Riot Games has rolled out an unexpected micropatch for League of Legends, targeting balance issues with Skarner following his VGU release earlier in the week. The patch is primarily focused on buffing Skarner in the jungle while nerfing his performance in the top lane. Changes include a reduction in his mana growth, increased monster damage from his passive and Q abilities, an increase in his W mana cost, and a decrease in his E cooldown.
According to lead gameplay designer Matt Leung-Harrison, Skarner is currently outperforming in the top lane at low mastery levels, but experienced Skarner players are performing well with him. The changes aim to make Skarner more viable in the jungle and encourage players to learn optimization strategies such as using Q before E. The dev team is also working on balancing Skarner’s Q ability to be impactful while allowing for counterplay.
The patch also includes bug fixes related to Skarner, addressing any issues that may have arisen following his VGU rework in patch 14.7. Initial reactions to the rework were positive, with players appreciating the new look champion despite low win rates. The decision to nerf Skarner despite his low win rate reflects the team’s desire to see him in the jungle rather than exclusively in the top lane.
Further changes to Skarner may be expected with the release of patch 14.8 on April 17. While the upcoming patch may not include significant VGU changes, players can anticipate interesting balance adjustments based on community feedback and gameplay data. The dev team is likely to continue monitoring Skarner’s performance to ensure he remains balanced and enjoyable for players across all skill levels.
