With all of the competitive League of Legends seasons back in full swing around the globe, Riot Games is finally letting the meta settle in for the summer with the game’s upcoming update, Patch 13.13.
Lead designer Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison outlined some upcoming changes today to a handful of champions and items but stressed that this next patch is going to be all about stabilization since it will be lasting for about three weeks to see how certain champions fit into various strategies moving forward.
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There are a plethora of different picks getting hit with the nerf hammer this time around, including major priority picks in both professional play and in solo queue like Aphelios, Neeko, Vi, Annie, and Wukong. Ivern, Kindred, Rek’Sai, and AP Varus are also getting some nerfs before this elongated patch session.
Over the year, Aphelios has maintained his position atop the rest of his fellow marksmen as one of the strongest picks in the bottom lane. Although he might not have a strong early game, his mid-to-late game power spikes can shift the tide of any teamfight.
He can be paired with an enchanter support like Milio or Yuumi for extra utility and survivability, or he can join forces with Thresh, Nautilus, or any other heavy crowd control support to set up his incredible damage profile. When in the hands of the most-talented AD carries, Aphelios can become an unstoppable menace, making him the most-played champion in the role across all four major regions, according to League stats aggregate Oracle’s Elixir.
Neeko has also been a priority for most teams from North America, Europe, Korea, and China, sitting at the top of the mountain with some of the highest pick-ban percentages in the world. Her new mid-scope update has made her a tough matchup for any squad due to her ability to transform into minions, jungle plants, and neutral monsters. She can easily hide in plain sight before setting up a devastating Pop Blossom to start a lopsided teamfight for her team.
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In a similar vein, Vi and Annie have been consistently picked by professional teams due to their ability to kickstart a teamfight with a single key press. Annie can easily stun an enemy that ventures too far from their team or lock down entire squads with one well-placed Tibbers. Vi, on the other hand, can isolate an enemy carry with her Cease and Desist, while also guiding her team with ganks that are easily executed due to her great mobility skills.
Looking ahead, Phroxzon wants to address role power through item builds in Patch 13.14 and beyond, including power curves for AD Mythic items. He believes AD champions are achieving their power spikes far too early and are affecting power curves in other roles as a result. To fix these issues, item and champion changes are in store to balance out all of the roles without compromising any of them in the process.
League Patch 13.13 is scheduled to release on Wednesday, June 28.
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