Warwick, the Jungle Champion, Set to Receive Nerf in League of Legends Patch 8.9
League of Legends players know that it’s rare for any champion to avoid balance changes for an extended period. However, Warwick has managed to elude Riot’s balance team and maintain a strong presence in the jungle tier list since his major update last year.
But now, it seems his reign may come to an end as a nerf is on the horizon. Although it’s not a significant nerf, it will still have an impact.
According to League stats site Champion.gg, there have been fleeting moments where Warwick hasn’t ranked in the top five for winrates or playrates among jungle champions. However, for the most part, he has consistently remained in the top three.
But how has he managed to stay at the top for so long without any major nerfs? The answer is simple. Winrates and playrates don’t tell the whole story. While a high winrate combined with a high playrate is usually a cause for concern, there are always other factors at play. Warwick, for example, has clear counters and weaknesses. He can be easily kited, his ultimate can be dodged, and there are strategies to play around him.
Furthermore, a champion can become weaker indirectly without direct nerfs. In Warwick’s case, one of his essential items, the Cinderhulk, was significantly nerfed this year, which should have affected his performance as well.
Unfortunately, these indirect nerfs and his counters haven’t been enough to balance out Warwick’s overall strength. He excels in several aspects – he dominates early game duels and can scale to become one of the best tank junglers in the game. Despite his exceptional survivability and tankiness, he can also dish out more damage than some bruisers who sacrifice tankiness for damage.
As a step in the right direction, Riot is planning to nerf the max health damage from Warwick’s Q ability at higher ranks, as well as slightly reduce his base AD. These changes will slow down his early camp clears and reduce his jungle dueling potential, and make him less effective late in the game.
These nerfs are set to go live with Patch 8.9 next week.
League of Legends, Warwick, Jungle Champion, Nerf, Patch 8.9, Winrates, Playrates, Balance Changes, Cinderhulk