Throughout its decade-long history in League of Legends, the Summoner Spell has undergone numerous changes. Now, it is once more under adjustments. Riot Games is concerned about how top laners can easily dominate their lanes using the Rift-hopping spell and aims to reduce its power and influence.

On July 8, League balance boss Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison acknowledged that this rework has been anticipated for a long time.

“It’s been a long time coming, but we’re investigating changes to Teleport to resolve its ability to wash lanes, while also still avoiding the bot lane party”

There are two main challenges in Phroxzon’s balance plan as the League team works on the Spell in preparation for the 2024 World Championship.

First, any significant changes made in Season 14 could potentially bring back the “bot lane” issue, where Teleport allows tanky top laners to join the bot lane fights too easily—a situation Riot wants to avoid.

Second, the team has yet to find a solution that works well in testing.

Phroxzon didn’t specify the exact changes Riot has been testing, and he likely won’t reveal them soon. However, he did describe the attempts as “inelegant.” We can expect to learn more about some of these planned changes later this week.

Riot has a long history of altering Teleport and its effects. Since the League alpha, the spell has seen over 100 changes. Notable updates included making it uncancellable in Season 9 and an overhaul in Season 12.

Currently, Teleport has a base cooldown of 360 seconds and transforms into a more versatile Unleashed Teleport at the 10-minute mark.

The League balance team hopes that the upcoming changes to Teleport will help create a more interactive and balanced top lane experience for players.

League of Legends Patch 14.10 made extensive changes across almost every aspect of gameplay. However, Patch 14.11 is set to introduce one of the most significant changes in recent times. Riot is specifically reworking the way Ornn’s passive will upgrade items. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive into the details.

Reworked Ornn’s Passive in LoL Patch 14.11

Passive – Living Forge:

• Innate – Master Craftsman:
  • All Legendary Items can now be upgraded.
  • Upgraded Items no longer have a unique name and instead have a Masterwork Tag.
  • Item chosen to upgrade is in the first slot (still only upgrades one item per champion).
  • Upgrades are still worth 1000 Gold. Upgradable stats and values are as follows:
    • Attack Damage: 1 per 35 Gold.
    • Ability Power: 1 per 20 Gold.
    • Health: 1 per 2.66 Gold.
    • Armor: 1 per 20 Gold.
    • Magic Resistance: 1 per 18 Gold.
    • Ability Haste: 1 per 31.25 Gold.
    • Attack Speed: 1% per 30 Gold.

According to a post on League’s subreddit from May 14, Ornn’s primary mechanic, which allows him to craft and upgrade items for himself and his teammates, is being updated.

This new change means that Ornn will be able to upgrade nearly any item, with a few exceptions. The items that cannot be upgraded include Mejai’s Soulstealer, Vigilant Wardstone, Tear items, and all support quest items. The value of each upgraded item will now be set at 1000 gold.

Ornn’s upgrades will still apply to the first item slotted in his inventory, so players need to be mindful of item positioning. If you sell the upgraded item and purchase a new one hoping it will be upgraded, it won’t work. Additionally, the upgraded items will no longer have unique names, which is a departure from the current system.

These new changes to his passive are scheduled to be released in Patch 14.11 on May 30, 2024.

Skarner’s journey in League of Legends since his rework in Patch 14.7 has been full of ups and downs. He’s gone through three more changes since then, and he’s about to face another nerf in Patch 14.9, which is launching on May 1st.

After his rework, Skarner, known as the Primordial Sovereign, was considered too strong and got nerfed in Patch 14.8 and then again in a hotfix for Patch 14.8 on April 18th. Riot Phroxzon, in charge of balancing the game, confirmed on Twitter on April 22nd that Skarner is getting nerfed again.

When a champion like him is reworked in League of Legends, they can either become too powerful or too weak. In his case, his win rates were low after his rework in Patch 14.7. The only positive was his updated appearance, which included new emotes and even started a meme called Crab Rave.

You might wonder why Skarner is still struggling even after multiple nerfs and changes. It’s because skilled players have figured out how to play him optimally, especially in the jungle with certain items. Once he reaches level 9, he becomes very strong, and the best players are dominating with him.

Riot Phroxzon didn’t specify which abilities or stats will be nerfed, but they aim to make Skarner still viable in the jungle while also being balanced for other roles like top lane.

We’ll have to wait for the full patch details to see how much the champion will be nerfed and if it will change the jungle meta in May. Patch 14.8 coincides with the MSI 2024 tournament, so professional players will have access to him in his current strong state.

Predator rune in League of Legends desperately needs an update

Within the League of Legends community, there’s a growing chorus of players calling for Riot Games to either completely overhaul or eliminate the Predator rune from the game. This plea comes as a result of the rune’s dismal popularity among players, prompting many to suggest replacing it with a different option, which could potentially introduce new strategies to the MOBA.

In League of Legends, runes provide players with a variety of enhancements based on their preferences. These runes shape specific playstyles, potentially transforming how certain champions are approached. These enhancements can range from increased damage to enhanced defenses.

The Predator rune, found within the Domination tree, is typically favored by assassins and aggressive champions seeking to dish out damage and bridge the gap between themselves and their targets.

Initially, Predator granted an enchantment to boots that bestowed a burst of speed when moving towards enemies, a feature seemingly tailor-made for jungle champions. However, despite its apparent suitability, the rune has failed to gain traction among players, leading many to advocate for its removal.

Expressing their sentiments on a Reddit thread, players lamented the underwhelming status of the Predator rune, with many saying that it should be replaced by a more appealing option. While acknowledging that some players might miss it, the consensus is that they would be in the minority.

Originally, the Predator rune was considered overpowered, prompting subsequent nerfs and adjustments. However, despite these efforts, it has fallen behind other rune choices in terms of effectiveness. This decline is particularly disappointing for players who appreciated how the rune altered gameplay dynamics.

Some players reminisced about other runes, such as Unsealed Spellbook and Kleptomancy, which have since been removed from the game. These runes were praised for their ability to drastically alter gameplay strategies. However, with no updates to the Predator rune since Season 12, it appears unlikely that it will receive any significant changes in the near future.

While Riot continues to fine-tune the champion for balance, one particular interaction has emerged, showcasing the devastating synergy between Skarner and Kalista. This newfound wombo combo revolves around Skarner’s ultimate ability and Kalista’s unique mechanics, offering an insane wombo combo that can wreak anyone in teamfights.

Skarner and Kalista insane wombo combo

When Skarner’s ultimate is activated while Kalista initiates her ultimate, allowing her to pull in a bound ally and then launch them toward a target, the result is a formidable crowd control chain reminiscent of hook champions like Blitzcrank and Thresh.

Reddit user Phallanxar recently demonstrated this synergy in action, employing Skarner’s ultimate to capture multiple enemies, then having Kalista pull them even further away from their team.

The effectiveness of this combo is not only attributed to the seamless integration of their ultimates but also to Skarner’s reworked abilities, which now allow him to engage and control multiple opponents while remaining resilient with his usual tankiness.

Despite Skarner’s struggles to find his footing in his traditional role as a jungler post-rework, his newfound potential as a support alongside Kalista opens up exciting possibilities for the champion. While Riot aims to balance his viability in top lane, where players have been exploiting his W max strategy, the bot lane synergy with Kalista presents a promising alternative avenue for Skarner to shine.

As players continue to experiment with this dynamic duo and Riot continues to refine Skarner’s balance, the League community eagerly anticipates how this newfound synergy will impact the meta and redefine Skarner’s role on the Rift.

The rework received a lukewarm response, with his win rate plummeting to an abysmal number on the day of its debut on live servers.

Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison, the lead gameplay designer for League, shared insights into Skarner’s role dynamics, noting that the champion’s performance varies significantly based on mastery level. While the champion seems to excel in the top lane among less experienced players, he struggles to find success in the jungle, with a win rate of 38.59% after two days in the game.

Skarner’s micropatch buffs

Mana Growth       

• 60 >>> 45

P Monster Damage Cap  

• 75-250 >>> 100-300

Q Monster Damage Cap 

• 100/175/250/325/400 >>> 150/225/300/375/450

W Mana Cost       

• 40/45/50/55/60 >>> 50/55/60/65/70

E Cooldown

• 24/22/20/18/16 >>> 20/19/18/17/16

Despite these challenges, Riot remains optimistic about Skarner’s potential, deeming him “quite strong.” However, they emphasize the importance of mastering his ability combinations, such as prioritizing Q before E, to fully utilize his potential on the Rift.

In response to player feedback and performance data, Riot has implemented changes aimed at balancing Skarner’s abilities. Notable adjustments include reducing the cooldown of his E ability while decreasing his mana growth and increasing the mana cost of his W ability, intended to introduce more strategic decision-making into his gameplay.

Furthermore, Riot acknowledges player concerns regarding the weightiness of Skarner’s Q ability, Shattered Earth, particularly in conjunction with his ultimate ability, Upheaval. They aim to make this ability more impactful while ensuring sufficient counterplay opportunities for opponents, with ongoing adjustments in progress.

While the micropatch aims to address immediate power concerns, Riot plans to implement further adjustments in the next patch to rebalance Skarner’s performance between top lane and jungle roles. This iterative approach reflects Riot’s commitment to refining gameplay experiences and maintaining a healthy balance within the game’s ecosystem.

Despite the excitement surrounding his overhaul, Runeterra’s beloved scorpion currently boasts the lowest win rate among all champions in the game. At the time of writing, Skarner’s win rate stands at a dismal 38.17% through Platinum ranks and higher, as reported by League statistics site U.GG.

Notably, players have been experimenting with Skarner not only in the jungle role but also in support and top lane positions, yielding similarly disappointing results as they acclimate to his revamped abilities and playstyle.

In Patch 14.7, Skarner underwent a comprehensive transformation, receiving an entirely new skill set and appearance after remaining largely unchanged since his initial release in 2011.

Moreover, despite having been one of the least favored picks in the game, he now boasts 5 unique skins—a significant increase considering his historically low skin count compared to other champions in the League roster. With these updates, Skarner has gained a plethora of new strategies and tactics at his disposal.

However, it’s common for newly reworked champions or those receiving significant updates to experience a period of adjustment upon release. Similar to Briar, who initially struggled with one of the worst win rates in the game before receiving adjustments and eventually finding her place in the solo queue meta, Skarner is expected to require some time to settle into his new role.

While Skarner’s kit may appear formidable at first glance, players are still in the process of mastering his mechanics, including optimal engagement timings, effective use of his ultimate ability, and strategic decision-making to ensure survival.

Achieving a balance between durability to withstand enemy and seizing opportunities to initiate teamfights or secure objectives through strategic positioning remains key for Skarner’s success. Thus, as players continue to familiarize themselves with his updated capabilities, his win rate is anticipated to stabilize and potentially improve.

This long-awaited update brings a fresh suite of abilities and a revitalized visual design to the champion, promising to breathe new life into his gameplay experience. Players can look forward to exploring the intricacies of Skarner’s revamped kit as they adapt to his enhanced capabilities.

In addition to Skarner’s rework, this patch introduces significant adjustments to the support role, particularly focusing on itemization. Several support items are slated for nerfs, while certain enchanter supports receive buffs, aiming to rebalance the support meta and promote diversity in champion choices.

League of Legends Patch 14.7 is scheduled to go live on April 3, 2024, aligning with Riot’s patch schedule.

League of Legends patch 14.7 early notes

Champions

Karma

E: Inspire

• Secondary targets of ult shield will gain 80% of the bonus shield instead of 30%

Nami

W: Ebb and Flow

• Base damage reduced: 60-220 >>> 60-200
• AP ratio reduced: 55% >>> 50%
• Base heal increased: 55-135 >>> 55-155
• Heal AP ratio increased: 25% >>> 40%
• Bounce reduction reduced: 15% >>> 10%
• Bounce reduction AP ratio increased: 7.5% per 100 AP >>> 10% per 100 AP

E: Tidecaller’s Blessing

• Base damage reduced: 20-80 >>> 20-60

Skarner

• Click here for the full details of Skarner Rework

Sona

Passive: Power Chord

• Q Passive damage increased: 28-336 + 28% AP >>> 30-360 + 30% AP

Q: Hymn of Valor

• On-hit AP ratio reduced: 20% >>> 10%

W: Aria of Perserverance

• Heal AP ratio increased: 15% >>> 30%

E: Song of Celerity

• Base movement speed increased: 10-14% >>> 10-18%

Items

Bloodsong

• Spellblade base AD ratio reduced: 150% >>> 100%

Imperial Mandate

• Damage reduced: 12% current HP >>> 10%

Zaz’Zak’s Realmspike

• Base damage reduced: 20 >>> 10
• Health damage reduced: 4% max HP >>> 3% max HP
• Cooldown increased: 8-6 seconds >>> 10 seconds flat

Encountering Yone in League of Legends often elicits frustration among players, especially when he goes in and out of combat with his Soul Unbound ability. However, with the recent rework of Skarner, this crystalline arachnid now possesses formidable tools capable of countering Yone.

The Primordial Sovereign has made his debut on League’s PBE testing server, where players are actively experimenting with various combos and interactions on Summoner’s Rift.

During testing, players stumbled upon a revelation: Skarner can disrupt the second phase of Yone’s Soul Unbound ability using his own E ability, Ixtal’s Impact. Yone’s Soul Unbound empowers him to temporarily forsake his physical form, traversing the battlefield in spirit form to pursue adversaries. In this state, Yone gains unique advantages, such as unit passage, the ability to attack, and access to his skills. Yet, upon the ability’s conclusion, Yone swiftly returns to his original location, resuming his corporeal form.

Traditionally, once Yone initiates the return phase of his Soul Unbound ability, he becomes unstoppable. However, the revamped Skarner now possesses a potent tool to halt Yone’s momentum dead in its tracks. Ixtal’s Impact not only grants the reimagined scorpion the ability to traverse all terrain but also enables him to seize and suppress any enemies he encounters.

In a video demonstration, Skarner is seen using Ixtal’s Impact to charge forward, intercepting Yone’s trajectory as he reverts to his physical form. Instead of allowing Yone to pass through him unhindered, Ixtal’s Impact seizes Yone mid-animation, thrusting him back into the fray and nullifying the sanctuary of his original body’s location.

This newfound tactic serves as a potent countermeasure against Yone players accustomed to exploiting the safety net of their Soul Unbound ability. Skarner’s positioning along Yone’s return path can abruptly terminate his dash, ensnaring him in a vulnerable state.

Whether utilized as a specialized mid-lane deterrent against Yone or as a formidable jungler, Skarner has quickly demonstrated his potential to reshape the meta in League of Legends.

The long-awaited VGU of Skarner, League of Legends’ crystalline scorpion champion, has finally been unveiled, bringing a fresh look to this classic character.

However, the update has not been met with universal acclaim, particularly when it comes to the redesigned skins accompanying the rework. Among these, the Guardian of the Sands skin has been a focal point of criticism for its perceived lack of value, despite its relatively high cost of 975RP.

A detailed critique surfaced on a Reddit thread dated March 19, where users delved into the specifics of their disappointment with the Guardian of the Sands Skarner skin. The thread’s original poster, Bubblegum1109, highlighted a particular grievance with the skin’s recall animation.

They lamented the loss of the original skin’s simple yet satisfying recall, criticizing the updated version for merely adding “sand” effects to the base recall animation. This change was seen as indicative of Riot Games’ willingness to “cut corners” on modern skin updates.

The discussion expanded as he drew comparisons between the Guardian of the Sands skin and other skins priced similarly or even lower. They pointed out that skins such as Hextech Galio and Crabgot, both priced at 520RP, received significant upgrades including new particles, sounds, and even voice filters, making Skarner’s update seem lackluster in comparison.

The sentiment that Riot Games had not put forth their best effort with Skarner’s new skins was echoed by many respondents to the thread. Accusations of “pure laziness” were common, with fans expressing their disillusionment, particularly those who had favored the Guardian of the Sands skin prior to its rework.

Furthermore, dissatisfaction was not limited to the Guardian of the Sands skin. Another skin, Earthrune Skarner, was mentioned by players as having been “absolutely robbed” in its transition. The rework transformed this skin from its original Earth Elemental theme to a more robotic appearance, further fueling the disappointment among the Skarner player base.

The rework of Skarner, including these controversial skin updates, is scheduled to be implemented with the upcoming League of Legends Patch 14.7, set to go live on April 3. The community’s feedback has been loud and clear, but whether Riot Games will address these criticisms and make adjustments to the skins in question is still uncertain.