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Quick Gameplay Thoughts: June 28

RiotMeddler·6/28/2019, 4:39:58 PM·1 votes·135,337 views

Hi folks,

Usual Disclaimers

These posts will often contain talk about future work we're doing, or planning to do, that isn't yet guaranteed to ship. The nature of the work could change or, depending on what we discover, projects mentioned may get delayed or even stopped. If you'd like to see a Tweet whenever a new one of these posts goes up: https://twitter.com/RiotMeddler

Life of a Patch

Now that we're through the 9.13 development cycle we're reflecting on how the Life of a Patch project went. We should have some thoughts on that and a recap early July. If you're not sure what I'm talking about details can be found here: https://nexus.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/2019/06/join-us-for-a-patch-cycle/ TLDR is a lot of people who worked on the Summoner's Rift team for 9.13 tweeting a lot of details about the patch's development.

For those of you that followed Life of a Patch in detail, also very curious as to how you found the experience?

Some early observations on 9.13 champ changes so far

Just looking at day 1 states here:

  • J4, Kennen and Trynd were rescripted so their AOE abilities would be more responsive. At the same time they unintentionally also had the way the radius on those AOEs is calculated changed. That resulted in a increase of around 50 units on each spell adding significant unintended power. That should be hotfixed already by the time this post goes out. We'll then see how they're looking power wise, including whether the extra responsiveness added significant strength to them or was mainly just a feel improvement.
  • Diana's also looking much stronger in 9.13. At time of writing it's not clear why, given we weren't expecting any of the changes to her Q to add significant power. Suspicious there's a bug in there somewhere, doing some digging into her scripts as a result.
  • Sona - Statistically is down in power pretty much exactly as much as hoped on average. Not yet clear how much Sona + a tanky support (most often Taric) is performing though. Power of support Sona still looks ok so hoping we don't need to make any further changes.
  • Pyke - Changes have narrowed the difference between his support and solo lane performance substantially as hoped. We don't want to put support Pyke in a terrible spot by balancing around solo Pyke and also feel some of what the 9.12 version of solo Pyke at least was able to do wasn't good for game health (lack of sufficiently exploitable weaknesses/inappropriate combination of strengths).

Wukong Update

Thanks again for all the feedback on the Wukong update that's been in testing on the PBE, it's been really helpful in making a call on what to do with that project. We will be going ahead with those changes, likely with some changes from exactly what was on the PBE and certainly with some further balance adjustments. Not sure on timeframe yet, that's mainly going to be determined by availability of artist time to work on some new visual effects, maybe an animation or two and some revised sound effects.

Tahm Kench

We've got some work underway on TK changes for 9.14. Focus on those is more on reducing frustration playing against him than just balance adjustments, frustration in top lane especially. A key part of the direction we're currently exploring is reducing his ability to repeatedly CC the same target.

Safe ranged champs in top lane

Speaking of top lane we're also doing some work on a few champs who sometimes go top bringing a combination of powerful AA based damage output and good disengage. Current list is Kennen, Jayce and Neeko, with changes aimed at lowering their early damage output, giving them some more scaling instead and adding a bit more risk to their laning patterns.

Teamfight Tactics

Thanks for the patience with some challenges we're having with TFT's initial release. We've got a lot of work on things like login queues, server load etc underway and realize it can be really frustrating if you're in one of the regions that's got an overloaded server at present. We'll keep you folks in the loop whenever we've got updates to share.

Gameplay wise thanks for all the feedback so far. There are a lot of things we're working on adding or refining further (e.g. a lot of UI improvements that many of you have suggested). We're aiming to have a lot of improvements in 9.14 and each of the patches beyond it.

http://ddragon.leagueoflegends.com/cdn/6.24.1/img/champion/Ziggs.png

171 Comments

xJokerrrr6/28/2019, 4:44:45 PM15 votes

Thoughts on Lux and her being the most picked support in every single elo in patch 9.12? With a 60% presence rate in pro play? And a super high ban rate and win rate?

https://twitter.com/xJokerr_/status/1144078241088647169?s=19

There is some data for you to see.

Sexy Jack Rabbit6/28/2019, 4:47:11 PM11 votes

Hey meddler I'm just curious on what your current opinion on Taliyah is? Do you think she is in a good spot? Personally I find her current bursty playstyle to be lesser then that of her previous DPS based playstyle.

Ready 2 RumbIe6/28/2019, 6:27:42 PM6 votes

@meddler

Thoughts on Rumble? Too strong or in the ideal spot?

Also, can we get a damage counter on items? It shows in the death recap, so you ARE tracking the damage. It would be nice to see it, especially on items like Liandry's and BotRK.

Dr40UR6/28/2019, 5:26:13 PM6 votes

Just a question, is there any chance that you guys are looking at changing the random items from minions in TFT? It feels really bad when you beat a PVE round and get absolutely nothing to show for it, and sometimes people get lucky and snowball the whole game with 3 full items from the get go. Is there any chance that can get changed? Maybe guaranteed random items even if you lose, or a choice of items if you win so that you can have a chance to build towards a certain build if you win, and have more control over itemization as long as you're winning the PVE rounds?

iiGazeii6/28/2019, 4:50:27 PM5 votes

Are the Akali changes being tested by RiotRepertoir making it into 9.14?

limebuster6/28/2019, 4:51:12 PM5 votes

Hey meddler! I know I keep spamming these posts but Is there anything coming for MF? She’s one of the worst adc’s Currently with a less 48-49% winrate, I know usually a few adcs are deemed viable but she hasn’t felt great all season since the DH nerfs which cut a lot of power from her, the pta build that came in recently does not feel fun to play either unfortunately.

Xeneth6/28/2019, 5:40:46 PM4 votes

My experience following along with life of a patch was really positive, and I wanted to encourage you to try to make some part of it "ongoing policy", but would totally understand if the "eternal" version of this feature would naturally be way less individual tweets and little videos and just a bit more insight from the team patch-to-patch.

Here's a concrete win for you - As a Karma main, my mentality directly benefited from your efforts in a concrete way I can explain; Were I simply watching Surrender@20 and reading patch notes, I would have been elated at the Karma buffs and then felt a LOT more disappointed at the partial revert.

Instead, because I was exposed to another designers skeptical comment about "movespeed being one of the things that's pushed her over-budget in the past", during the time between these two patches, as a player I wasn't JUST thinking "Yay Karma buffs Imma smash!", I was ALSO thinking "I wonder if she's actually been overbuffed". When I heard about the movespeed nerf instead of just being disappointed it felt like I saw that part coming and in the end are probably a bit happier with just the slow magnitude change.

MalrothDragonia6/28/2019, 4:49:50 PM4 votes

I really enjoyed Life of a Patch, and hope it becomes a standard feature.

Don't know how much it takes away from actually working on the patch, but as someone who is fascinated by design, and always hungry for the latest changes (I was tantalized by the Swain ideation specifically, that's my boi) I gave me a great daily contact point with league when I don't have time to get a game in.

Also love TFT, the announcement of TFT made me look into what auto-chess even was, and now I'm hooked. Hoping for shorter q times so when I'm short on time I don't have to switch to other software to get my fix.

League's version is superior imo

Sometimes Fizz6/28/2019, 4:51:23 PM4 votes

Any updates on the bug with Karthus' ulti damage going through to targets who should be dodging the damage? (E.g Shaco R timed correctly)

LordSenorPotato6/28/2019, 7:46:41 PM4 votes

Sona gets her e ap ratio literally cut in half while riot is completely ignoring the fact that Lux is completely broken in her current state in both solo queue and pro play. Classic riot balance team.

ZT Xperimentor7/2/2019, 2:15:46 PM3 votes

"Speaking of top lane we're also doing some work on a few champs who sometimes go top bringing a combination of powerful AA based damage output and good disengage." How are gnar, quinn, & vayne not on this list?

Wagger6/28/2019, 5:12:49 PM3 votes

Hey! A rioter was working on some swain changes. Any chance we see those on the PBE any time soon?

Adalvar6/28/2019, 5:19:27 PM3 votes

Hum, question. Are we getting the proposed changelist for AP items that Riot Repertoir posted awhile back? (item 3027 item 3151 - item 3136 item 3116 )?

They all looked soo cool and in the end all we got was a 100G decrease on Rod. I'd like to know if were getting the items or not

La Bello6/28/2019, 5:43:06 PM3 votes

imo Wukong needs a new model. ngl I cant stand that current BASE default Wukong Model is going commando under there and how his armor is kinda oversized and ill-fitting almost. (the whole commando thing is made worse by the fact that he took the time to wear shoes though. like of all the places where you can cut clothing on a animal-warrior feet and hands are where I LEAST expect ).

just my personal thoughts and I know theres prob no way it happens but I wish all this was just a entire VGU w some additional VO stuff too not just a GU. Wukong deserves it atm Im just going to headcannon that Radiant Wukong is base Wukong and nothing else.

usul12026/28/2019, 6:34:19 PM3 votes

Hey Meddler, has there been any consideration for letting hard cc unshroud akali for the cc duration? I feel that it would give her counterplay which would be more effective at high elo, flattening out her win rate gradient and would reward properly playing against her.

Goldnight Angel6/28/2019, 6:36:14 PM3 votes

Any thoughts on QuinnQuinn at the moment? Given the topic of ranged top lane champions it seems a fitting item for discussion. After the nerfs to her a while back her lane matchups have been fairly volatile which for such a feast/famine champion is not where she wants to be. While making her safer or more damaging in lane would be no-doubt a mistake, is there any possibility that she could get some tweaks to her power for the later game?

T 4 K E 0 V È R6/28/2019, 8:28:53 PM3 votes

What are your thoughts on Galio atm? His support is bad, his mid is bad, and his top lane is bad. He's been gutted and forgotten about.

Queen Of Yuri6/29/2019, 12:02:21 AM3 votes

When are we gonna finally get you guys to address twisted tree line there is a clear line of thought from most people in league that you guys should just get rid of it and that no one plays it so no one cares(people even can get looked down upon for enjoying it) with the very small minority of players that actually play it would hate to see it go but can't stand not getting any sort of notice or changes especially when you guys are now doing balance, while small, for ARAM. Using the excuse of that its not played and has a small player base for not showing any love for it is nothing but riots fault in the end because ask yourself this why would anyone play TTL when you cant earn mastery tokens, the map looks kinda outdated, its very clear riot doesn't care, the matchmaking for it can be absolutely awful in higher Elo, the meta for TTL is pretty toxic the more it climbs with funneling being all you can play pretty much. But even with all of the negatives, there is still a minority of people who truly love the appeal of 3v3 and the if you have ranked queue for it so it has to have some sort of importance for riot if you continue to keep it up this minority doesn't deserve to continue to be ignored even something as small as what you do for ARAM could be cool or even where you bring butchers bridge for a patch isn't there anything you can do for TTL. #JusticeForTTL

Vhan87656/28/2019, 6:19:56 PM2 votes

But where is the Teamfight Tactics tab that was on the PBE but not implemented on live servers? Was the few cosmetic rewards it gave out really decided to be pulled when TFT was shipped to live?

Lord Raphel6/28/2019, 5:20:54 PM2 votes

Hello Meddler! About the Leona changes that were in the PBE before: Real changes in her kit Leona would be cool:

  • a true shield;
  • a way to escape enemies like Braum, Rakan, and Nautilus;
  • a higher mana regeneration

Leona

Pastor Yorick6/29/2019, 9:15:30 AM2 votes

Thank you so goddamn much for finally doing something about the menace that is ranged toplaners!

Tarcathos6/28/2019, 4:52:47 PM2 votes

Good Morning Meddler,

With the release of the reworked Mordekaiser finally in the hands of the player base, I have been hearing folks in the community really asking about itemization for AP Bruisers/Juggernauts. While there are some great options for Mordekaiser, the pool of choices is somewhat limited, as I am sure Riot is well aware.

My questions relating to this: Are there any internal discussions occurring about new/reworked itemization for AP Bruisers/Juggernauts? Second, if so, can you give us a sense of what sorts of items or abilities you are thinking about? If not, is there a specific reason (balancing, resources, ect...) that this not occurring? Finally, have their been any discussions internally about taking current items (Lets say Spear of Shojin for example) and making the stats it provides Adaptive?

For context, part of the reason I am asking this is a sort of followup to other discussions being had about champion diversity in roles. There are a number of champions who, by virtue primarily of itemization, could play as bruisers/juggernauts top or mid, but cannot at this time. I am wondering if perhaps the lack of itemization is, in fact, deliberate so as to keep certain champs out of these lanes so as not to throw things too wildly out of wack.

I look forward to your thoughts, if you decide to provide them!

Regards, Tarcathos

Shahamut7/1/2019, 10:57:03 AM2 votes

Any work on Skarner in the works?

Anchorit Wracaj6/28/2019, 7:06:19 PM2 votes

Can Nasus mains get any love? The high elo ones? I proposed the change.Nerf nasus E armor pen from 35% to 10% yeah I know,its huge(chill) Buff his base stats for 30 health,4 armor,and 3 magic resist.This way he will be a little bit tankier in early lane and wont be a troll pick in high elo.Talking about D2+.Yet his insane power in lower elo will be calmed down cause he wont get everytime free last whisper on ADCS that stands in place while Silver-Gold Nasus is running to them.Hope somebody can read and make it.Thanks.

Rox00Miral6/28/2019, 7:35:16 PM2 votes

Hey Meddler, any eyes on lissandra? do something before people forget there is lissandra

Closar7/1/2019, 2:34:58 PM2 votes

For once I won’t be complaining, I love the fact you are looking to reduce range dominance up Top but What about Karma top? It feels like she definitely belongs there.

On a more general note, what are your thoughts on Klepto vs Conqueror top? Since most Klepto users are ranged, Conqueror users don’t get the chance to proc their conqueror while those using Klepto keep piling gold. It is a very frustrating keystone to play against in my opinion.

AED Rowlbeck6/28/2019, 9:19:02 PM2 votes

About the Safe Ranged Champs top lane, do you think champs like Quinn, Gnar, Teemo and Vladimir could be in that list?

JungglerBook6/28/2019, 4:47:30 PM2 votes

Hey @Meddler. How is the Ryze Rework fairing now that there's been time to analyze a bit. Is he going to be fine tuned any bit more?

Spooks and Null6/29/2019, 1:57:03 AM2 votes

Any thoughts on Sylas after his buffs?

Small Boobs Ahri6/28/2019, 5:35:28 PM2 votes

Hello Meddler, I have a question about the chat in the games, what would be the impact if it were removed? That it is no longer possible to write in the ingame chat,

don't you think that it will give a positive impact to the game, it could help the game to focus on the game because there are people it tryhard more the chat for flame than to play the game

King Livid6/30/2019, 12:28:08 AM1 votes

"Current list is Kennen, Jayce, and Neeko"

( Vladimir slowly pools away)

RencerRx6/28/2019, 5:53:55 PM1 votes

Is it so bad that Diana feels a little more powerful? She’s been seriously lacking the past couple of patches.

Blood Teller6/28/2019, 4:51:37 PM1 votes

When do some of the planned changes (Akali, Swain etc) go on pbe?