Riot reveals next champion balance goals for Pyke, Skarner, Karthus, Swain, and Tahm Kench

Riot Scruffy outlined some changes in the upcoming patches.
Image via Riot Games

Another day, another set of balance changes heading to League of Legends. This time, League gameplay designer Mark “Scruffy” Yetter has unveiled five champions who have been the focus of a small mechanics project created by Riot Games’ developer team.

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Pyke will be getting some changes to his kit in order to buff his support playstyle, while preventing his solo lane abilities from reaching broken levels. The Bloodharbor Ripper has terrorized the top lane once before, but has fallen in priority due to the extensive nerfs he’s received to his Q and E abilities.

Similarly, Karthus will be getting some changes to increase his viability in the mid lane, while also giving the team more room to tune both his mid and jungle builds more easily in the future. Karthus had originally been a mid laner, but his great clear and global ultimate made him a perfect candidate to enter the jungle.

Riot also wants to shift some power with Swain’s kit, so that he can stay viable at higher levels of play, while keeping him balanced at lower ranks as well. Tahm Kench is also getting a shift in his power in order, but it’s to make him a bit more viable in solo queue, instead of just at the professional levels of play.

The River King has always been a big pick in pro play, due to his great playmaking abilities. With a coordinated lineup, Tahm Kench’s global ultimate can help shift a fight in your team’s favor—he could also save a teammate from certain death with a well-timed Devour.

Additionally, Skarner is going to receive some quality of life changes, and some adjustments that should increase his power against tanks and bruiser-type champions.

Scruffy said that Riot will be diving into the upcoming Tahm Kench changes in-depth in tomorrow’s Quick Gameplay Thoughts blog post.


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Tyler Esguerra
Lead League of Legends writer for Dot Esports. Forever an LCS supporter, AD carry main, with more than five years in the industry. Sometimes I like clicking heads in Call of Duty or VALORANT. Creator of the Critical Strike Podcast.