel like you’re stepping right into the world of Piltover and Zaun when you play them. Vi’s Vault Breaker ability sees her charge forward with her hextech gauntlets to smash through enemies and terrain, a move she pulls off dozens of times across both seasons of the show to chase down foes or break into secure facilities.
Jinx’s entire kit is designed to feel unpredictable and chaotic, from her rocket launcher that deals area damage to her explosive chomper traps that root enemies in place, perfectly matching her erratic, impulsive personality on screen. Ekko’s signature Chronobreak ability lets him rewind time 3 seconds, undoing damage and repositioning, which is directly pulled from his time-turner device he builds in Arcane to reverse small mistakes during fights.
Even smaller details line up: Caitlyn’s in-game rifle is the exact same model she carries in the show, and her ultimate ability, Ace in the Hole, lets her land a perfect long-range snipe on a single target, just like the shots she takes to take down high-priority targets during her investigations. Viktor’s augmented abilities, like his Death Ray and Chaos Storm, tie to his evolution into the Machine Herald, the character he becomes at the end of Arcane season 2.
Tips for Playing Arcane Characters If You’re New to League
If you’re coming to League of Legends specifically to play characters you loved in Arcane, you don’t have to grind for hundreds of hours to be good at them. We’ve put together simple tips for the most popular Arcane champions to help you get started without feeling overwhelmed.
Start with Vi or Caitlyn if you’re a total beginner – Vi is a jungler or top laner with a simple, straightforward kit that doesn’t require perfect mechanical skill to pull off, and Caitlyn is an ADC with long range that lets you stay back from fights while you learn the map and game rules. Both characters have clear, easy to understand abilities that don’t rely on complex combos to be effective, so you can focus on learning core game mechanics instead of memorizing ability sequences.
Avoid Jinx or Viktor first if you’re new to MOBAs. Jinx has very low health and requires excellent positioning to avoid getting killed instantly in team fights, while Viktor has a lot of ability combos and item builds that take time to master, especially for players who haven’t played similar games before. You should also turn on the lore filter in the champion select screen to see all Arcane-related champions at a glance, and try out the Arcane-themed skins for each character to make them look exactly like their show counterparts.
Don’t worry if you lose your first few games with your favorite character. Most League players take 10 to 20 games on a single champion to get comfortable with their abilities, and you’ll pick up tricks faster if you focus on having fun instead of winning every match.
Future Arcane Characters Coming to League of Legends
Riot has confirmed that they will continue adding Arcane-related content to League of Legends as long as the show is running, so you can expect more playable characters from the series to drop in the coming years. Data miners have already found hints of Silco being added as a playable champion in a future update, though Riot hasn’t officially announced a release date yet.
Mel Medarda is another fan favorite character that’s highly requested by the community, and Riot developers have mentioned in interviews that they’re exploring ways to add her to the game with a kit that matches her political, manipulative personality from the show. She would likely be a support or mid lane champion, with abilities focused on crowd control and buffing allies, fitting her role as a behind-the-scenes strategist in Arcane.
There are also rumors that Vander’s other foster kids, Claggor and Mylo, could be added as part of a future event, though those are unconfirmed as of now. Whenever a new Arcane character is added, Riot usually runs a themed event with free skins, emotes, and game modes tied to the show, so make sure to log in during new season premieres to grab exclusive rewards.
Whether you’re a long-time League fan who loves diving into champion lore or a new player who joined after watching Arcane, knowing what arcane characters are in league of legends lets you connect more deeply with both the game and the show. Each of these playable champions has dozens of hidden lore ties and easter eggs that reference events from the series, so you’ll notice new little details every time you play them or rewatch the show. Don’t be afraid to test out every character on the list to find your new main – you might be surprised by which champion fits your playstyle best, even if they weren’t your favorite on screen.