With the big mid-season update right around the corner , Riot is fine tuning everything they deem too weak or too strong in League of Legends. Ekko, the champion that’s been an instant ban ever since Darshan showed us how great he is as a top laner, is getting some numbers moved around. His W and E now do less base damage, but have way higher scaling. Hopefully that means my games won’t be an instant loss if one of us lets the boy who shattered time get through the pick/ban phase.
A big buff this patch went to Rumble. He’s been having some trouble finding a spot in the League of Tanks. The yordle had some popularity in the jungle, but fell out of favor when Nidalee, Graves and Kindred became the best. Now his Q does full damage to minions and his ultimate has a ten second shorter cooldown. Alongside the Olaf buffs, top lane might be looking entirely different once this patch drops.
There were nerfs to Miss Fortunes W and Master Yi’s ultimate. Grave’s auto attacks also do less damage, which should have been done several patches ago. He’s been dominating the scene since his rework, crushing towers and enemies with his insanely high DPS.
Iceborn Gauntlet had its AD ratio lowered by 25 percent, just another nerf to the item that every tank and Ezreal has needed to buy since the Sheen rework. Mercurial Scimitar costs less, but lost 10 AD, which is weird since it’s usually a fourth or last item anyways. At the point you buy the Scimitar, you just want to upgrade your Quicksilver Sash into something. Corrupting Potion restores less health, but more mana. Yorick mains rejoice.
Some key masteries received some tweaking; Secret Stash biscuits give less mana and more health. Feast has had its cooldown increased by five seconds and Grasp of the Undying gives .5 percent less health. Alongside the Corrupting Potion shuffle, Riot hopes this will lower sustain in lanes, making games more exciting than a farm simulator.
Overall, it’s a fine patch that should hold us over until the massive mage rework getting released on the PBE.
