Shaco and Garen Set for Nerfs in Patch 9.21
Patch 9.20 was kind to Shaco and Garen, but it seems they may have become a bit too strong. League of Legends design director Andrei “Meddler” van Roon addressed their power levels in a recent Dev Corner post, indicating that both champions will likely receive nerfs in the upcoming patch.
Shaco: An Early Game Domination
Shaco underwent significant changes in Patch 9.20. His Jack In The Box (W) ability now deals area of effect damage to multiple enemies, making his early game much stronger. However, this buff allows him to reach level three while bottom laners are still level one, highlighting his dominance in the jungle.
While Meddler believes the Shaco changes show promise, he acknowledges that the jester’s jungle presence is problematic.
“It seems like he’s too strong, although not to the extent of requiring a hotfix, but rather a nerf in the next patch,” Meddler mentioned. He plans to test weaker level one boxes to slow down Shaco’s initial camp clearing and leveling to three.
Riot aims to reduce Shaco’s early-game impact in Patch 9.21, but not at the cost of making him weaker than before Patch 9.20.
Garen: A Dominant Force
Garen received passive health regeneration and a shield for his Courage (W) ability, along with changes to his spin-to-win ability. These adjustments make him too oppressive in the early game, while still being strong in the mid to late game. Meddler is satisfied with the direction of tanky top laners, but acknowledges Garen’s overpowered status.
“Garen is also looking too strong and will likely be nerfed in the next patch,” said Meddler. “Although he’s performing better in high MMR, he’s still on the strong side even there. We intended to shift power to his early game, as it aligns with Garen’s historical identity and is a suitable pattern for juggernauts. So far, it seems to be working.”
In Patch 9.21, Riot plans to tone down Garen’s dominance, while ensuring he remains in a balanced state compared to before Patch 9.20.
Both Shaco and Garen will see adjustments in Patch 9.21 as Riot aims to maintain a fair and balanced gameplay experience.