League of Legends Patch 14.13 Brings Major Varus Rework and Rune Changes

The latest patch for League of Legends, version 14.13, brings a host of significant updates aimed at balancing the game and enhancing player experience. This patch introduces a major rework for Varus, adjustments to several champions, and changes to Domination runes. Below is a detailed breakdown of all the changes and their potential impacts on gameplay.

Varus Rework

The centerpiece of Patch 14.13 is the rework of Varus, aimed at increasing his versatility in various gameplay scenarios. The changes to Varus primarily focus on his passive ability, Living Vengeance, and his W ability, Blighted Quiver.

• Base AD: Reduced from 60 to 57.
• Passive (Living Vengeance):
  • Takedowns now grant 6-30 AP and 3-20 AD instead of attack speed.
  • Champion takedowns increase these amounts to 25-50 AP and 15-30 AD.
• W (Blighted Quiver):
  • On-hit base damage increased from 7-31 to 7-35.
  • Cooldown refund per stack increased from 12% to 15%.
  • Amplified Q damage changed from 6-14% (based on level) to 6-10% (based on skill rank).

These changes aim to enhance Varus’ ability to scale with both AP and AD, making him more adaptable in different gameplay situations. This rework allows Varus to be effective with a wider variety of builds, potentially increasing his pick rate and effectiveness in both solo queue and professional play​​​​​​.

Champion Buffs and Nerfs

Patch 14.13 also brings a series of buffs and nerfs to various champions, aiming to balance their power levels and ensure a more competitive environment.

Champion Buffs:

• Gangplank:
  • E (Powder Keg): Slow adjusted to 40/50/60/70/80% from 30/37.5/45/52.5/60% (critical strike chance scaling removed).
• Graves:
  • E (True Grit): Armor per stack increased to 4/7/10/13/16 from 2/5/8/11/14.
• Lee Sin:
  • HP per level increased from 105 to 108.
  • W1 (Safeguard): Base shield increased to 70/115/160/205/250 from 50/100/150/200/250.
• Lissandra:
  • Q (Ice Shard): AP ratio increased to 85% from 80%.
  • W (Ring of Frost): Cooldown reduced to 10/9.5/9/8.5/8 seconds from 12/11/10/9/8.
• Miss Fortune:
  • Base AD increased to 55 from 52.
  • W (Strut): Initial bonus move speed increased to 30/35/40/45/50 from 25 after 5 seconds out-of-combat; bonus move speed after an additional 5 seconds out-of-combat increased to 60/70/80/90/100 from 55/65/75/85/95.
• Orianna:
  • Base AD increased to 44 from 40.
• Pantheon:
  • W (Shield Vault): Minimum damage against minions and monsters increased to 60 from 50.
• Xayah:
  • E (Bladecaller): Base damage increased to 55/65/75/85/95 from 50/60/70/80/90; cooldown reduced to 12/11/10/9/8 seconds from 13/12/11/10/9.

Champion Nerfs:

• Brand:
  • P (Blaze): Mana restoration reduced to 20/23.33/26.67/30/33.33/36.67/40 based on levels from 30/33.33/36.67/40/43.33/46.67/50.
  • E (Conflagration): Base damage reduced to 60/85/110/135/160 from 60/90/120/150/180.
• Kalista:
  • Base AD reduced to 59 from 61.
• Gragas, Karthus, Kennen, Skarner, Taliyah, Zac:
  • Various adjustments to balance their performance in the current meta.

Rune Changes

The patch also includes significant changes to the Domination keystones, Dark Harvest and Electrocute, which are expected to alter the strategies of champions that heavily rely on these runes.

• Dark Harvest:
  • Base damage reduced from 20-80 to a flat 20.
  • Damage per soul increased from 5 to 8.
  • Cooldown reduced from 45 seconds to 30 seconds.
• Electrocute:
  • Base damage adjusted from 30-220 to 50-190.
  • Cooldown standardized to 20 seconds.

These rune changes aim to make Dark Harvest and Electrocute more distinct, with Dark Harvest becoming a more consistent source of damage over time and Electrocute providing more immediate burst damage​​​​.

Impact on Gameplay

The rework of Varus and the adjustments to Domination runes are expected to bring fresh dynamics to the game. Varus’ increased versatility could lead to a rise in his pick rate in both casual and competitive play, while the changes to Dark Harvest and Electrocute will likely shift the meta, encouraging players to explore new builds and strategies.

For a detailed rundown of all the changes, visit: League of Legends