Patch 13.14 brings significant changes to the League of Legends landscape, with major adjustments to several champions and items. This mid-season patch aims to shake up the meta and address some balance outliers before the competitive summer split. Let's dive into the most important changes and what they mean for your games.
Champion Buffs
Several underperforming champions received buffs in this patch to bring them back into viability:
Azir
- Base Health: 550 ⇒ 580
- W - Arise!: Soldier auto attack range increased by 50
- R - Emperor's Divide: Wall duration increased from 3/4.5/6 ⇒ 4/5.5/7 seconds
Developer Comments: "Azir has been underperforming since the mid-season mage item changes. These buffs should help him compete in the current meta while maintaining his skill expression."
Kalista
- Base Attack Damage: 69 ⇒ 72
- E - Rend: Damage per spear increased from 20/28/36/44/52 ⇒ 22/31/40/49/58
- R - Fate's Call: Cooldown reduced from 120/100/80 ⇒ 110/90/70 seconds
Developer Comments: "Kalista's unique playstyle has been struggling in the current bot lane meta. These changes should help her compete with other marksmen."
Zac
- Q - Stretching Strikes: Cooldown reduced from 13/12/11/10/9 ⇒ 12/11/10/9/8 seconds
- W - Unstable Matter: Damage increased from 35/50/65/80/95 ⇒ 40/55/70/85/100
- E - Elastic Slingshot: Range increased by 100 at all ranks
Champion Nerfs
Some dominant champions received nerfs to bring them more in line with others:
K'Sante
- Base Armor: 35 ⇒ 33
- Q - Ntofo Strikes: Slow duration reduced from 1.5 ⇒ 1.25 seconds
- R - All Out: Bonus AD ratio reduced from 65% ⇒ 55%
Developer Comments: "K'Sante has been overperforming at all levels of play, especially in skilled hands. These changes should maintain his identity while reducing his dominance."
Zoe
- Q - Paddle Star: Damage ratio reduced from 60/100/140/180/220 (+60% AP) ⇒ 50/90/130/170/210 (+55% AP)
- E - Sleepy Trouble Bubble: Cooldown increased from 16/15.5/15/14.5/14 ⇒ 18/17/16/15/14 seconds
Rek'Sai
- Base Attack Speed: 0.667 ⇒ 0.644
- Q - Queen's Wrath: Bonus AD ratio reduced from 40% ⇒ 35%
- E - Tunnel: Cooldown increased from 26/23/20/17/14 ⇒ 30/26/22/18/14 seconds
Champion Adjustments
Some champions received more nuanced changes that aren't strictly buffs or nerfs:
Rell
- Passive - Break the Mold: Armor/MR steal increased from 10% ⇒ 12%, but duration reduced from 4 ⇒ 3 seconds
- W - Ferromancy: Crash Down shield increased from 35/60/85/110/135 ⇒ 40/70/100/130/160
- W - Ferromancy: Mount Up movement speed reduced from 25/30/35/40/45% ⇒ 20/25/30/35/40%
Developer Comments: "We're shifting some of Rell's power from her mobility to her durability, making her better at engaging but slightly less slippery after the fact."
Syndra
- Q - Dark Sphere: Mana cost reduced from 60/65/70/75/80 ⇒ 50/55/60/65/70
- W - Force of Will: Damage reduced from 70/110/150/190/230 (+70% AP) ⇒ 60/100/140/180/220 (+65% AP)
- E - Scatter the Weak: Stun duration increased from 1.25 ⇒ 1.5 seconds
Item Changes
Several items received adjustments to better balance their power:
Duskblade of Draktharr
- Nightstalker Passive: Cooldown increased from 10 ⇒ 15 seconds
- Attack Damage: 60 ⇒ 65
Developer Comments: "Duskblade has been providing too much safety for assassins. We're increasing its cooldown but giving it more AD to compensate."
Rod of Ages
- Health: 400 ⇒ 450
- Mana: 400 ⇒ 450
- Time to fully stack: 10 minutes ⇒ 8 minutes
Statikk Shiv
- Energized Damage: 100-180 (based on level) ⇒ 80-160 (based on level)
- Cost: 3000 ⇒ 3100
System Changes
Turret Plating
- Gold per Plate: 175 ⇒ 160
- Resistance Buff Duration: 30 seconds after plate falls ⇒ 45 seconds after plate falls
Developer Comments: "We're reducing the snowball potential from turret plates while making it slightly harder to take consecutive plates."
Jungle Camp Experience
- Buff Camp Experience: Increased by 10%
- Gromp Experience: Increased by 15%
Meta Predictions
Based on these changes, we expect to see the following shifts in the meta:
- Azir's Return: The buffs should bring Azir back into viability, especially in competitive play where he's always been favored.
- Assassin Adjustments: The Duskblade changes may shift assassin itemization patterns, with some opting for other mythics.
- Top Lane Impact: K'Sante's nerfs may open up space for other top laners like Fiora and Jax to shine.
- Jungle Diversity: The camp experience changes should help farming junglers compete better with early gankers.
- Mage Itemization: Rod of Ages buffs make it more attractive for scaling mages, potentially bringing back champions like Anivia and Cassiopeia.
Final Thoughts
Patch 13.14 brings significant changes that should shake up the meta in interesting ways. The champion adjustments target some of the most dominant picks while bringing up underperformers, and the item changes aim to create more diversity in builds. The turret plating and jungle experience changes will also have ripple effects on game pacing and strategy.
As always, it will take a few weeks for the meta to settle after these changes. Be sure to experiment with the buffed champions and items to find new powerful strategies before they become mainstream!