League of Legends: The Biggest Changes from Patch 14.5
Get ready for a shakeup, Summoners! Patch 14.5 aims to redefine the Rift with substantial changes to core items, nerfs to dominant champions, and buffs that could create new playstyle opportunities. Let's break down the biggest shifts and what these numbers really mean for your strategies.
Patch 14.5 CHAMPION BUFFS: New Threats Emerge
These champions get power boosts, opening up potential new strategies and shaking up the meta.
Credit: Riot GamesRek'Sai's Bruiser Build Bites Harder:
Increased damage turns her into a terrifying burrowing threat this 14.5 patch. Expect more aggressive Rek'Sai plays centered around diving the backline. Players favoring her bruiser style will find her even more menacing, requiring opponents to adjust their positioning and counter-engage strategies.
E - Furious Bite: 100 Fury Bonus Damage: 6/8/10/12/14% of target's maximum health ⇒ 8/9.5/11/12.5/14% of target's maximum health
R - Void Rush Damage: 100/250/400 (+100% bonus AD) (+20/25/30% of target's missing health) ⇒ 150/300/450 (+100% bonus AD) (+25/30/35% of target's missing health)
Credit: Riot GamesSmolder's Smoldering Potential:
Changes reward skillful dragon pilots and de-emphasize tank builds. Aiming that dragon breath accurately becomes more crucial, while tanky Smolder builds lose some of their power. Smolder players will need to prioritize accurate skill shots and aggressive positioning to maximize these changes.
R - Mmooommmm! Sweet Spot Increased Damage Multiplier: 30% ⇒ 50%
R - Mmooommmm! Self Heal: 110/160/210 (+75% AP) ⇒ 100/135/170 (+50% bonus AD) (+75% AP)
Credit: Riot GamesJarvan IV: A Helping Hand:
Lol Patch 14.5 Buffs aim to bring him back into meta consideration. The improved base armor and shorter cooldown on his Q make him more durable and give him more frequent poke or engage opportunities. Jarvan players might find success in a more aggressive early game.
Base Stats – Armor Growth: 4.8 ⇒ 5.2
Q - Dragon Strike Cooldown: 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 seconds ⇒ 10/9/8/7/6 seconds
Credit: Riot GamesKog'Maw: More Bite Across the Board:
Various buffs make him a stronger carry. Kog'Maw should have a smoother laning phase due to increased movement speed and his Q's cast time change. His late-game damage also gets a boost with the R buff.
Passive - Bonus Movement Speed: 0-40% over 4 seconds ⇒ 10-50% over 4 seconds
Q - Caustic Spittle Cast Time: 0.25 seconds ⇒ now matches Kog'Maw's auto attack frame time
E - Void Ooze Slow: 30/35/40/45/50% ⇒ 40/45/50/55/60%
R - Living Artillery Minimum Damage: 100/140/180 (+65% bonus AD) (+35% AP) ⇒ 100/140/180 (+75% bonus AD) (+35% AP)
Credit: Riot GamesMaokai: Jungle Focus:
A slight nerf to base movement speed is offset by a buff to his Q's monster damage, solidifying his place as a jungler. Maokai mains who prefer jungling can expect improved clear speeds, while those who favor his support role might need to adapt their early roaming strategies slightly.
Base Stats - Base Movement Speed: 335 ⇒ 330
Q - Bramble Smash Bonus Damage to Monsters: 80/100/120/140/160 ⇒ 120/130/140/150/160
Credit: Riot GamesSeraphine: Support Buff within an Overhaul:
While a significant rework is happening, these changes support her intended role. Increased base movement speed will make her feel more agile, and the shorter Q cooldown lets her contribute more often in team fights or skirmishes. Check the official Patch 14.5 notes for a full list of changes to Seraphine.
Base Stats - Movement speed: 325 ⇒ 330
Q - High Note Cooldown: 10/8.75/7.5/6.25/5 ⇒ 8/7.5/7/6.5/6 seconds
Patch 14.5 CHAMPION NERFS: Adjusting the Powerhouses
These champions have been dominating for too long, here is Riot's response in patch 14.5.
Credit: Riot GamesBel'Veth: Early Dueling Reduced:
She takes a hit to her early-game strength in patch 14.5. This might make Bel'Veth players shift to a slightly less aggressive early game, focusing on farming and calculated ganks instead of early invades.
E - Royal Maelstrom Damage Reduction: 42/49/56/63/70% ⇒ 35/40/45/50/55%
Bugfix: Fixed a bug that caused Bel'Veth to get 3 stacks for each Epic Void monster instead of the intended 2.
Credit: Riot GamesSenna: Damage Nerf:
Targeting her overwhelming power. Senna will have slightly less burst damage across the board, but her utility and scaling remain intact. She may need to be slightly more calculated with her Q usage in the early game.
Q - Piercing Darkness Damage: 30/60/90/120/150 (+50% bonus AD) ⇒ 30/60/90/120/150 (+40% bonus AD)
Credit: Riot GamesTwisted Fate: AD Build Nerfed:
Changes specifically target his dominant AD build. This should lead to less prevalence of AD Twisted Fate, giving room for his AP build to shine again or potentially bringing up other side-lane bullies.
E - Stacked Deck Bonus Attack Speed: 10/22.5/35/47.5/60% ⇒ 10/20/30/40/50%
E - Stacked Deck Bonus Damage: 65/90/115/140/165 (+75% bonus AD) (+40% AP) ⇒ 65/90/115/140/165 (+20% bonus AD) (+40% AP)
Credit: Riot GamesVayne: Focused on Top Lane Nerf:
Aims to curb top lane dominance, preserve bot lane strength. Vayne players in the top lane will find it harder to establish early dominance, while those in the bot lane might not notice substantial changes.
Passive - Night Hunter Bonus Movement Speed: 45 ⇒ 30 (Note: Bonus movement speed during Final Hour will be unchanged at 90.)
Q - Tumble Cooldown: 4/3.5/3/2.5/2 ⇒ 6/5/4/3/2 seconds
Credit: Riot GamesYorick: Mixed Results:
Yorick himself takes damage nerfs, while his Maiden gets stronger. This shifts his power slightly away from solo laning and towards being more reliant on his Maiden for strength, especially later in the game.
E - Mourning Mist Cursed Bonus Damage for 8 Attacks: 30% ⇒ 20%
R - Eulogy of the Isles Maiden Armor and Magic Resist: 10-50 (based on level) ⇒ 30-90 (based on level)
ITEM ADJUSTMENTS: New Paths, New Strategies
Riot's primary goal with these item changes is to create less reliance on early game bursts and to encourage diverse build paths, especially for AP assassins.
LoL Patch 14.5 Buffs
Rocketbelt Revs Up:
This item is getting a significant buff to both damage and Ability Power, making it a strong contender for many AP assassins seeking burst and mobility. These changes might make Rocketbelt a tempting alternative to Luden's Echo or Night Harvester for champions like Fizz or Diana.
Total Price: 2500 gold ⇒ 2600 gold
Ability Power: 60 ⇒ 70
Stormsurge Steps Back:
This component remains a powerful tool but sees its mana refund and cooldown reduction slightly nerfed. While still potent, it encourages a shift toward later-game builds, forcing mages to be more strategic about its use. This adjustment potentially leaves room for less-used early game components to shine for certain champions.
Specific change: Movement Speed: +5% ⇒ +8%
LoL Patch 14.5 Nerfs
Lich Bane's Dominance Dimmed:
The go-to first item for many AP assassins takes a hit, specifically in its Spellblade damage. This encourages players to consider alternatives like Luden's Echo for AoE damage or Night Harvester for sustained fights. The change forces AP assassins to re-evaluate their go-to build and add another layer of decision-making.
Spellblade Damage: 75% base AD (+50% AP) ⇒ 75% base AD (+45% AP)
Support Surge Slowed Down:
Support quest items, such as Spellthief's Edge and Relic Shield, have reduced early game power. This creates a longer window when strategic champion matchups and laning skill take center stage, lessening the impact of a quick item spike. Support players will need to prioritize their champion's inherent strengths and focus on outplaying their lane opponents.
Tank Itemization Evolves:
While not strictly a nerf, the changes to Sunfire Aegis and Heartsteel emphasize their unique strengths and potential playstyle differences. These adjustments reinforce existing playstyles with these items while potentially making the choice between them more nuanced.
Sunfire Aegis: Health (450 ⇒ 500) and Immolate Base Damage (12 ⇒ 15) buffs solidify it as the item for sustained damage output.
Heartsteel: Focus shifts towards scaling with less initial burst. Proc Bonus Damage is changed from 100 (+10% bonus health from items) ⇒ 80 (+12% bonus health from items). This favors champions who can excel in drawn-out team fights.
The Takeaway
Patch 14.5 aims to open up strategic diversity. Champion mastery and smart decision-making will matter more than ever as item-driven power bursts are toned down. The Sunfire Aegis and Heartsteel changes make tank champions even more formidable choices for top lane and jungle roles, with their specific value depending on your chosen scaling and damage style. Tank players will see even more value in their core items, potentially leading to a resurgence of tanky meta picks. Expect new opportunities for different champions to shine, and be ready to evolve your playstyle with the shifting meta. Which champions will you rise to the challenge with?