You will soon see a new movement option in League of Legends ranked play. With Patch 26.9 arriving on April 29, Riot Games will enable the WASD control scheme in competitive queues, expanding how you can navigate the map.
Riot states that WASD mirrors the feel of traditional point-and-click controls and does not grant a gameplay advantage. You can expect a comparable competitive experience while choosing the control style that fits your preferences.
Keyboard movement enters ranked play
You will gain access to the WASD movement option in ranked queues with Patch 26.9, scheduled for April 29. Riot first introduced the scheme in non-ranked modes to measure real match performance before allowing it in competitive play.
Players questioned whether marksmen could kite more efficiently and whether keyboard movement would outperform traditional clicking. Testing showed that both systems perform at a similar level. Point-and-click still holds a small win-rate edge, but the gap remains minor.
Riot will ship several control updates alongside the ranked rollout:
- Champion-specific keybind profiles
- Per-champion hotkey customization
- Flexible Quick Cast settings
You can assign different layouts depending on the champion you play, which reduces the need to manually swap settings between matches.
The developers set two internal goals: avoid competitive imbalance and keep win-rate differences narrow. Internal data met those benchmarks, clearing the feature for ranked eligibility.
If you prefer keyboard-based movement, you can now use it in competitive matches without switching back to the legacy control style.
Strengths and drawbacks of using WASD movement
Switching to WASD movement changes how you control spacing, positioning, and mechanics. The system offers clear benefits, but it also introduces trade-offs that can affect certain champions and playstyles.
Advantages
- Familiar controls for new players: If you come from FPS or other keyboard-movement games, you may adapt faster. Moving with keys instead of constant mouse clicks can feel more natural.
- Smoother kiting for ranged champions: You can reposition while attacking with less cursor travel. This often helps ADC players maintain distance and deal damage more consistently.
- Improved accessibility: Keyboard movement reduces heavy reliance on rapid mouse precision, which can make basic movement easier to manage.
- Helpful for lower-ranked players: If you struggle with attack-move timing, separating movement from mouse clicks may simplify early improvement.
For ranged carries in particular, the ability to move and attack in quick sequences can feel more controlled. You may find it easier to chase or retreat without overclicking.
Disadvantages
- Mechanical friction on high-precision champions: Champions that depend on exact cursor placement and targeted dashes can feel less accurate. You may notice this on mechanically demanding picks.
- Keybinding conflicts: Using WASD occupies four prime keys. You must relocate abilities, summoner spells, or item actives, which can create awkward hand positioning.
- Higher risk of input mistakes: When multiple important actions cluster around fewer accessible keys, misinputs can happen more often during intense fights.
- Adjustment period: Even experienced players need time to rebuild muscle memory.
Riot has indicated that both control styles perform at a similar competitive level. You can keep standard mouse movement if it suits you better, since the keyboard option remains entirely optional in ranked play.
