The Impact of Storm Dragon Buff in Professional League of Legends
In the 2025 LPL Spring Split opening match, WBG secured a 3-0 victory against OMG, with the new Storm Dragon buff mechanic playing a decisive role in determining game outcomes.
The 2025 LPL Spring Split opened with a match that highlighted significant gameplay changes in League of Legends' newest season. The series between WBG and OMG demonstrated the powerful impact of the new Storm Dragon buff mechanic on professional play.
The Storm Dragon buff emerged as the most discussed element of the match, overshadowing traditional strategic elements. When activated, it grants team-wide resurrection capabilities and healing effects that many viewers and analysts consider potentially overpowered. The buff’s power becomes particularly evident in mid-game teamfights, where teams holding it gain a significant advantage through their ability to revive fallen members instantly.
WBG showcased superior buff control throughout the series, especially in the third game where they leveraged the Storm Dragon buff to overcome an early deficit. The mechanic’s strength was particularly apparent in the 20-25 minute window, where securing it often proved more decisive than traditional objectives like towers or dragons.
Veteran players from WBG demonstrated better adaptation to the new patch, with their mid-jungle duo making calculated decisions around buff timing and teamfight positioning. In contrast, OMG’s younger roster struggled to contest the objective effectively, highlighting the experience gap between the teams.
The match raises important questions about competitive balance in professional play. While the Storm Dragon mechanic adds a new strategic layer, its current implementation may require adjustment to prevent it from becoming the singular deciding factor in professional matches. The community discussion has largely focused on whether such a powerful objective promotes engaging gameplay or potentially reduces strategic diversity.
This opening match sets a precedent for how the new season’s meta might evolve, with teams likely to prioritize control over this powerful new objective. The professional scene will need to adapt as teams develop strategies around this mechanic in the coming weeks.