Patch 1.14 Notes

Nov 6, 2020

Patch 1.14 brings with it an all new experimental Lab, the debut of Friend Spectate, and a hefty set of balance changes headlined by updates to seven Champions. We’ve also got some metagame data to share!

Metagame Snapshot

We’d like to start periodically sharing some of the metagame data we use to inform our balance updates over time, with a few key goals in doing so:

• Provide more visibility on the overall metagame framework within which we decide on balance changes. 
• Highlight the variety of competitive strategies available to explore at any given time (assuming we’re doing our jobs right).
• Share some cool deck ideas!

While we’re excited to share this data, there are definitely some presentation & digestibility challenges (our internal tools output isn’t pretty by default), so we’ll try to set all the expectations we can. What you see below isn’t necessarily a final format, and we may vary what exactly we present or focus on over time. For now, we’re looking to share this kind of data about once a month, though we may experiment. Similarly, we’re trying this out as a part of the patch notes but aren’t necessarily set on that. Let us know what you think!

Various things to keep in mind:

• Snapshot data looks at decks used in Platinum, Diamond, and Masters, across all four of LoR’s regional shards. 
• Snapshot data includes only the most played “meta-decks” (essentially a pile of largely similar decks with some variations), exclusive of the scattered smaller population of decks that don’t fit significantly popular patterns (generally these fluctuate at around 40% of total decks).
  • This means the play rates below should be read as "among meta-decks," while the win rates are inclusive of all decks.
  • The general bar for meta-decks is 3%+ play rate or 50%+ win rate.
• For now, we’re not planning to go too deeply into all the minute implications of the data in each snapshot. At a high level, 55% win rate and 15%+ play rate are our normal benchmarks for corrective balance, but we obviously do a lot of work outside those numbers as well.
• Here’s how to read the deck summaries below:
  • Regions | Champions | Most distinct unifying card (on average)
  • Deck codes represent one of the most common examples of each meta-deck

For this initial metagame snapshot, we’ve actually got two!

• First, we have a snapshot of the metagame over the week prior to Patch 1.13, where we adjusted Lee Sin and Make it Rain.
• Second, we’ve got a special shortened snapshot looking at the metagame since the K/DA cards started to hit the stage. It’s also an example of the latest data (~1 week old) you can expect to see in these snapshots, as that’s right around when we have to lock patch notes for publication.

Metagame Snapshot: Patch 1.12 | Oct. 21-27, 2020

Metagame Snapshot: Patch 1.13 | Oct. 28 - Nov. 2, 2020

Card Updates

As we mentioned last patch, Patch 1.14 is one of the larger mid-expansion balance updates you can expect to be the norm going forward, and these changes are the last ones we have planned before the first Seasonal Tournament in December. This patch focuses mostly on improvements to several Foundations set Champions, small buffs both direct and indirect to Call of the Mountain champions that need some help, and adjustments to high cost followers across regions.

-   RubinZoo, Live Design Lead

Champions

Lucian (level 2)

Can now trigger the same round as leveling up.

This change and the similar one to Jinx below are intended to better align their Level 2 effects with the way those of newer Champions like Sejuani and Soraka function. There is some challenge here due to their current state of balance, but we feel that Champion consistency in this area warrants a change. We're releasing these changes as buffs since the new functionality didn't feel significant enough in testing to warrant compensatory nerfs, but we'll be carefully monitoring their impact to understand whether further changes are needed.

Shyvana

Power: 3 → 4

Shyvana is designed around attacking, but her statline too often kept her from being able to profitably do just that.

Shyvana (level 2)

Power: 4 → 5

Vladimir

Old text: Attack: For each attacking ally other than Vladimir, deal 1 to it and deal 1 to the enemy Nexus.

New text: Attack: For each attacking ally on my right, deal 1 to it and 1 to the enemy Nexus.

Level up: You've had 6+ allies survive damage. → You've had 5+ allies survive damage.

We’re giving Vladimir a small boost by making his level-up condition easier to achieve and giving players more agency in choosing which allies are hit by his effect.

Vladimir (level 2)

Old text: Attack: For each attacking ally other than Vladimir, deal 1 to it and drain 1 from the enemy Nexus.

New text: Attack: For each attacking ally on my right, deal 1 to it and drain 1 from the enemy Nexus.

Trundle

Health: 6 → 5

Trundle was too effective as a stat-stick, helping him act as a stall tool doubling as a win condition. We love that Trundle has opened up new kinds of ramp decks since Call of the Mountain, so we want to make adjustments that preserve his ability to do that while opening him up to a bit more counterplay and softening his prowess as a blocker.

In addition to a health nerf to Trundle himself, we’re also adjusting Ice Pillar, which had too much impact given its free cost—leveling up Trundle, giving enemies Vulnerable, and giving players a "free action" provided too much of an advantage. Similarly to Trundle, we want to reduce the overall amount of stalling it provides and give opponents more potential for counterplay to its round start effect.

Trundle (level 2)

Health: 7 → 6

Ice Pillar

Health: 8 → 6

Ezreal

Level up: You've targeted 10+ enemies this game. → You've targeted 6+ enemies this game.

We want to take an alternative but hopefully healthier direction for Ezreal—an easier level-up condition in return for more conditional output for Ezreal (level 2). We also want to remove much of his current Burst-speed potential to open up more possibilities for counterplay. We're leaving some of that potential (along with an easier level-up) so that he can still serve current decks, while providing a new incentive to continue targeting opposing units—giving players the option to play a bit more of a control gameplan with a combo finish.

Ezreal (level 2)

Old text: Nexus Strike: Create a Fleeting Mystic Shot in hand. When you cast a spell, deal 2 to the enemy Nexus.

New text: Nexus Strike: Create a Fleeting Mystic Shot in hand. When you cast a spell, deal 1 to the enemy Nexus. If it targeted an enemy, deal 2 to the enemy Nexus instead.

Jinx (Level 2)

Can now trigger the same round as leveling up.

Check the Lucian context above for the full story, but one additional note for Jinx. If you play Jinx with an empty hand and she levels up, she still won’t create a Super Mega Death Rocket! right away—you’ll need to empty your hand again in some way (i.e., go from some cards in hand to no cards in hand).

Taric

Power: 2 → 3

Taric could use better combat stats to enable him to both attack more cleanly and contribute more on defensive rounds.

Taric (level 2)

Power: 3 → 4

Followers & Spells

Tianna Crownguard

Power: 7 → 8

Health: 7 → 8

Tianna should be a bigger trump to endgame followers from other Regions. This change should give Demacia decks access to more finishing power and allow Tianna to more consistently set up devastating Rally attacks.

Wyrding Stones

Health: 4 → 3

We want to open up more counterplay to mana ramp strategies given the additional powerful tools they’ve gained since Call of the Mountain, so we’re reverting an old buff to Wyrding Stones in order to give opposing decks more opportunities to delay powerful endgame cards.

Fuzzy Caretaker

Cost: 4 → 3

Health: 3 → 2

Support-based Ionia decks could use more effective options, and Fuzzy Caretaker was a bit too expensive to effectively fit the playstle of low-to-the-ground Support decks.

Minah Swiftfoot

Power: 6 → 7

Health: 5 → 6

Keywords: None → Quick Attack

Minah's effectiveness hasn’t lined up with her cost—Quick Attack and additional stats should let her be a more effective game-ender after hitting the board.

Funsmith

Cost: 5 → 4

Power: 2 → 1

Funsmith has never been able to find a home given its cost and relative fragility, so we’re bringing it down the curve to make it a more enticing and flexible option.

Black Spear (and Kalista’s Black Spear)

Old text: If an ally died this round, deal 3 to a unit.

New text: If an ally died this round, deal 4 to a unit.

We’d like to strengthen removal options for synergy-based Shadow Isles decks, especially in light of the power of new Burst-speed protection spells from the last two expansions.

Riptide Rex

Power: 7 → 6

Plunder: Fire 7 Cannon Barrages. → Fire 6 Cannon Barrages.

The sheer volume of Cannon Barrages laid down by Riptide Rex have made him too consistent at wiping boards, finishing games with his high Power, and ultimately preventing counterplay (while also posing a long-term issue with our board’s nine-spell/ability limit). These changes aim to address all of those issues while leaving Rex’s core play pattern intact.

Eclipse Dragon

Health: 5 → 7

Eclipse Dragon’s stats were underwhelming given its lack of immediate game impact, and we’d like it to be a more generally effective option for both big Dragons and Daybreak decks.

New Lab: Hexperimentation 101

With the right combination of variables, anything can happen! Perform one of four experiments by crafting a deck with unique constraints, or choose one of Heimer's premade decks to take into battle. If your deck meets one of the following criteria, you'll gain the paired special ability:

• All Even - If all cards in your deck have an even mana cost, you gain:
  • Start of Round: Grant allies +1|+0
• All Odd - If all cards in your deck have an odd mana cost, you gain:
  • Start of Round: Grant allies +0|+1
• No Followers - If your deck contains no followers (it can contain Champions), you gain:
  • When you cast your second spell each round, create a follower in hand that costs less than or equal to your max mana
• All Common - If your deck contains only common cards, you gain:
  • From Round 7 onwards, Start of Round: Create a leveled up champion in hand

Gauntlets Update: Standard Best of Three

In preparation for the first Seasonal Tournament in December, we’re running the next two weeks of Gauntlets as ‘Standard Best of Three’ so players have a chance to experience the new game flow before the tournament. For now, this is a temporary change only for this patch, but let us know what you think!

Since each match requires more than one game to complete, we’ve reduced the number of wins needed per run down to 4 (and increased the XP rewards appropriately). Each match will play through the Pick and Ban lobby, with the additional restriction that a winning deck cannot be replayed in that match.

• For Patch 1.14 only, Gauntlets will use “Standard Best of Three” rules.
  • Required wins reduced to 4 and XP rewards adjust appropriately.
  • Winning decks cannot be played again during the same match.

Friend Spectate

This patch, we’re making our initial implementation of Friend Spectate, which will allow you to jump in and watch your friend’s games with all the usual in-game functionality like Oracle’s Eye, card details, and—most importantly of all—petting their Guardian!

Please note this feature is coming in pretty early, so we’re still squashing bugs and have further updates planned. For example, next patch we intend to add a ‘disable spectate’ option, which is why for now we’re restricting spectate to only be available for Friend Challenge, vs Player (Normal), vs AI, and Expeditions.

• Friend Spectate added to the social panel—click on your friends to spectate their matches in Friend Challenge, vs Player (Normal), vs AI, or Expeditions.

Expeditions

This patch brings some tweaks aimed at reining in the power of Dragon’s Descent, along with some buffs to Crimson Guard and Mending Touch. In particular, Mending Touch will now always have access to its alternate win condition, Star Spring, as otherwise it can sometimes struggle to win games the old-fashioned way.

• Offering rates for Monuments of Powers archetypes reduced to normal levels.

Crimson Guard

• Wild Pick Bonus Chance increased to High (from Medium)

Dragon's Descent

• Added: Chain Vest, Mobilize, Startled Stomper, Zenith Blade
• Removed: Hush

Mending Touch

• Star Spring will now always appear in Mending Touch packs seen during the initial Champion Picks of a draft
• Added: Hush

Miscellaneous

• Various updates to the Leaderboard, including most used deck code, player icons, and visual polish.
• Imported decks are now immediately nameable.
• Rewarded cards are now inspectable during reward ceremonies.
• In Collection and Store, the details panel for cosmetic items can now be closed by tapping outside of it.

Bugfixes

• Fixed an issue where players occasionally couldn't collect rewards or XP would display incorrectly on region roads.
• Fixed issues with improper text formatting in Thai and Japanese.