League of Legends’ thrilling new game mode, Swarm, has arrived, throwing players into a chaotic bullet-heaven battle against relentless waves of enemies. Among the diverse roster of champions, Aurora, the captivating void mage, stands out as a powerful choice, especially once unlocked. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to unlock Aurora and effectively play her in Swarm, ensuring you become a force to be reckoned with against the monstrous horde.
Unlocking Aurora: Prove Your Worth in Hard Mode
Before you can unleash Aurora’s magical prowess in Swarm, you’ll need to demonstrate your mastery of the game mode. Aurora isn’t a starting champion; she’s a reward for dedicated players who delve deeper into the Swarm challenge. To unlock Aurora, you must first accomplish two key prerequisites:
- Complete the Main Storyline: Venture through the initial Swarm missions and successfully complete the main storyline. This will familiarize you with the game mode’s mechanics and enemy types.
- Unlock Hard Mode: After conquering the main storyline, unlock the more challenging Hard Mode. This signifies your readiness for tougher trials and greater rewards.
Once you’ve unlocked Hard Mode, the path to Aurora opens up. Your next objective is to destroy and defeat 25 mini-bosses. These formidable foes appear throughout Hard Mode runs, testing your skills and teamwork. While 25 mini-bosses may seem daunting, playing with friends can significantly expedite this process, turning the challenge into an enjoyable evening of cooperative monster slaying.
Mastering Aurora’s Swarm Abilities
Aurora’s kit in Swarm is streamlined yet potent, featuring a Passive and two active abilities that unlock as you level up in each run. Understanding these abilities is crucial to maximizing her effectiveness against the Swarm.
Spirit Abjuration (Passive)
Aurora’s Passive, Spirit Abjuration, enhances her damage output over time. Every 8 levels, Aurora summons a spectral spirit that orbits her, dealing consistent damage to nearby enemies. This passive provides a steady source of damage, allowing Aurora to continuously contribute to clearing waves and damaging bosses.
Image alt text: Aurora Swarm Passive ability icon, Spirit Abjuration, showcasing a spectral wisp, indicating periodic spirit summons for damage.
Across the Veil (E)
Unlocking at level 3, Across the Veil is Aurora’s defensive and offensive mobility tool. Activating this ability makes Aurora briefly invulnerable, allowing her to dodge incoming projectiles and enemy attacks. During this invulnerable dash, she also damages any enemies she passes through, making it a versatile ability for both survival and aggression.
Between Worlds (Ultimate)
Aurora’s Ultimate, Between Worlds, becomes available at level 6 and unleashes her full void magic potential. Upon activation, Aurora emits a pulse of energy that deals area-of-effect (AOE) damage around her. For the subsequent 13 seconds, she gains the remarkable ability to teleport across the map, moving from one edge of the play area to the opposite side instantly. Enemies caught in her teleportation path take damage, making it an excellent tool for repositioning, escaping danger, and dealing sustained damage across the battlefield.
Image alt text: Aurora Swarm Ultimate ability icon, Between Worlds, depicting a swirling void portal, symbolizing AOE damage and map-wide teleportation.
Optimal Weapons and Upgrades for Aurora in Swarm
Weapon upgrades are paramount for success in Swarm, and Aurora benefits significantly from the right choices. Focusing on damage and area control will amplify her strengths. Here are recommended weapons and essential upgrades for Aurora:
Weapon Recommendations:
- Aurora’s Weapon (Champion Weapon Upgrade): Prioritizing your champion’s weapon upgrade is always a solid strategy. It directly boosts Aurora’s base damage, enhancing her overall damage output.
- Statikk Sword: A top-tier weapon in Swarm, the Statikk Sword unleashes chain lightning, damaging multiple enemies simultaneously. This is invaluable for clearing the dense waves of enemies Aurora will face.
- Iceblast Armor: Providing both offense and defense, Iceblast Armor emits a chilling AOE blast. Its damage scales with armor and health, making it particularly effective for a more durable Aurora build and aiding survivability.
- Vortex Glove: The Vortex Glove creates swirling vortexes that deal AOE damage to enemies from a distance. This allows Aurora to safely damage enemies from afar, complementing her ranged mage playstyle.
- Radiant Field: For close-quarters combat, the Radiant Field provides consistent damage to enemies in melee range. This can be helpful when enemies get too close, adding a layer of protection.
Essential Upgrade Categories:
To acquire these powerful weapon upgrades and enhance Aurora’s capabilities, focus on collecting the following upgrade categories during your Swarm runs:
- Damage: Increases Aurora’s overall damage output, crucial for quickly eliminating enemies.
- Projectiles: Enhances projectile-based weapons, beneficial for weapons like Statikk Sword and Vortex Glove.
- Armor: Increases Aurora’s defenses, improving survivability, especially when combined with Iceblast Armor.
- Maximum Health: Boosts Aurora’s health pool, making her more resilient to enemy attacks.
- Health Regeneration: Provides passive health recovery, sustaining Aurora through prolonged engagements.
- Experience (EXP): Accelerates leveling up during runs, allowing you to unlock Aurora’s abilities and weapon upgrades faster.
Pro Tips and Tricks for Aurora in Swarm
While Aurora is a potent mage in Swarm, mastering her nuances can elevate your gameplay. Here are some expert tips to maximize your effectiveness:
- Prioritize E Upgrade Early: Investing upgrade points into Across the Veil (E) early in your runs is highly recommended. It significantly enhances your survivability and damage output in the initial stages when you might be more vulnerable. While this might delay weapon upgrades initially, the increased survivability and damage from E will pay off in the long run.
- E and Ultimate for Dodging: Both Across the Veil and Between Worlds are excellent for dodging devastating enemy attacks and projectiles. Utilize their invulnerability and teleportation strategically to evade danger and reposition yourself effectively. In tight situations, Across the Veil can be a lifesaver to escape enemy encirclement.
- Strategic Ultimate Usage: Between Worlds is not just for damage; it’s a powerful repositioning tool. Use it to quickly traverse the map, escape overwhelming enemy groups, or reach advantageous positions to unleash your abilities.
Conclusion: Embrace the Void with Aurora in Swarm
Aurora is a captivating and powerful champion in League of Legends’ Swarm game mode. While she requires unlocking through Hard Mode mini-boss challenges, her unique abilities and magical prowess make her well worth the effort. By mastering her abilities, choosing the right weapon upgrades, and implementing these pro tips, you’ll be well-equipped to dominate the Swarm as Aurora. So, venture forth, conquer Hard Mode, unlock Aurora, and unleash the void magic upon the horde!
Explore more champion guides and Swarm strategies on the Mobalytics Blog to further enhance your Swarm experience.
