K’Sante, the Pride of Nezumah, is once again facing significant changes in League of Legends. This time, Riot Games is taking a more aggressive approach, aiming to nerf his overall power level.
The changes, which include adjustments to his base stats, abilities, and ultimate, are designed to make him less dominant in both solo queue and professional play.
Riot Phreak, who has been leading the charge on K’Sante’s balance adjustments, admitted that previous changes had not achieved the desired results. He apologized for his mistakes and explained that Riot wants K’Sante to remain a strong tank pick but not the undisputed best.
The new changes, which will be implemented in Patch 14.19, focus on reducing K’Sante’s burst damage and mobility. While he will still be a tanky champion, his strength will be more reliant on resistances and late-game scaling.
The community has reacted negatively to these changes, with many players expressing concerns about K’Sante’s viability and fun factor. Some argue that the changes will make him too difficult to play effectively, while others believe that they will simply nerf him into oblivion.
K’Sante (rework) changes in Patch 14.19
Base stats
- Attack range reduced from 175 to 150.
- Base attack speed increased from 0.625 to 0.658.
- Attack speed ratio increased from 0.625 to 0.658.
Passive — Dauntless Instinct
- Base damage increased from 5-20 (based on level) to 20 at all levels.
- Health ratio changed from 1-2 percent to 1-2 percent of target’s maximum health.
- Removed effects
- No longer grants 25 bonus attack range against a marked target.
- Damage is no longer converted to true damage while All Out.
- Damage is no longer increased by 30-78 percent (based on level) while All Out.
- Added effects
- While All Out, K’Sante’s basic attacks and abilities now deal bonus physical damage
Q — Ntofo Strikes
- Width reduced from 150 to 100 units.
- Base damage increased from 30-130 to 70-190.
- Damage armor ratio increased from 30 to 35 percent bonus armor.
- Damage resistance ratio increased from 30 to 35 bonus magic resistance.
- Cast time increased from 0-.45-0.25 (based on bonus health) to 0.45-0.35 (based on bonus resistances).
- Cooldown changed from 3.5-1.75 (based on bonus resistances) to 3.5-1.75.
- All Out cooldown reduction increased from 25 to 33 percent.
- All Out minimum cooldown reduced from 1.33 to 1.17 seconds.
- Removed effects
- Damage no longer scales with 40 percent attack damage.
- Added effects
- Now slows enemies while All Out.
W — Path Maker
- Minimum charge duration reduced from 0.66 to 0.4 seconds.
- Base damage increased from 20-100 to 40-120.
- Damage health ratio changed from 6-10 percent to eight percent of target’s max health at all levels.
- Stun duration changed from 1.25 at all times to 0.5-1.5 (based on channel time).
- Removed effects
- Damage no longer scales with 50 percent attack damage, 30 percent bonus armor, and 30 percent bonus magic resistance.
- K’Sante can no longer change his charging direction during the cast time.
- Recast now always dashes toward charging direction.
- Added effects
- Health ratio now scales with two percent per 100 bonus armor and two percent per 100 bonus magic resistance.
- Now deals 10-100 percent (based on channel time) of Path Maker’s damage as bonus true damage in All Out.
E — Footwork
- Dash speed reduced from 900 to 550 (All Out dash speed reduced to 950).
- All Out ally dash speed increased from 1,100 to 1,400.
- Cooldown reduced from 10.5-8.5 to 10-8 seconds.
- Removed effects
- Ally dash speed no longer scales with 100 percent movement speed.
- Location dash can no longer cross terrain during All Out (All Out ally dash unchanged).
- Location dash range no longer increased by 400 while All Out.
R — All Out Ultimate
- Damage type changed from magic to physical.
- Base damage increased from 70-150 to 80-150, maximum base damage increased from 140-300 to 160-300.
- Duration reduced from 20 to 15 seconds.
- Bonus attack speed increased from 25-45 to 40-80 percent.
- Removed effects
- Damage no longer scales with 65 percent ability power.
- All Out can no longer be recast to end effects early.
- No longer gains 10-40 (plus 25 percent bonus armor, plus 25 percent bonus magic resistance) bonus attack damage.
- No longer heals K’Sante for 15-25 percent damage dealt to champs during duration.
- Added effects
- Wall passthrough damage now scales with five percent of bonus health.
- Now grants 20 percent omnivamp for the duration.
- Now grants 50 percent bonus armor penetration.
It remains to be seen whether these changes will be successful in addressing K’Sante’s balance issues. Only time will tell if Riot Games has finally found the right formula for the Pride of Nezumah.