Patch 3.16.0 is coming to Legends of Runeterra on Sept. 28 with a large suite of buffs intended to revive archetypes and help some Champions play catchup with many of the dominant archetypes in the game right now.
A major theme in this round of balance changes is the effort to revitalize Daybreak. The ability, which once was a staple in LoR, has fallen by the wayside, becoming largely nonexistent in the metagame. Leona received several changes to her level one and level two, becoming a much more aggressive Champion with the addition of Challenger and Barrier. Other supporting cards in the archetype got buffs that should help them be more viable.
Master Yi stumbled out the gate when he was released. Players struggle to get his Flow ability going and he fell on the verge of being unplayable for many players. The current buffs to his kit are an attempt to make it easier to maintain Flow with the hope that they will carve out a niche for Master Yi in the current meta.
Fiora was rocked by nerfs after a long reign at the top of LoR. She’s receiving a stat buff to bring her back to a powerful but not broken state.
Nocturne and a couple of Fearsome-enabler cards received buffs that could bode well for the Champion finding a home in a decklist.
There are some adjustments to competitive LoR with The Darkin Saga Domination, too. There will be no Seasonal Tournament with Worlds coming up. The Awakening Seasonal Tournament will be the final chance for players to qualify for Worlds. The top eight will receive invites.
Zoe and Garen will be getting new skins. Corrupted Zoe and Rugged Garen will come with alternate art and unique level-up animations.
Here are the full balance changes coming in LoR Patch 3.16.0, according to Riot Games.
Champion adjustments and buffs
- Leona (level one): She becomes a five-cost Champion and gains Challenger.
- Leona (level two): New effect—Gains Challenger instead of Overwhelm. Daybreak ability changes to “Daybreak or when you activate another Daybreak: Stun the strongest enemy and give me Barrier this round.”
- Tahm Kench (level one): New effect—Tahm Kench creates an Aquired Taste when summoned or round start.
- Tahm Kench (level two): New effect—Will now create an Acquired Taste when summoned or round start.
- Master Yi (level one): New effect—The spell reduction cost will persist through turn end.
- Master Yi (level two): New effect—The spell reduction cost will persist through turn end.
- Fiora (level one): Stats and cost adjusted from 3c 3|2 to 4c 4|4.
- Fiora (level two): Stats and cost adjusted from 3c 4|3 to 4c 5|5.
- Swain (level one): Base stats adjusted from 3|6 to 4|6.
- Swain (level two): Base stats increased from 4|7 to 5|7. Gains Overwhelm.
- Illaoi (level one): Base stats adjusted from 1|5 to 1|6.
- Illaoi (level two): Base stats adjusted from 2|6 to 2|7.
- Ornn (level one): Level up condition changed to “An ally has struck for 8+ damage.”
- Nocturne (level one): Level up condition changed to “You’ve attacked with 5+ Nightfall or Fearsome allies.”
Champion adjustments and nerfs
- Viego (level one): Stats and cost changed from 5c 5|4 to 6c 6|5.
- Viego (level two): Stats and cost changed from 5c 6}5 to 6c 7|6.
Followers buffs and nerfs
- Sun Guardian: Base stats buffed to 3c 2|3 and Daybreak ability changed to “Daybreak or when you activate another Daybreak: Grant me +1|+1.”
- Solari Stellacorn: Base stats buffed to 4c 3|4 and Daybreak ability changed to “Daybreak: Give other allies +0|+2 this round.”
- VileMaw: New effect—Gains Fearsome and “Other Fearsome allies have +1|0.”
- Sai’nen Thousand-Tailed: Base stats lowered from 3|5 to 3|3.
- Iula: New effect—Play: Grant an ally Spellshield or Overwhelm this round. If you don’t, grant it to me.
- Shrieking Spinner: Base stats and ability buffed to 2|4 and “Attack: Give Spider allies +2|+0 this round.”
- Realm’s Caretaker: Base stats changed from 4|4 to 4|5.
- Grumpy Rockbear: Base stats buffed from 5|4 to 5|5.
- Funsmith: Base stats changed from 1|3 to 2|3.
- Mammoth Shaman: Base stats buffed to 5|5.
- Mammoth Rager: Base stats buffed to 7|7.
- Windsinger: Base stats and keyword changed to 3|3 Elusive.
Spells and Landmark balance changes
- Morning Light: Changed the card to a 3c with “Give allies +1|+1 this round” and “Activate an ally’s Daybreak effect.”
- Sunburst: Cost lowered from 6c to 5c.
- The Twisted Treeline: New effect—Attacking with Nightfall allies will progress the Landmark.
- Hate Spike: Cost increased to 2c.
- Mark of the Storm: Damage nerfed to two.
- Riptide Sermon: Ability changed to deal three damage to a unit and one to the enemy Nexus.
- Decimate: Cost increased to 6c.
- The Harrowing: Cost increased from 9c to 10c.
- Rite of Calling: No longer a 0c spell. Cost changed to 1c.
- Targon’s Peak: Cost increased to 6c.
- Concurrent Timelines: Increased cost from 1c to 2c.
- The Papertree: New effect—When an ally with an attachment attacks, grant that attachment +1|+0.
- Ritual of Renewal: Changed to a 4c slow spell with “Heal an ally or your Nexus four. Draw one.”
- Ripper’s Bay: New effect—When allies attack, before triggering Lurk, grant the top ally of your deck Lurk and it becomes a Lurker.
- The Leviathan: Spell nerfed to a 7c 5|7 with Overwhelm. Ability changed to “Round Start: Deal one to the enemy Nexus twice.”
- Magical Journey: New effect—Plant a portal randomly in the top four cards of your deck and plant a chime on the top card of your deck.
Bug fixes
The patch is also coming with plenty of bug fixes that will smooth out some of the issues players have been facing. Here is the full list of bug fixes coming in Patch 3.16.0, according to Riot.
- Fixed a crash caused when equipping a unit with Darkin Harpoon when that unit is already equipped
- Fixed a bug with Kayn’s origin
- Fixed a crash attributed to Previsualization
- Fixed an issue with Hidden Pathways’ cost reduction and choice cards
- Fixed an issue with choice cards being discounted twice in PoC
- Fixed a bug with Sharesies incorrectly referring to equipped allies instead of attachment
- Fixed a crash when attempting to buff a darkin unit in hand
- Fixed a bug with Greenglade Caretaker and Ki Guardian’s interaction
- Fixed an issue with glorious evolution and choice cards
- Fixed an issue with Darkness in mirror matchups incorrectly showing the amount of damage dealt
- Fixed an issue with Boomship and Sanctum Conservator’s interaction
- Fixed an issue with Evolve not counting for units taken from opponent
- Fixed an issue with Champions not gaining level up progress when overflowing
- Fixed multiple issues with activating effects for cards in overflow in backrow
- Fixed a bug with Attach units’ card fan
- Removed plunder from Powder Pandemonium
- Fixed an issue where playing 2 burst spells that create cards in a row would sometimes cause one of the created cards to not be played correctly
- Fixed a bug where certain cards were not allowed in decks for the Lab “Welcome to the Jungle.”
