An ASU is Riot’s way of giving a champion a full makeover without touching the part that actually matters to competitive players — the kit. New look, same champion.
What Is an ASU in League of Legends?
ASU stands for Art and Sustainability Update in League of Legends. It is a comprehensive visual overhaul of a champion’s base model, animations, visual effects (VFX), and sound effects (SFX), delivered without any changes to the champion’s gameplay, abilities, or balance values. ASUs are designed to bring older champions up to the visual standard of modern LoL without requiring a full rework of their kit.
ℹ️ The ‘Sustainability’ in ASU refers to making the champion’s assets easier for Riot’s art team to maintain and update going forward — particularly important for champions with many skins.
ASU vs VGU — What’s the Difference?
| Update Type | Visual Changes | Gameplay Changes | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASU | Yes — full art overhaul | No | Janna, Caitlyn, Teemo |
| VGU | Yes — full art overhaul | Yes — kit redesigned | Udyr, Sion, Warwick |
| Gameplay Update | Minor or none | Yes — ability adjustments | Various mid-scope updates |
What Does an ASU Include?
- Updated base champion model with higher polygon count and detail
- Reworked base animations for movement, abilities, and recalls
- New visual effects (VFX) on abilities to match modern standards
- Updated sound effects (SFX) and voice processing
- Existing skins updated to match the new base model proportions
Why Does Riot Do ASUs Instead of Full Reworks?
Full VGUs (Visual and Gameplay Updates) are resource-intensive — they require balancing an entirely new kit, writing new lore, and reworking all existing skins from scratch. ASUs let Riot improve a champion’s visual quality at roughly half the development cost, allowing more champions to be updated per year. For champions whose kits are already well-designed and fun to play, an ASU is the ideal solution.
ASUs don’t change ability names, interactions, or mechanics — meaning your muscle memory for that champion transfers perfectly to the updated version.
ASU in League of Legends FAQ
Below are the most common questions about ASUs in League of Legends, covering scope, impact, and examples.
Does an ASU change how a champion plays?
No. An ASU is purely a visual update. All ability interactions, damage values, cooldowns, and mechanics remain identical. The champion plays exactly the same — it just looks significantly better.
Do existing skins get updated during an ASU?
Yes. When a champion receives an ASU, Riot typically updates existing skins to fit the new base model proportions and sometimes adds improved visual effects to older skins as well.
Which champions have received ASUs?
Notable ASU recipients include Janna, Caitlyn, Teemo, and Ahri. Riot has committed to continuing ASUs for champions whose visuals are outdated but whose gameplay doesn’t need a full redesign.
