LoL Patch 14.7 has arrived, bringing the usual wave of champion and item adjustments. The long-awaited Visual Gameplay Update (VGU) for Skarner takes centre stage, alongside significant changes impacting the Enchanter support meta, with adjustments to Nami and Sona.
This big Season 14 update affects 16 champions and over 4 items, promising major gameplay shifts and a potential shakeup in the meta!
LoL Patch 14.7 is now live!
Adhering to Riot’s patch schedule for League of Legends, LoL Patch 14.7 went live on 3 April 2024.
Skarner reborn as Ixtal's vanguard
The undisputed star of Patch 14.7 is Skarner's VGU. This comprehensive rework transforms him into the "vanguard of Ixtal's protection," revamping his abilities, playstyle, visuals, and lore. Gone is the image of a "sad, defeated scorpion." In Ixtal, Skarner is revered as a founding member of the ruling caste, fiercely protecting the region's isolation.
Skarner's reworked kit positions him as a gank-focused jungler. His E allows him to surprise and isolate vulnerable targets, especially immobile ADCs. Once caught, these enemies become easy prey for Skarner and his team's follow-up crowd control. Skarner players should prioritise early ganks to snowball their team's lead!
For a more detailed look at his updated abilities, check out our "Skarner reworked abilities explained" guide here!
Many players have said their heartfelt goodbyes to the old Skarner on Reddit, reminiscing about their final Mastery 7 achievements or guides. Some even expressed sadness: "Just played my last Skarner games. I miss him already. First time I teared up over a champion rework."
While some will miss his high movement speed playstyle, most recognise the rework's necessity. "Nothing beats dragging targets at mach 5 speed," one player admits, "but this rework was needed to put Skarner back on the map."
Major adjustments to Support damage output
Following Patch 14.6's buffs to Crit items for struggling ADCs, Patch 14.7 focuses on the support role, particularly the Enchanter subclass. This shift aims to move away from the "damage" support meta and empower supportive playstyles.
Sona, who has been struggling lately, receives buffs to her bread-and-butter damage source, Passive Q, and W heal ratio. However, to compensate, her Q aura's AP ratio is slightly nerfed. Nami sees a similar approach: reduced base damage on E and W, but a boost to her heal AP ratio.
These changes aim to redistribute power away from raw damage and towards supportive abilities. The development team acknowledges some damage creep, particularly from support items like Imperial Mandate (whose HP damage percentage is reduced from 12% to 10% in Patch 14.7). They state that these Support changes will continue to happen, and will “chip away at these slowly over time.”
The community is divided on these changes. Some welcome the shift away from "damage" supports, tired of being outdamaged by AP supports in key stages of the game. However, others express concern that Enchanter supports may devolve into mere "heal bots", leaving little room for skill expression.
If you want to learn more about LoL Patch 14.7, check out our 14.7 rundown, or the official full patch notes on the official LoL website here!
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