Jungle mains, get your reading glasses on.
League of Legends gameplay design director Mark “Scruffy” Yetter discussed upcoming jungle changes last week, citing the long-term goal of making the position more accessible. And today’s Patch 11.10 preview detailed the precise adjustments that should hit the Rift next week.
Scruffy already gave a sneak peek on a lot of these tweaks last week, such as the camp respawn timers increasing by 15 seconds, large monsters offering 50 comeback XP per level, and improved survivability with Smite healing changes. But today’s patch preview offers some new nuggets of information.
Smite’s damage is changing from 390 to 1,000 to 450 at base and 900 after the Smite quest is completed. This will join the other added bonus of breaking Scuttle Crab’s shield before applying damage.
And players now have gotten a first look at the tentative AD, health, and gold changes hitting the jungle camps. Blue Sentinel’s AD is dropping from 82 to 303 to 78 to 234, for example, while its health will go up a bit to offset Smite clear speed. Red Brambleback, Gromp, Murkwolves, Raptors, and Krugs will also have their AD reduced to make jungle clears easier. Red Brambleback and Rift Scuttler’s health will go up, while Mini Krug, Murkwolf, Gromp, and Crimson Raptor will offer more gold.
This is one of Riot’s many attempts to make the jungle more “welcoming to newcomers.” Since the position is complex and asks a lot from players, it tends to ostracize beginners and those in lower ranks. Riot devs are trying to make it more accessible by widening the champ pool and making clears easier while balancing it so experts can’t take advantage of these adjustments.
The changes are tentative and liable to change. If they pass, they’ll likely hit the Rift in Patch 11.10 next Wednesday, May 12.
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