Sweeping LoL jungle, Dragon changes to shake meta again in 2024 preseason

While League of Legends players and pros prepare for a bumper Worlds patch, Riot Games is cooking up big changes to the jungle meta ahead of the 2024 preseason with alterations to Smite, pets, and a few of the Dragons.

Riot devs have been spotted updating the PBE test servers on Sept. 27 with a number of changes, including a rumored K’Sante rework and major buffs and nerfs to starting items, among the collection of adjustments. But it’s the modifications to Smite and each jungle pet that has piqued the community’s interest.

According to the update, Smite will no longer be castable on lane minions or pets, while its damage to champions has been heavily nerfed later in the game—not that it really accounted for much direct champ damage anyway.

Alongside Smite, the starting jungle pets all received changes—some minor, others hefty. The Mosstomper Seedling will no longer grant Tenacity or slow resistance once fully upgraded, now just shielding the jungler at the beginning of a team fight.

The Scorchclaw Pup’s bonus damage will no longer trigger after any damage is dealt by the jungler: only damage from an ability or an auto-attack will apply the bonus damage and slow. The Gustwalker Hatchling bore the brunt of the nerfs, with a 15 percent drop in movement speed after walking through brushes or killing large monsters.

The heavier nerf to the Gustwalker is expected, given the item is a must-buy on the bulk of popular junglers so far in Patch 13.18, according to stats site U.GG. These changes alone will heavily affect a jungler’s effectiveness in the mid-game, which saw a major power spike as the final level of the jungle pet was reached.

Also up for renewal are various stats for Dragon. Infernal Drake will have its ability power and attack damage dropped by two points, while the Ocean Drake will regenerate health a little slower. The Cloud Drake will move a little slower and the Mountain Drake’s bonus resistance is far lower.

In all, the Drakes pack less of a punch and are easier to kill, while their respective Soul bonuses have been slightly boosted, making them key objectives for junglers and teams to secure. For junglers who don’t necessarily prioritize Dragon, the 2024 preseason changes may force your hand.

These updates arrived on the PBE today, so it’ll be a while before Riot moves them over to the main game, if at all. We’ll see which changes end up sticking around later this year.

Jungle pets, Smite, and Dragon changes for League 2024 preseason

Smite

• Smite can no longer be cast on lane minions or pets.
• Champion Smite damage changed from 20-160 to 40 at all levels.
• Area of effect damage at level three increased from 50 percent to 100 percent.

Jungle Pets

• Items no longer grant damage reduction to Epics with two or more allies nearby.

Mossstomper (Green)

• No longer grants Tenacity or slow resistance after the shield breaks.

Gustwalker (Blue)

• Brush speed bonus decreased from 45 percent to 30 percent.
• Large monster kill speed bonus decreased from 60 percent to 45 percent.

Scorchclaw (Red)

• Damage bonus and movement slow at tier three will now only apply after a direct auto attack or ability damage, rather than proc’ing from damage-over-time or other damage effects.

Dragon

Infernal Drake

• Infernal Drake’s AP and AD reduced from five percent to three percent.
• Infernal Soul base damage bonus increased from 80 to 100.

Ocean Drake

• Ocean Drake health regeneration reduced from 2.5 percent of missing health to two percent.
• Ocean Soul base heal increased from 130 to 150.
• Ocean Soul base mana restoration increased from 80 to 100.

Cloud Drake

• Cloud Drake slow resist and movement speed reducted from seven percent to four percent.
• Cloud Soul movement speed bonus increased from 15 percent to 20 percent.

Mountain Drake

• Mountain Drake bonus resistances reduced from eight percent to five percent.
• Mountain Soul base shield increased from 180 to 220.

Hextech Drake

• Hextech Drake haste and attack speed reduced from 7.5 percent to five percent.
• Hextech Soul bonus slow increased from 40 percent (melee) and 30 percent (ranged) to 45 percent (melee) and 35 percent (ranged).