League of Legends Strategy Nerfed after Clutch Gaming’s Huni Unveils Overpowered Tactic
Last weekend, an unexpected and powerful strategy in League of Legends was exposed to the masses by Clutch Gaming’s Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon. He used the support item Spellthief’s Edge in the top lane, despite losing his own lane in a rather amusing way. This revelation led to a revolution, as players discovered that ranged champions could buy Spellthief’s and effectively harass their opponents while earning gold. However, just days after this strategy gained popularity, Riot Games is already implementing significant nerfs.
Hotfix to Address the Overpowered Strategy
Riot’s balance team lead, Richard Henkel, confirmed via Twitter that a hotfix will be released to counteract the emergence of the zero CS top lane strategy. This strategy has appeared both in solo queue and professional play in recent weeks. While Riot generally supports diverse playstyles, this particular strategy has significantly impacted the viewing experience and gameplay. Therefore, they have decided to take swift action to address the issue.
Corrective Measures to Remove Support Items from Top Lane
The scheduled hotfix will institute changes to two support items: Spellthief’s Edge and Ancient Coin. Moving forward, these items will only grant gold when an ally is nearby. Although this solution may not be elegant, it should effectively remove these items from the top lane. Previously, there were speculations on various ways to resolve the problem, and it seems this mechanic was deemed the most efficient approach.
The Catch: Sticking to the Bottom Lane
An important caveat is that proximity to an ally is necessary for these items to provide gold. The bottom lane is the only lane where players are consistently near an ally, as these items are traditionally used by supports. Players are advised against experimenting with Spellthief’s on champions like Teemo in the bottom lane, especially when accompanied by an enchanter support with the same item. It is a strategy that is best left untouched, for the sake of both oneself and the unfortunate opponents that must face it.
League of Legends, esports, Clutch Gaming, Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon, Spellthief’s Edge, support item, top lane, Riot Games, nerf, hotfix, strategy, zero CS strategy, Richard Henkel, balance team, Ancient Coin, bottom lane, proximity, enchanter support, Teemo