Hydra Nerfed and Yuumi Rework Confirmed - Patch 12.23 Overview

The last patch of the year has arrived, addressing some of the biggest winners from Preseason. Here are the biggest talking points from the latest round of changes.

Ravenous Hydra Nerfs

The reworked Ravenous Hydra has been dominating the meta with its AoE damage and Omnivamp healing. Consequently, both stats have been nerfed:

• AoE Splash Damage reduced to 50% AD for melee champions/25% AD for ranged champions, down from 60% & 30% AD
• Omnivamp from stacks removed (was 4%)

Considering how prevalent the item was across every role, this is a nerf across the board and the success of some champions (like Zed and Fiora) may have been inflated by Hydra. Elsewhere, a couple of tank items have been adjusted:

• Mosstomper - tenacity buff duration reduced to 1.5 seconds, down from 3
• Tenacity type changed to champion (multiplicative with item tenacity), from item (additive with item tenacity)

• Sunfire Aegis - combine cost reduced to 900, down from 1000
• Total cost reduced to 2700, down from 2800
• Health increased to 500, up from 400

Further Jungle Changes

Jungle was the main focus of the Preseason and has received some further balance changes. As the newest addition the Rift, the Jungle companions now grant less gold but deal more damage for tanks:

• Companion attack damage change 16 (+ 15% AD) (+ 10% AP) (+ 3% bonus health) (+ 10% bonus Armor) (+ 10% bonus Magic Resist), changed from 20 (+ 15% AD) (+ 10% AP) (+ 4% bonus health)
• After their first evolution, jungle companions will consume 2 bonus treats on large monster kills
• Bonus Treat Gold reduced to 35 gold, down from 50
• Removed - the 20% bonus damage provided by companions no longer works on epic monsters

The leash range for camps has also been changed to allow more space for champions to kite camps:

• Leash range centers have been offset from Camp spawn location giving more space for champions to move and kite
• Jungle Camp Experience Given Multiplier: 1/1/1.025/1.075/1.15/1.15/1.25/1.25/1.35 (levels 1-9) ⇒ 1/1/1.025/1.075/1.2/1.2/1.3/1.3/1.45 (levels 1-9)
• Gromp attack range reduced to 150, down from 175
• Raptor attack range reduced to 200, down from 300

This may take a few games for Junglers to get used to, but should feel a lot smoother in the long run. Meanwhile, some Junglers have received changes to their clear speed:

• Mordekaiser - Passive (Darkness Rises) - damage cap against monsters changed to 28-164 (based on level) from 180
• Passive proc on monsters only generates a stack on large monster hits, instead of all monster hits

• Maokai - Passive (Sap Magic) - heal increased to 4-34 (based on level) + (4-12% maximum health (based on level)), up from 4-10% maximum health
• Q (Bramble Smash) - base damage increased to 70/120/170/220/270 (+2/2.25/2.5/2.75/3% of the target’s maximum HP), up from 65/110/155/200/245
• Bonus damage to monsters increased to 120/140/160/180/200, up from 80/100/120/140/160 ⇒

• Amumu - health growth increased to 100, up from 89
• Q (Bandage Toss) - mana cost increased to 40/45/50/55/60, up from 30/35/40/45/50
• W (Despair) - damage per second increased to /16/20/24/28 (+1/1.25/1.5/1.75/2% of target’s maximum HP), up from (+1/1.15/1.3/1.45/1.6% of target’s maximum HP)
• E (Tantrum) - base magic damage increased to 80/110/140/170/200 (+ 50% AP), up from 85/110/135/160/185
  

Mage Changes & Yuumi Rework

With the return of Rod Of Ages in Preseason, Kassadin's back in the meta. He's received some buffs to his Q and E to improve his QoL:

• Q (Null Sphere) - shield strength increased to 80/110/140/170/200 (+ 30% AP), up from 60/90/120/150/180 (+ 40% AP)
• Shield is granted when Q is cast, instead of when Q hits the target
• E (Force Pulse) - cooldown increased to 21/19/17/15/13 seconds, up from 5 seconds
• New - ally and enemy spells cast nearby Kassadin reduce E’s cooldown by 1 second
• Removed - you no longer need a certain number of stacks to cast this spell

Elsewhere, Syndra has been a fantastic pick for a while ever since players have adjusted to her mid-scope update. Her scaling has been reduced to curb her mid/late game one-shot potential:

• W (Force of Will) - Transcendent upgrade bonus damage reduced to 12% ( 2% per 100 AP), down from 15% (+1.5% per 100 AP)
• E (Scatter the Weak) - cooldown increased to 17 seconds, up from 15
• Magic damage decreased to 75/115/155/195/235 (+45% AP), down from (+55% AP)

Lastly, after years of frustrating the community, Riot confirmed that Yuumi will be reworked. She's proved impossible to balance between solo queue and pro metas, with neither her Q or E builds feeling balanced or healthy. She's received another round of nerfs to try and keep her out of the upcoming pro season:

• Passive (Bop 'N' Block) - cooldown increased to 18-6 seconds (based on level), up from 14-6
• Ultimate (Final Chapter) - root duration decreased to 1.25 seconds, down from 1.75

Summary

With another round of Jungle changes, keep an eye out for which champions can adjust and who can survive without Ravenous Hydra being completely broken.