Chemtech Drake makes return with fresh new spin for League’s 2023 preseason

After getting pulled from the pit at the start of 2023, Riot Games has resurrected the Chemtech Drake and it will be making its triumphant return for League of Legends’ upcoming 2023 preseason. But don’t worry summoner, this will be the only time that anything will be resurrecting now.

Instead of giving champions a zombie form after they get the Chemtech Soul, the new drake is bringing a handful of new buffs and a new soul effect. Each Chemtech Drake that a team kills grants a buff that gives five percent increased tenacity, along with higher healing and shielding strength.

The soul effect, which was previously a huge pain point for players, has been adjusted so that when a team collects four Chemtech Drakes, they are granted 10 percent bonus damage and damage reduction when below 50 percent health.

This is far and away a more balanced effect, compared to the previous one where players were granted a zombie form for three seconds while still being able to auto attack and use abilities. Players also got decaying bonus movement speed in the zombie form, making it difficult to win against a snowballing team.

As for the Chemtech Rift, Riot has updated the effect by removing the stealth zones that previously surrounded the jungle area of the map. Instead, the jungle plants will be mutated by the Zaunite chemicals that permeate through the ground, giving all the plants new effects. The Blast Cone, for example, will now send you twice as far when blasted, giving teams new venues for ganks and teamfights.

The Stim Fruits will no longer slow you when consumed and will give a small bonus shield, making them great tools to consider while in the middle of a fight. Lastly, Stalker’s Bloom will not only grant vision in a specific direction but will also grant movement speed in the direction they were activated. In addition, the plant will reveal an extra zone around the plant itself and will reduce all revealed wards to one hit point.

Get ready to test out all of these changes when League‘s preseason begins on Nov. 16 with Patch 12.22.