TFT Patch 12.1 set to buff Heimerdinger, nerf Kai’Sa and Socialite

Teamfight Tactics Set Six Patch 12.1 includes several meta-changing buffs and nerfs revealed during the Patch Rundown via game designer Kent “Riot Kent” Wu and game design director Stephen “Mortdog” Mortimer.

Scheduled to drop on the live servers on Jan. 5, TFT Patch 12.1 starts the new year off with a bang following four weeks of gameplay within Patch 11.24. The update will include a number of “spicy” changes, according to Mortdog—from an Imperial and Heimerdinger buff to a Socialite and Urgot nerf. A number of changes applied to champions offered via Hextech Augment Heart and Crest effects were also thrown into the mix, including a couple of nerfs and mostly buffs. 

Following the Riot Games winter break, here’s every major trait, item, and champion change taking place in the Set Six Patch 12.1, according to the TFT Patch Rundown. 

The Imperial trait “was a dead trait,” according to Mortdog, throughout most of Patch 11.23. A buff was applied to Imperial three and five via the Tyrant, along with a slight bonus damage increase. An Imperial Spatula or emblem in conjunction with the Hextech Augment Dual Rule, according to Riot Kent, will create two units putting out 2.5 times the damage without any items.

Socialite, on the other hand, was an overplayed trait that led to a nerf at two Socialite. And Yordle gold farmers will take a hit within TFT Patch 12.1 due to a chance reduction of two and three-cost champions appearing on the bench. 

• Chemtech: Damage reduction nerfed from 25 to 20 percent. This led to a Health regeneration buff to 3/5/8/15 percent and an attack speed adjustment to 15/50/90/135 percent. 
• Innovator: Innovator five will get a Bear base health increase to 850, along with an armor and magic resistance buff to 70. 
• Imperial: Tyrant damage buffed to 80/150 percent and bonus damage increased from 75 to 80 percent. 
• Socialite: Socialite two mana per second was nerfed from five to three
• Syndicate: Syndicate seven was buffed in power to 50 percent
• Yordle: Spawn odds adjusted and mana reduction buffed from 0/20 to 0/25 percent
  • One-cost Yordle increased to 70 percent 
  • Two-cost Yordle decreased to 20 percent
  • Three-cost Yordle decreased to 10 percent

Urgot has been a popular carry via items like Runaan’s Hurricane, Guinsoo’s Rageblade, and Statikk Shiv. Taking a hit in his damage output, Urgot’s third shot during his ability will count as a basic attack. It was previously his second shot. And Tahm Kench was buffed at three-star while getting a nerf to his damage reduction due to him being too strong of a tank on the frontline. 

Nerfs were applied to Socialite and Morellonomicon within TFT Patch 12.1, leading to minor nerfs applied to Kai’Sa—leaving her playable, according to Mortdog, but not as dominant as she was within Patch 11.24. And a buff was applied to Heimerdinger’s range, making him a “more reliable carry,” according to Mortdog and Riot Kent. 

• Swain: Mana buffed to 45/75 and spell healing per target increased to 225/250/350
• Heimerdinger: Range increased to four Hexes
• Seraphine: Mana buffed to 80/150 and spell damage buffed to 275/450/1200
• Malzahar: Spell damage adjusted to 650/850/1100
• Urgot: Every third shot will count as a basic attack
• Galio: Slam bonus damage nerfed to 70/100/1999 and stun duration adjusted to 1.5/1.75/9.5
• Tahm Kench: Damage reduction reduced to 30 percent and three-star Tahm Kench will now gain 20 times the normal stats when fed an allied unit
• Kai’Sa: Health nerfed to 850, mana nerfed to 75/150, and spell damage per missile reduced to 70/90/180

Set Six items have been mostly left alone but were hit with a number of changes taking place within TFT Patch 12.1. Morellonimicon and Guardian Angel were both nerfed after likely being the two most-played items within Patch 11.24, according to Mortdog. And a slight buff was applied to Zz’Rot Portal.

• Guardian Angel: Revive health changed to 250
• Morellonomicon: True damage burn per second nerfed from 2.5 to two percent
• Sunfire Cape: Proc rate changed to two seconds and true damage burn per second was reduced to two percent
• Zz’Rot Portal: Buffed at Stage three to 1,800 health, 2,100 health at Stage four, and 2,500 health at Stage five

All changes revealed during the TFT Patch Rundown are subject to change prior to the release of Set Six Patch 12.1 on Jan. 5.