LoL patch 14.2 is out and it’s brought a sweeping swathe of updates, including the release of the new champion Smolder.
After the major changes from the new season’s debut, the 14.2 patch will try to tweak the aftershocks from its initial impact.
This means that patch 14.2 focuses hard on the AP items, as well as other system changes to update the game.
LoL patch 14.2: the system changes
The most important system change is that Riot will soon introduce Vanguard to League of Legends. The anti-cheat software saw its start in Valorant.
This means that all League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics will require Vanguard. The controversial kernel-level anti-cheat software will now be mandatory for the LoL client.
Vanguard is not currently in use for League of Legends. However, patch 14.2 will begin to run a diagnostics check to see if the player’s PC is compatible with Vanguard.
Players will receive a notification ahead of time before the Vanguard requirement comes into effect.
Additionally, patch 14.2 heralds the update of minimum requirements for League of Legends. From February 21 (patch 14.2), LoL and TFT will no longer support Windows 7, 8, and 8.1.
Most importantly for in-game changes, the developers are changing the stat shard system.
This is to alter the binary defensive choices between armor and magic resist.
The first row of shards remain the same. However, the second and third rows are significantly different.
Row 2 kept the Adaptive Force option, but removed the 6 Armor and 8 Magic Resist runes. In their place, players can now choose a 2% move speed or 10-180 (based on level) bonus health, respectively.
Row 3 overhauled all three options. Previously, players could choose scaling health, armor, or magic resist. Now, players can choose flat 65 base health, 10% Tenacity and Slow Resist, or 10-180 (based on level) bonus health.
Finally, there are adjustments to the bounty system, buffs to the Infernal Drake, and a new set of Primal Ambush skins.
Champion changes
First and foremost is the addition of the new champion, Smolder. The baby dragon will make his debut on the Rift a week after the patch drops.
Meanwhile, several champions received buffs to help them out with the new items:
- Ahri: E (Charm) cooldown reduced from 14 to 12 seconds
- Camille: Higher base health, lowered passive cooldown, and bonus Q movement speed
- Darius: Q mana cost decreased, Q healing scaling increased, and E armor penetration buffed
- Ezreal: Q, W, and R damage is higher
- Garen: W active duration is now 4 seconds at all ranks, and his E damage is higher
- Gragas: Armor and health growth is up, while his ultimate cooldown is down
- Gwen: Her passive damage is higher
- Hwei: E cooldown is lower, and his EQ fear duration increases with rank
- Illaoi: Her base mana, health growth, and mana growth are all increased, as is her passive healing
- Karma: Base health, Q damage, and E shield strength are all higher
- Karthus: Q damage is higher, and his W reduces more magic resist
- Shen: Base attack damage is up
- Veigar: Base HP buffed from 550 to 580
On the other hand, other champs got hit with the nerf bat in Patch 14.2:
- Blitzcrank: Base Armor 40 => 37 and E (Power Fist) damage lowered
- Fizz: Q and W damage is lower
- Jax: E damage is lower
- Rumble: Q does less damage and E shreds less magic resist
- Teemo: The damage on E is lower and the cooldown on his ult is higher
On a hypothetical third hand, some champs received both to adjust their playstyles in certain directions.
- Briar received some buffs to health and healing to improve her bruiser builds, while also a hit to her damage weaken her Lethality builds
- Twisted Fate received changes to encourage crit itemization
LoL Patch 14.2 item changes
Lastly, the developers tweaked a lot of items in patch 14.2. The main focus was to lower the amount of damage that items did directly.
Additionally, there were the usual balance tweaks to tone down overperforming choices and help out the struggling ones.
- Bloodsong damage is down
- Experimental Hexplate’s recipe is different and gives more consistent attack speed
- Frozen Heart’s recipe is more expensive
- Horizon Focus has lower range requirement and reveals more
- Phantom Dancer’s recipe is different
- Riftmaker is more expensive
- Steel Sigil is 100 gold cheaper, but item recipes that use it are now 100 gold more expensive
- Stormsurge gives less AP and its passive has worse AP scaling
- Stridebreaker is cheaper and gives more attack speed
Lastly, the Support items now apply the gold penalty globally. This is to prevent more than one player buying the item and benefitting from the gold gain.
