Announcing LoR Masters Europe - Chronicles of Shurima

May 4, 2021

In November of last year we saw Legends of Runeterra’s official competitive scene kick-off with a multi-weekend, sixteen country, European showdown that was well received by players and fans alike. Although the initial proposal of a team-based tournament with a nine deck format had little precedent in card games; the marriage of competition, spectacle and deck-building innovation turned out to be the ideal way to get the ball rolling for LoR’s high-level competitive play.

Across six weekends, the best players in Europe were pitted against each other to fight for their national pride, international recognition and the $24,000 prize pool. After a gruelling group stage that halved the total number of suitors to eight, the final championship weekend ended with a surprising result: the complete dominance of the Iberian duo Portugal and Spain, with neighbours France securing a formidable runner-up position.

If there’s one thing we learnt from Portugal’s dominant victory it’s that an extraordinary display of teamwork and a positive mindset go a long way in setting a team up for success, and Portugal’s “Manittas”,”Pespscola”, and “Cyberdragon” knew that better than anyone else.

Today, we are very excited to announce that the innovative European tournament series is back: Legends of Runeterra Masters Europe - Chronicles of Shurima begins this May!

A competition for the Ascension!

The Shuriman desert is vast, and Europe’s top nations will have to carefully assemble their crew and prepare for the arduous journey. Will the Portuguese caravan manage to withstand the arid heat and reach the heart of the desert first? Will it be the Spanish or French who rise to meet expectations as powerhouse nations, wisely circumventing the shifting sands? Or will it be a dark horse nation such as Croatia, skittering from oasis to oasis until they’ve reached the desert’s core?

LoR Masters Europe - Chronicles of Shurima brings the premier European tournament series back to the forefront of the competitive scene throughout May and June with one goal in mind: To figure out which nation will crown themselves European champions!

In recent months, LoR’s competitive scene has launched with a great reception from fans and players, and we’ve tried to match the ravenous hunger our playerbase has shown to showcase their well-honed skills. The inclusive seasonal tournaments have been a resounding success, and the recent tease of the upcoming World Championship has added the cherry on top of an already jam-packed competitive circuit. We’d like to take this opportunity to clarify that the LoR Masters Europe tournament series is a standalone event, and does not grant any points to the more global circuit ending in the World Championship.

The Journey

Before the tournament begins, the ladder qualification process will take place. Players will have until 00:01am CEST on May 19th to reach the highest rank and LP possible, which will not only help in boosting their country to be among the top sixteen ranked nations, but will also help ensure the player is among the top three highest ranked players representing their country. Throughout the following week we will work to determine the finalised list of participants before announcing the final participants and countries represented prior to the first day of the group stages, which will be held on May 29th.

Group stage fixtures will be played throughout the following weekends, with the last group stage day set for June 13th. Once the group stage concludes, the top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to Quarterfinals held on June 19th. The LoR Europe Masters - Chronicles of Shurima champion will be crowned on June 20th, with both the Semi-Finals and Grand Final taking place on this day!

Format

Although there may be some minor changes regarding the ruleset and format when comparing this upcoming tournament to the first ever edition held back in November, last year’s tournament format will be used as a base with any minor tweaks expected to be announced as we move closer to the start of the group stage in a month’s time.

The team stage will begin with the sixteen teams seeded into four groups of four teams based on their performance during the ladder stage. Within each group, teams will play each other twice in a double round robin format. The group stage will conclude once each team has played six matches, at which point, the top two teams in each group will advance to the quarter finals.

Each team will consist of three players, and players will always be in constant communication throughout their tournament preparation and even during the matches themselves. Teams will come together every weekend starting with Day 1 of the Group Stage, and the chosen lineup of decks will be used for a full weekend, with teams having the chance to adjust and change their lineup and strategy between weekends. Matches in the group stage will be best-of-threes, with teams having the chance to ban specific champions from their opponent’s lineup, making the utilization of champions in more than a single deck a risky move. After winning a match with a deck, teams may not play that deck for the remainder of the series and must change to another one of their available decks.

With the resounding success of the first ever LoR Masters Europe tournament in November, we are extremely happy to bring back this unique tournament experience to the fans and we hope to see some exciting competitive runeterra action among European players throughout the next two months!

If you still have any questions or doubts about the LoR Europe Masters - Chronicles of Shurima, be sure to check out the FAQ below and join the tournament’s official Discord server here.

FAQ

Do I have to be in Master rank in order to compete?

You do not. You only have to be one of the top three players from your respective country, and your country must have at least two Masters players.

Where do I apply?

There is no need for you to apply for this tournament. Simply queue up on “ranked play” and help your country qualify as one of the top sixteen nations by reaching the highest ladder rank you can. If you want to stay up to date with the latest news, updates, and tournament info, make sure to join the tournament Discord Channel here.

How many ranked ladder matches do I have to play at minimum?

In order to be eligible for the LoR Masters Europe Tournament, you must play a minimum of 40 ranked ladder matches. Although depending on the fierce competition on ladder, you might have to play much more than that to fight for your spot!

Can I play from my phone?

Yes, of course!

I’m a citizen of x country but living in y country?

To be eligible to represent a country in the LoR Masters Europe you must qualify as a legal resident of that nation at least one year prior to the tournament’s starting date.

What if I don’t want to play or I won’t be able to participate?

Your place will be given to the next-highest ranked player and then we’ll recalculate and check if your country remains in the top sixteen nations who are qualified to compete in the final stages of the tournament.

How will I know if I’ve qualified?

We will use a ladder snapshot to determine all players who are eligible to compete once the ladder qualification has ended, but you’ll be able to have more precise information regarding the time and date at a time closer to the tournament.

Where can I find the full ruleset?

Group Stage details and the full ruleset will be revealed on the official LoR Masters Europe website very soon, so keep an eye on the website.

Is this Legends of Runeterra Worlds?

No, LoR Masters Europe is a separate regional tournament series.

Do I have to stream my games?

During the ladder phase, there is no obligation to do so. During the group phase and beyond, you’ll need to stream your games to our tech team so they can produce the broadcast but you won’t be able to stream them yourself.

Where can I watch the tournament?

The tournament will be broadcast in English on Twitch and Youtube. Stay tuned to our social media channels for more information regarding broadcasts in other languages as we approach the start of the tournament!

What is the Prize Pool?

LoR Masters Europe: Chronicles of Shurima will have a total prize pool of $24,000 distributed among the top 8 national teams:

1st Place: $12,000

2nd Place: $6,000

3rd Place: $2,000

4th Place: $1,200

5th to 8th Places: $600

How can I be a part of the broadcast team?

Our casting team is already locked in for most languages (and will be announced soon) but if you’d like to do a fan cast of the tournament on your Twitch channel please write to [email protected] and let’s discuss this possibility!