How to Play and Unlock Riven in Swarm

Riven, one of the most iconic champions in League of Legends, is now playable in Swarm, Riot Games’ thrilling PvE mode released during their Summer Event. This mode features nine champions—including Jinx, Illaoi, Yasuo, and Riven—tasked with defeating waves of enemies and powerful bosses across unique maps. Whether you’re going solo or teaming up with friends, this Riven Swarm guide will walk you through everything from unlocking her to mastering her combat abilities in Swarm.

Riven isn’t available immediately when you begin playing Swarm. To add her to your roster, you’ll need to complete specific in-game tasks. Once unlocked, Riven brings a unique blend of mobility and power that closely resembles her Summoner’s Rift gameplay, adapted to fit the fast-paced, enemy-filled challenges of this PvE experience.

How to Unlock Riven in Swarm

To unlock Riven in Swarm, players must make significant progress through the game. First, complete the full main storyline and unlock the highest difficulty setting. Only after completing these objectives will you be eligible to begin the challenge required to access Riven.

The final task involves defeating Rek’Sai on the Warehouse District map. This boss fight can be tough, especially when attempted solo, so bringing a team can make the process smoother. With good coordination and persistence, you’ll eventually succeed and gain access to Riven as a playable champion.

Riven Swarm Abilities

Riven’s Swarm abilities are designed to feel familiar yet streamlined for the PvE format. She retains two of her signature skills and gains access to them as she levels up within a match.

• E Ability (Unlocked at Level 3): This provides a tactical boost early in the game.
• Ultimate Ability (Unlocked at Level 6): Offers a major damage and mobility spike, crucial in later stages.

This design makes Riven accessible and powerful, especially for players already familiar with her playstyle in standard League of Legends.

Riven’s Swarm Spells

Riven’s abilities in Swarm have been adapted to ensure she remains agile and dangerous against waves of enemies:

• Passive: Runic Blade
  Riven’s passive deals damage to nearby enemies, with scaling based on proximity. When activated, it also provides a shield that enhances her survivability during intense skirmishes.
• E Ability: Valor
  This ability allows Riven to dash forward, dealing damage to all enemies in her path. It’s great for initiating or escaping tough situations.
• Ultimate Ability
  Riven’s ultimate increases her movement speed and delivers continuous area damage for a limited duration. Any dash performed during her ultimate triggers additional damage bursts, making her especially lethal when using E while the ult is active.

These skills work together to make Riven one of the most agile and high-damage champions available in Swarm.

Augments and Upgrades

Choosing the right upgrades early on is key to making Riven as effective as possible in Swarm. Here’s a focused list of what to prioritize:

• Weapon Upgrades
  As a melee champion, Riven benefits most from weapons with area-of-effect damage. These upgrades let her clear mobs quickly and stay in the fight longer.
• Projectile Enhancements
  If available, choose augments that increase the number or effectiveness of projectiles. These greatly amplify her offensive power and allow her to handle large groups more effectively.
• Alternative Upgrades
  When preferred upgrades aren’t available, focus on ability haste and raw damage. These stats will ensure you can spam abilities more often and hit harder, maintaining consistent pressure on your enemies.

By making smart upgrade decisions from the start, you can boost Riven’s efficiency and dominate early game encounters with ease.

Riven Swarm Tips and Tricks

Mastering Riven in Swarm takes precision, timing, and an understanding of her strengths. Here are some helpful tips to make the most of her kit in PvE gameplay:

• Frequent Use of E (Valor)
  Valor has a short cooldown, making it one of Riven’s most versatile tools. Use it frequently to dash through enemy waves or reposition during battle, keeping your momentum strong and avoiding damage.
• Strategic Use of the Ultimate
  Her ultimate has a much longer cooldown, so save it for big moments—boss fights or when surrounded by numerous enemies. Try to lure mini-bosses together before activating it to maximize your damage and efficiency in clearing them out.
• Managing Riven’s Playstyle
  Riven has always had a high skill ceiling, and the same applies here. Pay close attention to your surroundings, and don’t overextend. Use dashes to weave in and out of combat, and be deliberate with your timing to make the most of her burst windows.

With enough practice, Riven can become a devastating frontline fighter in your Swarm runs.

Unlock Her True Potential

Riven’s fast-paced, high-impact playstyle translates beautifully into League of Legends’ Swarm mode. By following this Riven Swarm guide, you'll gain a strong understanding of how to unlock her, master her abilities, and select the best upgrades to suit your strategy. With calculated use of Valor, smart ultimate timing, and well-chosen augments, Riven becomes a deadly addition to your team in both solo and co-op play. Put in the time to refine your mechanics, and you’ll find that Riven isn’t just strong—she’s game-changing in Swarm.