Like virtually every update for League of Legends, Patch 12.16 will tweak a series of champions, strengthening eight of them in total.
Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison, the lead designer for the game, released a preview last night teasing all of the changes coming to the patch. Eight champions, including Zoe, Tristana, Malphite, and Vladimir, are all being targeted with buffs.
Caitlyn, Irelia, Kai’Sa, and Jayce will also be receiving buffs, but the details of the changes remain unknown at the moment. More information about the changes should be released in the coming days.
Phroxzon admits Patch 12.16 is one of “the first of our World’s focused patches.” Usually, patches like these intend to stabilize the meta before the League of Legends World Championship, which kicks off this year on Sept. 29. The devs, though, are “holding the more speculative changes for 12.17.”
All eight champs receiving buffs in this patch are strong meta champions, who are often picked in the pro play. This split, however, they have barely been picked.
In the 2022 LEC Summer Split, for example, Tristana was picked once, Irelia and Jayce twice, and Kai’Sa four times, according to Oracle’s Elixir. Zoe saw the most play in Europe out of the group, being picked eight times. She only recorded a 25 percent win ratio, however.
Patch 12.16 is expected to go live on Wednesday, Aug. 24.
