League of Legends Patch 14.20 Preview, Yasuo buffed, Veigar nerfed, and More!
In the upcoming 14.20 Patch, significant changes will be made to the item systems and specific champion abilities in League of Legends. These adjustments aim to create a more balanced and fair gaming experience for all players, addressing particular issues with items and champion balance.
From the modification of item stats to champion buffs and nerfs, these changes are set to have a notable impact on the gameplay dynamics and strategies employed by players. Let's delve into the details of these updates and explore their potential implications on the evolving landscape of League of Legends. This information came from a Twitter post by lead gameplay designer at League of Legends Matt Leung-Harrison
Item Systems
- After taking some deeper looks at the item systems, Riot thinks that some of the systemic effects powering Stormsurge are over the line (mainly Ludens single target damage). They're looking to keep these burst items mainly power neutral but distribute power away from the upfront damage procs
- For Liandrys, some of the off-tank AP junglers (in particular Udyr, Zac, and Amumu) are not feeling the AP nerfs due to the monster damage on the burn being unchanged. It's a noticeable spike in apparent speed upon finishing Liandrys, and while Liandrys looks suitable for non-junglers, it's over the line for these types of champions specifically and is being brought down.
- For AD items, Riot is moving IE clearly out of the first and second item space by increasing the Gold cost gap to other lower-cost AD Crit options like Yun Tal, Essence Reaver, and Collector.
- On 14.18, the comparisons were too mathy, leading to unclear signaling on which items players are meant to buy and difficulties in balancing across many different audiences (some savvier about item purchases than others and others blindly following item builds)
Eclipse Users
- Eclipse users like Lee, Pantheon, and Riven are being compensated and tuned around this current version of Eclipse
- Mostly straightforward buffs, with Pantheon buffs skewed towards the top lane with %HP levers
Collector Users
- Collector is receiving a net buff, but still, the champions received a bigger hit than what Collector is being compensated for. Buffs to Cait, Aphelios as a result
- This will be a relative buff to Jhin for normal play as Shiv is being nerfed and Collector is being buffed, so Riot is putting in a small compensation to Jhin, who, even prior to this patch, was creeping up to be one of the top champions in the role
Melee Crit
- For Yone, Yasuo, and Trynd, some of their items were nerfed pretty hard, especially for regular play (Bork, IE in particular)
- In addition, even on the previous patch, Wind bros were frequently opting out of Crit - The item system for melee crit users feels like it could be better currently. It needs follow-up, but in the meantime, Riot is giving them a bit of a power injection to tide them over.
Poppy/Skarner
- Poppy and Skarner have been receiving a lot of attention recently, particularly in Pro play - Poppy, in particular, has really caught on in support and jungle due to a few enthusiasts, and her damage values, especially with Bloodsong, are feeling over the line - Hitting her down a bit as a result - Skarner has quickly risen to the top after his previous buffs, so Riot is giving him a tap down
Mundo, Morde, Shyv, Singed, Udyr, Veigar
- This catchall category of champions has either benefitted from not being as easy to burst after everyone deals less damage (looking at you, Singed/Udyr/Mundo) and is finding it much easier to execute their gameplan - Or benefit from not being able to die as quickly and get to scale for free (e.g. Veigar/Mundo)
Image Source: Riot GamesChampion Buffs (Patch 14.20)
Aphelios
- Base HP: 580 → 600
- P Bonus AD: 4.5-27 → 5-30
Caitlyn
- AS Ratio: .61 → .625
- Q Secondary Damage: 50% → 60%
Corki
- Q Mana: 80 → 60-80
- W Damage: 150-450 +150% AP → 150-450 +150% AP +150% Bonus AD
- E Mana: 50-90 → 50-70
Lee Sin
- Base AD: 66 → 69
Pantheon
- W Max HP Damage: 5-7% → 6-8%
Riven
- Q Damage: 15-95 + 50-70% total AD → 45-165 + 65-85% bonus AD
Tryndamere
- AS Ratio: .67 → .694
- Armor Growth: 4.3 → 4.8
Yasuo
- Q Crit Damage: 80% → 90%
- R Bonus Armor Pen on Crit: 50% + 60%
Yone
- Q Crit Damage: 80% → 90%
Champion Nerfs (Patch 14.20)
Image Source: Riot GamesDr. Mundo
- E Max HP into Bonus AD: 2-3.4% → 2-3%
Jhin
- AD Growth: 4.7 → 4.4
- R Base Damage: 64/154/244 → 64/128/192
Mordekaiser
- Q Isolation Damage: 40-60% → 30-50%
Poppy
- P Cooldown: 13/10/7 → 16/12/8
- Q Monster Cap: 30-150 → 50-170
- E Base Damage: 60-140 → 50-130
Shyvana
- W Move Speed AP Ratio: 12% → 10%
- R+E Ground DPS: 60-120 → 40-100
- R Damage AP Ratio: 130% → 80%
Singed
- Armor Growth: 4.7 → 4.2
Skarner
- P Max HP Damage: 5-11% → 5-9%
- E Damage: 30-150 + 8% Skarner max HP Q→ 30-150 + 6% Skarner max HP
Udyr
- Q-Q Monster Bonus Damage: 20 → 15
- E Move Speed: 30-65% → 25-55%
- R-R Monster Damage: 10-50 → 5-35
Veigar
- W AP Ratio: 70-110% → 60-100%
The Item ShopSystem Buffs (Patch 14.20)
Nimbus Cloak
- Move Speed: 12-35% →14-40%
The Collector
- Gold: 3400 → 2950
- AD: 60 → 50
Yun Tal Wildarrows
- Gold: 3200 → 2950
- AD: 65 → 60
- Bleed: 70 → 60
System Nerfs (Patch 14.20)
Thornmail
- Armor: 80→75
- Thorns: 15+ 15% bonus armor → 20 + 10% bonus armor
Statikk Shiv
- Attack Speed: 40% → 35%
Grasp of the Undying
- Heal: 3+1.2% max HP → 1.3% max HP
- Max HP per stack: 7/4 → 5/3
Fated Ashes
- Monster DPS: 25 → 20
Liandry's Torment
- Monster DPS Cap: 50 → 40
Luden's Companion
- Fire Damage 60 + 4% AP → 75+ 5% AP
- Repeat Damage: 50% 20%
- Max Single Target: 210 + 14% AP → 150 + 10% AP
Stormsurge
- AP: 95-90
- Squall Damage: 150 +15% AP → 125 +10% AP
System Adjustments
Rune Tooltips
Cleaned up tooltips for most runes, making them easier to read. Fixed overlapping text in the stat panel.
As League of Legends continues to evolve, Patch 14.20 promises to reshape the meta in meaningful ways. By addressing systemic item imbalances and fine-tuning champion abilities, Riot Games is not only enhancing gameplay fairness but also invigorating strategic diversity across all roles. Players can anticipate a more dynamic environment, where adaptability and a deeper understanding of the itemization can lead to more tremendous success on the Rift.
Whether you're a seasoned veteran or a newcomer, these changes offer a fresh slate for experimentation and mastery. With the introduction of rebalanced items and champions, the competitive landscape is set to shift, urging players to rethink their approaches and embrace the ever-changing nature of the game. Get ready to dive back into the action, as each match promises new challenges and opportunities to showcase your skills in this beloved arena.
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Credit: Riot Games