The mid-season update for League of Legends brings significant changes, including adjustments to summoner spells in patch 14.10.
Overview of Patch 14.10 Changes
As we approach the end of the first half of the League of Legends season, Riot Games has unveiled a substantial portion of the updates coming in the next game patch. Among these are notable changes to summoner spells, set to be implemented in patch 14.10. These adjustments aim to shake up the meta and introduce more variety in gameplay.
Developer Insights on Upcoming Changes
In a recent development preview, Riot discussed changes to ADC items and modifications to ranked games. Alongside these, we now have detailed information on summoner spell adjustments, marking the first significant tweaks in this area after several months.
Objectives of the Summoner Spell Adjustments
The goal of these changes is to enhance game balance by tweaking the statistics of various summoner spells. The focus is on improving less popular spells while slightly nerfing some of the more commonly used ones. Spells like Ghost and Heal will see nerfs, providing room for less utilized options such as Barrier to become more viable.
These summoner spell adjustments are particularly relevant for the bottom lane, as many of the spells being altered are frequently used by ADCs and their supports. However, Ignite and Teleport are not part of this round of changes.
An update on 14.10. While not ideal, it will ship Day 1 as is, and then we will quickly adjust if needed.
After the patch rundown shipped, it's clear from player response that there are some concerns around the state of the Fated Dyrad comp which is already doing well, and that… pic.twitter.com/0ozjNj2w7A
— Riot Mort (@Mortdog) May 14, 2024
Detailed Changes to Summoner Spells
Barrier
- Shield Strength: 105 – 411 >>> 120 – 480
- Duration: 2 seconds >>> 2.5 seconds
Barrier receives a significant buff, increasing both its shield strength and duration. This change aims to make Barrier a more attractive option, especially for champions needing extra survivability.
Heal
- Heal Range to Allies: 835 >>> 900
While the healing effect remains unchanged, the range increase allows for better support positioning and utility in team fights, slightly improving its strategic use.
Exhaust
- Movement Speed Reduction: 30% >>> 40%
- Cooldown: 210 seconds >>> 240 seconds
Exhaust’s movement speed reduction gets a boost, making it more effective in slowing down enemy champions. However, the increased cooldown balances this enhancement.
Exhaust changes:
– Slow increased from 30% to 40%
– Cooldown increased from 210 to 240 seconds pic.twitter.com/Xal6qMW96c— Spideraxe (@Spideraxe30) April 30, 2024
Cleanse
- Tenacity: 65% >>> 75%
- Cooldown: 210 seconds >>> 240 seconds
Cleanse now provides greater tenacity, allowing champions to better withstand crowd control effects. The trade-off is a longer cooldown period.
Ghost
- Duration: 15 seconds >>> 13 seconds
- Cooldown: 210 seconds >>> 240 seconds
Ghost sees a reduction in its duration, which slightly limits its effectiveness in long chases. Additionally, the cooldown increase ensures it cannot be used as frequently.
Impact on the Meta
These adjustments are expected to create a more dynamic meta by encouraging the use of a wider variety of summoner spells. By buffing less popular spells and nerfing dominant ones, Riot aims to promote strategic diversity and counterplay.
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Final Recommendations
As the patch rolls out, players should experiment with these changes to find new optimal spell choices for their champions.
The adjustments to Barrier, Exhaust, and Cleanse in particular offer exciting new opportunities for strategic innovation. Keep an eye on professional play and high-level streams to see how these changes impact the competitive meta.