League of Legends Patch 14.8 is here and the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational update is already a real doozy, with nearly two dozen champions getting buffs, nerfs, and power-changing adjustments.
Riot Games has recently confirmed League Patch 14.8 is locked in as the official MSI update, with 12 of the very best teams—including G2 Esports, Team Liquid, Gen.G, and plenty more—set to play on this April update as they slug it out for international glory in Chengdu next month.
That doesn’t mean Riot is holding back on changes, though, with neutral objectives like Voidgrubs and Baron Nashor both on the patch plate alongside the newly reworked Skarner and several pro play darlings like Azir, Akali, and Ryze. The long list of changes, which was first unveiled by Riot Phroxzon on April 8, also includes Zeri, Jhin, Thresh, Zac, Mordekaiser, and a whole host more.
Here’s everything about League’s Patch 14.8 update.
When will League Patch 14.8 go live?
The League MSI update, Patch 14.8, will go live on Wednesday, April 17, according to the official Riot Games schedule. League players will then have two weeks to play around on the new version before MSI begins on May 1.
Here are all the key patching times:
- 3pm CT (NA)
- 5am GMT (EU West)
- 3am CET (EU North East)
- 8am KR (Korea)
Here’s a countdown to the NA League release.
Expect several hours of server downtime once patching begins. Matchmaking will be disabled across all League queues three hours before the update is set live.
What’s in League Patch 14.8?
Dozens of changes stuffed into MSI 2024 update
Riot isn’t holding anything back just because it’s the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational patch, with two dozen changes planned for the April update. The change list is fairly lopsided too, with 16 buffs for a host of popular picks. Standouts include Graves, Gwen, Draven, Thresh, LeBlanc, Jhin, and more. Several unlucky champions are getting reeled in a little too though, including Azir, Briar, Zac, and Zeri, while Mordekaiser and Skarner will see adjustments.
Typically, Riot likes to make gradual changes leading up to the scene’s biggest esports tournaments of the year. In years past, the League devs would implement massive reworks to items, champions, and sometimes even full roles on the same patch as a major event like MSI or Worlds, but this year, fans can expect some well-rounded, marginal tune-ups as opposed to major overhauls. Still, some champions have gotten relatively hefty reworks in recent patches (Galio and Skarner, most notably), and their new-look forms could have an impact on the international meta once MSI begins next month.
Baron Nashor is about to get stronger
Baron’s attacks are getting buffed as the Riot devs believe “there’s room to make them stronger.” Right now, it takes time to whittle down the Baron’s health bar, but the creature’s general attacks are only truly threatening if you’re a squishy champ.
These changes aren’t expected to turn the Baron into Super-Baron or anything, but the League devs are hoping it will cause players a few more problems in the mid-to-late game. Basically, Riot is hoping the game’s most iconic neutral objective is something you actually have to all-in as a team to conquer.
Voidgrub buffs are being introduced to promote teamfights
Not only will the Rift see Baron attack changes in Patch 14.8, but there will also be game-changing Voidgrub buffs. Specifically, their damage will increase and the number of grubs needed to get the first spawn is being lifted. Spawn times are also being hiked slightly to “create a wider gap” between them and Drakes arriving.
The League devs are hoping these changes will reduce the need for trading and encourage teams to engage in more conflict, which could potentially lead to more thrilling teamfights at MSI and in our own ranked and normal games.
Azir, you’ve become ‘too present after re-entering the pro meta’
As the devs mentioned on X (formerly Twitter) on April 9, Azir has become too present in the pro meta. Given his utility, damage, and overall teamfight capabilities, it’s easy to see why. And the pros know this, which is why during the LCS Spring Split, which ended on March 31, Azir alone was played 21 times, making him the ninth most-overall-picked champ at the LCS Spring Split and the most popular mid laner.
Although their Splits are nearing the end, it’s safe to say that Azir has been a force of nature in other regions as well. So far, in the LPL Spring Split, Azir already has a pick-ban rate of 55.46 percent. The LCK Sprint Split has an Azir pick-ban rate of 60.65 percent, where he’s, so far, the most picked overall champion this Split, and he even has a whopping 41.03 percent pick-ban rate, so far, at the LEC Spring Split. So, he’s a clear mid lane pick in every region.
The reduced health regeneration and less base damage for his W may cause Azir to drop a few ranks and allow other mid laners, like Galio and Hwei, to have more of a presence at MSI.
Three more champs join Blood Moon history
One of League’s longest-running and most popular skin lines, Blood Moon, is back with a 2024 edition, with Zed, Zyra, and Fiddlesticks the lucky champions getting new designs in the cosmetic range. These three additions will bring the total number of Blood Moon skins in League to a whopping mark of 19.
Like most skins in the line, the trio’s new releases are dripped with red, purple, and black trim and surrounded by the usual crimson darkness. Each of the in-game models evokes the same rich-red design. These new additions bring Blood Moon’s total count in League up to a whopping 19 now available in-store.
Here are all the new Blood Moon skins coming in this patch:
- Blood Moon Fiddlesticks (1,350 RP)
- Blood Moon Zed (1,350 RP)
- Blood Moon Zyra (1,350 RP)
These skins will go live during the Patch 14.8 cycle.
League Patch 14.8 patch notes
Here are the official notes for League Patch 14.8.
Champions
Akali
- Base health increased by 30.
Azir
- Health regeneration decreased from five to 3.5.
- Q base damage decreased from 50-118 to 50-110.
Briar
- Health growth reduced by five.
- Q cast range increased by 25.
- W attack speed adjusted from 54-110 percent to 55-95 percent.
Draven
- Q damage increased by five.
Galio
- Base movement speed increased from 335 to 340.
- Q cooldown decreased from 12-7 seconds to 11.7 seconds.
Graves
- Increase the effect of attack speed from items and runes towards a 35 percent reload time.
- Critical strike damage per pellet increased from 40 percent to 45 percent.
Hwei
- Passive ability power ratio increased from 30 percent to 35 percent.
- QQ combo ability power ratio increased from 75 percent to 80 percent.
Jarvan IV
- Passive current health increased from six percent to seven percent.
Jhin
- Passive bonus movement speed on crit increased from 10 percent to 14 percent.
- Q attack damage ratio increased from 35-65 percent to 44-74 percent.
- Q base damage increased from 45-145 to 44-144.
Kai’Sa
- Q attack damage ratio increased by five percent.
LeBlanc
- Q base damage increased from 65-165 to 70-170.
- W cooldown decreased from 18-10 to 15-10.
Mordekaiser
- Q cooldown reduced from 9-4 to 8-4.
- E damage reduced by 10.
- R cannot be cleaned (but can still be blocked by crowd control immunity).
Olaf
- Q monster damage increased from 5-25 to 5-45.
Ryze
- W cooldown decreased from 13-9 to 11-9.
- W slow increased from 35 percent to 50 percent.
Skarner
- Mana growth reduced by five.
- Mana regeneration growth increased by 0.15.
- Q1 cast time increased from 0.5 to 0.35.
- Q damage increased from 10-50 plus 40 percent bonus attack damage to 10-70 plys 60 percent bonus attack damage.
- Q mana decreased from 40-60 to 30-50.
- Q1 buff duration increased from 3.5 to five (it will still refresh on auto attacks and E-casts).
- Q2 recast lockout decreased from 0.75 to 0.5.
- W mana increased from 50-70 to 60-80.
- W damage decreased from 60-180 to 50-150.
Sylas
- Monster damage increased from 70 percent to 100 percent.
Thresh
- Base stat armor increased by two.
- Magic resist growth increased by 0.25.
Zac
- Health regeneration decreased from eight to five.
Zeri
- Health reduced by 30.
Items
- No changes this update.
Runes
- No changes this update.
Systems
Baron Attacks
- Damage increased to many Baron attacks.
Voidgrub Camp
- Spawn time increased from five minutes to six minutes.
- True DPS per stack increased from six to eight (but there will still be a four-second duration and half for ranged).
- Spawn threshold reduced from five stacks to four stacks (but you will still gain a second summon at six stacks).
General
- Players’ positions added to the pregame quickplay loading screen.
- Riot’s Vanguard anti-cheat system will go live in the Philippines, while players in the rest of the world will get a message confirming their compatibility for Vanguard before it rolls out worldwide next patch.
Bug fixes
- Malignance will now proc for auto-attack-enhancing ultimate abilities such as Warwick’s Infinite Duress, Twitch’s Spray and Pray, and others.
- Teemo’s Toxic Shot (E) will now properly proc Dark Harvest.
- Shyvana’s Dragon Form Twin Bite (Q) will no longer accidentally proc Hail of Blades.
- Blade of the Ruined King will properly display its cooldown on the scoreboard.
- Moonstone Renewer will no longer make a noise in fog of war.
- Multiple bug fixes for Skarner regarding ultimate stack application, VFX, and Flash interactions.
- Multiple bug fixes for Zyra regarding her ultimate indicator and plant damage.
Skins
Blood Moon Fiddlesticks
Blood Moon Zed
Blood Moon Zyra
Update April 10, 10:55pm CT: Added Blood Moon skin spotlights and Azir’s presence in the pro meta.
Update April 10, 12:10am CT: Added all Riot’s planned buffs, nerfs, and changes for champions and game mechanics.
Update April 16, 1:22pm CT: Added changes list from Riot’s official patch notes, including general updates and bug fixes.
This article is being updated through the League patch cycle.
