TL;DR
- Hextech Drake provides balanced map mobility while Chemtech forces dragon-centric gameplay
- Crown of the Shattered Queen revolutionizes mage survivability against assassins
- Lethal Tempo and Winter’s Approach enable new champion build possibilities
- Team coordination becomes essential for managing vision and claiming objective bounties
- Duelists dominate top lane while scaling mages control mid game transitions

Preseason 2022 introduces transformative changes to League’s core gameplay, demanding strategic adaptation across all skill levels. Understanding these shifts provides immediate competitive advantages.
The addition of Chemtech and Hextech drakes alongside objective bounties creates new win conditions that reward coordinated team play and map awareness.
Hextech and Chemtech Drakes Reshape Summoner’s Rift

Hextech Drake delivers attack speed and ability haste bonuses per stack, with its soul triggering a chain-lightning effect that slows targets on ability or auto-attack hits. The strategic advantage comes from Hextech portals – temporary teleportation gates that enable rapid map rotations and surprise engagements.
Common mistake: Teams often overcommit to portal usage without securing exit routes, leading to disastrous teamfight positioning. Advanced players use portals for split-push coordination and objective steals.
Chemtech Drake has generated significant community debate due to its specialized benefits and initially overpowered soul effect. While dragon spawns remain randomized, Chemtech presence typically centralizes gameplay around dragon pit control once soul availability approaches.
Vision management becomes critical against Chemtech drakes – the smog zones created by its rift effect obscure traditional warding patterns, requiring adaptive placement strategies.
Revolutionary Itemization Reshapes Gameplay
The item system overhaul has dramatically altered champion viability across multiple roles. Crown of the Shattered Queen provides unprecedented durability for mages, fundamentally changing assassin matchups by granting damage reduction after taking champion damage.
Champions like Anivia, Viktor, Malzahar, and Annie leverage these defensive tools to survive previously lethal engagements. At higher competitive tiers, Kassadin, Galio, and Zilean benefit significantly from the new survivability options.
Burst damage remains viable through champions like Qiyana, Katarina, and Ahri, who continue demonstrating strong preseason performance metrics.
Top lane remains dominated by duelist specialists, with Dr. Mundo representing the sole tank exception achieving notable success through December.
Lethal Tempo has emerged as a game-changing rune, enabling hyper-carries like Vayne and Trundle to reach critical attack speed thresholds earlier in the game.
Winter’s Approach (transforming into Fimbulwinter) enables mana-heavy tanks and control mages to achieve previously impossible durability levels when combined with crowd control abilities.
Strategic Team Play Becomes Essential
Preseason 2022 amplifies team coordination requirements through powerful dragon effects and the objective bounty system. Teams must synchronize vision control in Chemtech’s obscured zones while monitoring Hextech portal rotations for potential ambushes.
Bounty claiming requires precise timing – engaging too early risks wasted resources while delayed responses surrender gold advantages.
Early and mid-game challenges for many champions have been mitigated through strategic item and rune selections. Crown of the Shattered Queen stands as the definitive choice for scaling mages seeking late-game dominance.
Advanced tactic: Coordinate bounty attempts during enemy cooldown windows or after successful skirmishes when opponent resources are depleted.
Execution tip: Designate one player as primary shot-caller for objective rotations to maintain consistent team focus and timing.
Dominant Champions in the 2022 Meta
Specific champions have established clear superiority in the preseason environment through optimal synergy with new systems. Riven, Irelia, and Fiora maintain top lane dominance through superior dueling capabilities and split-push pressure.
Jungle dominance sees Zac, Fiddlesticks, and Xin Zhao performing exceptionally, with additional AP junglers likely ascending as players master the new mage itemization options.
Mid lane supremacy belongs to Kassadin, Anivia, Qiyana, and Viktor, who leverage both offensive and defensive tools effectively.
Support meta favors enchanters, though engage supports remain competitive when paired with hyper-carries like Jinx and Vayne.
Pro tip: Focus on champions that naturally synergize with the new systems rather than forcing outdated builds onto meta-resistant picks.
Strategic insight: Champion success often correlates with ability to utilize multiple new systems simultaneously rather than relying on single overpowered items.
Action Checklist
- Practice Hextech portal rotations in custom games to master timing and positioning
- Establish dragon pit vision control 45 seconds before spawn timers
- Coordinate with team for objective bounty claims during enemy cooldown windows
- Test Crown of the Shattered Queen timing against assassin matchups
- Adapt warding patterns for Chemtech smog zones using unconventional placement angles
No reproduction without permission:Games Guides Website » Top tips for preseason 2022 in League of Legends Master the 2022 preseason meta with strategic dragon control and optimal champion builds
