Patch 6.9 for League of Legends brought with it midseason madness, which patch 6.10 then went about tweaking and ironing out. There’s still room for improvement however (isn’t there always?), which is where Patch 6.11 comes in.
Riot feel that some champions are being chosen just a little too often for their liking. With this patch, they’re looking to mould the meta back into something that’s a little more diverse, especially for the pro scene.
Welcome to patch 6.11, the one where we clean out the balance closet. With the Midseason dust settling on live servers, we’re turning our attention to professional play. That means taking a swipe at the picks that are stifling champion diversity.
With pros around the world returning to the Rift, we’re excited to see how the exemplars of League innovate in our new era of elemental drakes and meaningful turret damage. That’s just not possible when multiple champs show up in every single game. So, before the summer split enters full swing, we’re taking steps to rein in the outliers. This includes longstanding challenges like Nidalee, Kindred, and Ekko, as well as return offenders like Azir and Lucian whose popularity has once again crossed the line into problem territory.
Important to note: like the mage updates, we’re avoiding generic nerfs in favor of balancing around strategic identities. What are these champions meant to excel at? How do we bring them in line while still allowing them to shine in the situations they should be picked in? These questions show us where to trim power that doesn’t fit the narrative, and in some cases (Trinity Force?!) where we can add new strength that does.
There are a lot of changes, which are far too numerous to list here. I’d recommend reading the patch notes at your own leisure instead of you’re interested in seeing all the update’s fine details. Otherwise, if you hate reading walls of text, you can watch this video, which tells you everything you need to know about 6.11 in a minute.
As always, I’m happy to see that Riot are constantly tweaking their MOBA. They could’ve just dumped patch 6.9 back then and let it be for a few months before addressing any over or underpowered champions or items. Instead, they’re always tinkering, and attempting to make the most balanced game possible with their regular updates.
This latest one should set the scene nicely for professional play. If all goes according to plan, the meta will be fresh and extra diverse, which will make for some excellent and entertaining eSport viewing .
Last Updated: June 2, 2016
