New LoL Ban Prevention System Explained ⇒ Learn How It Impacts Ranked

Riot Games is set to introduce a bold new system to League of Legends that could fundamentally change the champion select phase: ban prevention. Designed to prevent one of the game’s most frustrating pre-game experiences—having your intended pick banned by a teammate—this feature will be released as a trial across select servers in upcoming patches. Depending on user feedback and performance data, Riot may expand ban prevention to all regions.

How Champion Select Ban Prevention Works

In the current system, players receive a warning when they attempt to ban a champion that a teammate has hovered—but the ban still goes through if confirmed. The upcoming ban prevention update introduces a stricter protocol: once a teammate hovers a champion, that champion cannot be banned by anyone else on the team.

If you attempt to ban a hovered champion, the game will now block the action and notify you that your teammate has shown intent to pick that champion. This change increases clarity and ensures a player’s intention to play a specific champion is fully respected by their team.

Notably, players will still be able to ban the champion they themselves are hovering, allowing flexibility for those who change strategies or want to deny the champion to the opposing team. However, a warning will still appear before the ban is confirmed to prevent accidental clicks.

Why Riot Is Implementing This Change

Riot’s rationale for the update centers around reducing toxic pre-game behavior and friction between teammates. In particular, when one player bans a hovered champion out of spite or disagreement, it often leads to arguments, dodging, or negative gameplay experiences.

By preventing these sorts of internal sabotages, Riot aims to improve team cohesion before a match begins. According to the developer, preserving a player’s agency to secure a preferred pick outweighs the need for unrestricted ban options.

During the test rollout, Riot will closely monitor several metrics, including queue dodges, in-game reports, and survey data to evaluate if ban prevention improves the overall experience in champion select.

What This Means for Meta Picks and New Champions

While ban prevention aims to resolve internal team disputes, it could introduce new complications around newly released or overpowered champions. These champions often have high ban rates either due to strong kits or lack of familiarity. If players on both teams hover the same dominant champion, neither side will be able to ban it, leading to its frequent appearance in ranked games.

For example, if a newly launched champion or a known high-impact pick like Akali, Yasuo, or Zed is hovered by players from both teams, it becomes effectively unbannable. This raises concerns about competitive balance and pick priority advantages, especially for first-pick teams who can take those champions uncontested.

Riot has acknowledged these edge cases and stated it will monitor the impact of ban prevention on these scenarios. Possible adjustments to the system may be introduced based on testing outcomes.

Community Reception and Future Considerations

The announcement of ban prevention has sparked debate among League of Legends players. On one hand, the system addresses a widely disliked part of the game—having a teammate deny your intended pick purely for personal or strategic reasons. On the other hand, the limitation could create new frustrations if strong or new champions consistently make it past bans because someone hovers them without genuine intent to pick.

Riot remains committed to iterating based on feedback. The current rollout phase is crucial for gathering player sentiment and performance data, and changes may be made to address risks such as hover abuse and competitive imbalance.

For the latest developments on champion select features and other League of Legends system changes, visit the official League of Legends News hub.

Watch More: Community Discussion

For an in-depth breakdown and community reaction to ban prevention, watch Remina’s full analysis on YouTube:

FAQ: Everything You Need to Know About Ban Prevention

What is ban prevention in League of Legends?

Ban prevention is a new system that prohibits you from banning a champion your teammate is currently hovering during champion select.

Can I still ban my own hovered champion?

Yes. Players can still ban the champion they are currently hovering, although a warning message will appear before confirmation.

Why is Riot testing ban prevention?

Riot is testing ban prevention to reduce frustration during champion select, decrease arguments and dodges, and promote better team trust and behavior before a match starts.

How does this affect new or strong champions?

Currently, if multiple players hover a new or powerful champion, it may become unbannable for all, increasing its presence in ranked games. Riot is aware of this issue and is monitoring it closely.