Riot Games has revealed the patch preview for League of Legends Patch 12.16, and one champion is receiving attention by way of an adjustment to their most viable build paths: Diana.
Diana is the only champion being “adjusted” in Patch 12.16, meaning she’s receiving a combination of nerfs and buffs to her kit that should ultimately balance out her competitive viability. While the champion isn’t losing or gaining power outright, she is being tweaked to offer alternatives to players.
Riot is “looking to tap down a few outliers and bump up others, with Diana nerfs to tank and buffs to AP builds,” according to lead balance designer Matt Leung-Harrison.
No exact details regarding Diana’s adjustments have been revealed at this time, although players should expect to know more when Riot reveals the extended patch preview on social media tomorrow.
Patch 12.16 is the first “Worlds-focused patch” for League, according to Riot. While it’s not clear which patch the tournament will be played on, there are only six weeks until it begins, meaning there are, at most, three patches that will be released prior to the start of the event. It’s most likely Worlds will be played on Patch 12.17, considering Patch 12.18 will go live just eight days prior to the start of the tournament, according to the game’s official patch schedule.
This wouldn’t be the first time Riot applied a major adjustment to Diana right before a major international tournament. Prior to last season’s Mid-Season Invitational, Diana was given a substantial buff to her jungling abilities by way of a 150-percent damage increase for Moonsilver Blade (P) when used against jungle monsters.
And while she didn’t have a major impact on that tournament, Diana did become a power pick at the jungle position in leagues worldwide after a few balance patches. During the 2021 Summer Split, Diana had a pick/ban rate of 45 percent across the four major League regions, according to League stats site Games of Legends.
League Patch 12.16 will go live on Aug. 24, according to Riot’s patch schedule.
