Summary: The latest patch in League of Legends, Patch 12.10, brings significant changes to the game’s champions, items, runes, and jungle camps. This article breaks down the most important aspects of the patch, including champion balancing, item updates, and jungle changes.
1. Champion Balancing
In Patch 12.10, several champions received buffs and nerfs to balance their gameplay and make them more viable or less dominant in the meta. For instance, Tahm Kench’s Q damage has been reduced to lower his early game power and limit his bullying potential. Meanwhile, Irelia’s Q cost went up to reduce her mobility and safety in lane. Other notable changes include:
– Diana’s W cooldown was reduced, making her more effective at clearing camps and fighting tanks.
– Kog’Maw’s Q AP ratio was increased to boost his magic damage output.
– Rek’Sai’s E no longer grants minions and monsters in Spires vision, reducing her map control and forcing her to rely on other means to gank and invade.
These updates may affect the strength and weaknesses of these champions, as well as their interactions with other picks and strategies in various roles and lanes.
2. Item Updates
Another substantial change in Patch 12.10 is the update of several items to refresh the item pool, address power imbalances, and offer new options for different champions and playstyles. Some of the most notable item changes are as follows:
– Goredrinker’s active healing was reduced, while its cooldown and range were increased, making it less spammable and harder to use as a burst heal.
– Chemtech Putrifier’s AP and heal amplification were lowered, as well as its build path, making it a less attractive option for poking and trading mages.
– Stridebreaker’s slow power was halved, while its dash range was increased, making it more of a mobility tool than a crowd control item.
– Seraphine’s items, Staff of Flowing Water and Moonstone Renewer, both received slight nerfs to lower her sustain and utility potential in fights.
These changes may impact the optimal itemization for various champions, especially those who rely on specific items or build paths to achieve their goals. They may also open up new possibilities for less popular items or builds that can take advantage of these updates.
3. Runes Reforged
Alongside champion balancing and item updates, Patch 12.10 also brought changes to the Runes Reforged system, which allows players to customize their runes and masteries according to their preferences and playstyles. Some of the most significant rune updates are:
– Hail of Blades now grants a burst of Attack Speed on the first three attacks, instead of a flat Attack Speed bonus, making it more useful for trading and dueling in lane.
– Conqueror’s maximum stacks were lowered from ten to eight, but its adaptive force per stack was increased, making it easier to trigger and more rewarding for extended trades and all-in fights.
– Predator’s hunting period was reduced, but its out-of-combat cooldown was lowered, making it more versatile and reliable for ganking and roaming champions.
– Nimbus Cloak’s movement speed bonus was reduced, while its duration was increased, making it less bursty but more sustained in terms of mobility.
These changes may encourage players to experiment with new rune choices or revisit old ones that may fit better with the updated runes’ strengths and weaknesses. They may also affect the balance of power between certain rune choices, as well as their interactions with different champions and roles.
4. Jungle Changes
In Patch 12.10, the jungle camps received several updates to improve their clarity, difficulty, and rewards, as well as to balance their impact on the early game. Some of the most notable jungle changes are:
– The monsters in Krugs now spawn as a group of four, instead of two pairs of two, making them more consistent and predictable for junglers.
– The blue Sentinel’s attack speed bonus was lowered, reducing its damage potential and making it easier for ranged champions to kite and kill it.
– The Gromp’s health and armor were increased, making it tougher and more rewarding to take down, especially for tankier champions or those with sustain.
– The Scuttle Crab now grants less gold but more experience, encouraging junglers to prioritize ganking and counter-jungling over constant crab control.
These changes may affect the jungle pathing, clearing speed, and efficiency of different champions and playstyles, as well as the risk-reward balance of early game actions like invades and scuttle skirmishes.
Conclusion:
Patch 12.10 is a significant update for League of Legends players, bringing a range of changes to champion balancing, item updates, runes reforged, and jungle changes. While some of these updates may be more impactful than others, they all contribute to the game’s meta and diversity, offering new opportunities and challenges for players who want to explore new strategies or master their old favorites. As always, it will be interesting to see how these changes translate into the larger context of competitive play and community feedback, as well as how Riot Games will continue to evolve and refine the game in the future.
