With just a few weeks remaining until the commencement of the 2023 World Championship in League of Legends, Riot Games continues to adjust champions in Patch 13.19, aiming to shape the upcoming tournament’s meta.
LeBlanc, a champion who has caused balance issues throughout the latter part of League of Legends Season 13, has been a concern. Despite significant nerfs to Statikk Shiv, she has now emerged as a dominant pick in the meta once again due to a new top lane build.
In South Korea, professional players have been experimenting with this new build, causing concerns among fans that LeBlanc might become a prevalent pick in the tournament. Kim ‘Kiin’ Gi-in from KT Rolster, known for his versatility in the top lane, has also been exploring this LeBlanc build.
Riot is nerfing AD Leblanc
In response to these, game designer David “Phreak” Turley has outlined several changes on the League of Legends subreddit. These changes are intended to address the impact of the new LeBlanc build and include nerfs to Statikk Shiv, Trinity Force, and adjustments to her mana pool.
Additionally, a slight buff to LeBlanc’s ability power ratio is planned to encourage players to opt for the traditional AP build instead of the AD split-pushing.
Phreak mentioned that Statikk Shiv was initially meant to be adjusted until it was on par in power with other AD item options like Stormrazor. Initially considered underpowered by many players, the strength of Statikk Shiv became apparent when utilized by specific champions, such as LeBlanc.
By building Hullbreaker and Trinity Force into her build, LeBlanc evolved into a formidable split-pushing champion who proved difficult to catch while still retaining her ability to provide significant damage through her AP scaling.
Furthermore, she could withstand a considerable amount of damage in the late game by opting for the Resolve rune tree and equipping a few tank items to enhance her durability.
It’s worth noting that League of Legends Patch 13.19 will serve as the patch for the 2023 World Championship. While the initial patch notes did not include any LeBlanc nerfs, it’s important to remember that these changes are not final, and we do not yet have specific numerical details.