Top killers, powerful jungle characters, and Immortal Shieldbow users are all top-billed in League of Legends Patch 13.17, though it’s not good news for some.
This League update (which, for those counting, marks two until the Worlds patch) includes 21 champion changes—nine buffs, five nerfs, and seven big adjustments—as well as eight item tweaks and one rune change.
The biggest focus for the Riot Games developers this time around is taking some top champions off “pure killing power builds” and moving them toward durability, according to League balance boss Matt Leung-Harrison. This includes heaped changes Aatrox, Xin Zhao, Vi, and Hecarim.
There was also some help (in the form of buffs, of course) for any champions affected by the Immortal Shieldbow changes from previous patches.
More jungler picks have been shuffled around through changes. Riot was planning to buff several weaker junglers up slightly, but Leung-Harrison says plans have changed to “nerfing the top junglers down” in a bid to better level out the impact the role is having on games this season.
Finally, the one all the collectors have been waiting for: Five champions have been handed new Cosmic-style skins in August’s last update.
What’s in League Patch 13.17?
‘Killing machines’ lose power
Riot is pulling Aatrox, Vi, Blitzcrank, Hercarim, and Xin Zhao away from their “pure killing power builds” in this update and instead trying to push them closer to more durability-focused strengths. In particular, the devs want to cut off how well they can snowball if the early game goes well for them.
What is interesting about this is that none of the five characters (Blitzcrank aside) have overwhelming win rates. Xin Zhao comes closest by winning 49.69 percent of games. Vi’s win percent is lowest at 48.83 this cycle.
Top junglers whacked again, Blitzcrank plan dropped
In the jungle, the king gets nerfed constantly. The League devs are blasting a handful of top junglers again after weeks of changes, and this time around, it’s Kayn, Kindred, Kha’Zix, and new champion Naafiri on the block.
“In line with our strategy from previous patches, we’re continuing to nerf some of the top Junglers down, rather than buffing weak junglers up,” Leung-Harrison explained.
Blitzcrank is also being yoinked out of his jungle pivot after Riot decided they were simply “adding too much complexity to an otherwise elegant champion” by trying to force him into a different role. For the time being, the League team will instead focus on bringing him back into the meta as a support pick.
Space skins stir up League controversy
Strap those rocket boosters on because League’s next store addition is taking players back into space—or should we say, onto a Cosmic journey.
Nautilus, Nunu and Willump, Sion, and reigning Void queen Bel’Veth are the lucky champions getting new variants this patch. Jhin is also being included in the new skin release run, though his Dark Cosmic Erasure design won’t be available to buy. Instead, in a disappointing move for all of us Jhin players, Riot has introduced a controversial “gacha” system as the way to earn the skin.
Here are all the skins in this patch:
- Cosmic Matriarch Bel’Veth (1,350 RP)
- Dark Cosmic Erasure Jhin (Expected to be via capsules)
- Cosmic Paladin Nautilus (1,350 RP)
- Cosmic Paladins Nunu and Willump (1,350 RP)
- Cosmic Paladin Sion (1,350 RP)
These skins are going live during the Patch 13.17 cycle.
Here are the official patch notes for League’s Aug. 30 update.
League Patch 13.17 patch notes
Champions
Aatrox
- Passive and W deal magic damage.
Akshan
- Health growth increased from 104 to 107.
- Armor growth increased from 4.2 to 4.7.
- Attack damage growth 3.5 to three.
Blitzcrank
- Health increased from 633 to 650.
- Magic resistance increased from 28 to 32.
- Base attack speed reduced from 0.65 to 0.625.
- Attack speed ratio reduced from 0.7 to 0.625.
- Passive shield changed from 15-45 to 30 percent.
- W mana cost reduced from 85 to 75, attack speed 30-82 to 30-70, no longer grants bonus magic damage on hit.
- E mana cost reduced from 40 to 25, attack damage ratio increased from 75 to 100 percent, removed bonus damage against minions and monsters.
- R passive now deals an additional two percent maximum mana damage.
Elise
- Auto attack damage increased from 10-40 (plus 20 percent ability power) to 12-42 (plus 20 percent ability power).
- Auto attack healing increased from 4-10 (plus eight percent ability power) to 6-12 (plus eight percent ability power).
- E stun duration increased from 1.6-2 to 1.6-2.4 seconds.
Gnar
- Mega Q base damage increased from 25-205 to 45-225.
- Mega W base damage increased from 25-145 to 45-165.
Hecarim
- Mana changed from 277 plus 60 to 280 plus 40.
- Mana regeneration increased from 6.5 plus 0.6 to seven plus 0.8.
- Q cost changed from 30 to 28-20.
- W cost reduced from 50-90 to 50-70, omnivamp changed from 25 (plus two percent per 100 bonus attack damage) to 20 percent no scaling.
Kayn
- W attack damage ratio reduced from 1.3 to 1.1.
Kha’Zix
- Q attack damage ratio reduced from 1.15 to 1.1.
Kindred
- E slow reduced from 50 to 30 percent.
- E missing health damage reduced from eight percent plus 0.5 percent per mark to five percent plus 0.5 percent per mark.
Lux
- Mana regeneration reduced from eight to seven.
- Passive damage increased from 20-190 (plus 20 percent ability power) to 30-200 (plus 25 percent ability power).
- Q cooldown changed from 11 seconds at all ranks to 11-9 seconds (ranks 1-5).
- E damage reduced from 70-270 (plus 80 percent ability power) to 65-265 (plus 80 percent ability power).
Naafiri
- Base health reduced from 650 to 635.
- Passive cooldown increased from 25-10 to 30-15, based on level.
- New: Packmates take 100 percent bonus damage from champion melee attacks.
- Q2 heal reduced from 45-125 (plus 40 percent base attack damage) to 45-105 (plus 40 percent bonus attack damage), minimum damage reduced from 35-95 (plus 70 percent bonus attack damage) to 30-90 (plus 40 percent base attack damage), max damage reduced from 70-190 (plus 140 percent base attack damage) to 60-180 (plus 140 percent base attack damage).
- E first hit ratio reduced from 60 to 50 percent base attack damage, second hit ratio reduced from 90 to 80 percent base attack damage.
Orianna
- Health growth increased from 105 to 110.
- W damage increased from 60-240 (plus 70 percent ability power) to 70-270.
Quinn
- Health growth increased from 99 to 107.
- Q damage reduced from 20-120 to 20-100.
- E damage reduced from 40-160 to 40-140.
Samira
- Health increased from 600 to 630.
Twisted Fate
- Q ability power ratio increased from 80 to 90 percent.
Tryndamere
- Attack range increased from 125 to 175.
- Attack damage reduced from 72 to 68.
Vex
- Q damage increased from 60-240 (plus 70 percent ability power) to 70-250 (plus 70 percent ability power).
- W cooldown reduced from 20-12 to 16-12.
- R ping now mentions any enemies that are in range.
Vi
- Passive shield increased from 10 to 12 percent max health, cooldown refund increased from three to four seconds.
- E cooldown reduced from 14-8 to 12-8.
- R damage reduced from 150-500 (plus 1.1 bonus attack damage) to 150-400 (plus 0.9 bonus attack damage).
Xerath
- Base mana regeneration reduced from eight to 6.85.
- Passive unit kill cooldown restore increased from two to 2.5 seconds.
- W mana cost increased from 70-110 to 80-120.
Xin Zhao
- Passive heal changed from 6-74 (plus 10 percent total attack damage) to 3-4 percent max health (levels 1-11). (Riot N.B. Base heal is always higher, one health per Long Sword to five health per Ruby Crystal).
Zoe
- Health regeneration increased from 6.5 to 7.5.
- E magic resistance reduction increased from 20-30 to flat 30 percent.
Items
Bloodthirster
- Health threshold increased from 50 to 70 percent.
Duskblade
- No longer invulnerable to damage while untargetable.
- Now destroys incoming non-tower projectiles when triggered.
Evenshroud
- Damage amp reduced from 10 to seven percent.
Goredrinker
- Build patch changed from Caulfield’s Warhammer to Phage.
- Health increased from 300 to 400.
Immortal Shieldbow
- Lifeline increased from 215-500 to 290-500.
Spear of Shojin
- Build path changed from BF Sword to Pickaxe.
- Health increased from 350 to 500.
- Attack damage reduced from 65 to 60.
- Dragonforce changed from eight (plus eight percent bonus attack damage) to 16 (plus four percent bonus attack damage). (Riot N.B. This is a buff until 200 bonus attack damage).
Stridebreaker
- Health increased from 300 to 375.
Stattik Shiv
- PVP damage reduced from 100-180 (plus 30 percent ability power) to 100-180 (plus 15 ability power).
Runes
Future’s Market
- Debt limit reduced from 145 plus five per minute to 100 plus eight per minute.
Systems
Dragon
- Now displays a patience bar and leash indicator to all dragons, AI updated to be more consistent with other jungle monsters.
Catchup jungle experience
- Jungle catchup experience level difference now rounds normally instead of always rounding up.
General
- Blue Essence Emporium has returned, and will be open from Sept. 6 to Sept. 20.
- New illustration icons are being debuted on live servers for 164 champions in the shop for 250 RP each.
Skins
Cosmic Matriarch Bel’Veth
Dark Cosmic Erasure Jhin
Cosmic Paladin Nautilus
Cosmic Paladins Nunu and Willump
Cosmic Paladin Sion
Update Aug. 24, 10:04pm CT: Updated all skin details.
Update Aug. 23, 12:06am CT: Added more details on item changes.
Update Aug. 22, 11:23pm CT: Added detailed League PBE leaks.
