League of Legends Patch 14.15 Preview: Yasuo buffs, ADC nerfs, and more!

A new patch draws near for League of Legends, and that always brings as much excitement as uncertainty!

Join us as we take a closer look at the changes the game will have in store for us with patch 14.15. From ADC nerfs to several AP item buffs, this is set to be an interesting patch for League of Legends, to say the least!

This information about patch 14.15 came from an X (Twitter) post made by Matt "Phroxzon" Leung-Harrison, League of Legends' Lead Gameplay Designer.

Returning skill skew to some champions

"Over the years we've made a bunch of adjustments to champions to make them more performant in normal play and reduce some of the optimizations that make them stronger in high levels of play.

This has led to a gradual movement towards safe scaling champions in lanes (especially mid) and we're looking to recoup some of that - For assassins, we're trying to target them at having moments of strength at 3 (get all abilities), 6 (ult), 9 (first max) depending on the champion and whether their kit is conducive towards it and playing up those moments of power."

Champion Buffs

Talon

• [Q] Noxian Diplomacy now always dashes toward his target. Short-range [Q] dashes less far

Varus

• Base AD increased 57 >>> 59
• [P] Living Vengeance buffs:
  • Bonus Attack Speed from non-champion kill increased 10% flat >>> 10/20/30% (based on levels 1/7/13)
  • Bonus Attack Speed from champion takedown increased 40% >>> 50%
  • Bonus AD and AP from champion takedown bonus Attack Speed ratio increased 15% >>> 25%
  • Attack Speed cap on champion takedown increased 2.7632 >>> 3 (no longer only accommodates bonus Attack Speed from champion takedown)
• [W-P] Blighted Quiver base on-hit magic damage reduced 7/14/21/28/35 >>> 5/10/15/20/25

Yasuo

• Base armor increased 30 >>> 32
• [E] Sweeping Blade adjustments:
  • Base damage increased 60/70/80/90/100 >>> 70/85/100/115/130
  • Bonus damage per Ride the Wind stack increased 15-25% (based on levels 1-18) >>> 25% flat (60-100% (based on levels 1-18) >>> 100% flat at max stacks)

Champion Nerfs

Aurelion Sol

• [Q] Breath of Light adjustments:
  • Damage per tick AP ratio reduced 6.875% >>> 6.25% (55% >>> 50% per second)
  • Burst bonus damage adjusted 55/65/75/85/95 (+30% AP) (+3.1% per 100 Stardust target's max HP) >>> 55/60/65/70/75 (+25% AP) (+12% Stardust) (+3% per 100 Stardust target's max HP)
• [E] Singularity adjustments:
  • Mana cost increased 80 >>> 90
  • Now grants 1 extra Stardust stack if at least 4 enemies die within it

*Information taken from the PBE

Aurora

• [P-Realm Hopper] Spirit Abjuration - Realm Hopper bonus Move Speed adjusted 5-10% (based on levels 1-18) (+3% per 100 AP) (+5% per active Spirit (capped at 4)) >>> 5-8.6% (based on levels 1-18) (+3% per 100 AP) (+2% (+3% per 100 AP) per active Spirit (capped at 4))
• [Q2] Twofold Hex recast buffs:
  • Recast cooldown reduced
  • Can no longer miss its original target
• [W] Across the Veil changes:
  • Cooldown increased 18/17/16/15/14 >>> 20/19/18/17/16 seconds
  • Invisibility breaking on auto attacks now happens on launch attack instead of pre-attack, so you won't accidentally break invisibility by starting and cancelling an attack
• [E] The Weirding changes:
  • Jump-back distance adjusted 800 >>> 150 (+200% Move Speed) (should be quicker as the game goes on and during [P] Spirit Abjuration - Realm Hopper)
  • Now has a manual spell buffering system during the jump like [W] Across the Veil
• [R] Between Worlds changes:
  • Damage reduced 250/375/500 (+65% AP) >>> 200/325/450 (+60% AP)
  • Now has a manual spell buffering system during the jump like [W] Across the Veil
  • No longer locks camera on using the warp

*Information taken from an X (Twitter) post made by Blake "Squad5" Smith (League of Legends Lead Champion Designer)

Ezreal

"Ezreal we overshot a bit in recent patches and he's mostly unaffected by any of the item nerfs in the patch and will be disproportaiontely buffed as a result, so we're tapping him down pre-emptively"

• [Q] Mystic Shot AD ratio reduced 140% >>> 130%

Leona

• [P] Sunlight damage reduced 32-168 (based on levels 1-18, linear) >>> 32-151 (based on levels 1-18, linear)
• [W] Eclipse base damage reduced 55/90/125/160/195 >>> 55/85/115/145/175

Shyvana

• [E] Flame Breath adjustments:
  • Base damage adjusted 60/100/140/180/220 (+40% total AD) (+90% AP) >>> 85/125/165/205/245 (+50% bonus AD) (+80% AP)
  • [R-E] Dragon Form bonus explosion damage adjusted 75-135 (based on levels 6-18, linear) (+30% total AD) (+30% AP) >>> 75-135 (based on levels 6-18, linear) (+50% bonus AD) (+20% AP)
  • [R-E] Dragon Form scorched field damage per tick AD ratio adjusted 5% total AD >>> 15% bonus AD (40% total AD >>> 120% bonus AD total)

Champion Adjustments

Akali

"We think it's pretty reasonable that in most cases, Akali is trying to survive until 6 and play against the opponent's mana bar until she has kill threat

We're also buffing the Ultimate here so that the buffs are skewed more towards mid lane and killing squishy champions rather than top, as she tends to have low interaction patterns up there"

• [W] Twilight Shroud cooldown reduced 20 >>> 20/19/18/17/16 seconds
• [R] Perfect Execution adjustments:
  • [R1] base damage adjusted 80/220/360 >>> 110/220/330
  • [R2] base damage adjusted 60/130/200 >>> 70/140/210
  • Cooldown increased 100/80/60 >>> 120/90/60 seconds

Cassiopeia

• Base mana increased 350 >>> 400
• Mana per level reduced 60 >>> 40
• [Q] Noxious Blast adjustments:
  • AP ratio increased 90% >>> 70%
  • Mana cost reduced 50/60/70/80/90 >>> 50/55/60/65/70
• [W] Miasma mana cost reduced 70/80/90/100/110 >>> 70/75/80/85/90
• [E] Twin Fang adjustments:
  • Bonus magic damage against poisoned targets AP ratio reduced 60% >>> 55%
  • Mana cost reduced 50/48/46/44/42 >>> 40

Irelia

• Base HP increased 590 >>> 630
• Base HP regeneration reduced 8.5 >>> 6

Skarner

• HP per level increased 105 >>> 110
• [Q1] Shattered Earth buffs:
  • Mana cost reduced 50 >>> 40
  • QoL around attacking after casting
• [E] Ixtal's Impact can no longer grab units behind Skarner

Sylas

• [Q] Chain Lash adjustments:
  • Explosion damage reduced 70/125/180/235/290 (+90% AP) >>> 60/115/170/225/280 (+80% AP)
  • Cooldown reduced 11/10/9/8/7 >>> 10/9/8/7/6 seconds
• [W] Kingslayer adjustments:
  • Damage AP ratio reduced 80% >>> 70%
  • Heal adjusted 20/40/60/80/100 (+35% AP) >>> 20/40/60/80/100 (+20% AP) (+5% bonus HP)
• [E2] Abduct AP ratio reduced 100% >>> 80%

Yone

• [Q] Mortal Steel base damage increased 20/40/60/80/100 >>> 20/45/70/95/120
• [R] Fate Sealed cooldown increased 120/90/60 >>> 120/100/80 seconds

Zed

• [Q] Razor Shuriken 80/115/150/185/220 (+110% bAD) >>> 80/120/160/200/240 (+100% bAD)
• [R] Death Mark cooldown increased 120/100/80 >>> 120/110/100 seconds

System Buffs

AP Items

"We're bringing other AP items up to the standard of other portions of the AP ecosystem. 

Items like Stormsurge were overnerfed for Ranged and Void is still needing a little help. 

Cosmic and Rocketbelt have also struggled a bit to be performant for their core users."

Cosmic Drive

• HP increased 250 >>> 350
• Spelldance bonus Move Speed increased 25-60 (based on levels 1-18, linear) >>> 40-60 (based on levels 8-18, linear)

Dark Harvest

• Cooldown reduced 40 >>> 35 seconds
• Takedown reset timer reduced 1.5 >>> 1 second

Death's Dance

• Armor increased 40 >>> 50

Hextech Rocketbelt

• HP increased 300 >>> 400

Horizon Focus

• AP increased 90 >>> 95

Stormsurge

• Stormraider bonus Move Speed increased 25% >>> 35%
• Squall ranged damage increased (140/105) (+20/15% AP) (melee/ranged) >>> (140/112) (+20/16% AP) (melee/ranged)

Void Staff

• AP increased 90 >>> 95

Abyssal Mask

• Unmake buffs:
  • Magic Resistance reduction increased 20% >>> 30%
  • Radius increased 600 >>> 700
• Cost increased 2300 >>> 2500

*Information taken from a YouTube video by David "Phreak" Turley (League of Legends Game Designer)

Wit's End

• Fray damage increased 15-80 (based on levels 8-18, frontloaded) >>> 40-80 (based on levels 8-18, linear)
• Build path changed Recurve Bow + Negatron Cloak + Dagger + 900 gold >>> Recurve Bow + Negatron Cloak + Recurve Bow + 500 gold

*Information taken from a YouTube video by David "Phreak" Turley (League of Legends Game Designer)

System Nerfs

On ADC items

"We're reducing the power level of some ADC items that were released a bit too strong in the season 2 changes, some taps down to Kraken, Shiv as a result that give ADC champions a bit weaker of a 1 item trough.

We think Kraken being so strong is what's driving a lot of the solo lane marksmen meta right now."

Kraken Slayer

• Move Speed reduced 7% >>> 5%
• Bring It Down bonus physical damage for ranged champions reduced 100% >>> 80%

Lord Dominik's Regards

• Armor Penetration reduced 40% >>> 35%

Mortal Reminder

• AD reduced 40 >>> 35

Statikk Shiv

• Move Speed reduced 7% >>> 5%
• Cost increased 2800 >>> 2900 gold

Boots

• Berserker's Greaves Attack Speed reduced 35% >>> 30%
• Boots of Swiftness cost increased 900 >>> 1000
• Ionian Boots of Lucidity nerfs:
  • Ionian Insight* Summoner Spell Haste reduced 12 >>> 10
  • Cost increased 900 >>> 1000
• Mercury's Treads nerfs:
  • Magic Resistance reduced 25 >>> 20
  • Cost increased 1100 >>> 1200
• Plated Steelcaps adjustments:
  • Plating basic attack damage reduction increased 8% >>> 10%
  • Cost increased 1000 >>> 1200
• Sorcerer's Shoes Magic Penetration reduced 18 >>> 15

*Information taken from a YouTube video by David "Phreak" Turley (League of Legends Game Designer)

Null-Magic Mantle

• Magic Resistance reduced 25 >>> 20
• Cost reduced 450 >>> 400

System Adjustments

"Nerfs are coming in to ADC's laning and first item spike through early fleet nerfs."

Fleet Footwork

• Healing adjusted 8-110 (based on levels 1-18, linear) >>> 5-120 (based on levels 1-18, stat progression multiplier)

Arena

"There will be a variety of arena changes this patch coming to freshen up the experience, including some small adjustments to Koi Pond to make it less favorable to stat-checky comps and a variety of new items and augments

There's too many changes to list, so check out the patch notes"

The changes coming to League of Legends with patch 14.15 are certainly hefty. With the upcoming nerfs to ADC's laning, they will be reliant on their support more than ever. This means that ADC's are likely to struggle in the solo lanes.

We are likely to see big changes in the meta, given enough time. Buffs to a few long-forgotten AP items, as well as some assassin champions, on top of several ADC nerfs, might just mean that the League of Legends landscape will look entirely different once the patch is released.

The changes will seemingly steer the game into a fresh new direction, keeping players excited for what's to come!

Image source: Riot Games

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