The first Legends of Runeterra balance patch in Rising Tides has arrived and it’s packed full with adjustments, an updated watchlist, and several new cosmetics.
Balance patches in LoR occur once a month with a goal of maintaining a “fair and diverse metagame,” according to the lead design lead Rubin Zoo. The team makes adjustments to give every champion a competitive chance while ensuring each region card has an archetype home.
“When deciding on changes, we look to a number of metrics (and your collective feedback), with particularly key ones including individual card win rates (especially in their most ideal region pairing), deck win rates, and champion play rates,” Zoo said. “We also want every card to have a home, which, taken with the above framework, helps us decide which specific cards to test and ultimately change.”
Patch 1.2 nerfs and buffs
Several champions were adjusted in the LoR 1.2 patch to increase their playability (Vladimir) or scale back their use in multiple archetypes (Vi). A number of followers and spells were also tweaked, like the powerhouse Grizzled Ranger and Loyal Badgerbear, due to their overwhelming presence on turns three and four. And even Boomcrew Rookie took a hit in the LoR 1.2 update.
Champions
Vladimir level two
- Old text: For each other attacking ally, deal one to it and one to the enemy Nexus.
- New text: For each other attacking ally, deal 1 to it and drain 1 from the enemy Nexus.
Karma (level one and two)
- Cost increased from five to six.
Shen level one
- Power increased from two to three.
Shen level two
- Power increased from three to four.
Vi level one
- Health decreased from five to four.
Vi level two
- Health decreased from six to five.
Hecarim level one
- Power increased from four to five.
Hecarim level two
- Power increased from five to six.
Followers
Greathorn Companion
- Power increased from four to five.
Grizzled Ranger
- Power decreased from four to three.
Loyal Badgerbear
- Power decreased from four to three.
Laurent Chevalier
- Health increased from one to two.
Legion Rearguard
- Health decreased from two to one.
Kindly Tavernkeeper
- Power increased from two to three.
Boomcrew Rookie
- Health decreased from four to three.
Longtooth
- Health increased from one to two.
Monkey Idol
- Health increased from four to five.
Slotbot
- Power increased from zero to one.
- Health increased from three to four.
Spells
Brood Awakening
- Cost increased from five to six.
Deep Meditation
- Cost increased from four to five.
Stand Alone
- Cost increased from three to four.
LoR watchlist
With the release of the Rising Tides expansion, several archetypes, spells, and champions are being watched closely. A full breakdown of these can be found here.
- Unyielding Spirit
- Pilfered Goods and card stealing
- Nexus Burn damage
- Karma and Ezreal
Text updates
The LoR 1.2 patch contained over 40 text clarity changes. Cards that were adjusted included champions like Fizz and spells such as Dragon’s Rage.
Here’s a list of every card that received a text change in patch 1.2:
Mageseeker Investigator | Absorb Soul | Shatter | Avarosan Marksman | Bullseye | Chempunk Shredder | Face-Melter | Shunpo | Withering Wail | Augmented Experimenter | Reckless Research | Captain Farron | Corina Veraza | Final Spark | Vile Feast | Ezreal | Yeti Yearling | Island Navigator | Fizz | Pool Shark | Imperial Demolitionist | Black Powder Grenade | Death’s Hand | Strong-arm | Double Up | Armored Tuskrider | Caught in the Cold | Noxian Fervor | Dragon’s Rage | Lee Sin’s Dragon’s Rage | Miss Fortune’s Make it Rain | Make it Rain | The Dreadway | Black Market Merchant | Pilfered Goods | Yordle Grifter | Chief Mechanist Zevi | Concerted Strike | Riptide Rex | Vladimir’s Transfusion | Terror of the Tides | Super Mega Death Rocket! | Aurora Porealis.
Cosmetics
Players in LoR now have additional personalization options that include new emotes, game board, card backs, and guardians. In celebration of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), all players have access to a Rainbow Poro guardian and emote at zero cost in the LoR store until July 7.
In addition to the free Rainbow Poro guardian and emote, the team added an Arcade game board and card back, along with several new emotes.
Rainbow Poro guardian
Rainbow Poro emote
Arcade game board
Arcade card back
Emotes
Expeditions
With the 1.2 LoR update, the bonus chance for seeing Rising Tides archetypes has been removed. A large number of adjustments were also made to regional archetypes to improve statlines and frequency of utility cards. A full breakdown of changes in each Expedition archetype can be found here.
Bug fixes
Until Patch 1.3 comes out in two weeks, the Oracle’s Eye will be disabled during an opponent’s attack turn due to a rare bug that shows incorrect information.
- Fixed an issue where players could receive less XP than intended when simultaneously receiving it from multiple sources.
- Players who are caught mid-game during a service interruption will no longer receive a loss. If both players get disconnected, the game won’t count.
- In French, Eye of the Dragon’s text now matches its function.
- Vi no longer counts Overwhelm damage duplicatively, and properly sheds her base buff after leveling up under all conditions.
- Fixed an issue where players could sometimes enter a different queue than the one selected.
- Fixed a bug where music from your previously used board would play at the start of a new match.
- The “This Spells Trouble +” quest now correctly rewards 1500 XP.
- The Bilgewater home screen background now appears in the regular rotation with all other regions.
- Fixed an issue on the VS screen where your opponent’s icon would incorrectly mirror your icon.
- Various level ups (Swain, Elise, Vlad) should now function correctly when using Turkish or Russian language settings.
- Fixed an issue preventing Shellshocker and Strong-arm from showing up during Expeditions picks.
- Flyout description added to Ye Been Warned.
- Vi’s Vault Breaker now properly links to Vault Breaker.
- Removed rarity gem from various non-collectible Rising Tides cards.
- Chum the Waters can now be played without an enemy unit in play.
- The Box no longer deals extra damage to units that have been played multiple times, and now interacts properly with control-changing effects like Possession.
