Upcoming Changes for 12 Champions in League of Legends Patch 11.6
League of Legends gameplay design director Mark “Scruffy” Yetter has unveiled the Patch 11.6 preview, outlining the upcoming changes for 12 champions. Last week, Riot previewed the systemic healing tweaks and Xin Zhao mini-update, but now Scruffy has given us the full list of adjustments we can expect in next week’s patch. While Akali is receiving attention, junglers Hecarim and Karthus are facing nerfs.
Akali’s Adjustments
Akali has always been a challenge for Riot since her rework. She can easily become underwhelming or overpowered with balance changes. However, in Patch 11.4, Champion.gg reported that she had a low win rate of 44.9% in Platinum ranks and above. As a result, she is due for some adjustments.
Although Scruffy will provide more details about Akali’s changes tomorrow, it appears that Riot is already testing them on League’s PBE (Public Beta Environment), as reported by Surrender at 20. Some of the changes include reducing Akali’s base health, removing her Assassin’s Mark passive, adjusting the energy cost of Five Point Strike (Q), and changing the damage type of Perfect Execution (R) from physical to magic. There are also adjustments to Shuriken Flip (E) and Twilight Shroud (W).
These changes are aimed at giving power to Akali while still maintaining competitive integrity. She will likely have less dominance in the laning phase but scale better into the late game.
Nerfs for Hecarim and Karthus
Dominant junglers Hecarim and Karthus, who currently have high win rates of 51.7% and 52.6% respectively in Platinum and above, are being toned down to create space for other champions. Hecarim is known for his strong dueling, farming ability, mobility, and crowd control. Riot may focus on limiting his early game strength, making him less efficient at farming and dueling in the early stages.
On the other hand, Karthus is a late-game monster with excellent farming capabilities. However, his early game is his weak point since he needs time to scale. Riot might further weaken his abilities in the early game, particularly their effectiveness against minions.
Other Changes
In addition to Akali, Hecarim, and Karthus, other champions like Urgot, Lillia, Renekton, and Gnar will also receive nerfs in Patch 11.6. However, champions like LeBlanc, Sylas, Pyke, and Volibear jungle are due for buffs.
Remember that these adjustments are subject to change before the patch goes live in over a week.
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Keywords: League of Legends, Patch 11.6, Akali adjustments, Hecarim nerf, Karthus nerf, champion changes.
