The much-anticipated League of Legends Patch 14.18 is here, and it’s the patch that the World Championships will be played on. With this update, Riot Games has implemented several pro-centric changes that will significantly affect gameplay, champion balance, and item builds. However, some of these adjustments may negatively impact champions in solo queue, particularly those who already struggle in ranked matches.
The big question that many players are asking: Should Riot balance for pro play even if it compromises solo queue viability? Champions like Corki and Azir are prime examples, with both sitting below a 46% win rate in solo queue, yet still receiving nerfs due to their dominance in pro play.
Mage Item Changes: Luden’s Echo and Shadowflame Adjustments
Riot has decided to tweak several key mage items in Patch 14.18, with a focus on Luden’s Echo and Shadowflame.
- Luden’s Echo now has its ability power increased by 5, while the item cost is reduced by 50 gold. However, the ability haste has been lowered by 5, resulting in a net loss of 200 gold worth of stats. Despite the slight cost reduction, this is an overall nerf in terms of gold efficiency, which may weaken the item in the current meta.
- Shadowflame sees its ability power drop from 120 to 105, while its magic penetration increases from 12 to 15. The passive threshold for bonus damage is also adjusted, now activating when enemies fall below 40% health (up from 35%). This will result in less damage from DoT (damage-over-time) abilities, but a stronger focus on burst when enemies are low. The math shows that, with the increased magic pen and passive buffs, Shadowflame should emerge stronger overall.
- Storm Surge is another item receiving attention, with its magic penetration boosted from 10 to 15, adding 231 gold worth of stats. However, its movement speed is being reduced by 3%, equating to a loss of 162 gold in value. Overall, the changes to its passive abilities result in a net positive, making it a viable option for burst mages.
Bloodthirster and Shield Bow Nerfs Hit AD Carries Hard
Bloodthirster has long been a go-to item for AD carries, but it’s getting a significant nerf in this patch. The lifesteal is being reduced from 18% to 15%, and the shield value at level 8 is being lowered from 194 to 165. This nerf hits champions like Misfortune and Draven particularly hard, as both have been rushing Bloodthirster in recent patches.
Additionally, Shield Bow is getting a major adjustment. Its passive shield strength will be lower for ranged champions but stronger for melee champions earlier in the game. This change is a buff to melee champions like Yasuo and Yone but a nerf to ranged AD carries, continuing to shift the bot lane meta.
Top Lane Champion Changes: Buffs to Gnar, Jax, and Malphite
Several top lane champions are receiving buffs to keep them viable in both solo queue and pro play.
- Gnar is getting a buff to his base attack damage, increasing by 3. While this might sound small, even slight increases in AD can have a noticeable effect on win rates—Gnar is expected to gain up to a 1% increase. However, the nerf to Fleet Footwork will likely neutralize much of this gain, keeping him in the B-tier for now.
- Jax is getting a buff to his ultimate’s on-hit damage, along with increased resistances. These changes should help solidify Jax as an A-tier pick, especially with the added durability.
- Malphite is also seeing a buff to his passive shield scaling, making him even more durable. With this buff, Malphite is likely to remain an S-tier pick, particularly in matchups against AD champions.
Nasus Nerfs and Pro Play Adjustments
Nasus is receiving a nerf, but it’s more targeted at his mid-lane presence than his top lane performance. The damage on his E is being reduced from 55-215 to 50-170, while the damage per second is also slightly reduced. However, since top lane Nasus typically maxes E last, these nerfs should have a minimal effect on his power in the top lane.
Rumble, another top lane champion, is getting nerfed once again. The base damage of his Q is being reduced by 20 at rank 1, and the AP ratio is dropping from 110% to 100%. His E damage is also being reduced, which will make Rumble a less threatening pick in early-game skirmishes. Despite these nerfs, Rumble is expected to remain in the C-tier for top lane.
Jungle Changes: Buffs to Jarvan, Viego, and Xin Zhao
Jungle champions are also seeing significant shifts in Patch 14.18, with several buffs to power junglers back into the meta.
- Jarvan IV is getting a buff to his passive damage, making him even more effective in early-game ganks. This change could push Jarvan into S-tier for solo queue, especially for players who prefer aggressive early-game junglers.
- Viego is receiving a base AD buff, but with a Q bonus monster damage nerf. While these changes don’t drastically change his gameplay, they do solidify Viego as a top-tier pick for Patch 14.18.
- Xin Zhao sees a minor buff with an increase in armor growth and Q bonus damage. These small buffs should make Xin Zhao more reliable, pushing him into the S-tier of jungle picks.
Mid Lane Nerfs and Buffs
Azir and Corki are both receiving nerfs in Patch 14.18, despite their low win rates in solo queue. Azir’s R damage is being nerfed, reducing both its base damage and AP ratio. Similarly, Corki is losing 20 damage on his Q at max rank. These nerfs are targeted more towards balancing these champions for pro play, but will unfortunately make them even weaker in solo queue, where they already struggle to find success.
Ahri is one of the few mid-laners receiving buffs in this patch. Her E damage at max rank is being increased, and its AP ratio is also receiving a boost. However, since Ahri players typically max E last, this buff won’t significantly impact her until late in the game. Still, this might prompt some players to experiment with maxing E second, which could lead to a higher win rate in the mid-game.
ADC and Support Changes
Several key ADC champions are being nerfed, with Miss Fortune and Varus taking the brunt of the changes. Miss Fortune’s base AD is being reduced, while Varus’s lethality build is getting toned down with nerfs to his Q and E AD ratios. Both champions will drop in their respective tier lists, with Miss Fortune moving to S-tier and Varus dropping to C-tier.
Meanwhile, Jinx is receiving a buff to her attack speed growth, likely due to the upcoming release of Arcane. This buff should push her into the OP-tier, making her one of the strongest ADC picks in Patch 14.18.
On the support side, Leona and Rell are both being nerfed, while Lulu is receiving a minor buff to her passive damage per bolt. Despite these changes, the support meta remains largely unchanged, with enchanters like Lulu and Senna still dominating the S-tier.
Summary of Patch 14.18
Overall, Patch 14.18 introduces several pro-centric changes that may impact the solo queue experience, particularly for champions like Corki and Azir. However, the adjustments to mage items like Luden’s Echo and Shadowflame provide more power to burst-heavy mages.
Top laners such as Gnar, Jax, and Malphite receive buffs that should keep them competitive in solo queue, while junglers like Jarvan IV and Viego see improvements that could shape the early-game meta.
