Quick gameplay thoughts on 8.11.

So, after testing these changes, there are some thing I'd like to point out.

• The new rune, Hail of Blades, is very bad on champions with autoattack resets, because it essentially wastes 1 of your empowered 3 attacks. It's better suited for champions who wanted to utilize their fast combo that's based on auto attacks. Xin Zhao comes to mind. I could see Diana proccing her 3 AA thing using it. Generally a very clunky rune, honestly. No real reason to take it over so many other options.

• Nimbus Cloak is a very situation rune, but it's good on the champions that can use it. Sivir makes pretty good use of it, the MS boost she gets initially alongside the ultimate's MS is just insane to engage or disengage. I mean, it was good before as just an ultimate, but now, the MS boost is insane. I could also see Graves picking it up, since his R knocks him back, it could be a good way to catch back up with enemies (or escape, if used defensively).

• The movement of Ultimate Hat into Domination under a different name doesn't really bother me. If a champion was really reliant on it (which I can't really think of any), they can just go into that tree and pick it up.

• Items: Stormrazor is extremely strong in the jungle. Moving from camp to camp is taking just enough time to make the item proc. Therefore, you are guaranteed, as a second item, to crit on your first AA against a camp, which is pretty strong clearing. Most carry AD champions will pick this item up. Also, the fact that ganking now offers so much more damage, especially coupled with Duskblade, is frightening. Second item Stormrazor on Graves and Khazix will be a thing. If I'd make a change, I'd remove the AS it offers. Also, if you are gonna get crit later on (ADCs for example), I'd avoid the item.

• Critical strike itemization feels weird at first. Double zeal ADCs, like Trist and Cait don't really have a problem. Their itemization path is now 900 gold more expensive, which will be extremely noticeable, but they get access to 10 more AD and 20% more crit, for a total of 100% crit chance. The problem is with ADCs like Sivir, who went for the IE-ER-Zeal item route, getting 70% crit and now are either hardcapped at 60%, or they are forced to buy another zeal item to get to 100%. 60% doesn't feel all that good, even 70% feels kinda bad compared to 80%. Not sure what compensation they will get, assuming that double zeal on Sivir isn't that good. I won't comment on the true damage part of IE, since I couldn't really feel much difference yet.

• Blade of the Ruined King might be a good first choice item for some champions, like Lucian and Vayne. Still a must first on Kalista. The gold nerf on crit and the -200 gold on BoRK might make it a viable option as a first item again. I still don' t know how Stormrazor will fit in there. Bloodthirster price decrease doesn't do anything, since it's like a last item in most cases.

• Total armor pen on LW is now very interesting. I'll have to take some more time to see how it goes, but now there's a solid option for a 4th item.

• ESSENCE REAVER is really weird right now. It's such a complicated item with complicated stats. AD, CDR, Mana, Mana regen, CD reduction after using R etc. Feels like a good item on casters like Lucian (could be a first item, instead of BoRK), feels good in Ezreal, maybe Corki. Still a huge nerf for champions like Sivir who were super reliant on it. Ashe isn't really affected, apart from missing the crit.

• Other item changes are in a good place. Shurelia's needed a slight nerf, and the change to Banner is ok. Buff to Runic Echos was mandatory.

• Runes: FFW change is good. ADCs abusing it are now not as strong, while melee champs can take it now. Maybe in some cases, AP champions can take it, since the 0.5 AP ratio seems juice. The MS nerf was probably needed as well, because a lot of champions were taking it just for that (Graves). Now that it's not as strong, it leaves other options open.

• Champions: I made another post recently about Viktor's changes. I misinterpreted what the change was on his R. I believed that he only got a 0.1 AP bonus on the initial hit on his R, while it's on the ticks afterwards, therefore, it's a potential 0.3 AP increase, which is slightly better, but still not enough. Viktor will still be in a bad spot.

• I don't know what's up with Taliyah now. Her playstyle is definitely gonna change, maybe even maxing E will be a thing now. Support Taliyah is probably an option as well. Gotta wait and see.

• Graves nerf is probably not gonna move him away from a top tier pick, but it will slightly reduced his clear, maybe take away 1 second from each camp, for a total loss of 6 seconds for a full clear. Just slight tempo nerfs. His R CD might prove to be important in some cases, but not as much.

• Xin Zhao nerf is the same as the Zoe 0.25 nerf. He needs more.

• They removed Khazix's bush invisibility, FINALLY. Huge change, they compensated by granting him more invisibility time on his R. This will probably be the patch where we finally say goodbye to Khazix. Good riddance.

• Other champions changes are justified. Rakan nerfed, Zyra buffed, Anivia buffed.

• Tower gold is now more solo-oriented, which is very good.

• Completely unjustified Baron change. It was in a good spot after a long time, now I assume it's gonna be easy to take, just take a bit longer compared to 8.8.

Generally a good patch. ADC's powerspikes are generally delayed a bit. We will still have to wait and see how the new builds are doing though. Things like ER first on Lucian or Vayne, or Stormrazor Jhin, or BoRK will all be things to look closely into, because they might create huge snowballs in the bottom lane. I'm expecting compensation buffs for Sivir and Xayah. Guinsoo's being untouched is very interesting.