Katarina may receive buffs in the near future, as suggested by Riot August, who is concerned about her low win rate.
Katarina is known for her ability to unleash devastating pentakills, striking fear into squishy champions. A well-fed Katarina can single-handedly dominate a game, however, her impact seems to diminish as you climb the ranked ladder.
Katarina’s performance has been lackluster lately, evident in her win rate in Patch 13.20, according to League statistic op.gg. Riot August, during one of his recent Twitch streams, discussed champions with minimal presence in professional play, and Katarina naturally came up. She’s rarely chosen by pro players, primarily because her design doesn’t align with the pro play style.
According to Riot August, Katarina is in need of buffs. Currently, her win rate hovers at 48.80% across all ranks. He believes that Katarina mains’ skill and dedication have a more significant impact on her win rate compared to non-mains. This makes sense since Katarina is a high-skill-floor champion which attracts dedicated one-trick players.
Despite her dominating reputation, even skilled Katarina mains struggle to achieve victory with her. What often goes unnoticed is her weak laning phase. If Katarina can’t secure an advantage through roaming, her value in the game diminishes.
Recent adjustments by Riot to the jungle and the increased durability of marksmen have impacted the burst damage of assassins, including Katarina. She no longer destroys marksmen as swiftly as before.
Additionally, her passive ability requires her to secure a takedown before she can unleash her full potential. With support champions being potent in the current meta, squishy champions have access to substantial sustain. All these factors contribute to her low win rate, despite having dedicated and skilled one-trick players.
In conclusion, it appears that Riot August’s call for Katarina buffs is well-founded. However, Riot currently has its hands full with upcoming patches and preseason changes, so the timeline for addressing this issue remains uncertain.