The current meta of the summer professional arena can be sum in two ADC champions: Tristana and Corki, dominating the mid lane and leading to boredom for viewers.

This current season has seen an AD-centric mid-lane meta, with marksmen champions consistently appearing in this role and maintaining a very stable win rate. Specifically, Corki and Tristana stand out as the key marksmen in the mid lane, and teams are eager to secure one of these two champions.

Statistics from recent Summer tournaments highlight this trend, with Tristana and Corki boasting presence rates of 85% and 64% respectively. Their dominance is evident as they surpass other popular mid lane picks such as Taliyah or Leblanc, who have a presence rate of less than 45%. This clearly demonstrates that Corki and Tristana are exceptionally powerful picks, causing significant issues in the professional scene.

In summer regional tournaments, the LPL typically commences early, and as soon as LPL teams began heavily utilizing these champions, other regions quickly recognized their advantages.

Corki and Tristana offer reliable damage, strong laning phases, and flexibility, making them ideal choices in a meta that emphasizes mid lane and carry junglers. This understanding has led to their high presence rate in matches.

Riot Games has released 3 updates since the start of the summer tournament, but apart from a slight nerf to Corki (after his rework) to balance his damage, there have been minimal changes affecting these champions. Consequently, teams continue to use Corki and Tristana extensively in all matches during the Esports World Cup.

The community is growing tired of the lack of creativity in champion selection for carries, and there is hope that Riot Games will implement significant adjustments soon. It’s noteworthy that Tristana not only dominates the professional arena but also enjoys high popularity among regular players, yet Riot has maintained her status across several patches.

In contrast, during the Spring season, the meta focused on control mages, with Orianna and Azir being the top picks. This resulted in a more balanced champion presence, with various viable counterpicks, rather than the current scenario where teams feel forced to choose between just two champions.

The mid-lane meta revolving around only 2 champions is causing a sense of monotony in new tournaments like the Esports World Cup. It also indicates that the remainder of the summer tournaments may follow a similar pattern unless Riot Games introduces a significant update to shake up the meta.

Tryndamere is dominating in the mid lane in high-tier rank

Recently, one of these champions has become very powerful in the mid lane among high-level players. This champion is Tryndamere. Tryndamere is not new to the mid lane because he has been picked there occasionally in the past.

However, in the last few months, he has not been seen much in either the mid or top lane because he wasn’t strong enough. But in Patch 14.10, he is dominating in the higher ranks. Right now, Tryndamere has a 55.57% win rate in Diamond+ ranks, according to the League stats site U.GG.

A win rate this high gives Tryndamere a big advantage over champions like Rumble, Akshan, or Cassiopeia, who have win rates just over 53%. With a win rate this high, Tryndamere is doing much better than these champions, at least for now. His excellent performance is not just by chance because Diamond+ players have chosen him in 3000+ in Patch 14.10 as of now.

Mid laners should know how to play against Tryndamere, luckily for them. This is not the first time the champion has been seen in the mid lane, as he has been a flexible pick there for many years. Even professional players like Faker have picked Tryndamere mid in the past to overpower their enemies early in the game.

However, Tryndamere’s strong performance in the high ranks might not last long because one of his main items, Infinity Edge, is expected to be nerfed in Patch 14.11. The exact changes to this item are still unknown. We will find out more next week when the update is released on May 30.

Corki has held a prominent position among the League of Legends champions for quite some time. However, the gameplay of extensive farming followed by groupings for team fights has failed to captivate the audience. In the upcoming Patch 14.10, this might all undergo a significant transformation.

On April 30, Riot Games’ developer David “Phreak” Turley unveiled a comprehensive set of Corki adjustments slated for Patch 14.10. These changes mark a substantial overhaul for the champion, with the removal of his iconic ability, The Package, standing out as the most notable change.

Previously akin to Rumble’s ultimate, The Package allowed Corki to make a fiery entrance into the battlefield, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Additionally, Corki is set to receive a substantial boost of 15% bonus true damage, extending even to his Sheen-enhanced attacks.

Furthermore, Corki’s kit is due for an extensive makeover. His Q ability, Phosphorus Bomb, will now deploy faster, boast improved attack damage ratios, and undergo changes in cooldown and mana cost.

Meanwhile, Valkyrie is scheduled for visual enhancements along with a damage increase. The Gatling Gun ability, while seeing adjustments in cooldown and shred cap and rate increases, will experience reductions in overall damage and AD ratio. Moreover, Corki’s ultimate, Missile Barrage, will undergo a transformation in functionality, granting Corki increased ammunition as he levels up, alongside refunds on champion auto-attacks.

To balance the potential overwhelming strength of these changes, Riot has introduced several adjustments. The ammunition rate of his ultimate will be nerfed, and bonus AD scaling with ranks will be eliminated. Additionally, the ultimate’s mana cost will be reduced, and it will deal physical damage, albeit with augmented base statistics.

In addition to his ability adjustments, Corki’s fundamental statistics are also in for an overhaul. His base AD will see a reduction, while his attack speed will receive a boost, alongside some durability enhancements.

Riot’s objective behind these changes is to reintroduce Corki as a non-traditional marksman in the bot lane. Phreak’s assertion that Corki’s gameplay has grown “boring” underscores Riot’s commitment to enhancing both the player experience and spectator engagement.

Since her introduction to the League in 2020, Seraphine has grappled with her identity within the game. She faced criticism for her resemblance and kit similarities to Sona, which left players questioning her function in the game.

Originally, Riot had designed Seraphine to be an AP Mid Laner, but over time, she gradually transitioned to the Bot Lane, and now, she’s predominantly played as a Support champion. The aspect of this evolution is that her base stats remained more akin to champions found in solo lanes, leading to underwhelming performance as a Support. As a response to this dilemma, Riot has decided to recalibrate her base stats to be more in line with typical Support champions.

Seraphine changes in LoL Patch 13.21

Base Stats:

• Base Mana: 440 >>> 360.
• Mana Growth: 40 per level >>> 50 per level.
• Base Mana Regeneration: 8 >>> 11.5.
• Mana Regeneration Growth: 1 per level >>> 0.4 per level.
• Health Growth: 104 per level >>> 90 per level.
• Base Armor: 19 >>> 26.

Q – High Note:

• Damage: 55/70/85/100/115 (+ 45/50/55/60/65% AP) >>> 55/80/105/130/155 (+ 50% AP).
• Cooldown: 10/8.75/7.5/6.25/5 seconds >>> 9/8/7/6/5 seconds.

W – Surround Sound:

• Cooldown: 28/26/24/22/20 seconds >>> 28/25/22/19/16 seconds.
• Mana Cost: 50/60/70/80/90 >>> 80/85/90/95/100.
• Shield Strength: 50/70/90/110/130 (+ 25% AP) >>> 50/75/100/125/150 (+ 25% AP).
• Heal Per Ally: 5/5.5/6/6.5/7% (+0.4% per 100 AP) of target’s Missing Health >>> 3/3.5/4/4.5/5% of target’s Missing Health.

E – Beat Drop:

• Damage: 60/80/100/120/140 (+ 35% AP) >>> 60/95/130/165/200 (+ 35% AP).
• Mana Cost: 60/70/80/90/100 >>> 60/65/70/75/80.

The intended outcome of these adjustments is to boost Seraphine’s presence and effectiveness when played in the Support role, making her a more appealing option for players who prefer this role. However, there’s a trade-off to consider – these changes are expected to result in Seraphine being less potent when picked in the mid and botlane positions. The overarching aim here is to create a healthier balance and clearly define Seraphine’s niche within the League of Legends ecosystem.

The League of Legends community can anticipate these Seraphine changes coming to life in Patch 13.21, which is scheduled for release on Wednesday, October 25, 2023.

Lexi Gao, the lead of League’s champions teams, shared valuable insights into the upcoming champions scheduled to make their mark on the Rift, with a special focus on one that had been teased earlier in the year.

The initial tease at the beginning of 2023 introduced the mysterious “hangry jungler” subsequently revealed as Briar. Beside Briar, an intriguing “artistic mid laner” captured the community’s curiosity, and today, we learn that this champion goes by the name Hwei.

Hwei, League’s upcoming new champion

While Riot didn’t unveil visual representations of Hwei, the revelation that this new champion is a painter was accompanied by a complementary piece of art displayed during the development update.

This artwork, characterized by bright colors and abstract stylization, hints at the aesthetic appeal of his creations. Described as a “somber” character in terms of personality, Hwei’s artistic expression stands in contrast, being visually stunning and likely to leave a lasting impression on players.

Further details about Hwei were shared in a Champion Roadmap dev blog released by Riot. Confirming his classification as a mage, the update revealed that he will fulfill the role of a traditional AP mid laner, a role familiar to seasoned players. This announcement piques the interest of the community, sparking discussions about his potential impact on the game.

In terms of champion releases, this year has been relatively conservative, with only three new additions to the roster. The possibility of Hwei not making his debut until the beginning of 2024 raises discussions about the potential implications for Riot.

As the League community eagerly anticipates Hwei’s arrival, the exact release date remains undisclosed. Speculation is rife that it might soon make his appearance on the PBE server, providing players with a glimpse of his abilities and playstyle. With a potential official release date before the conclusion of 2023, the League of Legends community is poised for a new and exciting chapter with the introduction of Hwei to Summoner’s Rift.

T1’s performance took a hit when mid laner Yoon ‘Poby’ Seong-won filled in for Faker, and they dropped to fifth place in the standings with a 7-9 record, including a challenging 1-7 run.

However, Faker made a triumphant return before the regular season’s final week, sparking a remarkable turnaround. T1 finished as runners-up to Gen.G in the playoffs and secured a spot at Worlds 2023. Nonetheless, there have been lingering doubts about his form as the World Championship in South Korea approaches.

Updates on Faker’s wrist injury

On September 25, Faker addressed these concerns and reassured T1 fans with a significant update on his recovery.

“Thanks to the treatment I received in Korea, the discomfort is gone now,”

“I worked my treatment in Korea. Now, a lot of the discomfort is gone. There is little injury concern here. His form has dropped a lot since his injury, but he’s been picking it up so far. I think it’s getting better.”

Speaking to reporters after a 2022 Asian Games group stage match against Kazakhstan, Faker disclosed that he has fully recovered from his wrist injury, although he acknowledged that he is not yet playing at his peak performance level.

Faker is also a part of South Korea’s LoL national team competing in the 2022 Asian Games, which marks the first time that esports tournaments are official medal events at the multi-sport competition.

T1’s mid-laner complete recovery is excellent news for T1 as they aim to once again compete for international titles at Worlds 2023.

According to League statistics LoLalytics, Naafiri presently has one of the highest win rates among mid laners in League (54.38% in Emerald+), if not the highest win rate. Naafiri had already left an impact on the mid lane meta ever since her first day of debut, and the newest League of Legends champion has seized the Rift by storm.

She may also be played as a jungler because to the champion’s kit, although she doesn’t perform too well in that role given that she has the poorest win rate of all junglers (45.50% win rate).

Naafiri, an assassin, has the skills to be effective in both roles, but the evidence indicates that she is only now effective in one. It could be a while before this changes.

Funny enough, while she was still in the pre-release stage on the PBE servers, players even dubbed her as the best jungler in the game. Other players even said that it was strange that the devs labelled Naafiri as a mid laner.

On July 25, League developer Stephen “Raptorr” Auker, said Riot Games has some jungle adjustments planned for Naafiri that are intended to increase her win rate. But first, the developers need to balance her in the mid lane.

The nerf hammer was first intended to be used against her in Patch 13.15, which was released this past August 1. Riot reconsiders, though, and decides to keep her mid-lane strength intact because it thinks she’s currently in good condition.

We may anticipate more Naafiri jungle modifications in the near future now that the mid lane is no longer an issue. The devs must do with caution, though, since any change to the champion’s kit might potentially affect how she is doing in the mid lane.

The Riot Games development team, despite delivering a “micropatch” to somewhat weaken the champion, is nonetheless happy with how she has performed thus far.

Naafiri receives nerfs just after her debut

According to Riot champion design manager Stephen “Raptorr” Auker, Naafiri is already showing a 54% win rate across the Rift when played in mid and is mildly at the highest rankings.

“We are thus far happy with the shape of where she’s landing and are not seeing any major systemic problems,”

Raptorr adjusted the champion somewhat to account for the fact that her rising mid-lane win rate will only increase as players grew acclimated to her powers.

• Movement speed: 340 >> 335
• Q:
  • Bleed: 30/65/100/135/170 + 80% bonus AD >> 30/60/90/120/150 + 80% bonus AD
  • Damage to minions: 70% >> 60%
• E:
  • Passthrough Damage: 35/55/75/95/115 + 70% bonus AD >> 35/50/65/80/95 + 60% bonus AD
  • Explosion Damage: 65/105/145/185/225 + 100% bonus AD >> 65/100/135/170/205 + 90% bonus AD
• R:
  • AD boost: 10/20/30 (+15/20/25%) >> 5/15/25 (+8/16/24%)

After level one, Naafiri’s Q, Darkin Daggers, will cause less damage because the power surge she experienced when she maxed the ability was a bit high. Due to her wave clear being too quick, the ability will also do less damage to minions.

Given Naafiri’s prowess in the mid-game, where Raptorr saw she would seize control of games even with a tiny gold advantage, her E, Eviscerate, has also undergone significant adjustment. After level 1, the damage from explosions and passthrough has been decreased by 20%.

In the early and midgame, her ultimate has seen a significant nerf. The AD boost obtained has been decreased by about 50%, though, the ultimate is almost untouched in the late game.

Although the jungle is the champion’s secondary role, the dev team had seen that more over half of Naafiri’s games were played in this position. However, her viability in the jungle is in doubt considering her 41% win rate at higher ranks.

Riot also noted that changes to the Hound of a Hundred Bites in the jungle should be implemented but not anytime soon.

All eyes are now on Naafiri’s win rate to determine whether the improvements are having the desired impact. The patch is now live for players to test out the champion.

A forgotten League of Legends champion is finally getting some love from the devs, with enhancements being added to the PBE servers.

Xerath is likely to receive some buffs in Patch 13.13 after modifications were discovered on PBE servers by Spideraxe on Twitter. These modifications may improve his pick rate, which is currently 1.5% across all rankings as of Patch 13.11.

League of Legends Xerath buffs in Patch 13.13

• Base mana reduced from 459 to 400
• P cooldown is now reduced by 2 seconds per kill
• R missiles increased from 3 – 5 to 3 – 7
• R base damage reduced from 200 – 300 to 200 – 280
• R AP ratio reduced from 45% to 40%
• R is now increased by 20 – 30 + 5% AP per champ hit

Xerath is set to receive several conventional but powerful buffs. League developers are shortening his cooldown by 2 seconds every kill and boosting the number of missiles in his ultimate from three to seven.

Most crucially, they are slightly lowering the basic damage and AP ratio of the mid laner’s ultimate while increasing its damage when it hits a champion.

As a result, the more ultimate shots you strike, the more damage you deliver, making it far more rewarding for expert players to play Xerath. Taking a hit from a late-game Xerath was already painful, but with additional bullets and a new damage converter, things will get way worse.

However, these modifications are just provisional for the time being. Riot Games may yet alter them before they go live in Patch 13.13 on June 28, especially given that PBE players will have more opportunity to dig around and test these modifications.

Riot looks to be pulling out every trick for this mid-season patch, as Patch 13.10 is shaping up to be the season’s largest patch so far.

Patch 13.10 will provide several improvements, including the long-awaited Mythic item overhaul. Two of Marksmen’s 2 mythic items are being updated. Additionally, Assassin mythic items are being altered, while Supports are receiving new items. Ivern will also be reworked in Patch 13.10.

Furthermore, certain in-game systems are undergoing considerable adjustments. The minion modifications are one of these changes. While these aren’t the major adjustments Riot mentioned for the preseason 2024, this might be a concrete start for it.

Minion Changes in Patch 13.10

• Except for the first spawn of minions, Mid lane minions will meet at the same time as side-lane minions. (Side lane minions have been sped up)
• Minions that have targeted an enemy tower will ignore “call for help” signals to target enemy champions.

The first modification on the list is noteworthy. The suggested update will cause the minions in all lanes to appear at the same time. As of now, the Mid lane minions are now quicker than the other two lanes, allowing them to shove the lane and assist other laners without losing minions.

Mid laners will have more motivation to stay in lane if these changes are enacted, and if they roam, they will miss minions, which is bad for roaming players, or champions. Top and bot, on the other hand, won’t have to worry about regular roams.

The second modification is more of an anti-dive mechanism. When a player is forced in behind the turret, they do not have to worry about minions aggroing them.

The minion modifications, as well as the other changes stated in the Twitter post, will be implemented on live servers with Patch 13.10, which is set to be released on May 17, 2023.