Swain has been almost immediately hotfixed after receiving substantial balance changes in League of Legends Patch 12.8, which hit the live servers on Wednesday, April 27.
Riot has increased the champion’s base armor from 23 to 26 and base movement speed from 325 to 330. This hotfix comes as a result of a mid-scope update that targeted all of Swain’s abilities.
The goal of the update was to revive the champion’s fantasy as a “master strategist and dark, demonic diplomat” rather than someone who relies on others to execute his plans. This took form with mana buffs across his abilities, changes to his crowd control capabilities, and major adjustments to his Nevermore (E) and Demonic Ascension (R).
While it may be too early to say if the changes had the desired effect, Riot clearly thinks the champion needed further adjustments. In Patch 12.8, Swain has dropped to a 45.57 percent win rate in the support position, 48.02 percent in the mid lane, and 49.83 percent in ADC, according to stats site U.GG. This makes him one of the worst-performing champions across several roles.
It remains to be seen if the hotfix will increase Swain’s position on the ladder in the days and weeks to come. But further changes may be required if the mid-scope update continues to fall short.
More changes could be coming to the game in Patch 12.9, which is expected to go live on Wednesday, May 11, according to Riot’s official patch schedule. The patch will, however, be too late for the Mid-Season Invitational—the first international League event of the year—which gets underway on May 10 in Busan, South Korea.
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