Nab mechanic in Legends of Runeterra nerfed, becomes a keyword in Patch 1.4

A mechanic that’s annoyed many Legends of Runeterra fans is finally getting changed due to player backlash.

The steal from deck mechanic, now named into a keyword called “Nab,” is receiving a fundamental change that could help Freljord fans become less frustrated when tackling the keyword. Previously, stealing from an opponent’s deck would take non-Champion cards from the top of the deck. But now, the keyword Nab will always draw non-Champion cards from the bottom of an opponent’s deck.

Statistically speaking, stealing from the bottom of an opponent’s deck isn’t fundamentally different than stealing from the bottom of their deck. This change allows players who use the top-deck buffing strategy of Freljord to feel less pain, though, since the cards that they recently buffed from effects like Omen Hawk or Starlit Seer can no longer be used against them. 

One minor statistical change that this new iteration of the mechanic will bring is that players who get nabbed are a little less likely to be closer to drawing their Champion cards. While this change wasn’t a direct goal, it’s a slight consideration that players should remember and consider when making judgments about the changes toward Nab.

Aside from changes to the mechanic, one of the best cards to feature this keyword is getting a fairly sizable nerf. Black Market Merchant is getting his health nerfed from two to one. While the raw card advantage and mana cheating that Black Market Merchant can gain are still intact, the chance for him to snowball has been decreased since he’s easier to remove. 

Players can expect to see these new changes to the Nab mechanic when LoR Patch 1.4 drops tomorrow, June 24.