If you binged every episode of Arcane and found yourself obsessed with the chaotic, heartfelt cast of Piltover and Zaun, you’ve probably wondered which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends. Plenty of new fans come to the Riot Games universe through the hit animated series first, and it’s easy to want to jump into Summoner’s Rift to play as your favorite from the show. But not every face you see on screen translates directly to a playable champion, and some have small changes to their lore or abilities that might surprise you if you only know their Arcane version. This breakdown will walk you through every crossover character, what’s different between their show and in-game versions, and even tips if you want to try playing them for the first time.
Which Characters in Arcane Are in League of Legends: Full Playable List
Every playable crossover character stays true to their core personality from the show, even if small lore details were adjusted for the narrative. If you’re going through episode rewatches to spot which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends, you’ll catch small references to their in-game abilities everywhere, from Jinx’s rocket launcher Fishbones to Vi’s punch gauntlets that can knock down walls. Here’s the full list of confirmed playable champions that appear in the show:
- Vi: The Piltover Enforcer has been a playable LoL champion since 2012, with her signature gauntlets and brash attitude matching her Arcane portrayal almost exactly.
- Jinx: The Loose Cannon joined the game in 2013, and her chaotic, explosive personality and weapon set (including Pow-Pow, Fishbones, and Zapper) are lifted directly from her original lore, expanded on heavily in Arcane.
- Caitlyn Kiramman: The Sheriff of Piltover is a long-range ADC first released in 2011, with her sniper rifle and dedication to upholding justice aligning perfectly with her Arcane role.
- Jayce Talis: The Defender of Tomorrow joined the champion roster in 2012, with his Mercury Hammer and status as Piltover’s golden boy matching his depiction in the show, though his political role is expanded for Arcane’s plot.
- Viktor: The Machine Herald was released alongside Jayce in 2012, and his arc of trying to improve human life with hextech augmentation stays true to his in-game lore, with the show exploring his origin story in far more depth.
- Ekko: The Boy Who Shattered Time joined the game in 2015, and his ability to rewind time, his loyalty to Zaun’s underserved communities, and his rivalry with Jinx are all core to both his in-game and Arcane characterization.
- Cecil B. Heimerdinger: The Revered Inventor is one of LoL’s oldest champions, first released in 2009, and his quirky, centuries-old perspective on hextech and dedication to keeping people safe are consistent across both mediums.
- Singed: The Mad Chemist was also a 2009 release, with his dangerous, unethical chemical experiments and ties to Zaun’s undercity suffering matching his chilling Arcane portrayal.
- Warwick: The Uncaged Wrath of Zaun joined the game in 2009, and Arcane confirms the long-held fan theory that he is Vander, Vi and Powder’s adopted father, transformed by Singed’s experiments.
- Renata Glasc: The Chem-Baroness joined the champion roster in 2022, and her role as a ruthless, power-hungry Zaunite industrialist in Arcane season 2 lines up exactly with her in-game backstory.
You might notice some fan-favorite faces like Mel Medarda, Silco, and Vander (before his transformation) are missing from this list. As of 2024, none of these characters have been added as playable LoL champions, though Riot Games has hinted that popular Arcane-exclusive characters could join the roster in future updates. If you’re holding out for a Silco main, it’s not entirely out of the question. Even with these small changes, every one of the characters that answers the question of which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends stays true to the core of their original personality, so you won’t feel like you’re playing a completely different person when you pick them in game.
Key Differences Between Arcane and In-Game Champion Lore
It’s easy to assume that every part of a character’s Arcane story is exactly what you’ll find in League of Legends, but Riot made small tweaks to fit the show’s tight, character-driven narrative. Some of these changes are minor, while others shift the context of core lore beats that long-time fans have known for years. For example, Jayce and Viktor’s partnership is far more central to both of their arcs in the show than it is in original LoL lore, where their falling out happens much earlier and with far less personal history between them. The show also frames their conflict as a difference in values rather than a clear good vs evil split, which has made both characters far more nuanced for new fans.
Another big change is Ekko’s role in the Firelights. In original lore, Ekko leads a group of young Zaunites who fight back against oppressive Piltover forces and chem-barons, but the Firelights as a specific group with hoverboards and a hidden base were created entirely for Arcane. The core of his character stays the same, but the details of his community work are adjusted for the show’s plot. You also won’t find any mention of the Void or other regions of Runeterra in Arcane, which stays tightly focused on Piltover and Zaun to keep the story accessible for people who have never played LoL. That means if you pick up a champion like Viktor in-game, you’ll find references to his work with Blitzcrank and his ties to the Void that don’t come up in the show at all. It’s not a retcon, just a choice to focus on the parts of their lore that fit the story the show is telling.
Which Arcane Champions Are Best for New Players to Try
If you’re coming to League of Legends for the first time after watching Arcane, you probably want to jump straight into playing your favorite character. But not all Arcane crossover champions are beginner-friendly, and picking one that fits your playstyle will make your first few games far less frustrating. All of the characters that fall into the group of which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends have unique playstyles, so there’s a pick for every type of player, even if you prefer to play support rather than carry your team.
Caitlyn is one of the easiest ADCs for new players to pick up, with a long attack range that lets you stay safe behind your team while dealing damage. Her abilities are straightforward: she places traps to root enemies, fires a long-range skill shot to poke, and her ultimate lets you pick off low-health enemies from across the map. She’s perfect if you prefer to stay back and support your team rather than jump into the middle of fights. If you prefer brawling up close, Vi is a great top lane or jungle pick for new players. Her abilities are all focused on getting close to enemies and dealing heavy damage, and her ultimate lets you lock onto a single target and charge them, which is hard to mess up even if you’re still learning the map. She’s tanky enough that you can make a few mistakes without dying immediately, which is ideal for new players.
You might be tempted to start with Jinx if she’s your favorite character, but she’s far less forgiving for new players. She has no escape abilities, so if you get caught out by an enemy assassin, you’ll almost always die immediately. Wait until you’ve got a few dozen games under your belt before you try maining her, unless you don’t mind losing a lot while you learn. Heimerdinger is another great beginner pick if you like playing support or mid lane. His turrets do most of the work for you, so you can place them down and focus on learning how to position yourself and avoid enemy attacks while they deal damage to enemies pushing your lane.
How Arcane Has Changed League of Legends Champion Design Moving Forward
Arcane’s massive global success didn’t just bring millions of new fans to the LoL universe, it also changed how Riot Games approaches champion design and lore updates for existing characters. Before Arcane, most champion lore was delivered through short stories, voice lines, and occasional cinematic trailers, with very few long-form narrative explorations of their backstories. After Arcane became a mainstream hit, Riot started retconning small parts of older champion lore to align more closely with their Arcane portrayals, to keep new fans from getting confused when they jump into the game. Riot has also added special Arcane-themed skins for every champion that counts towards which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends, so you can play them with their exact show designs if you want to feel like you’re part of the animated universe.
For example, Vi and Caitlyn’s relationship was heavily implied in old lore, but Arcane made it explicitly romantic, and Riot updated their in-game voice lines and interactions to reflect that change for players who fell in love with their dynamic in the show. Riot also started releasing more champions that tie directly to upcoming Arcane story beats, rather than introducing characters from unrelated regions of Runeterra with no tie to the show’s fanbase. Renata Glasc’s 2022 release was timed to line up with the announcement of Arcane season 2, so fans would recognize her immediately when she showed up on screen. The studio has also shared that they are working on more long-form animated content set in other regions of Runeterra, following the same model as Arcane, to give more champions the same depth and mainstream recognition that the Piltover and Zaun cast got. That means if you love the way Arcane expands on champion lore, you can expect far more content like it in the coming years, tying directly to in-game updates and champion releases.
Whether you’re a long-time LoL fan re-watching Arcane to spot all the little lore Easter eggs, or a new fan who wants to jump into the game to play as your favorite character, knowing which characters in Arcane are in League of Legends makes the experience of enjoying both mediums far more rewarding. You don’t have to be a pro player to appreciate the little ties between the show and the game, and even small details like matching voice lines or ability references make crossing over between the two feel like a fun, intentional experience. If you do decide to try playing one of the Arcane champions for the first time, don’t stress about winning every game—focus on having fun and learning the parts of their character that you fell in love with in the show first.