League of Legends Patch 14.9 Patch Notes: Lee Sin ASU, MSI Event & Balance Changes

League of Legends Patch 14.9 has released just in time for the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational. With this patch Riot has introduced the kerne-level anti-cheat Vanguard, as well as the MSI Event.

Lee Sin is one of the many champions in dire need of a model update and he's finally getting it with this patch, so let's go over all the balance changes, and new cosmetics that this patch has to offer.

League of Legends Patch 14.9: Lee Sin ASU Released

Riot has brought a brand-new Lee Sin to summoner's rift. His abilities will stay the same, but the champion is going to have a glow up like no other. New and improved visuals, more clarity and much better sound effects as well.

Riot have also revealed that two of his skins are going to have price increases due to the improved visuals and sounds. The ASU will not impact his abilities, just improve his visuals and with a brand-new model Lee Sin is ready to become the most played jungler in League of Legends.

League of Legends Patch 14.9: All Buffs & Nerfs

Champion Nerfs

Riot are doing something about power creep once again.

With the last few patches being very buff-heavy, Riot is now looking into reducing some of the high damage output in the game, and they're coming in with the nerf hammer. To do so, they're looking at champions with higher frustration levels than they should have.

For example, a champion like Zed is supposed to sit at a high ban rate, because a low ban rate of Zed just means he's useless in the game.

Also, champions that are known to be played in higher elos that are sitting at a 50% win rate, like Azir, will be nerfed. These champions tend to have below 50% win rate in lower elos due to their complicated playstyles.

Skarner

Base Stats

• Mana Regeneration Growth: 0.6 ⇒ 0.75

P – Threads of Vibration

• Damage per Hit: 10/25/40/55/70 (+60% bonus AD) (+5% of his bonus health) ⇒ 10/20/30/40/50 (+60% bonus AD) (+5% of his bonus health)
• [REMOVD] Q no longer refreshes the buff duration upon attacking Wards or Plants.

Q – Shattered Earth / Upheaval

• Damage: 10 - 70 >>> 10 - 50
• Health Ratio: 6% bonus HP >>> 5% bonus HP

W – Seismic Bastion

• Slow: 20/25/30/35/40% ⇒ 20% at all ranks
• Shield: 9% maximum health ⇒ 8% maximum health

Ahri

W – Fox-Fire

• Damage: 50/75/100/125/150 (+30% AP) ⇒ 45/70/95/120/145 (+30% AP)

R – Spirit Rush

• Cooldown: 130/105/80 ⇒ 130/115/100 seconds

Aurelion Sol

E – Singularity

• Total Damage: 50/75/100/125/150 (+100% AP) ⇒ 50/75/100/125/150 (+80% AP)

Blitzcrank

P – Mana Barrier

• Passive Shield Duration: 10 seconds ⇒ 4 seconds

W – Overdrive

• Initial Bonus Movement Speed: 70/75/80/85/90% ⇒ 60/65/70/75/80%

Evelynn

W – Allure

• Slow: 65%⇒ 45%

R – Last Caress

• Damage: 125/250/375 (+75% AP) ⇒ 125/250/375 (+65%)

Jinx

R – Super Mega Death Rocket!

• Cooldown: 70/55/40 ⇒ 85/65/45 seconds

Kassadin

E – Force Pulse

• Damage: 60/90/120/150/180 (+80% AP) ⇒ 60/90/120/150/180 (+70% AP)

Master Yi

E – Wuju Style

• Bonus True Damage: 30/35/40/45/50 (+30% bonus AD) ⇒ 20/25/30/35/40 (+30% bonus AD)

Olaf

Q – Undertow

• Damage: 65/115/165/215/265 (+100% bonus AD) ⇒ 60/110/160/210/260 (+100% bonus AD)
• Bonus Damage to Monsters: 5/15/25/35/45 ⇒ 10/25/40/55/70

R – Ragnarok

• Passive Resistances: 10/20/30 ⇒ 10/15/20

Pyke

W – Ghostwater Dive

• Mana Cost: 50 ⇒ 65
• Cooldown: 12/11/10/9/8 ⇒ 14/13/12/11/10 seconds

Taliyah

Q – Threaded Volley

• Mana Cost: 55/60/65/70/75 ⇒ 65/70/75/80/85 (Note: Mana cost of 20 on Worked Ground unchanged.)
• Bonus Damage to Monsters: 25 (+10% AP) ⇒ 25 (+5% AP)

Twitch

Base Stats

• Base Health: 682 ⇒ 630
• Health Growth: 100 ⇒ 104

W – Venom Cask

• Slow: 30/35/40/45/50% (+6% AP) ⇒ 30/35/40/45/50 (+5% AP)

R – Spray and Pray

• Bonus Attack Damage: 40/55/70 ⇒ 30/45/60

Urgot

Base Stats

• Armor Growth: 5.45 ⇒ 5.0

Champion Buffs

This time around, there are fewer buffs than nerfs. This is because Riot is looking to nerf more champions to try and combat the issue of power creep in the future of the game.

Amumu

Base Stats

• Base Attack Damage: 53 ⇒ 57
• Base Armor: 30 ⇒ 33

Karma

Q – Inner Flame

• Slow: 35% ⇒ 40% (Note: Mantra Q slow is unchanged at 50%.)

R + E – Mantra + Inspire

• AoE Shielding on Secondary Targets: 90% of Primary Target’s Extra Shield ⇒ 100% of Primary Target’s Extra Shield
• AoE Movement Speed Bonus: 12% ⇒ 15%

Kennen

E – Lightning Rush

• Added Range indicator to show it's collision when hovered

R – Slicing Maelstrom

• Cast wind down time removed (wind up time is still 0.25s)
• Can now move while casting

Malzahar

Q – Call of the Void

• Mana Cost: 80 ⇒ 60/65/70/75/80

E – Malefic Vision

• Cooldown: 15/13/11/9/7 ⇒ 11/10/9/8/7 seconds

Sejuani

P – Fury of the North

• Bonus Resistances: 10 (+50% Bonus Armor/Magic Resistance) ⇒ 10 (+75% Bonus Armor/Magic Resistance)

W – Winter's Wrath

• First Hit Damage: 10/15/20/25/30 (+20% AP) (+2% of her maximum health) ⇒ 5/15/25/35/45 (+20% AP) (+4% of her maximum health)
• Second Hit Damage: 20/60/100/140/180 (+60% AP) (+6% of her maximum health) ⇒ 5/25/45/65/85 (+60% AP) (+8% of her maximum health)
• Maximum Damage: 30/75/120/165/210 (+80% AP) (+8% of her maximum health) ⇒ 10/40/70/100/130 (+80% AP) (+12% of her maximum health)

Seraphine

Q – High Note

• Damage: 60/85/110/135/160 (+50% AP) ⇒ 60/85/110/135/160 (+60% AP)

Champion Adjustments

Riot is going to be making some adjustments to the gameplay radius in the game, while also adjusting a few champions for specific roles as well:

Akshan

Q – Avengerang

• Move Speed on Champion Hit: 20/25/30/35/40% (+5% per 100 AP) ⇒ 20% at all ranks (+5% per 100 AP)
• Damage to Non-Champions: 40/52.5/65/77.5/90% ⇒ 40/50/60/70/80%

R – Comeuppance

• Minimum Damage per Bullet: 20/25/30 (+10% total AD) ⇒ 25/35/45 (+15% total AD)
• Maximum Damage per Bullet: 80/100/120 (+40% AD) ⇒ 75/105/135 (+45% total AD)

Bel'Veth

P – Death in Lavender

• Bonus Attack Speed per Stack: 0.28%-1% (levels 1-13) ⇒ 0.28%-1% (levels 1-17) (Note: This means that at levels 2-16, Bel’Veth will have slightly less attack speed, this is most pronounced at level 13.)

Q – Void Surge

• Damage: 10/15/20/25/30 (+110% total AD) ⇒ 10/15/20/25/30 (+100% Total AD)
• Monster Damage Modifier: 140% total damage ⇒ +45/55/65/75/85 flat damage (Note: This is a buff until 136 total attack damage.)

Janna

W – Zephyr

• Damage: 55/90/125/160/195 (+60% AP) (+30% Bonus Movement Speed) ⇒ 55/85/115/145/175 (+50% AP) (+30% Bonus Movement Speed)

E – Eye of the Storm

• Shield: 80/115/150/185/220 (+55% AP) ⇒ 80/120/160/200/240 (+55% AP)

Nilah

Q – Formless Blade

• Minimum Damage: 5/10/15/20/25 (+90/97.5/105/112.5/120% total AD) ⇒ 5/10/15/20/25 (+90/95/100/105/110% total AD)
• Bonus Attack Speed: 10-50% (based on level) ⇒ 10-60% (based on level)
• Critical Strike Chance Damage Modifier: 100-220% (based on critical strike chance) ⇒ 100-200% (based on critical strike chance)

Champion Gameplay Adjustments

In this patch, Riot will make some changes to hit boxes to make sure all champions feel good to play against.

Hitbox Adjustments (Gemplay Radii)

• Aurelion Sol increased 65 >>> 80
• Briar increased 55 >>> 65
• Darius reduced 80 >>> 65
• K'Sante increased 65 >>> 80
• Naafiri increased 55 >>> 65
• Warwick increased 55 >>> 65
• Yuumi reduced 65 >>> 55

Click Box Adjustments (Selection Radii)

• Azir increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Alistar reduced 145 >>> 140
• Aurelion Sol reduced 165 >>> 150
• Bard increased 88.8889 >>> 130
• Blitzcrank reduced 165 >>> 140
• Brand increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Braum increased 100 >>> 130
• Briar increased 111.1111 >>> 120
• Darius reduced 125 >>> 120
• Diana increased 75 >>> 120
• Gangplank increased 85 >>> 120
• Garen increased 75 >>> 120
• Gragas reduced 155 >>> 140
• Jayce increased 75 >>> 120
• K'Sante increased 102.7778 >>> 140
• Leona increased 75 >>> 120

• Lissandra increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Malzahar increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Naafiri increased 111.1111 >>> 120
• Neeko increased 90 >>> 120
• Nilah increased 75 >>> 120
• Poppy increased 95 >>> 100
• Rengar increased 70 >>> 120
• Rumble reduced 165 >>> 140
• Veigar increased 93 >>> 100
• Vel'Koz increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Viktor reduced 160 >>> 120
• Warwick increased 111.1111 >>> 120
• Xerath increased 88.8889 >>> 120
• Yasuo increased 75 >>> 120
• Yone increased 75 >>> 120
• Yuumi reduced 120 >>> 100
• Zac increased 90 >>> 140

Minion Block Adjustment (Pathing Radii)

• K'Sante increased 35 >>> 50
• Yuumi reduced 35 >>> 30

System Changes

With items like Sundered Sky and Eclipse currently being the best items for any fighters in League of Legends, Riot is going to be working on some major nerfs for these items and the item class. With these item adjustments, Riot is looking to bring more item variance into the fighter meta like Black Cleaver, Death's Dance and others being picked up instead.

Eclipse

• Ever Rising Moon Damage: 8% (melee) / 4% (ranged) of target’s maximum health ⇒ 6% (melee) / 4% (ranged) of target’s maximum health

Sundered Sky

• Lightshield Strike per Target Cooldown: 6 ⇒ 8 seconds
• Lightshield Strike Healing: 140% base AD (+6% missing health) ⇒ 120% base AD (+6% missing health)

Sterak's Gage

• Total Price: 3000 ⇒ 3200
• Lifeline Cooldown: 60 ⇒ 90 seconds

Maw of Malmortius

• Total Price: 2800 ⇒ 3100
• [NEW] Ability Haste: 0 ⇒ 15
• Magic Resistance: 50 ⇒ 40
• Attack Damage: 65 ⇒ 70
• Lifeline Duration: 2.5 ⇒ 3 seconds
• Lifeline Buff: 12% Lifesteal ⇒ 10% Omnivamp

Hexdrinker

• Item Recipe: Long Sword + Null-Magic Mantle + 500 gold ⇒ Long Sword + Long Sword + Null-Magic Mantle + 150 gold
• Magic Resistance: 35 ⇒ 30

Death's Dance

• Item Recipe: Steel Sigil + Caulfield’s Warhammer + 1000 gold ⇒ Steel Sigil + Caulfield’s Warhammer + Pickaxe + 125 gold
• Attack Damage: 55 ⇒ 60
• Defy Healing: 50% bonus AD ⇒ 75% bonus AD

ARAM Balance Changes

ARAM is also going to be getting some adjustments, though this time around the balance for ARAM is a lot smaller... probably because of the Arena return.

Nerfs

• Hwei: Ability Haste: 20 ⇒ 10
• Nami: Healing Received: 95% ⇒ 90%; Damage Dealt: 100% ⇒ 95%
• Smolder: Ability Haste: 0 ⇒ -10; Damage Taken: 100% ⇒ 105%

Item Adjustments

• Hubris: Passive: 10 + (1*statues) AD, Buff duration 45 seconds (all users) ⇒ 15 + (2*statues) AD, Buff duration 90 seconds (melee users), 10 + (1*statues) AD, Buff duration 45 seconds (ranged users) (Note: This passive change will also be inherited by the Ornn upgrade, Ataraxia.)

LoL MSI 2024 Event

This patch is also going to feature the Mid-Season Invitational event. The event is Empyrean-themed since the skins releasing this patch are the Empyrean skins. Players will be able to earn event tokens and rewards simply by playing League of Legends, which should be pretty exciting.

If players earn enough Tokens, they'll be able to purchase the Empyrean Kayle Prestige skin, which is the champion's first prestige.

Rotating Game Mode For Event Revealed

Not only is Riot going to give players a brand-new event, but Arena is also returning. This event isn't just going to be around for a few weeks though, with Riot revealing that Arena will have an extended stay in the client. Throughout all of Ranked Season 14 Split 2, players will be able to also play Arena.

The mode has been improved to encompass 8-teams of two. Not only that, but new arenas have been added to the mode and new Empyrean-themed improvements have been added. Also, some changes to the item system will be hitting Arena with this update.

Empyrean Skins In LoL Patch 14.9

As just mentioned, Empyrean is back in the client. This time around, Riot is going to be adding 7-new skins, with Varus receiving a legendary and Kayle a prestige.

• Empyrean Varus
• Empyrean Malzahar
• Empyrean Nocturne
• Empyrean Brand
• Empyrean Akali
• Empyrean Kayle
  • Empyrean Kayle Prestige Edition

Those were all the updates in this patch. Who else is ready for MSI and all the changes Riot have implemented?