League of Legends Patch 25.S1.3 Preview: Champion Adjustments and System Overhauls

Riot Games has unveiled a preview of the highly anticipated League of Legends Patch 25.S1.3, which is set to launch on February 5, 2025. This patch brings a series of important adjustments to champion balance and game systems, aiming to fine-tune gameplay dynamics. Among the changes are buffs for several underperforming champions and nerfs targeting overpowered picks. The update also introduces significant system-wide changes, including tweaks to attack speed, bounties, and Dragon Souls.

Champion Tweaks: Buffs and Nerfs Across the Rift

In Patch 25.S1.3, several champions are being rebalanced to maintain competitive fairness. The following champions will benefit from buffs:

Evelynn sees an increase in base damage for her abilities, enhancing her offensive capabilities.
Jax receives improvements to his damage output and mana regeneration, making him more potent in extended fights.
Thresh gains a better ability power scaling on his Q, empowering his crowd control potential.
Kayn's Shadow Assassin form sees boosted damage on his Q, making him more effective in the early stages of the game.
Quinn, Samira, and Swain also see increased stats, contributing to their overall effectiveness.

On the other hand, champions who have been deemed too powerful will be nerfed:

Skarner faces a reduction in the stun duration of his E, diminishing his crowd control potential.
Jayce and Miss Fortune will have their damage output lowered, reducing their dominance in the lane phase.
Cassiopeia's Q and W abilities will now scale weaker, diminishing her late-game strength.
Rell will experience reduced health and armor growth, affecting her tankiness.
Wukong's W cooldown has been increased, limiting his escape options and making him more vulnerable in certain situations.

System Changes: Attack Speed, Bounties, and Dragon Souls

Patch 25.S1.3 brings essential updates to the game’s underlying mechanics:

The attack speed cap is raised from 2.5/s to 3.0/s, allowing for faster-paced gameplay and quicker engagements.
Chemtech Soul now offers increased damage reduction when at low health, enhancing survivability in challenging situations.
Electrocute and Dark Harvest are getting a damage boost, supporting aggressive champions and playstyles.
Cloud Soul's movement speed bonus has been reduced, while Bloodsong's melee damage effect is slightly weakened, balancing the power of these soul bonuses.
The bounty system has also been adjusted, with the devaluation of bounties occurring 60% faster. This change reduces the comeback potential of a single player during a match.

Swiftplay and URF Updates

For the more fast-paced modes, such as Swiftplay and Ultra Rapid Fire (URF), Patch 25.S1.3 introduces additional adjustments:

In Swiftplay, champions such as Fiddlesticks, Nidalee, Ivern, and Zoe will receive buffs to their healing, shield scaling, and ability damage, improving their overall effectiveness in the mode.
Yorick, however, faces a nerf as his summons will now deal significantly less damage to turrets, limiting his split-pushing potential.

Changes to game pacing are also set to impact Swiftplay, with minion upgrades now happening every 60 seconds, and dragons taking longer to respawn. Additionally, a Sudden Death mechanic will speed up matches past the 25-minute mark, ensuring more action in the latter stages of the game.

In URF, the attack speed cap is increased to 10.0/s, making auto-attack champions even more lethal in this ultra-fast mode.

Patch 25.S1.3 is a comprehensive update that addresses both champion balance and core game systems. With nerfs aimed at reigning in powerful champions and buffs targeting underperforming picks, the patch will significantly impact the meta. Changes to system mechanics, including Dragon Souls, attack speed, and bounties, will further refine the overall gameplay experience. Players can expect to see a more dynamic and balanced League of Legends when the update is released on February 5, 2025.