Riot Games has unveiled a substantial list of changes coming with League of Legends Patch 13.20, set to release next week. Lead gameplay designer Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison shared a comprehensive set of patch notes, with adjustments aimed at addressing various game balance concerns.
Despite the proximity of the League of Legends World Championship, Riot has opted to prioritize the experience of regular players over high-quality practice for the professional scene. This patch focuses on the jungle and aims to combat snowballing matches, providing losing teams with more opportunities to stage a comeback.
Five champions are set to receive nerfs in this update: Bel’Veth, Akshan, Kai’Sa, Quinn, and Zed. Bel’Veth is notably impacted by several nerfs, including reductions in her passive attack speed bonus, bonus movement speed in her True Form, and damage reduction on her ability Royal Maelstrom. These changes are intended to make her less tanky early on and encourage a more glass cannon playstyle.
Akshan’s early-game movement speed bonus is reduced, while Kai’Sa faces decreased starting armor to address her early-game strength. Quinn receives slight adjustments to health, movement speed, and damage scaling per level, and Zed’s Living Shadow ability has a longer cooldown at level five.
Additionally, Duskblade of Draktharr sees reduced ability haste and Nightstalker damage, while Youmuu’s Ghostblade receives buffs to create a more balanced choice between the two items. These changes are aimed at refining gameplay and champion balance for a more dynamic experience in League of Legends Patch 13.20.
