LoL Patch 14.9 has arrived, bringing the long-awaited Art & Sustainability Update (ASU) for Lee Sin alongside a wave of gameplay and champion balance adjustments. With this patch, Riot cracks down on hitbox inaccuracies and re-tuning a bunch of fighter itemization, giving items a clearer identity and opening up itemization options.
This big Season 14 update affects 23 champions and over 6 items, promising major gameplay shifts and a potential shakeup in the meta!
LoL Patch 14.9 is now live!
Adhering to Riot’s patch schedule for League of Legends, LoL Patch 14.7 went live on May 1, 2024.
Fighter Items Get Sharper Focus
While Patch 14.8 was more buff-heavy, Patch 14.9 veers to the opposite, aiming to “pull power out of the champions” who have been dominating in Season 14. However, the biggest balance changes target items.
Fighter itemization has been muddled, and Riot is taking steps to reshape these items into clear aggressive purchases. Patch 14.9 completely reworks Maw of Malmortius, transforming it into a powerful item for light fighters like Riven or Fiora. Omnivamp replaces lifesteal, and added Ability Haste sweetens the deal.
However, the reduced Magic Resist pushes it towards burst resistance, making it less effective for shutting down mages in extended duels. Ideally, mages can wait out the shield and then resume their assault, while light fighters gain a more attractive offensive option.
Death's Dance also receives a rework. Similar to Maw of Malmortius, Riot aims to make it a clear choice for aggressive, high-attack damage fighters. Buffs include increased Attack Damage and healing. While Riot is cautious about snowballing fighters, being in melee range already comes with risks that have hindered that.
Hitbox Inconsistencies Addressed
The dev team is adjusting the game’s Selection Radius, which determines the size of a champion's hitbox when you hover over them with your mouse. This doesn't affect attack range or skill shot accuracy, just how easy it is for players to target enemy champions. Most champions have a Selection Radius between 100 and 140, but some outliers are being adjusted to better match their size and improve gameplay consistency.
On the other hand, there’s Gameplay Collision Radius, which affects gameplay mechanics like auto attacks and dodging skill shots. This radius is being adjusted as well, with the goal of making these interactions feel smoother and more intuitive. These changes are purely for clarity and consistency – no champion is getting stronger or weaker.
Overall, these adjustments should make targeting champions feel more natural and responsive, reducing those frustrating moments where you feel like you should have hit an enemy.
If you want to learn more about LoL Patch 14.9, check out our 14.9 rundown, or the official full patch notes on the official LoL website here!
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