Leading up to the Forces From Beyond Seasonal tournament, a large number of Legends of Runeterra buffs and nerfs are set to be applied to various champions, spells, units, and Landmarks.
Scheduled to hit the live servers on Aug. 17, Patch 3.13 targets a large number of overperforming and underperforming archetypes within the Legends of Runeterra meta. The goal of the update, according to the LoR devs during a roundtable with Dot Esports, was to reduce gameplay frustration from high-roll RNG and lack of interaction. These changes were made through significant champion and spell nerfs while the team also focused on showing love to yordles, along with buffing LoR cards that cost five or more mana.
Here are the Legends of Runeterrra Patch 3.13 notes, according to Riot.
Patch 3.13 LoR champion nerfs
Aggro archetypes running Bard as a champion and region are getting hit with a nerf that prevents players from getting Chimes on turn one or two from having Bard in the deck. Players can still activate one to three Chimes, but the activation of multiple Chimes will occur later during a match as opposed to on turns one to four. Kai’Sa was indirectly hit with nerfs, slowing her down by nerfing Second Skin and her spell Supercharge, allowing for more gameplay interaction.
Illaoi’s base health was nerfed slightly, making it a little easier to remove the Bilgewater champion. And the number of Spawn created by Tentacle Smash was reduced, requiring players to have a Tentacle on board to remove champions and followers with three or more health.
- Bard: The Wandering Caretaker (Bard’s Origin) won’t start planting Chimes in your deck for each Bard that started the game until the player has three or more mana gems instead of right away.
- Kai’Sa: Kai’Sa’s Second Skin nerfed from Focus to Slow speed.
- Kai’Sa: Champion spell Supercharge cost increased from three to four.
- Illaoi: Base health reduced by one at levels one and two (1/6 to 1/5 on level one and 2/7 to 2/6 at level two).
- Illaoi: Illaoi’s champion spell Tentacle Smash will now only Spawn two instead of three.
Patch 3.13 LoR champion buffs
Zilean has a new champion spell that was already a spell in the game. Kennen may become meta once again with an increase to their Mark of the Storm damage. Gnar received a quality-of-life change, reducing a Pokey Stick already in hand by two instead of one. And the LoR team buffed Freljord Control archetypes with a cost reduction to Anivia’s champion spell.
- Zilean: Champion spell changed from Chronoshift to Careful Preparation.
- Kennen: Kennen’s Mark of the Storm damage increased from two to three.
- Gnar: Pokey Stick already in hand after a Strike changed from a reduction of one to two.
- Karma: Health increased by one at levels one and two (4/3 to 4/4 on level one and 5/4 to 5/5 at level two).
- Anivia: Anivia’s champion spell, Harsh Winds, mana cost reduced from six to five.
Patch 3.13 Landmark and spell nerfs
Freljord Landmarks Blighted Ravine and Frozen Thrall were both targeted with nerfs, taking away Nexus damage from Blighted Ravine while increasing the Countdown on Frozen Thrall. The Blighted Ravine is also somewhat of a buff since it won’t hit its controller’s Nexus either, allowing for additional healing.
- Blighted Ravine: Damage from Countdown will no longer hit everything, dealing two to all units instead.
- Frozen Thrall: Countdown increased from eight to nine.
- Ravenbloom Conservatory: Countdown increased from 10 to 12.
- Ancient Hourglass: Mana cost increased from two to three.
- Defiant Dance: Mana cost increased from four to five.
Patch 3.13 Landmark and spell buffs
A rework was applied to Battle Bonds, changing its speed from Slow to Burst while compensating for the adjustment through a cost increase. A revert from a nerf to Starshaping in Patch 2.11 was applied, increasing the healing to an ally or Nexus. And Bard decks got a late-game buff through Chimes planted with Cosmic Binding. No Landmarks were buffed in LoR Patch 3.13.
Duskpetal Dusk received a quality-of-life buff, allowing the spell to interact with all Nightfall cards. Players can cast Hate Spike easier while Bloody Business was given a significant rework.
- Battle Bonds: Spell speed buffed from Slow to Burst.
- Battle Bonds: Mana cost increased from four to five.
- Starshaping: Healing to Nexus or ally increased from four to five.
- Cosmic Binding: Chimes planted increased from three to six.
- Bloody Business: Rework—Added Reputation of “I cost two.” The spell still triggers an ally with five or more power to Strike an enemy and it remains at Fast speed.
- Duskpetal Dust: Text changed to discount the next card instead of the next unit with Nightfall, allowing players to get a discount on Nightfall spells.
- Hate Spike: Mana cost reduced from two to one.
- Starbone: Text changed from “Behold the Messenger” to “Behold a Celestial.” Also added was “Create The Messenger in your deck,” while all Celestial allies are still granted +1/+1 everywhere.
Patch 3.13 LoR follower nerfs
Boom Baboon has been a staple unit within the Piltover and Zaun region, from its stats to creating Flame Chompers in hand. Some of the Boom has been taken out of the follower, reducing its power level by one so that it can’t aggressively attack or defend against Fearsome units. And Papercraft Dragon had its cost increased slightly, prompting a slower setup.
- Boom Baboon: Base stats nerfed from 3/1 to 2/1.
- Station Archivist: Base stats nerfed from 3/3 to 3/2
- Station Archivist: After choosing a spell, the top five cards are now shuffled back into the deck instead of remaining on top.
- The Winding Light: Keyword Overwhelm removed.
- Papercraft Dragon: Mana cost increased from five to six.
- The Stagehand: Base health reduced by two from 4/4 to 4/2.
Patch 3.13 LoR follower buffs
Boom Baboon can’t block Fearsome anymore but Twisted Catalyzer can again through a revert to an old nerf from Patch 3.4 that has returned the Darkness Yordle to its former glory. Twisted Catalyzer wasn’t the only yordle buffed, though. Bandle City Mayor received a stat buff, along with several yordles that have Impact. And even the Mecha-Yordle archetype got some love.
A rework was applied to Kadregrin the Ruined, potentially increasing its playability in a variety of decks. Minor buffs were applied to units like The Traveler and Neverglade Collector, too.
- Thunder Fist: Base stats increased from 2/3 to 3/3.
- Masa, Crashing Thunder: Base stats buffed from 5/4 to 5/5.
- Rissu, the Silent Storm: Base stats increased from 1/1 to 1/3.
- Stormcloud: Impact changed from one to three times.
- Twisted Catalyzer: Base stats buffed from 2/2 to 3/2.
- Benemone: Base stats buffed from 4/3 to 4/4.
- Squeaker: Bast stats increased from 1/2 to 2/2.
- Bandle City Mayor: Base stats buffed from 2/2 to 2/3.
- Scarmaiden Reaver: Base stats increased from 4/5 to 4/6.
- Kadregrin the Ruined: Rework—Playing Kadregrin the Ruined grants an ally Challenger and +1/+1 instead of simply granting a champion or dragon Challenger.
- Neverglade Collector: Base stats buffed from 2/4 to 2/5.
- The Traveler: Base stats increased from 3/4 to 4/4.
Patch 3.13 personalizations
No new personalizations were added during Patch 3.13. Players have until Aug. 31 to unlock all of the LoR Star Guardian rewards from the pass. Seasonal winners will now receive a Pinnacle of Glory game board, a Seasonal competitor card back, and an icon.
Patch 3.13 bug fixes
- Connection issues were resolved
- Matchmaking fails in United Front were resolved
- PC players can no longer accidentally open the options menu by hitting the Esc key
- Running the tutorial Light and Shadow will no longer result in players getting stuck
- Mark of the Storm’s impact text will now display the correct amount of damage
- Cards freezing from targeting and usage of Choice cards were resolved
- AI Evelynn and Kai’Sa decks will now have Evelynn in the actual deck
- Relic of Power will no longer draw the incorrect number of cards
- Taric supporting a unit will no longer produce the wrong number of Gifts From Beyond
- Uncommitted blockers will now return to the back row properly
- An issue causing targets to get removed has been resolved
- The tracker for spells played through Mind Meld has been resolved
- Shen, Kinkou Student, and Void Abomination will interact with allies as intended.
- Resolved VO issues that were playing incorrectly.
- Resolved VFX issues that were playing incorrectly.
- Updated localization for some cards that were missing translations.
- Updated several cards that were missing card text.
- Updated text descriptions to better align with game mechanics
