Season 6 of League of Legends began on January 20, 2016, and concluded on November 8, 2016. It marked a period of significant innovation, introducing sweeping changes to gameplay, champion design, and the overall competitive structure of the game. This season is often remembered as a turning point that laid the foundation for many modern features of the game.
Champion Releases and Updates
During Season 6, the champion roster saw exciting new additions that brought fresh mechanics and playstyles to the Rift. These included Jhin, a marksman with a fixed four-shot rotation and artistic flair; Aurelion Sol, a celestial dragon who redefined area control; Taliyah, a mobile mage who shaped terrain; Kled, a fearless yordle cavalryman with a unique mount system; and Ivern, a pacifist jungler who introduced a new way to clear camps and support allies. While Illaoi was technically released just before the season started, she played a prominent role in the early Season 6 meta.
Numerous champions also received major updates during this time. Full reworks were rolled out for champions such as Poppy, Graves, Shen, Malzahar, Taric, Ryze, and Yorick, modernizing their visuals, abilities, and lore. In addition, many other champions were adjusted to keep up with evolving game balance, including tweaks to popular picks like Caitlyn, Miss Fortune, Vladimir, Zyra, and others.
Major Gameplay Changes
Season 6 was a year of systemic overhauls, especially in the jungle and objective control areas. The dragon system was reimagined with the introduction of elemental dragons — Infernal, Mountain, Ocean, and Cloud — each granting unique buffs that could stack throughout the match. This change increased the importance of dragon control and introduced more strategic diversity based on which elements appeared.
Another major addition was the Rift Herald, a top-side objective that gave early-to-mid game pressure and map control — especially helpful for top laners or coordinated teams looking to crack open the first tower.
In ranked, the traditional Solo/Duo Queue was temporarily replaced with Dynamic Queue, allowing players to rank up alongside multiple friends. Though it aimed to promote flexibility and faster matchmaking, Dynamic Queue received mixed feedback and was later replaced by more structured systems in future seasons.
Also introduced were Champion Mastery Levels 6 and 7, allowing players to further showcase their expertise with their favorite champions through additional performance-based milestones.
Competitive Milestones
Season 6’s competitive scene saw its climax at the 2016 World Championship, hosted across multiple cities in North America. The finals, held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, delivered one of the most memorable showdowns in the game’s history. SK Telecom T1, led by the iconic mid-laner Faker, narrowly defeated Samsung Galaxy in a dramatic 3-2 series, securing their third World Championship title and reinforcing their dominance in the global esports scene.
This season also saw the rise of Western teams gaining more international respect, with strong performances from European and North American squads, even if the trophy once again went to Korea.
Legacy of Season 6
Season 6 is remembered as a bold and experimental chapter in League of Legends history. The introduction of elemental objectives, creative champion design, and ranked system experimentation reflected Riot’s ambition to evolve the game in new directions. While not every change was universally celebrated, many of the innovations from Season 6 remain central to how League is played today.
For both casual players and pros alike, Season 6 was a year that challenged expectations, pushed strategic depth, and expanded what it meant to compete in the world of Runeterra.
Written by:
Christian