Riot puts a damper on the fun: Experimental Volibear, Karma builds, and more get nerfed in LoL Patch 14.6

League of Legends Patch 14.6 Preview Reveals Major Changes Coming Soon

League of Legends Patch 14.6 is set to arrive in just a week, and Riot has recently unveiled a full preview of the upcoming update. This preview offers players a glimpse into the changes they can anticipate when the patch is released on March 20.

In a thread on X (formerly Twitter), League’s lead gameplay designer Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison delved into the specifics of the Patch 14.6 preview. He discussed the changes that would be made to each of the 15 champions receiving buffs, nerfs, and adjustments. A key focus of these changes is to address champions who have dominated the ranked ladder with non-traditional builds.

One standout among these champions is Karma, who has been in an experimental state on the current patch. She has become an unstoppable presence, boasting a win rate of over 51% in the mid lane at Emerald rank and higher, and a 52% win rate across all ranks, according to the League stats site U.gg.

To address Karma’s overwhelming success, Riot is implementing significant adjustments to her mana management. In the next patch, Karma’s mana per level will decrease from 50 to 40, and the cost of her Inner Flame (Q) will scale up from a flat cost of 45 at each rank to a maximum cost of 80 mana.

Sion is another champion benefitting from hybrid-damage builds, leading Riot to buff him further to emphasize this strategy. The development team is also targeting Shen to make him more viable again, as well as Briar to ensure she remains effective at all skill levels.

Additionally, Smolder, the mischievous dragon wreaking havoc in the AD carry position, will be facing nerfs on his Q ability. The ability’s size will be reduced, making it more difficult for Smolder to execute enemies and land successful plays.

Volibear is slated to receive the most specific set of nerfs in Patch 14.6. The movement speed granted by his Thundering Smash (Q) will be reduced at later ranks, and the cooldown of his ultimate will be increased at early ranks. Riot aims to balance Volibear’s gameplay pattern, which currently revolves around either successfully eliminating opponents or failing to do so.

Moreover, the upcoming patch will introduce various item changes that indirectly affect other champions. Some ADC items, including Infinity Edge, Navori Quickblades, Lord Dom’s, and Mortal Reminder, will be buffed, while gold-generating support items will undergo nerfs.

League Patch 14.6 is scheduled to go live on March 20, according to the game’s official patch schedule. Players should prepare for these significant changes that will shape the meta and gameplay experience in the coming weeks.