How to Play and Unlock Leona in Swarm

Leona, renowned for her tankiness, is one of the selectable champions in Swarm, Riot Games’ new PvE game mode debuting as part of their Summer Event in mid-July. This mode allows you to team up with friends or tackle challenges solo, featuring a roster of nine champions including Jinx, Seraphine, Aurora, Illaoi, Xayah, Yasuo, Riven, and Briar, with additional appearances by characters like Yuumi and Aatrox.

While Leona’s defensive capabilities make her a formidable presence, overextending can lead to premature defeats. Unlocking Leona involves completing a specific mission, details of which we will explore in depth.

Stay tuned to the 1v9 Blog, where we are continuously developing guides to assist you in unlocking and mastering each champion in Swarm, providing you with strategies and insights to enhance your gameplay experience.

How to Unlock Leona in Swarm

In Swarm, unlocking champions can be achieved either by advancing through the game or by fulfilling specific side quests. For Leona, unlocking her requires completing a targeted side quest that involves an item upgrade.

To gain access to Leona, players must focus on upgrading the Searing Shortbow to level 2 during a single gameplay session. Successfully achieving this upgrade not only unlocks Leona but also makes her permanently available for selection in all future games. Keep an eye out for the necessary components to upgrade the Shortbow as you play, ensuring you can add Leona to your roster of champions as swiftly as possible.

Leona Swarm Abilities

In the game mode Swarm, every champion is equipped with a set of three distinct abilities. Each champion begins with access to their Passive ability. As players progress and gain experience within the game, the first active ability is unlocked at level 3. Further progression to level 6 allows players to unlock a second active ability, rounding out their arsenal and enhancing their tactical options on the battlefield.

Leona’s Swarm Spells

In Swarm, Leona’s abilities are tailored to both defense and controlled aggression, making her an asset in the thick of battle.

Passive: Sunlight
Leona’s passive, “Sunlight,” enhances her capabilities by increasing the area effect of her abilities whenever she gains defensive stats. This passive ensures her protective measures have a broader impact on the field.

E Ability: Eclipse
Leona’s E ability, “Eclipse,” fortifies her defenses by granting additional armor and a protective shield. After three seconds, this shield explodes, dealing damage to nearby enemies before it reapplies, making it effective for both defense and offense.

Ultimate: Solar Flare
Her ultimate, “Solar Flare,” summons a devastating beam of solar energy that not only damages but also stuns enemies caught in its blast. This ability is ideal for controlling enemy movements and turning the tide of battle.

Together, these abilities solidify Leona’s role as a formidable front-line champion in Swarm, capable of shielding allies and disrupting enemy formations.

Augments and Upgrades
In the early stages of Swarm, focusing on the right upgrades is essential for maximizing your effectiveness in the game. Here’s a streamlined approach to selecting early-game upgrades, particularly for a champion like Leona.

Prioritize Weapon Upgrades: Initially, weapon upgrades should be your primary focus, especially those that enhance area-of-effect (AOE) damage. For Leona, selecting weapons that synergize with her tanky nature and combat style can be extremely beneficial. Typically, weapons are quite powerful in Swarm, but it’s advisable to steer clear of certain items like the Train, Yuumi, or Tibbers, which may not complement her abilities effectively.

Alternative Upgrade Options: If the ideal weapon upgrades aren’t available, don’t hesitate to pivot towards other enhancements. Upgrades that increase your health, bolster your armor, or add extra projectiles to your attacks are valuable alternatives. These enhancements not only improve Leona’s durability but also enhance her overall damage output, ensuring she can hold her ground effectively against swarms of enemies.

By strategically choosing your upgrades based on availability and synergy with Leona’s strengths, you can significantly enhance your performance and survivability in the early rounds of Swarm.

Leona Swarm Tips and Tricks

Leona is a straightforward champion to play in Swarm, yet her lower damage output compared to some champions like Jinx means you need to focus on strategic positioning and damage mitigation.

Optimizing Leona’s E Ability:
Leona’s E, Eclipse, grants a robust shield, making it a crucial tool for her survival. Given its relatively short cooldown, it’s wise to use this ability frequently to maintain your defenses and prolong your presence on the battlefield.

Handling Mini-Bosses:
While Leona may not dispatch mini-bosses as swiftly as other champions, her Ultimate, Solar Flare, can be a game-changer. This ability deals significant damage, making it an effective way to tackle tougher opponents. For an optimized strategy, try to lure mini-bosses close together, then deploy Solar Flare to hit multiple targets simultaneously, maximizing your damage efficiency.

By leveraging these tactics—regularly utilizing Eclipse for defense and strategically using Solar Flare against mini-bosses—Leona can be a durable and valuable member of any Swarm team, ensuring her team’s advancement through the levels.

Conclusion

Playing Leona in Swarm offers a unique blend of durability and strategic gameplay. Although she may not have the highest damage output compared to other champions, her ability to mitigate damage with her E ability, Eclipse, and strategically manage threats with her powerful Ultimate, Solar Flare, makes her a formidable presence on the battlefield. By focusing on optimal positioning, frequent use of her shielding ability, and tactical use of her ultimate to tackle mini-bosses, players can effectively utilize Leona to navigate the challenges of Swarm. Whether you’re defending against waves of enemies or taking on tougher adversaries, Leona’s toolkit provides the necessary resilience and tactical versatility to enhance your team’s chances of survival and success in this engaging game mode.