Boards›Dev Corner

Patch Chat with the Playtest Team - 7.24

Novalas·12/6/2017, 9:01:33 PM·1 votes·37,724 views

Hey everyone and welcome to the Patch 7.24, the LAST PATCH OF SEASON 7!

https://i.imgur.com/8sOD6mO.jpg

I’m Riot Novalas & I’m a QA Analyst on Riot’s Playtest Team, a group of high elo players who work on Core Gameplay playing new champions, reworks, balance tweaks, items, and map updates before they’re released. It’s our job to test the changes that our designers come up with and ensure that we’re introducing positive changes to League in terms of both balance and fun.

Patch Chat serves as an opportunity for us to talk about the patches that come out every two weeks. You can find the most recent patch by following this link: https://na.leagueoflegends.com/en/news/game-updates/patch/patch-724-notes

There are a wide array of changes in this patch, focusing specifically on balance changes and runes changes. The healthbar update also hits live too!

Ask us anything about the last patch of the season, our favorite rune builds on YOUR favorite champions, our likes and dislikes, how often we execute to jungle camps, and more!... Or feel free to just chat with us! We like people (mostly).

Disclaimer: We don’t have any insight into skins.

Don “Riot Aesah” Ding Adam “Riot Afic” Cohen Chris “Auberaun” Roberts Christy “Riot Ender L” Frierson Nick “Riot Endstep” Frijia Sigmundur “GangIeri” Helgason Arnor “Riot Hjarta” Halldorsson Rob “Riot King Cobra” Rosa Miktat “Riot Koyuncu” Koyuncu Brian “Riot Madness Heroo” Pressoir Nabi “Riot Novalas” Barak Dan “Riot penguin” Hardison Robert “ROBERTxLEE” Lee Trevor “Riot ThEntropist” Thernes

374 Comments

Critkeeper12/6/2017, 9:10:07 PM10 votes

A lot of Tryndamere mains seem to think the rune changes have put him in a really bad spot. Your thoughts?

HowPlayGAEM12/6/2017, 9:32:40 PM6 votes

So which one of yous guys here was responsible for gutting Sona?

You ruined my enjoyment of the game, so I hope you're proud of yourself.

Shadow Hazard12/6/2017, 9:12:33 PM6 votes

quite a few have called out sona's changes to be quite heavy handed. what was the playtesting team's thoughts behind this?

Diva12/6/2017, 9:21:04 PM6 votes

is there anything planned for quinn and why is ender so handsome? also when will the club size increase plz answer [sg-janna]

Blacephalon12/7/2017, 6:31:53 AM5 votes

Any thoughts of a mastery 8 for 500k/1mil mastery champs?

OnlyYouCanHearMe12/6/2017, 11:44:25 PM5 votes

I'm sure you guys are going to be asked this question alot, but reading through the comments, I haven't seen an answer or comment on it yet. Can you give us some kind of rationale behind why Sona needed the additional nerf, and why she's going to be getting yet another indirect nerf in the next patch?

Her winrate dropped considerably after the first nerf, and it made her so much easier to punish in lane that she wasn't just a lane bully anymore. But then you tack on the Aery nerf, the Q bonus damage and mana cost nerf which are currently live. But it doesn't even stop there with the direct nerfs. In the upcoming patch, she's getting hit with a round of indirect nerfs via the flat AP from Sorcery+Inspiration and the shield/heal strength from Forbidden Idol/Ardent Censer/Redemption.

I guess what is making so many of us so upset is that none of the other champions were handled this harshly. Even Leona and Miss Fortune, who both have great winrates right now. Leona got a minor 20 damage off her TANK ability. Miss Fortune hasn't had any nerfs. Sona got an immediate hotfix, followed by 2 more rounds of nerfs. And like so many other players here who try to be supportive of the decisions that Riot makes, I'm desperately trying to understand why this is necessary. Why is this champion being gutted? Why is Forbidden Idol being hit, when the tank supports are the most successful right now?

Please, can you give us any insight?

Omituinen12/7/2017, 4:04:27 AM4 votes

Hey guys.

I'm a support main (filthy support main, as the boards would no doubt call me), and... the preseason feels really bad for me. In all previous seasons, and I'm not just talking about the Ardent meta where supports were regarded as being too strong, I felt like I had a real, tangible impact on the game. Even if I was behind, the utility I could provide if I coordinated well with my team could turn a losing game into a decisive victory, if I played really well.

Nowadays... no. League of Oneshot means that if the enemy team starts getting a lead, then if my carry gets jumped on while I'm playing Taric I can literally spam Q, W, try and hit E and start my R, to a Knight's Vow-bonded carry that I've just put Locket shield on, and they've still blown up before my ult even lands. I have impact if my team as a whole is ahead, sure, but playing from behind feels -really- terrible now, which is something I've seen people other than supports complaining about, but I think it's pretty bad for us.

Any thoughts on this? Is there some secret trick I'm missing in preseason, or is it intentional that supports have less power? I've been a support main for a long time, but it's never felt this bad before.

Benelovent12/10/2017, 7:07:37 PM3 votes

Why you just keeping nerf Sona? Srsly, why? Maybe someone said that before, but I'll repeat: She is dead as support now - there is no hp, no heal, no armor in early/mid game (I'm 100% sure, you-devs are perfectly know about that existing problems) and now with 7.24 no dmg anymore... Ah.. There is: also, support items (+heal/shield) will be nerfed soon. Cool, yeah... x.x

Fine, no poke, more mana... but can you fix at least armor (that is the lowest behind supp characters) - or sustain dmg (since her Q now is... don't wanna say that word here) - or HP amouts at least!?... Is that REALLY something TOO much and impossible with the current "balace"? >.<

Okay, don't get me wrong or rude, honestly (that's what I am not trying to be) but I - as all Sona mainers around the World in your game, don't deserve such attitude, a-la: "We took the bit of all from you - but you guys hold on, look for other ways..." You just unfairly bury this champion and make ones chose someone else or just give up from this game.

One thing was always the most sad in this game: all top characters (ala wayne-galio-kata-janna...) "will always stay it the top. Will always be chosen first for new skin creations. Will always be unfairy boosted, just because Faker plays with em..." All the others (as Sona players in this case) will always stay on secondary...

Once again, I'm sorry for my possibly bad linguage and my bad english (even if it doesn't make any sence, since this post will be ignored, as all the other discussions about this character) - but, as everyone else here, the Sona-players is also have the right to be heard here!

RedSonya112/6/2017, 9:19:08 PM3 votes

Who on the Playtest team has the best hair?

TomiMan712/6/2017, 10:18:16 PM2 votes

Hey! Can any of You fine folks look at this thread and confirm if this is a bug or not? I cant seem to get an answer for like 2 weeks now.

https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/bug-report/M76beHLQ-brand-ultiamtes-bug

It involves Brand and his ultimate not bouncing to any target even though there were many valid targets around.

In the mean time what are Your thoughts on Brand and Ashe? They are seem to be in a pretty poor state.

Better Jungler12/6/2017, 9:04:12 PM2 votes

Volibear has a buff in testing with his attack speed.

THat wont be enough, he needs a q buff and a passive cd reduction.

Any future plans with him aside from attack speed buff?

Edit: I was first btw @koyun. Fite me.

Vayatir12/6/2017, 9:33:33 PM1 votes

General question: how versed is the playtest team in their off-roles? Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but around 50% of the playtest team appear to be mid mains (based on non-scientific op.gg stalking) with the remaining 50% or so being split between the other four roles which to me seems rather imbalanced. Does this effect your ability to provide feedback on other champions or roles?

AFilthyCaitMain12/7/2017, 2:41:02 AM1 votes

Caitlyn and Jhin still seem weak even after the footwork buffs. Do you have any plans for them in the future?

Evil Yasuo12/8/2017, 5:56:01 AM1 votes

Actually, any word on when we'll start hearing about the next champ?

RiotRiot Koyuncu12/6/2017, 9:03:12 PM

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