LoL Patch 13.3 Preview: Riot Games All Set to Nerf Early Game Ganks, Buff Support Tanks

On 31st January, Lead Designer of League Balance Team & Preseason (Summoner's Rift Team) Matt “Phroxzon” Leung-Harrison took to Twitter to reveal Riot Games’ outline for LoL Patch 13.3, which is following the 13.1b patch. This latest patch will address system changes that did not make it to 13.1b, along with nerfs to tank champions. Additionally, a big list of underappreciated League of Legends champions are getting buffed in LoL Patch 13.3. One of the biggest talking points of this patch is that Riot is targeting jungle dive power and rewards for gank vs farm in the early game.

Phroxzon wrote, “There's more to do on jungle, but we want to hit early gank power (especially for bot lane) in the short term. We're also getting 13.2 changes that couldn't make it in due to tech (overheal, multiplicative tenacity).”

List of champions getting buffed in LoL Patch 13.3

The champions who are getting buffed in LoL Patch 13.3, according to the preview are:

• Kayle

• Lee Sin

• Kayn (Assassin)

• Jarvan IV

• Trundle

• LeBlanc

• Support Tanks (Braum, Alistar, Nautilus, Pantheon, Pyke, Rakan, Thresh)

In this current meta where players are opting for champions like Lulu, Nami, Heimerdinger, and attack damage carry (ADC) supports, the buffs to support tanks will ideally change the meta. “While we're waiting for Kayle resourcing, we're giving her a buff until then and a larger swing at support tanks to balance out Enchanter meta as well as some buffs to some struggling Jungle champs. Finally, LeBlanc has been in a rough spot for a while so we're giving her a bump,” explained Phroxzon.

Nerfs in LoL Patch 13.3

The champions who shall be getting nerfed are:

• Amumu

• Zac

• K’Sante

Talking about these nerfs, Phroxzon said that they were targeting this since they are still very strong because Demonic Embrace is in a good spot and called K’Sante and Radiant Virtue as outliers. 

Most notably, Riot Games will be changing up a big system in League of Legends. According to the patch preview, the company is targeting early game ganking power. While Overheal is getting a system buff, Tenacity is getting a system adjustment in LoL Patch 13.3.

League of Legends Patch 13.3 should be releasing as per Riot’s original schedule after a hit to the season with cyberattacks and a ransom demand. LoL Patch 13.3 will go live on the servers on 8th February.