League of Legends champions are transformed into cute chibis in Riot's auto battler, TFT, but just how to the devs choose which character is next on the list

League of Legends champions are redesigned to be tiny versions of themselves in the MOBA‘s ever-popular auto battler, TFT, characterised by their large head and small body. Just how do Riot choose which characters become chibis, though? We asked them during the TFT Set 7.5 preview.

While some players battle it out on Summoner’s Rift in search of glory, others prefer to flex their mental muscles on Teamfight Tactics, League of Legends’ ever-popular autobattler.

If you’re anything like me, though, the best part of TFT is the fact that it’s just so damn cute. With a plethora of Little Legends at your disposal, and adorable tacticians to help you take down your enemies in style, the game’s adorable cartoon aesthetic balances out its difficulty.

During the roundtable for TFT Set 7.5, where Riot unveiled the new chibi Lee Sin tactician, I asked Riot how they go about choosing which League champions become chibi tacticians in TFT.

Set 7.5 still revolves around the Dragonlands, so what better champion to turn into a chibi than the man who channels the very spirit of the dragon: Lee Sin.

“I think one of the most important things is whether [the champion] ties back to the Set thematic,” content delivery lead Christine Lai tells us. “We draw inspiration from units in the Set, and we draw inspiration from the theme itself.”

She goes on to comment “player data and understanding what preference players have” is also a factor the devs consider – so it looks like we’ll never be seeing a Yuumi chibi, then.

TFT Set 7.5 continues the Dragonlands story, adding a plethora of new dragons (Swain included) to the battlefield, as well as new traits like Darkflight and Lagoon. If you’re looking to prepare for the new release in advance, be sure to check out our rundown of TFT patch 12.15, as well as the our guide on how to play Teamfight Tactics like a pro.

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Forged in the heart of Sanctuary, Lauren spends most of her time slaying Diablo’s minions or exploring WoW on a mount that was way too expensive. Formerly Guides Editor at Dexerto with two degrees under her belt, she’s the dumbest clever person you’ve ever met. We wouldn’t say that to her face though; apparently she’s a decent shot in Valorant.