5 Biggest Changes Coming in League of Legends Patch 11.10
The newest League of Legends patch looms on the horizon, with less than a week until players are hit with a patch preview for the upcoming 11.10.
Massive Phase Rush Nerfs
Cooldown 15s >>> 30-10s (based on Level); Move Speed (ranged) 25%-40% >>> 15-40%;
Move Speed (melee) 40-60% >>> 30-60%
Without a doubt the biggest deal in 11.10 is the crippling nerf to everyone's favorite kiting tool: Phase Rush. For nearly a year now, many champions in the jungle would take Phase Rush as their rune, typically when matched against melee champions you can easily kite out while utilizing the huge burst of move speed you obtain very easily with Phase Rush.
The power of Phase Rush came from how easily and fast you were able proc the mastery, three hits on an enemy champion - auto-attack or ability, and you gained a mini Ghost effect from your mastery.
As a summoner spell originally designed with control mages in mind, (the mastery was still excellent on many control mages as well) the mastery really found its dominance when players began to realize how valuable the burst of movement speed is for early skirmishes on the Scuttle Crab, for example.
Buffs to Riftmaker, Abyssal Mask, Guinsoo's Rageblade, and Goredrinker
Riftmaker has had middling success as a Mythic item so far in Season 11. Typically, for many of the champions that would want to pick up Riftmaker, Night Harvester would usually outperform. The extra damage and extra sustain that now comes with more damage will be welcome, but we'll have to see the following days after the release of 11.10 for a true verdict on Riftmaker.
Just as the case with Riftmaker, Abyssal Mask is constantly outperformed by its bigger magic resist brothers Force of Nature or Spirit Visage. The damage amplifier gained from Abyssal Mask is way too situational and limits the user to a five-second window, whereas the aforementioned MR items and their effects are applicable in just about any situation.
Rageblade keeps getting more and more support with its second buff in recent memory, so Guinsoo's may be an item you see popping up in more builds due to its sheer numbers.
Goredrinker is an interesting case, as it's an item intended for Fighters, who typically like to duel at low HP with lifesteal, shields, and other forms of self-defense in their kits. However, the Goredrinker "buffs" grant the user less AD based on missing health, less healing, but a 50 HP buff to the item itself. This change is marked as a buff by Riot, so we'll have to see if Goredrinker outperforms itself from the previous patch.
Important Champion Buffs to Know
Irelia, Kennen, Kayle, Lux, Zyra, and Yuumi will all be receiving buffs in 11.10, with some notable ones to point out of this bunch.
Kekken - W 4th Attack Magic Damage :: 10/20/30/40/50 (+20%AP) >>> 20/30/40/50/60 (+25%AP)
With the massive hit to Phase Rush this patch, Kennen needed a little something to keep him afloat for 11.10. This buff to Kennen's W will make his time against melee champions even safer, and further justifies a W max when up against melee champs.
Kayle - Level 11 - Aflame Damage ratio (+20%AP) >>> (+25%AP); Level 16 - Transcendent Additional Range: 50 >>> 100
League of Legends has been more early-game and skirmish focused than ever, and for Kayle, this is not great. Kayle is a champ who excels the longer the game goes on, directly gaining power during critical break points at levels 6, 11, and 16. This buff to Kayle's damage mid-game is very welcome, and the extra range later will help her ability to kite.
Important Champion Nerfs to Know
Darius, Galio, Talon, Jinx, Thresh, Bard, and Katarina have all been hit by nerfs in 11.10. This batch of nerfed champs is solid, as many of these champs have been top picks in their roles for many patches.
Darius - E Cooldown: 24-12 >>> 26-18
While not the most glamourous nerf, the amount of times Darius is able to freely walk or Ghost up to a champion during a mid or late-game fight is pretty oppressive. This nerf will make a pretty significant difference with the number of pulls Darius will be able to get off in any given fight.
Jinx - Base Armor: 28 >>> 26; R Execute damage against Epic Monsters is capped at 800
Jinx is easily one of the best ADCs right now, especially when it comes to pro play. Another unsexy nerf, although Jinx players and those going against her should feel this one, as now Jinx will be taking more unfavorable trades with the lower armor. Additionally, her objective stealing game with the clutch Baron and Dragon steals are harder to execute.
Katarina - Movement Speed :: 340 >>> 335
Riot's balance team with the classic -5 movement speed, something the team has gotten memed for in the past when Irelia was dominating and hit with an exact -5 movement speed nerf. The thing is, move speed is one of the most valuable stats in the game, and for a champion like Katarina who must roam from mid lane to impact the side lanes, Kat players will definitely feel this. The problem, however, Katarina remains exactly the same in terms of damage and cooldowns, something many players would agree is an area of her kit that needs to be toned down.
Jungle Changes
This set of jungle changes is mainly to give some aid to mages in the jungle who have trouble clearing more of the bigger camps like the two buff camps and Scuttle Crab.
Power is being slightly shifted away from the bigger jungle monsters and put into Summoner Spell Smite instead. Additionally, Smite's damage scaling up based on level is completely done away with: giving those who fall behind a level from the opposing jungler a greater chance to steal away objectives, and not fall farther behind against an enemy with a stronger Smite.
More minor changes are put into place as well, increasing camp respawn timers by 15 seconds, while also making camps give a slight bit of extra gold to compensate for the income lost from the 15 seconds.
Patch 11.10 is shaping up to be an interesting patch. Phase Rush remains the biggest change of the patch by far, and it will be interesting to see how impactful the nerf will be.